Cricket

England's Under-19 cricket team secured a resounding victory in the second Youth Men's Test against Sri Lanka at Cheltenham, triumphing by an innings and 53 runs. Resuming their second innings on 246 for 7, Sri Lanka faced an insurmountable task of saving the game.England's spinners, Farhan Ahmed and Charlie Barnard, proved instrumental in dismantling Sri Lanka's batting lineup. Ahmed, a Nottinghamshire off-spinner, claimed impressive figures of 4 for 59 from 26.5 overs, including seven maidens. Barnard, a Lancashire slow left-armer, contributed with 2 for 55 from 21 overs.Sri Lanka's resistance crumbled in the morning session as Vihas Thewmika fell for 18, offering a return catch to Barnard. Manuja Chanthuka was dismissed lbw to Ahmed for one, bringing England closer to victory. Ahmed sealed the deal by pinning last man Sheshan Marasinghe on the front foot.England's dominance in the match was evident throughout. They posted a mammoth 477 in their first innings, with centuries from Hamza Shaikh (107), Andrew Flintoff (106), Joe Denly (91), and Sachith Fonseka (76). Sri Lanka's response of 153 and 271 fell well short of England's total.This victory marked a complete turnaround for England after being held to a frustrating draw in the rain-affected first Test at Wormsley. The Young Lions stamped their authority on the series, showcasing their all-round strength and securing a well-deserved 1-0 series win.

England Under-19s opener Freddie McCann narrowly missed out on a second century of the summer as Sri Lanka Under-19s captain Dinuru Kalupahana reached his maiden international ton in the rain-affected first Men's Youth Test at Wormsley.McCann, who had smashed a record-breaking 174 in the second Youth ODI last week, fell just eight runs short of a century after sharing a 160-run partnership with Keshana Fonseka. The duo's efforts helped England respond strongly to Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 324.Kalupahana, who celebrated his century with a leap into the air, had earlier anchored Sri Lanka's innings with a composed 101. Surrey Academy quick Alex French was the pick of the England bowlers, claiming 4 for 81.England lost three late wickets, with captain Hamza Shaikh and Noah Thain following McCann back to the pavilion. However, Fonseka remained unbeaten on 72, leaving England 131 runs behind at the close.Sri Lanka's innings was characterized by five batsmen being caught in the ring, including Abeywickramasingha, who became the first victim when he mistimed a drive to Flintoff. Leicestershire's Alex Green claimed the prized wicket of Kalupahana with the first ball of his new spell, trapping him lbw.Thain enticed Thewmika to drive to Flintoff at wide mid-on, while Caldera was the last man out, mis-hitting a drive that Shaikh held to give French his fourth wicket.With one day remaining in the match, England will need to work hard to overcome Sri Lanka's first-innings advantage and secure a positive result.

Archie Vaughan, the son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, is set to make his Under-19 Test debut against Sri Lanka next week. The 18-year-old top-order batter and offspinner has been named in a 14-man squad that includes several other familiar family connections.Rocky Flintoff, the son of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, is also in the squad, as are Farhan Ahmed, the son of former Pakistan international Saqlain Mushtaq, and Jaydn Denly, the son of former England batsman Paul Denly.Vaughan has been part of Somerset's academy set-up since 2020 and signed his first professional contract with the county earlier this season. He has yet to make his Somerset first-team debut, but he made his mark at age-group level last week with an innings of 85 from 83 balls for a Young Lions Invitational XI in a warm-up match against the England U19 ODI squad.Flintoff Jr. top-scored for the England U19 ODI squad in that match with 106. Vaughan and Flintoff Sr. played alongside each other in 48 Tests between 1999 and 2008, and now their sons could begin their own partnership at age-group level in two Tests, at Wormsley on July 8-11, and Cheltenham on July 16-19.The team will be captained by Hamza Shaikh, who featured in two Youth Tests against Australia last year and is set to play against the touring West Indians in a Test warm-up at Beckenham this week. Shaikh has taken charge of Warwickshire's second XI on several occasions already this summer, during which time he has captained the likes of Chris Woakes, Liam Norwell, and Jake Lintott."They've helped me and given me more confidence in my leadership on and off the field, advising on bowling options and field placements," Shaikh told Warwickshire's website. "I like to think I'm a fairly calm guy and captaincy doesn't faze me. I'm looking forward to the challenge and hopefully coming away with a series win."The team will also feature several players who have already been in ODI action against Sri Lanka, including Kesh Fonseka, Noah Thain, and Freddie McCann, who made a matchwinning 174 from 139 balls at Hove on Monday.

England Under-19s secured a thrilling 30-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second One-Day International (ODI) at Hove, leveling the three-match series at 1-1.Freddie McCann's magnificent 174-run knock propelled England to a formidable total of 360 for 7. The left-hander's innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression, featuring 22 boundaries and three sixes. Noah Thain provided valuable support with a well-crafted 66.Sri Lanka's chase got off to a promising start, with Pulindu Perera and Gayana Weerasinghe forging a 110-run partnership. However, McCann's diving catch to dismiss Weerasinghe off Farhan Ahmed's bowling proved to be a turning point.Perera's dismissal for 64 left Sri Lanka in a precarious position. Despite a valiant effort from Luc Benkenstein, who claimed four wickets, the Sri Lankan batsmen struggled to keep up with the required run rate. They were eventually bowled out for 330 in 49.2 overs.England's innings had begun steadily, with McCann and Thain laying the foundation with a 127-run partnership. Thain's impressive 66 included eight fours and a six.After Thain's departure, McCann accelerated his scoring, reaching his century in 97 balls. He continued to dominate the Sri Lankan bowlers, hitting boundaries at will. Charlie Allison (46) and Dom Kelly (32 not out) provided valuable contributions in the latter stages of the innings.Dinura Kalupahana was the most successful Sri Lankan bowler, claiming five wickets for 81 runs. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent England from securing a crucial victory.