The Australian bowlers bowled very well and that was backed up with some excellent fielding which further restricted the run flow
After their initial wobble in their opening match against the West Indies last week, the Australia Under-19 team kept their upward momentum going when they clinched a nail-biter against England in their ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup clash at the Diamond Oval yesterday.
The Australians scraped home by two wickets off the final ball of the game, overhauling England’s total of 252/7, and breaking the English hearts in the process thanks to a match-winning innings at the death by Connor Sully who bludgeoned 35 off 20 balls (3x6s, 1×4) to take his side home to their score of 253/8.
The Australians were high on confidence after Tuesday’s big win over Nigeria at the Country Club B field, winning that game by 10 wickets. However, yesterday it was not a walk in the park with the England team seemingly in control of the match until the very end when Sully and batting partner Todd Murphy cut loose.
Australia won the toss on a hot Kimberley morning and sent England in to bat first. The opening pair, Ben Charlesworth and Jordan Cox put on a great opening partnership of 67 before Cox was caught and bowled for 25. Charlesworth and Jack Haynes went on to post a third-wicket partnership of 64 before Haynes was caught at cover for 31.
Charlesworth went on to score a brilliant 82 from 100 balls, before being dismissed with the total on 146/5, with England losing three wickets in the space of five runs.
The Australian bowlers bowled very well and that was backed up with some excellent fielding which further restricted the run flow.
At the change-over the run-rate set for Australia was five runs per over, with England ending their 50 overs on 252/7, Dan Mousley 51 not out and Kasey Aldridge 32 not out, putting on 60 runs for the 8th wicket.
The only other batsman to make an impression was Joey Evison with 21. The pick of the Aussie bowlers was Sully with 2/39 from his 10 overs.
Australia were in trouble early losing their first wicket in the third over. However, they fought back and produced a 51-run second-wicket partnership between Sam Fanning and skipper Mackenzie Harvey.
Harvey and Lachlan Hearne then put on a useful third-wicket partnership of 83, before Harvey was out for a well-played 65.
The Australians soon found themselves at 164/5, still requiring 77 from 62 balls, and the English bowlers started turning in the screws. Meanwhile, the Aussies were losing wickets at regular intervals.
But then Sully, thanks to some powerful striking at the death took his team over the line and as a result, was named Man of the Match for his efforts.
Score at Country Club B:
West Indies vs Nigeria
West Indies Under-19s (8 wkts) 303
Batting: Kimani Melius (cpt) 65, Matthew Patrick 68, Joshua James 43
Nigeria Under 19s57
Bowling: Jayden Seales 4/19, Ashmead Nedd 3/11
Result: West Indies win by 246 runs
