Green Stars As England U19s Beat India In ODI Thriller

By Jeremy Blackmore, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Leicestershire teenager Alex Green took three for 50 as England Under-19s beat India in a dramatic one-wicket win in the second One-Day International against India at Northampton.

Somerset batter/keeper Thomas Rew scored a sensational 131 to break the record for the fastest century for England Under 19s, beating Ben Foakes’ 79-ball ton against New Zealand in 2012.

England captain Rew shared a stand of 123 in 21 overs with Lancashire’s Rocky Flintoff (39) but a clatter of late wickets left England nine down, needing seven off the final over. Middlesex’s Seb Morgan held his nerve to smash a boundary to seal the win with three balls to spare as England levelled the five-match series 1-1.

With the ball, Surrey seamer Alex French took four for 71, while Leicestershire Academy graduate Green (3-50) and Worcestershire’s Jack Home (3-63) each claimed three wickets as India were bowled out for 290 in exactly 49 overs.

England elected to field and while French conceded six wides in his opening over, his first legal ball proved effective, knocked over Ayush Mhatre’s off-stump.

Suryavanshi set the early pace with two sixes off French, contributing the lion’s share of a stand of 67 in 10 overs. After Suryavanshi hooked Home for his third six over fine leg though, Morgan took a well-judged boundary catch as the batter attempted to upper cut.

Maulyarajsinh Chavda (22) played his first shot in anger over extra cover off Home as he mounted a 50-run stand with Malhotra in 11 overs. Chavda attacked Green’s pace, but the Leicestershire paceman sent his off-stump flying when he attempted a big booming drive.

Malhotra, who played some pleasant drives, then shared a stand worth 44 with Abhigyan Kundu (32) before Malhotra top-edged Home to deep square leg. Kundu departed two overs later, caught at backward point, flashing outside off-stump against Green.

Kumar and Chouhan pressed the accelerator, taking the score to 249 before Home picked up his third wicket, Kumar heaving into the legside where Joe Moores took a good catch. Then when Chouhan flat batted Green down the wicket, he was well caught by Morgan. French nipping in to claim the last three wickets, all to catches in the outfield.

England lost opener Ben Dawkins early, caught behind when he flashed outside off-stump against Yudhajit Guha, while Ben Mayes hit a speedy 27 before cutting Ambrish straight to point.

Following the loss of Isaac Mohammed in the 12th over, Flintoff led the rebuilding, powering Ambrish over mid-on and punching him straight down the pitch. But Rew soon warmed up, taking consecutive boundaries off Chauhan, then driving him through cover to bring up the 50 partnership off 70 balls.

Rew dismissively pulled a half-tracker from Mohammed Enaan for six, but needed to accelerate, Rew took the attack to Suryavanshi, swinging over deep midwicket for six and four as England started to close in on the required run rate.

Rew motored on, blazing consecutive sixes over deep midwicket off Enaan, but lost Flintoff when he cut too close to his body, keeper Kundu taking a sharp catch.

The runs kept flowing as Rew swung Chauhan away legside for another six before celebrating his century, and then plundered 22 off one over from Ambrish, taking England past 200 before powering another six over midwicket and consecutive boundaries over the covers.

But his valiant innings ended when he was caught in the deep off Patel, attempting another big legside shot, leaving England needing 61 more off 10.2 overs.

They lost a sixth wicket next over when Guha had Moores caught at deep square leg.  Ralphie Albert (18) played some shots, but pulled Ambrish to midwicket, while Patel comprehensively bowled Home three balls later.

With nerves jangling, Green and Morgan took 14 off Ambrish’s penultimate over, leaving England needing 12 from the last two overs. Green holed out at deep midwicket off the first delivery from Ambrish in the 49th over, but with seven needed off the final over, Morgan finished the game with elan.