Gauci, Doran hundreds put Australia U-19s on top

Australia U-19s 373 for 8 (Gauci 111, Doran 103, Richardson 87, Parkinson 5-85) v England U-19s
Scorecard

Centuries from Jordan Gauci and captain Jake Doran gave Australia Under-19s a strong opening day to the one-off Test at Chester-le-Street, though Lancashire legspinner Matthew Parkinson took 5 for 85 on his U-19 debut to ensure England kept themselves in sight.

Gauci, a 17-year-old from Penrith, New South Wales, dominated the first part of the day as he made a hundred from 136 deliveries after Australia had chosen to bat first. He shared a second-wicket stand of 106 with Caleb Jewell and then added 77 with Doran for the third wicket.

However, when Gauci fell to Ben Green for 111, England hit back by claiming 3 for 6 in four overs. Parkinson, who earlier removed Jewell to break the second-wicket stand, added Will Pucovski for a duck while Green claimed his second when he trapped Tom Healy, the son of Ian, lbw for 1 to leave Australia 191 for 5 and the day in the balance.

Doran, the 18-year-old who played the Big Bash for Sydney Sixers and for the Prime Minister's XI against England in January, initially had a charmed life as he was dropped on 0 then caught on 1 off a Saqib Mahmood no-ball, mistakes England were left to rue as he took charge alongside Jhye Richardson. The pair added 152 in 37 overs for the sixth wicket as England struggled to keep control of the scoring rate.

Doran went to 99 with a six off Parkinson and brought up his century with a boundary off the next delivery - his 165th - only to fall next ball in an eventful over as Parkinson trapped him lbw. Parkinson then had his fourth when he bowled Fletcher Seymour round his legs in his next over.

Richardson was on the brink of seeing out the day alongside David Grant - with his own century in sight for the second day - when the Australian curse of 87 struck as he became Parkinson's fifth wicket after more than 30 overs of impressive work for the legspinner.