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Stokes, bowlers keep England’s Champions Trophy qualification hopes alive
A clinical bowling performance following Ben Stokes’ maiden World Cup century gave England an emphatic 160-run win against Netherlands in Pune on Wednesday (November 8). Chasing a daunting target of 340, the Dutch never got going as they were derailed in the first Powerplay itself. Chris Woakes and David Willey bowled immaculate new-ball spells to virtually seal the deal in the first ten overs. Wesley Barresi, Scott Edwards and Teja Nidanamuru provided resistance but the task had gotten out of hand very early in the chase. Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali ensured that the end was hastened with over 12 overs left. The result ensured that England were on track for qualification to the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Facing the new ball under lights has been a task for chasing sides and the Dutch openers were at sea against the Woakes-Willey duo who probed away relentlessly and managed to extract some help off the surface. Max O’Dowd and Colin Ackermann were unable to cope with it as Netherlands slipped to 13/2 in the sixth over. The first Powerplay produced a mere 23 runs and this in the context of a run chase of 340 all but buried Netherlands’ chances of making a game out of it. Barresi and Engelbrecht did stitch a 55-run partnership to steady things but the rate of scoring was too slow and it only made the task harder for Netherlands.
On expected lines, both batters succumbed to the mounting pressure and Bas de Leede also continued his woeful form with the bat as the innings started to fall apart. The only time in the innings when it seemed like the intent and execution were on point was when Edwards and Nidanamuru got together. Their 59-run stand came off just 50 balls as they managed to put some sort of pressure on England’s bowlers. The Dutch skipper was his usual self against spin while Nidanamuru also produced some cracking strokes. However, the pressure of a big asking rate eventually undid them too, with Rashid and Moeen then slicing through the rest of the batting line-up.
Eventually, it proved to be a very comfortable win for England whose strong total was set up by a Stokes masterclass. Despite the immensely favourable batting conditions on offer, England managed to get themselves into a hole at 192/6 after Dawid Malan’s 74-ball 87 had given them the early impetus. The left-handed opener was at his classy best as he pinged the gaps with ease during the first ten overs. It set him up for a big knock even as Jonny Bairstow suffered yet another failure in the tournament. Joe Root also struggled for tempo and uncharacteristically missed a reverse ramp to be bowled. It was his dismissal that opened the floodgates for Netherlands.
The Dutch bowlers till that point were lacking in penetration and appeared to be wayward in their radar. Root’s dismissal followed by Malan’s silly run out derailed England’s momentum as the middle order collapsed yet again. Harry Brook on his comeback failed to impress while Jos Buttler’s lean patch continued. Moeen also fell without troubling the scorers much and it was all left to Stokes once again. The all-rounder found a good ally in Woakes as the pair stitched a game defining 129-run stand to turn things around. Stokes was the aggressor but he was initially defiant in his approach before going out all guns blazing in the slog overs.
Woakes also chipped in with a handy fifty as death bowling once again hurt the Dutch. A whopping 124 runs came in the last 60 balls and it meant that the chase at hand was going to be a gargantuan one.
Brief scores:
England 339/9 in 50 overs (Ben Stokes 108, Dawid Malan 87, Joe Root 28, Chris Woakes 51; Aryan Dutt 2-67, Logan va Beek 2-88, Bas de Leede 3-74) beat Netherlands 179 in 37.2 overs (Wesley Baresi 37, Sybrand Engelbrecht 33, Scott Edwards 38, Teja Nidamanuru 41; David Willey 2-19, Moeen Ali 3-42, Adil Rashid 3-54) by 160 runs
(Cricbuzz)
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U – 19 World Cup: Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 106 runs
In Windhoek, Sri Lanka strode to 267 for 5, with Vimath Dinsara hitting 95, and Chamika Heenatigala hitting 51. That pair put on a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but there had also been a solid contribution from Kavija Gamage, who made 49. Ireland seamer Oliver Riley who took 2 for 51, dismissing top-scorer Dinsara and also Viran Chamuditha, who had made 192 in the last match.
