Mayes seals chase as England U19s land consolation victory

England U19s ended their Youth ODI series against India on a high with an impressive seven-wicket victory at Visit Worcestershire New Road.

The tourists took the series by a 3-2 margin but England deservedly won the final game after an excellent bowling display restricted India's power-packed batting line-up to 210 for nine. A strong collective effort saw all six bowlers take wickets with Ralphie Albert (two for 24) and Alex French (two for 37) most impressive. Only RS Ambrish (66 not out from 81 balls) passed 40.

England then cruised to 211 for three with 113 balls to spare. Ben Mayes (82 not out ,76 balls) and Thomas Rew (49 not out, 37) saw their side home at a canter after Ben Dawkins (66, 53) laid the platform with his third successive score in the sixties.

After India chose to bat, England's rejigged seam attack began superbly with French and Matt Firbank each striking in their first over. Ayush Mhatre's unproductive series concluded with a careless flick to mid-on off Firbank before French added the big wicket of Vihaan Malhotra. Scorer of a high-class century in the previous game, Malhotra edged a superb delivery to wicketkeeper Rew.

Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 322 from 162 balls in the first four games in the series, this time lacked fluency. He hit Firbank for successive sixes but was well-contained apart from that before, on 33 from 42, slicing Sebastian Morgan to deep third.

Leicestershire seamer Alex Green maintained the pressure and was rewarded with the wicket of Rahul Kumar, well caught on the long-leg rope by Dawkins. When England turned to spin, Albert soon ousted the dangerous Harvansh Pangalia (24, 37) lbw, sweeping,

Albert added the wicket of Kanishk Chouhan, slickly stumped by Rew having been lured down the wicket, and it was left to Ambrish to ensure the innings filled its 50 overs. He did so with a skilful half-century, shepherding the tail.

England's reply took an early hit when Joe Moores bottom-edged a pull at Deepesh Davendra to wicketkeeper Pangalia, but Dawkins and Mayes broke the back of the chase with a stand of 107 in 13 overs. Dawkins batted with increasing authority until, in pursuit of his fourth six, he lifted Naman Pushpak to long-on where Chauhan took an excellent running catch.

When Pushpak turned one through the gate of Rocky Flintoff, India had a glimmer of hope, but captain Rew reached the crease with the equation still very favourable to England - 90 needed from 31 overs. Mayes reached his half-century from 48 balls and stayed strong to unfurl an immaculately organised innings while Rew ended the match with a flurry of boundaries against a flagging attack in an unbroken stand of 90 from 73 balls.