Youthful Defeat: England U19 Fall Short against Sri Lanka in Opener
The England U19 squad faced a 65-run loss in the first of three one-day internationals against their Sri Lankan counterparts, despite a valiant effort from the home team.
Batting first, the Sri Lankan side posted an impressive total of 294/6, led by half-centuries from Perera, Shanmuganathan, and Abeywickramasingha. Essex prospects Noah Thain and Luc Benkenstein tried to keep England in the hunt with a 90-run fourth-wicket stand, but the visitors’ bowling attack proved too much to handle, dismissing the hosts for 229 with 27 balls to spare.
“Freddie McCann and Keshana Fonseka fell early, while Rocky Flintoff, the 16-year-old son of former England captain Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, made his debut alongside three other new faces.”
Benkenstein’s swashbuckling 51 and Thain’s 58 were the highlights, but the Sri Lankan spinners Vihas Thewmika and Thisara Ekanayake proved too effective, sharing six wickets between them.
Middlesex’s Noah Cornwell impressed with the ball, claiming three wickets on his ODI debut, but the visitors’ all-round performance was enough to secure a comfortable victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
The series continues with the second and third ODIs scheduled for July 1 and July 3, respectively, as the young England side looks to bounce back and level the playing field against their experienced Sri Lankan counterparts.
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