Thomas Rew hits ton as England U-19 scamper to 1-wicket win over India U-19

Skipper Thomas Rew scored a century to help England Under-19 chase a stiff target and prevail over India Under-19 by one over in the second Youth ODI on Monday as they levelled the five-match series 1-1 at the County Ground, Northampton. 

Asked to bat first, India Under-19s posted a competitive score of 290 with four batters, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Rahul Kumar, and Kanishk Chouhan, narrowly missing half-centuries. 

The 14-year-old Suryavanshi, who scored a century in India U-19s' win in the first ODI, and Vihaan Malhotra rescued India U-19 with a 67-run partnership for the second wicket after skipper Ayush Mhatre was bowled by Alex French for a duck. Suryavanshi scored a 34-ball 45, hitting five fours and three sixes before he was caught by Morgan off Jack Home.

alhotra was out one run short of his half-century while Maulyarajsinh Chavda (22) and Abhigyan Kundu (32) while Rahul Kumar (47), and Kaushik Chauhan (45) helped the India U-19 reach 272/7. But RS Ambrish (4), Mohamed Enaan (6), and Hanif Patel (7) failed to contribute much as India U-19 failed to reach the 300-run mark.

For England, pacer Alex French claimed 4-71 while Jack Home 4-63 and Alex Green bagged 3-50 as India U-19 were bowled out for 290 with one over remaining. 

Chasing 291, England Under-19s recovered from the early departure of BJ Dawkins (7), Ben Mayes (27), and Isaac Mohammed (11) and were reduced to 47/3 in the 12th over. Rocky Flintoff (39) came together with skipper Thomas Rew to take the score to 170, raising 123 runs for the fourth wicket partnership.

Rew went on to score 131 before he was caught by Yudhajit Guha off Henil Patel. The India U-19 bowlers made inroads in the England U-19 innings getting Joseph Moores (13), Ralphie Albert (18), Jack Home (3), and Alex Green (12). But Sebastian Morgan scored an unbeaten 20 to ensure England U-19 crawled over the line to win the match by one wicket.

Though RS Ambrish claimed four wickets for India, but conceded 80 runs, which is the highest by a bowler in Youth ODIs this year.

Brief scores: 

India Under-19 290 all out in49 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 47, Vihaan Malhotra 49, Rahul Kumar 47, Kanishk Chouhan 45; Alex French 4-71, Jack Home 3-63, Alex Green 3-50) lost to England Under-19 291/9 in 49.1 overs (Thomas Rew 131, Rocky Flintoff 39, Ben Mayes 27; RS Ambrish 4-80, Henil Patel 2-28, Yudhajit Guha 2-63) by one wicket.

Picture Courtesy: IANS