U-19 World Cup: Thomas Rew stars as England beat Australia to reach final

Captain Thomas Rew led the way with a splendid century to guide England to the final of the Under-19 World Cup with a 27-run victory against Australia in the first semi-final at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on Tuesday.

Electing to bat first, England posted 277/7, thanks to Rew's brilliant 110 off 107 balls. In reply, Rew's opposite number Oliver Peake made an 88-ball century, but Australia were all out for 250 in 47.3 overs.  

For England, Sebastian Morgan, James Minto, Manny Lumsden, and Ralphie Albert picked a couple each while Alex French and Farhan Ahmed accounted for a wicket apiece. 

In the final, England will take on the winners of the second semi-final between India and Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Third final for England

This is the third time England have qualified for the U-19 World Cup final, after 2022 (runners-up) and 1998 (winners).

Apart from the skippers, no other batters crossed the 50-run mark.

Peake, who struggled with cramps during the later half of his innings, hit 10 fours and one six.

Opener Nitesh Samuel scored 47 off 83 balls with three fours and one six. Aryan Sharma made 34 runs off 23 balls, with six boundaries.

Apart from these three batters, the rest of the Australian batters struggled against a competitive England attack.

Earlier, England's top order failed to carry on after getting off to starts and were reduced to 60/3 in the 14th over.

Australia seamer Will Byrom made the early breakthrough in the second over when he got rid of Ben Dawkins, caught at first slip for one. Joseph Moores (25) and Ben Mayes (24) put on 54 runs for the second wicket before the former was trapped leg before wicket by spinner Aryan Sharma, in the 13th over.

Mayes soon joined him in the dressing room bowled by pacer Hayden Schiller in the next over.

Australia restrict England in death overs

Rew revived England's innings in the middle overs as he added added 135 runs for the fourth wicket with Caleb Falconer, who made a solid 40 from 53 balls, before the latter was dismissed by leg-spinner Naden Cooray caught in the covers in the 36th over.

Rew brought up his century from 97 balls in the 39th over with a single off spinner Aryan to take England past the 200-run mark. However, he was unfortunately run out by a direct hit from Steven Hoogan in the 43rd over after scoring 110 from 107 balls, with 14 fours and a six.

Australian bowlers kept it tight in the death overs to restrict England to a modest total of 277, conceding just 33 runs in the last five overs. 

Cooray and Hayden Schiller picked up two wickets each, while Aryan and Will Bryon bagged one wicket apiece.