Lawrence hundred helps level series

England U-19s 229 for 7 (Lawrence 119) beat Australia U-19s 226 for 7 (Jewell 80, Doran 69, B Taylor 3-50) by three wickets
Scorecard

England U-19s overcame a significant batting collapse to secure a three-wicket victory and level the one-day series against Australia U-19s. It meant an outstanding hundred from Dan Lawrence, which followed an impressive bowling and fielding display, did not go waste but it needed a cool head from Brad Taylor to complete the win.

Taylor, the Hampshire offspinner, completed a fine all-round day as he added an unbeaten 23 to his earlier 3 for 50 which helped ensure Australia struggled for late momentum. When he was joined by Jared Warner, England still required 27 having lost 6 for 45 against a combination of Jonte Pattison and David Grant. It was hard work for the pair, but two boundaries for Taylor off Arjun Nair helped ease the pressure and he struck the winning blow off the first ball of the penultimate over.

It should have been far easier for England as Lawrence, the Essex batsman, compiled a stylish 90-ball hundred as he dominated a second-wicket stand of 108 in 22 overs with debutant Jack Burnham. He struck 18 boundaries - including six in the first nine overs - and a six, although he was given a life on 31.

England had bowled their overs so quickly that they were required to bat before the interval and Lawrence gave them a brisk start before Adam Hickey fell to the last ball before the break. England were never under run-rate pressure, but Pattison broke the second-wicket stand when he removed Burnham and next ball captain Aneurin Donald watched the ball dribble onto his stumps.

Pattison claimed his third when he trapped Lawrence lbw sweeping and the nerves really started the jangle for England when Grant, spearing in his yorkers after a wayward first spell, claimed three wickets in consecutive overs. Aaron Thomason lofted into the covers, Callum Taylor was pinned by a toe-crusher and Ryan Davies swung to midwicket.

Earlier, Australia and chosen to bat but were made to struggle by impressive new-ball bowling from Saqib Mahmood and Hugh Bernard. The innings was revived by a stand of 137 between Caleb Jewell and captain Jake Doran, but England managed to keep a handle on the scoring rate to such an extent that when Jewell fell for 80 in the 40th over Australia were still under four an over.

Spin was to the fore. Lawrence played his part with the ball, slipping in five overs of offspin for 16, while Hickey bowled his ten for 38 and Taylor removed both Jewell and Doran among his three scalps.