For the second consecutive year, England’s Under-19s were inspired by the big stage of a televised day-night match at The 3aaa County Ground to claim a significant 50-over victory.
Last summer England beat South Africa at Derby and last night they claimed their first win against Australia to square the Royal London series at 1-1 with two to play.
Dan Lawrence hit a century to fire England’s Under-19s to a nervy three-wicket win that brought them level in the Royal London One-Day series against Australia.
Lawrence, who became Essex’s youngest-ever centurion in the County Championship when he made 161 against Surrey at the Kia Oval in April, made 119 from 103 balls with 18 fours and a six.
It was a new record for England’s Under-19s in an ODI against Australia, beating the 107 made by the former Yorkshire batsman Kevin Sharp in 1977.
England seemed to be cruising when Lawrence was dismissed on 188-4 in the 36th over, and needing only 39 more to win.
But they then slumped to 200-7 before Hampshire’s Brad Taylor held his nerve to hit a couple of crucial boundaries as England tottered to victory with 11 balls to spare.
Earlier Jack Burnham, another tall right-hander from Durham who was making his Under-19s debut, provided excellent support to Lawrence with 33 in a second-wicket stand of 108.
The Essex man should have been caught on 27 but capitalised with some increasingly audacious shots. He reached his half century off 51 balls with a classic on-drive for his eighth boundary, and followed that with a whip through mid wicket.
He launched the offspinner Sam Grimwade for a six over long on, and Burnham got in on the act with a powerful reverse sweep.
Taylor and Kent’s Hugh Bernard had each taken three wickets as Australia were restricted to 226 for seven in their 50 overs after choosing to bat first.
Caleb Jewell made 80 from 115 balls and the captain Jake Doran continued his impressive tour form with 69 from 105.
Lawrence and Adam Hickey, another hard-hitting batsman from Durham, got England’s reply off to a good start with 47 inside eight overs only for Hickey to be bowled by Grimwade aiming a big hit off the last ball before the dinner break.
The Royal London series is now level at 1-1 with two matches remaining, at Leicester on Thursday and Worcester on Saturday.
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