Aussies knock out England in U19 World Cup thriller

Fast bowler Connor Sully produced one of the greatest Under-19 World Cup performances to advance Australia in the tournament and knock out arch-rivals England in a final-ball thriller.

Needing 40 from the final three overs after losing 5-53 chasing 253 to win, Australia looked down and out before Sully struck three sixes and a four in the 48th over to keep his side's title hopes alive.

The right-hander and No.10 Todd Murphy then peeled off eight runs in the penultimate over before taking 10 runs from the final over, with Sully clearing the in-field to secure the winning runs from the last ball of the match.

Sully finished unbeaten on 35 from 20 balls, alongside Murphy with 16 from 10 deliveries.

The win propels Australia into the Super League stage of the tournament, while England's hopes for a second 50-over World Cup in the space of nine months were dashed and will now play in the Plate play-off.

Entering the match knowing the winner would progress alongside the West Indies (unless Nigeria was to pull off an epic upset over England), Australia sent England in at Diamond Oval, Kimberley.

Opener Ben Charlesworth top-scored for England with 82 from 100 balls but was out in the 34th over to Sully, who captured 2-39 from his 10 overs, as part of a collapse of 3-5.

But an eighth-wicket stand of 60 in 44 balls between Dan Mousley (51no) and Kasey Aldridge (32no) lifted England to 7-252 from 50 overs.

In reply, Australia were cruising along at 2-153 after 30 overs with captain Mackenzie Harvey (65)  and Lachlan Hearne (45) at the crease. 

But Harvey's wicket – bowled by spinner Hamidullah Qadri – sparked a collapse of 4-10 to swing the match back in favour of the Englishmen.

With Australia's hopes of a fourth Under-19 World Cup fading fast, Sully and Murphy set about on a rescue mission which started with Sully clobbering quick Blake Cullen over cover and twice beyond the long-on boundary for three sixes in the 48th over.

Murphy collected vital boundaries in the 49th and 50th overs to leave Australia requiring three runs to win from two balls.

From the penultimate delivery, Sully mistimed seamer Joey Evison to long-off where the fielder fumbled the ball to allow the Australian pair to pick up two runs with one ball remaining.

With the field up, Sully calmly lifted Evison over the close-in fielders to secure the improbable win.

"We had a few wobbles in the middle, but the guys set it up, and I guess I took the glory at the end," said Sully.

"It was a must-win game. Credit to the England boys, they put up a good fight. To be honest, I didn't think we were going do it. I just said, 'see ball, hit ball'."

Australia will next play the winner of the New Zealand-India clash tonight.