Aussies take U19 Test after dominant performance

Australia Under-19s powered to an eight wicket victory over England with more than a day to spare in the first Youth Test at New Road, Worcester.

Openers Harry Dixon and Sam Konstas made light work of a 190 target as they brought up their century partnership in just 13 overs.

They reached their fifties off 33 and 40 balls respectively as they took toll of some ordinary bowling with England tending to drop too short or over pitch.

Dixon had looked set for his second hundred of the game until he holed out in the deep on 83 to end a stand of 156 in 17.2 overs.

But another fine knock took his match aggregate to 250 after his superb first innings 167 spanning five and a half hours in searing temperatures.

Konstas finished the game in the grand manner with a six off Farhan Ahmed and ended on 84 not out from 64 balls with three maximums and 10 fours.

The contribution of new ball bowler Callum Vidler was also key with a match figures of 36-5-134-8 while captain Hugh Weibgen completed a second innings five-for.

England’s lead was only 72 when the eighth wicket fell this morning but Australia were held up by the ninth wicket pair of Dom Kelly and Farhan Ahmed who put on 105 in 23 overs.

The home side will look to make amends in the second Youth Test which gets underway at Northampton on Saturday.

England resumed today on 169-4, still five runs in arrears with Hamza Sheikh joined at the wicket by Noah Thain.

The fifth wicket pair were looking to rebuild the innings after the loss of four wickets for 31 runs in 8.2 overs before the close of play yesterday had handed the initiative back to Australia.

They added 41 in relatively untroubled fashion but then three wickets fell in quick succession.

Shaikh, having made an accomplished 34 off 51 balls, pushed forward to Vidler and was bowled.

Thain then clipped Bajwa straight to mid-wicket and in the next over Vidler struck again as Jack Carney pushed hard at a delivery and nicked to second slip.

There was more joy for Vidler when Jack went for a big hit but only succeeded in slicing the ball on the offside and Bajwa held onto a good catch running to his right from mid off.

England were then 246-8 but Kelly and Ahmed stretched their advantage to three figures before a lengthy break for rain.

Play resumed after a near two hour delay and the ninth wicket pair continued to offer determined resistance.

They completed a half century stand off 63 balls and Kelly brought up his own fifty with a back foot square drive off Vidler to the ropes.

It came from 59 deliveries with 10 boundaries.

The partnership stretched past the century mark before Weibgen brought himself back into the attack to polish off proceedings.

Ahmed (31) was taken around the corner at leg slip and then Raphael Weatherall pushed forward and perished in the same fashion to leave Kelly unbeaten on 74.

Australia were left 46 overs to try and complete victory with a day to spare and Dixon set off as if he intended to achieve it in double quick time.

Jack shared the new ball and Dixon smashed three fours and a six in his third over which cost 20 runs. It set the tone for the remainder of the innings as Dixon and Konstas regularly peppered the boundary boards.

The stand was finally broken when Dixon, having hit three sixes and 11 fours off just 52 balls, clubbed Denly to long on.

But, after the departure of Harjas Singh reverse sweeping, Konstas saw Australia home in 21.1 overs.

Australia U19 tour of England

First Youth ODI: No result

Second Youth ODI: Australia won by seven wickets

Third Youth ODI: Australia won by 38 runs

Fourth Youth ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Fifth Youth ODI: England won by four wickets

First Youth Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Youth Test: September 16-20, County Ground, Northampton

Australia U19 Squad: Hugh Weibgen (c, QLD), Lachlan Aitken (wk, QLD), Harkirat Bajwa (VIC), Mahli Beardman (WA), Harry Dixon (VIC), Cameron Frendo (NSW), Ryan Hicks (NSW), Sam Konstas (NSW), Rafael MacMillan (NSW), Tom Menzies (NT), Cody Reynolds (QLD), Harjas Singh (NSW), Tom Straker (NSW), Josh Vernon (WA), Callum Vidler (QLD), Corey Wasley (WA)