Skipper Luc Benkenstein’s century and a disciplined bowling performance helped England Men’s U19s clinch their three-match one-day series against Sri Lanka with a four-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method in the decider at Hove.

The Essex batter made 102 in England’s 268 for 9 in a contest reduced to 45 overs because of rain. In gloomy conditions Gayana Weerasinghe led Sri Lanka’s reply with a polished 80 off 76 balls and Mahith Perera’s half-century threatened to take his side to victory. But Perera was run out by Freddie McCann’s direct hit in the 43rd over and the Sri Lankan tail were left with too much to do.

England had won the toss and Nottinghamshire’s McCann, who made 174 in Monday’s win on the same pitch, looked in the mood to make Sri Lanka pay when wicketkeeper Sharujan Shanmuganathan dropped a simple catch in the second over when he had yet to score. McCann took three boundaries in an over off Hivun Kenula but then gave off-spinner Vihas Thewmika a simple return catch in the eighth over.

It was one of three wickets to fall before the rain arrived in the 16th over but when play resumed Benkenstein, who made 51 in the first match of the series at Chelmsford last Friday, and Essex team-mate Charlie Allison started to prosper.

Benkenstein’s first 50 runs came off 69 balls and his partner was only slightly quicker (62 balls) to his half-century before both pressed the accelerator. Benkenstein needed just 29 more deliveries to reach his hundred, which included seven fours and five sixes, as he played aggressive shots on both sides of the wicket.

Allison contributed an impressive 87 off 85 balls to a stand of 184 in 29 overs, with seven fours and two sixes, before he played on to Thewmika trying to hit him over mid-wicket in the 37th over. Benkenstein flayed a widish delivery from Dinura Kalupahana to deep backward point for 102 in the next over and England lost momentum.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers dragged it back well in the closing overs, taking 6 for 44 in 7.2 overs with Thewmika finishing with 4 for 33. It left them needing 269 at 5.9 runs an over.

England’s seamers chipped away when Sri Lanka replied. Harry Moore broke through by bowling Hiran Jayasundara through the gate and McCann picked up the first of two wickets with his off breaks when Pulindu Perera reverse-swept straight to gully.

Debutant Alex Green had left-hander Shanmuganathan well caught by Allison, diving forward at deep mid-wicket, and when Noah Thain’s gentle away-swing accounted for captain Dinura Kalupahana with his first ball, Sri Lanka needed 144 in 21 overs.

Weerasinghe and Mahith Perera kept them in the hunt, putting on 64 for the fifth wicket in nine overs, but England maintained a happy knack of striking when they needed to and Weerasinghe drove Dom Kelly’s slower ball to mid-off where Benkenstein held a good catch.

Sri Lanka hopes now rested with the wristy Perera whose stand with Diniru Abeywickramasingha looked to be taking them over the line. But Abeywickramasingha mis-timed a scoop after they had added 46 for the seventh wicket and Perera (53 off 54 balls) was brilliantly run out by McCann’s direct hit from backward point as England held their nerve.

Brief scores:
England U19 268 for 9 in 45 overs  (Freddie McCann 28, Charlie Allison 87, Luc Benkenstein 102; Dinura Kalupahana 3-58, Vihas Thewmika 4-33) beat Sri Lanka U19 260 in 44.4 overs  (Pulindu Perera 38, Gayana Weerasinghe 80, Mahith Perera 53; Harry Moore 2-42, Freddie McCann 2-39) by four runs – DLS

[Cricinfo]