Afghanistan crush Ireland in practice game
Afghanistan Under-19s inflicted a 101-run defeat on Ireland Under-19s, after bowling Ireland out for 156 in the Under-19 World Cup warm-up match in Brisbane. Ireland were pegged back early by twin strikes from pacer Yamin Ahmedzai, who, with captain Javed Ahmedi, ended up with three wickets as Ireland were not allowed to get away. The only resistance came from middle-order batsman Shane Getkate’s innings of 45.Half-centuries by Hashmatullah Shaidi and Najibullah Zadran, and decent contributions by the middle-order enabled Afghanistan to reach a platform from where they launched an attack in the final overs. An unbeaten seventh-wicket partnership of 74 runs in the final five overs propelled Afghanistan to 257.Bangladesh Under-19s took just 58 overs to rout Scotland Under-19s by seven-wickets in a warm-up match played in Brisbane. Scotland, who were put in to bat, were under immediate trouble as right-arm seamer Abu Jayed struck thrice in his first spell to remove Scotland’s top three with only 23 runs on the board. Scotland staged a mini recovery as Ross McLean and Freddie Coleman strung together a fourth-wicket partnership worth 44 runs. However, the batsmen soon collapsed to the left-arm spin of Nasum Ahmed, who picked up four wickets, and Bangladesh were left with a relatively simple 107-run target to chase from 50 overs. Bangladesh took just 20.1 overs to complete the win with Salman Hossain (37 off 45 balls) and Asif Ahmed (16 off 25) sharing an unbeaten 51-run stand.England Under-19s edged out Pakistan Under-19s by five wickets in a high-scoring match, courtesy a 133 by Essex wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and a 91 by Daniel Bell-Drummond that helped them chase down 282 with six overs to spare. England’s innings revolved around two partnerships of 116 runs each- for the second and fourth wicket – both stands coming in quick time as Pakistan’s bowlers proved expensive. Left-arm pacer Ehsan Adil and spinner Zafar Gohar gave away 51 and 45 runs respectively in their six overs.Middle-order batsman Saad Ali, who scored 100, and Imam-ul-Haq, 79, were the bedrock of Pakistan’s innings as the duo scored 174 runs for the fourth wicket. An unbeaten stand of 54 between Salman Afridi and Usman Qadir in 5.3 overs at the end of the innings took Pakistan to 281. Right-arm seamer Jamie Overton registered the best figures for England with 3 for 22 in seven overs.India Under-19s bowlers played a strangled Sri Lanka Under-19 batsmen and pulled off a 33-run win after scoring 191 runs. Hanuma Vihari scored 64, putting on 98 for the fourth wicket with Vijay Zol, but India kept losing wickets as the next highest stand in the innings was an unbeaten 30 for the ninth wicket that took India close to the 200-mark. Sri Lanka’s opening bowling pair of Chamod Pathirana, who gave away 13 runs in his seven overs, and captain Sanitha de Mel started positively for their side, ending with two wickets each. India, however, came back well to regularly claim wickets and contain Sri Lanka, as apart from left-hand batsman Angelo Jayasinghe, who scored an unbeaten 64, none of the other batsmen lasted long enough to guide Sri Lanka to a successful chase.Australia Under-19s offspinner Ashton Turner picked up a five-for and then later gave West Indies Under-19s a scare with a hard-hitting 80 down the order, but it went in vain as West Indies won by 13 runs in Buderim. Chasing 236, Australia were almost down and out at 133 for 8 after a tight spell by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. But Turner took the attack to the bowlers and brought Australia close. West Indies, in their innings, lost six wickets to get to 235, five of them to Turner. The total was set up by opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who fell four runs short of his century in the last over of the innings.In Buderim, a four-wicket haul by fast bowler Curthbert Musoko helped Zimbabwe Under-19s to reduce Namibia Under-19s to 180, as they completed a comfortable seven-wicket win through half-centuries by opening batsmen Kevin Kasuza and Luke Masasire. The duo put on 112 to take Zimbabwe towards the target, which they reached with more than 16 overs to spare.Namibia stuttered throughout their innings, having been reduced to 112 for 7, before a 55-run partnership between Christopher Coombe and Zhivago Groenewald allowed them to briefly recover. Middle-order batsman Stephen Baard top-scored with 36.Seamer Chad Soper, who took five for 22, helped Papua New Guinea Under-19s to reduce Nepal Under-19s to 213, before a 106 from opening batsman Lega Siaka took them to a comfortable eight-wicket win. Siaka added 126 with No. 3 Christopher Kent as his team reached the target in the 41st over, as left-arm spinner Rahul Vishwakarma, who took two wickets, was the only wicket-taker.Nepal’s innings was based on a 90-run partnership between captain and opening batsman Subash Khakurel and middle-order batsman Hasim Ansari. Both scored half-centuries but batsman Pradeep Airee was the only other batsman who provided a resistance as all others scored departed for single figures, as Soper destroyed the middle and lower order.Quinton de Kock and Chad Bowes shared a 127-run opening stand to help South Africa Under-19s ease to a six-wicket win over New Zealand Under-19s in Brisbane. Chasing 185 to win, de Kock led South Africa’s reply with a 65-ball 80 and was well supported by Bowes’ sedate 36. Both batsmen retired when 58 runs were needed and South Africa cantered to the total with 20 overs still remaining. New Zealand had made a slow start in their innings, but Vincent Moore’s double-wicket blow in the eleventh over put South Africa firmly in control. Regular wickets never allowed New Zealand to increase their scoring rate as they finished with 184 in 50 overs.