India Under 19 registered a 231-run victory.
No matter the format or the strength of the teams involved in a match, it is expected that a team’s scorecard while batting reads in descending order – the best batters to score more or at least the middle-order, take the scoring responsibility. However, the Indian Under-19 side saw a dramatic increase in scores from the top to bottom on Tuesday during their 50-over warm-up match against England’s emerging side, Young Lions, in Loughborough.
The team led by Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings batting sensation, Ayush Mhatre, saw their top-order whittle away while their tailenders came to their rescue in spectacular fashion.
It wasn’t just a rescue act, such as adding a few runs at the end to take them to a respectable total, but building a score of 400-plus from scratch all on their own.
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After being reduced to 91/5 by the 13th over, India U19 climbed to 442/9 by the end of 50 overs. The beginning of the drama was the collapse of the top order with Mhatre’s wicket for one run. It was followed by the dismissal of Rajasthan Royals sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Maulyarajsinh Chavda (23) and Vihaan Malhotra (39) managed to steady the ship. But pacer Manny Lumsden’s double burst sent them back, and India were half a side down soon enough.
The off-spinner duo of Rahul Kumar (73) and Kanishk Chouhan (79) then not only put the visitors in a safe position with a 140-run partnership within 112 balls, but laid the foundation for a big total when Chouhan was out in the 31st over.
Then Tamil Nadu left-hander RS Ambrish (72), along with Saurashtra keeper-batter Harvansh Pangalia, unleashed hellfire on the England attack with a 128-run partnership in just 64 balls. Ambrish slammed six boundaries and four sixes in his 47-ball innings. On the other hand, Pangalia scored a stunning 103 not out in just 52 balls. It was studded with nine sixes and eight boundaries.
By the time Ambrish was dismissed in the 47th over, India were at 379 runs. Everyone, except England wicket-keeper Seth Essenhigh, had tried their hand at bowling in an attempt to stop the duo.
Chasing down 443 proved to be too much of a task as the hosts were bundled out for 211 runs. Except for captain Will Bennison’s 103 off 105 balls, none of the England batters crossed 30. India used nine bowlers in total. The medium pacer Deepesh Devendran 3-33 was the pick of them.
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