Australia edge New Zealand by four runs

Australia Under-19 edged New Zealand Under-19 by four runs in Townsville as the visitors lost three wickets in the last over while chasing 286. New Zealand needed ten runs off the final over bowled by Gurinder Sandhu, who trapped Ish Sodhi lbw off the first ball, and two run-outs followed off the third and fourth balls to leave New Zealand on 281 for 9. New Zealand had been 183 for 2 at one stage following fifties from Joe Carter (77) and Will Young (59) but the pressure of a climbing asking-rate led to wickets falling regularly thereafter. Cam Fletcher, who had smashed 42 off 33 deliveries to get New Zealand close, was the ninth batsman to fall with seven needed from three.

Australia had been reduced to 230 for 9 in the 45th over after being put in, but Pat Cummins hammered seven boundaries in making an unbeaten 50 off 24. Cummins ensured that Australia batted the full 50 overs to post 285. Australia, like New Zealand, had had a solid start, with Jimmy Peirson (54) and Kurtis Patterson (76) making breezy fifties. Sodhi picked up 4 for 41 while Jacob Duffy took 3 for 44.

India Under-19, who had lost all their three league games, surprised table-toppers England Under-19 in the second semi-final. Unmukt Chand (94) and Smit Patel (53) held together a faltering innings to help India to 239. Mohsin Sayyed (4 for 31) and Sandeep Sharma (3 for 32) then ran through England, who crumbled to be dismissed for 176 in the 45th over. They had been 65 for 6 at one stage and were it not for some resistance from the lower order, the margin of defeat would have been much heavier.