England U19 268 for 9 (Benkenstein 102) beat Sri Lanka U19 260 (Weerasinghe 80, Perera 53) by 4 runs – DLS
The Essex batter made 102 in England’s 268 for 9 in a contest diminished to 45 overs due to rain. In gloomy situations Gayana Weerasinghe led Sri Lanka’s reply with a cultured 80 off 76 balls and Mahith Perera’s half-century threatened to take his aspect to victory. However Perera was run out by Freddie McCann’s direct hit within the forty third over and the Sri Lankan tail had been left with an excessive amount of to do.
England had gained the toss and Nottinghamshire’s McCann, who made 174 in Monday’s win on the identical pitch, seemed within the temper to make Sri Lanka pay when wicketkeeper Sharujan Shanmuganathan dropped a easy catch within the second over when he had but to attain. McCann took three boundaries in an over off Hivun Kenula however then gave off-spinner Vihas Thewmika a easy return catch within the eighth over.
It was considered one of three wickets to fall earlier than the rain arrived within the sixteenth over however when play resumed Benkenstein, who made 51 within the first match of the collection at Chelmsford final Friday, and Essex team-mate Charlie Allison began to prosper.
Benkenstein’s first 50 runs got here off 69 balls and his companion was solely barely faster (62 balls) to his half-century earlier than each pressed the accelerator. Benkenstein wanted simply 29 extra deliveries to succeed in his hundred, which included seven fours and 5 sixes, as he performed aggressive pictures on either side of the wicket.
Allison contributed a powerful 87 off 85 balls to a stand of 184 in 29 overs, with seven fours and two sixes, earlier than he performed on to Thewmika attempting to hit him over mid-wicket within the thirty seventh over. Benkenstein flayed a widish supply from Dinura Kalupahana to deep backward level for 102 within the subsequent over and England misplaced momentum.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers dragged it again effectively within the closing overs, taking 6 for 44 in 7.2 overs with Thewmika ending with 4 for 33. It left them needing 269 at 5.9 runs an over.
England’s seamers chipped away when Sri Lanka replied. Harry Moore broke by way of by bowling Hiran Jayasundara by way of the gate and McCann picked up the primary of two wickets together with his off breaks when Pulindu Perera reverse-swept straight to gully.
Debutant Alex Inexperienced had left-hander Shanmuganathan effectively caught by Allison, diving ahead at deep mid-wicket, and when Noah Thain’s light away-swing accounted for captain Dinura Kalupahana together with his first ball, Sri Lanka wanted 144 in 21 overs.
Weerasinghe and Mahith Perera stored them within the hunt, placing on 64 for the fifth wicket in 9 overs, however England maintained a cheerful knack of placing after they wanted to and Weerasinghe drove Dom Kelly’s slower ball to mid-off the place Benkenstein held an excellent catch.
Sri Lanka hopes now rested with the wristy Perera whose stand with Diniru Abeywickramasingha seemed to be taking them over the road. However Abeywickramasingha mis-timed a scoop after they’d added 46 for the seventh wicket and Perera (53 off 54 balls) was brilliantly run out by McCann’s direct hit from backward level as England held their nerve.