But Ireland were timid in response. Behind the required rate from early in the piece, they also lost frequent wickets. They were struggling at 66 for 2 in the 19th over, but were soon 96 for 6 in the 27th over, the match essentially having slipped away. They were eventually dismissed for 161 in the 41st over. The right-arm seamers did the damage for Sri Lanka, Rasith Nimsara taking 3 for 29, and Dulnith Sigera claiming 4 for 19.
This victory puts Sri Lanka at the top of Group A, with a Net Run Rate of 3.090 – the best in the tournament so far.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Under 19s 267 for 5 in 50 overs (Vimath Dinsara 95, Kavija Gamage 49, Chamika Heenatigala 51*; Oliver Riley 2-51) beat Ireland Under 19s 161 in 40.1 overs (Callum Armstrong 39; Rasith Nimsara 3-29, Dulnith Sigera 4-19) by 106 runs
(Cricinfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Rowles, Bulbulia star in South Africa’s big win over Tanzania
South Africa monstered the Tanzania side over in Windhoek, Muhammed Bulbulia and Jason Rowles hitting hundreds to get South Africa to 397 for 5, before their bowlers blasted Tanzania out for 68.
Tanzania had begun encouragingly, although South Africa were always scoring quickly. They had taken two South Africa wickets inside the first 14 overs, and had South Africa at 93 for 2 at one stage. But then Bulbulia and Rowles came together, to take the game rapidly away from the opposition, with a 201-run partnership that came off 176 balls.
Rowles was the more aggressive of the pair in the end, clobbering five sixes and ten fours in his 125 not out off 101 deliveries. Bulbulia hit one six and ten fours in his run-a-ball 108. Paul James also produced a rollicking finishing knock, crashing five sixes and two fours in his 46 off 18.
Tanzania could not get off the blocks in the chase. South Africa took their first wicket in the second over, and just did not stop striking, the wickets spread between all five bowlers used.
Rowles added to his outstanding performance by claiming two wickets for 14 with his left-arm spin. Bayanda Majola also took two wickets, for six runs.
Brief scores:
South Africa Under-19s 397 for 5 in 50 overs (Jason Rowles 125, Muhammed Bulbulia 108, Jorich Van Schalkwyk 47, Paul James 46; Simba Mbaki 2-85) beat Tanzania Under-19s 68 in 32.2 overs (Simba Mbaki 17; Bayanda Majola 2-6, Jason Rowles 2-14) by 329 runs
(Cricibfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Raza, Usman steer Pakistan to victory over Scotland
Pakistan quick Ali Raza rattled Scotland with his pace early on, before left-arm wristspinner Momin Qamar helped take down the middle order. Scotland showed some mettle, particularly during a 68-run seventh-wicket partnership that raised their total to a creditable 187.
But it was clear they were outgunned. Many Scotland batters were uncomfortable against Ali’s pace, and struggled to read Pakistan’s wristspinners. Raza deservedly emerged with the game’s best figures, taking 4 for 37 – two of those wickets having come in a memorable first over. Qamar took 3 for 46. Scotland’s highest scorer was captain Thomas Knight, who ground out a 72-ball 37, before Qamar slipped a beautifully-flighted delivery past his defences.
Despite some gutsy batting from Finlay Jones and Manu Saraswat down the order, Scotland always seemed headed to a sub-par score, even given the seamer-friendly conditions in Harare. When they lost two wickets in the first over – Raza bowling Theo Robinson and Max Chaplin with outstanding deliveries – they were in danger of being skittled quickly. But they battled through until the 49th over.
Pakistan’s chase was mostly straightforward. Scotland’s seamers got some movement with the new ball, and Ollie Jones was able to extract two wickets by the 12th over. But No. 3 batter Usman Khan struck 75, and Ahmed Hussain – who had earlier taken a sublime catch – joined him for a 111-run stand that made the game safe. They got home with six wickets to spare, in the 44th over.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Under-19s 190 for 4 in 43.1 9vers (Usman Khan 75, Ahmed Hussain 47; Ollie Jones 2-41, Manu Saraswat 2-46) beat Scotland Under-19s 187 in 48.1 overs (Thomas Knight 37; Ali Raza 4-37, Momin Qamar 3-46, Abdul Subhan 2-36) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
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