Shafayat heroics in vain

Another magnificent batting effort from Bilal Shafayat in Adelaide was not enough to save England Under-19s as they went down to Australia by 22 runs in the first match of their five-game one-day series.

Australia Under-19s were restricted to 216 all out in 48.3 overs, with Yorkshire medium pacer Tim Bresnan taking three for 19 in six overs, and off-spinner Dan Broadbent, also of Yorkshire, finished with three for 33 off his 10 overs.

Opener Matthew Harrison made a solid 64 to hold the hosts' innings together, and England conceded 36 extras. 24 came from wides, with Dewsbury's David Stiff the chief culprit with 10.

England's initial response was weak, with their top four batsmen - Andrew Gale, Neil Edwards, Bresnan and Ravinder Bopara - making just 16 runs between them.

Shafayat managed an excellent 82, including 10 fours and two sixes. Luke Wright made 42, but England never fully recovered from their poor start, ending on 194 all out six overs short of their allocation.