Will Jacks bats against Ireland in England's first warm-up match at Hagley Park.

Former champions Australia, England and India win warm-up matches

Will Jacks bats against Ireland in England's first warm-up match at Hagley Park.
  • Australia’s Sutherland, Ralston among the wickets; England’s Brook and Jacks hit centuries; Ireland’s Tector scores 104
  • Juyal and Porel shine for India; Sandhu knocks half-century in Canada’s eight-wicket victory over Kenya
  • Photos from England v Ireland, Australia v Sri Lanka and India v South Africa warm-up matches are available on theOnline Media Zone for free download and editorial use

India and Australia started their preparations for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018 with comfortable victories in the warm-up matches being played in Christchurch, before the 16-team tournament gets underway on 13 January.

India and Australia, who have lifted the trophy three times each and are scheduled to go head to head in Tauranga on Sunday, 14 January, put up strong displays on the second day of the warm-up matches. India completed a convincing 189 runs victory over South Africa, while Australia defeated Sri Lanka by 53 runs.

In other matches, England had the pleasure of seeing their two batsmen hit centuries as the 1998 champions defeat Ireland by 125 runs, while Canada put up a strong performance to get the better of Kenya by eight wickets.

Australia v Sri Lanka

Australia had a good outing as most of their players came good with either bat or ball. They got runs through opener Jack Edwards (50) and Jonathan Merlo, who smashed four fours and four sixes during his knock of 78.

The total of 251 for seven in 50 overs was easily defended as all-rounders Will Sutherland and Jason Rolston made good use of the seaming conditions to finish with three wickets each, while Austin Waugh, son of Steve Waugh, picked up two wickets as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 198 in 42.5 overs.

Sri Lanka were 64 for six in the 17th over and it took an 84-run seventh-wicket partnership between Hasith Boyagoda (69) and Ashen Bandara (51) to lift the Asian side to a decent score.

Australia did not get a huge total but captain Jason Sangha was satisfied with the team’s batting.

“Getting 250 on a pretty tough deck was hard, but our batters played really well and that complements our bowlers. Our quicks shared it around, and there were some good fielding displays as well. (We are) very happy.”

India v South Africa

Indian batsmen seized control through a 138-run fourth-wicket partnership between Aryan Juyal (86 off 92 balls) and Himanshu Rana (68 off 69 balls), which was supplemented by several small but useful efforts, taking the side to 332 for eight in 50 overs

Akhona Mnyanka and Thando Ntini shared five scalps for South Africa either side of the partnership.

India fast bowler Ishan Porel then ripped through South Africa’s top-order with a four-wicket haul, while Abhishek Sharma followed his useful 35-run knock with two wickets even as the 2014 champions were dismissed for 143 runs in 38.3 overs.

For South Africa, Jean du Plessis fought a lone battle while scoring 50 off 82 balls.

India captain Prithvi Shaw said the team’s batsmen as well as bowlers were acclimatizing well.

“It was a good win for us, just getting used to these conditions. We dominated and executed quite well and we are practising hard so all credit to the boys.”

Canada v Kenya

Kenya managed only 164 against Canada even though they consumed almost their full quota of overs. They had three run-outs and that did not help in the face of some tight bowling from Canada, who then got a fine start to douse any hopes of the opposition.

Canada reached the target with ease in 32.1 overs as opener Randhir Sandhu knocked up a neat 78 off 102 balls with seven fours and two sixes, and captain Arslan Khan chipped in with 30.

England v Ireland

It was also a fine outing for England as they posted an imposing 372 for eight against Ireland with captain Harry Brook and Will Jacks both retiring at 100 each and Fin Trenouth producing a brisk 41-ball 73 with five fours and five sixes.

Ireland were all out for 247 in reply, with captain Harry Tector scoring 104 (118 balls, 12x4, 2x6) and Joshua Little getting a half-century after grabbing three wickets earlier in the day.

Captain Harry Brooks was happy with the two centuries in England’s innings.

“We had a very good first innings. Me and Jack led that with the two big hundreds. The momentum took us into the second innings, but we drifted after 10 overs and let them get to their total.”

Scores in brief:

Australia beat Sri Lanka by 53 Runs at Hagley Park 5

Australia 251-7, 50 overs (Jonathan Merlo 78, Jack Edwards 50, Nathan McSweeny 31; Praveen Jayawickrama 2-18, Nipun Malinga 2-41, Thisaru Rashmika 2-59)
Sri Lanka 198 all out, 42.5 overs (Hasitha Boyagoda 69, Ashen Bandara 51; Will Sutherland 3-25, Jason Ralston 3-36, Austin Waugh 2-27)

Canada beat Kenya by eight wickets at Hagley Park 4 ****

Kenya 164 all out, 49.1 overs (Aveet Desai 40, Jasraj Kundi 39; Rishiv Joshi 2-14, Faisal Jamkhandi 2-30)****Canada 168-2, 32.1 overs (Randhir Sandhu 78 not out, Arslan Khan 30)

England beat Ireland by 125 Runs at Hagley Park 2

England 372-8, 50 overs (Harry Brook 100 retired, Will Jacks 100 retired, Fin Trenouth 73, Liam Banks 33; Joshua Little 3-50)
Ireland 247, 49.4 overs (Harry Tector 104, Joshua Little 55; Tom Scriven 3-24, Dillon Pennington 2-26)

India beat South Africa by 189 Runs at Christ’s College

India 332-8, 50 overs (Aryan Juyal 86, Himanshu Rana 68, Abhishek Sharma 35, Manjot Kalra 31; Akhona Mnyaka 3-40, Thando Ntini 2-47)
South Africa 143 all out, 38.3 overs (Jean du Plessis 50; Ishan Porel 4-23, Kamlesh Nagarkoti 2-15, Abhishek Sharma 2-16)

Wednesday’s fixtures:

Afghanistan v Namibia, Hagley Park No.4, Christchurch
Bangladesh v Pakistan, Hagley Park No.5, Christchurch
New Zealand v PNG, Lincoln Green, Christchurch
Windies v Zimbabwe, Lincoln Green, Chrischurch

NOTE TO EDITORS

  • Photos from England v Ireland, Australia v Sri Lanka and India v South Africa warm-up matches are available on theOnline Media Zone for free download and editorial use
  • Media requiring access to the Online Media Zone are advised to contact Event Media Manager C. Rajshekhar Rao (details below). For detailed match reports and other features during the tournament please log on to icc-cricket.com.

ABOUT THE ICC U19 CRICKET WORLD CUP

  • The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, which is held every two years, replicates a major global tournament experience in terms of organisation
  • The upcoming tournament from 13 January to 3 February is the 12th edition of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup and the third time it is being held in New Zealand
  • Players born on or after 1 September 1998 are eligible to participate in the tournament
  • Group A comprises the Windies, New Zealand, South Africa and Kenya; Group B is formed by Australia, India, PNG and Zimbabwe; Group C consists of Bangladesh, Canada, England and Namibia; Group D comprises Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Ireland
  • According to the event format, the top two sides from each group will advance to the Super League while the remaining eight teams will figure in the Plate Championship. The preliminary round matches will be followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals, plus the play-offs.