Spin, late blitz gives England control in Under 19 clash

Australia's Under 19s have been undone by spin pair Bertie Foreman and Jacob Bethel as England bowled them out for 268 on day two at Allan Border Field.

Foreman in particular was the main the destroyer, with the right-arm off-spinner sporting Nathan Lyon's trademark skip and swing of his bowling arm in his pre-delivery stride and bowling with eye-catching control as he made the most of the bouncy Brisbane conditions.

He finished with impressive figures of 4-66 off 25 overs, occupying one end for the majority of the innings.

England then came out on the attack in their second innings, thanks largely to tall left-hander Ben McKinney who struck a 26-ball 50 with some clean striking to close the day.

Image Id: 1F8D5720EF7E47A0AED2411885BFBF44 Image Caption: A good coverage of grass proved quite helpful for the English spinners // cricket.com.au

He helped his side reach stumps at 3-94 from just 14 overs, giving them a lead of 140.

Foreman's first victim of the Australian innings was NSW opener Ethan Jamieson, with the left-hander cruising to 52 from 76 balls before he skied an attempted slog sweep off the tweaker.

Jamieson had formed a strong partnership with fellow New South Welshman Harjas Singh, with the two joining each other in the third over when Lachlan Aitken was bowled by Tom Aspinwall without scoring.

The pair put on 102 for the second wicket and both found the boundary with ease, however Singh too fell not long after reaching his fifty, chipping one straight to mid-wicket on 64.

Foreman then struck a double blow when he had Hugh Weibgen (17) caught and then Victorian left-hander Liam Blackford (10) edging to slip.

Left-arm finger spinner Bethel then got in on the action as he found Tom Balkin's outside edge for 10 with the opening ball of his second spell, before Australia skipper Joel Davies was well caught at bat-pad for a patient 27 that left his side in trouble at 7-195.

If not for a brilliant rear-guar effort from paceman Charlie Anderson, who struck four boundaries and four sixes in his 53 off just 64 balls, Australia may well have crumbled for a more than 100-run deficit.

But Anderson's power hitting and a defiant Josh Vernon (18 not out) saw the hosts reach 268, 46 in arrears from England's total from day one.

Image Id: 325F38E29ADD479A851EE25009F4F6FB Image Caption: Anderson belts one of his four sixes // cricket.com.au

The visitors' pre-stumps counter attack then put them in a strong position going into day three, with McKinney taking a liking to opening bowler Anderson who conceded 25 runs in his three overs.

He showed that aggressive play in the whites wasn't reserved for England's senior men's side, as he found the fence 11 times in just over an hour's play.

He ended the day not out on 65 after just 39 deliveries and will resume tomorrow with Matthew Hurst (3 not out) as they look to build their lead even further.

Australia v England - Under 19 Series

Four-day matches:

Sunday Jan 29 - February Feb 1: Allan Border Oval, Brisbane, 10am local

Monday Feb 6 - Thursday Feb 9: Alan Pettigrew Oval, Brisbane 10am local

50-over matches:

Monday Feb 13: Allan Border Oval, Brisbane, 10am local

Wednesday Feb 15: Allan Border Oval, Brisbane, 10am local

Friday Feb 17: Ian Healy Oval, Brisbane, 9am local

T20 match:

Friday Feb 19: Ian Healy Oval, Brisbane,TBC

Australia Male Under 19 Squad: Harry Dixon (VIC Metro/St Kilda Cricket Club), Liam Blackford (VIC Country/Geelong Cricket Club),  Ethan Jamieson (NSW Metro/University of NSW Cricket Club), Harjas Singh (NSW Metro/Blacktown Mounties Cricket Club), Joel Davies (NSW Metro/Manly Warringah Cricket Club), Hugh Weibgen (QLD Metro/Valley District Cricket Club), Lachlan Aitken (QLD Metro/Gold Coast District Cricket Club), William Salzmann (NSW Metro/Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club), Tom Balkin (QLD Metro/Toombul District Cricket Club), Mahli Beardman (Western Australia/Melville Cricket Club),  Josh Vernon (Western Australia/Pegs Creek Cricket Club), Charlie Anderson (NSW Metro/Northern District Cricket Club), Tom Straker (NSW Metro/Sutherland District Cricket Club), Luke Holt (Western Australia/Willetton District Cricket Club), Harkirat Bajwa (VIC Country/Melbourne Cricket Club)

England Male Under 19 Squad: Tom Aspinwall (Lancashire), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Joseph Eckland (Unattached), Bertie Foreman (Sussex), Sheridon Gumbs (Surrey), Jack Harding (Unattached), Alex Horton (Glamorgan), Matthew Hurst (Lancashire), Dan Ibrahim (Sussex), Eddie Jack (Hampshire), Dominic Kelly (Hampshire), Mitchell Killeen (Durham), Archie Lenham (Sussex), Stanley McAlindon (Durham), Yousef Majid (Surrey), Ben McKinney (Durham), James Rew (Somerset), Jamal Richards (Essex), Harry Singh (Unattached), Charlie Tear (Sussex), George Thomas (Somerset), Ross Whitfield (Durham)