Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu, [email protected]
England Under-19 captain Thomas Rew has elected to bat after winning the toss ahead of today’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup semi-final against Australia at Queens Sports Club on Tuesday.
Speaking after the toss,
Rew said England’s prior experience at the Bulawayo venue influenced the decision, noting inconsistent bounce and the likelihood of the pitch taking spin as the match progresses. He added that batting first would allow his side to set the tone in a high-stakes contest.
Australia captain Oliver Peake said he would also have chosen to bat first, admitting the surface appeared to offer uneven bounce and could stay low later in the day.
Peake stressed the importance of his side adapting quickly to the conditions, which differ from those encountered in Namibia.
England named an unchanged top order led by Ben Dawkins, Joe Moores and tournament top run-scorer Ben Mayes, with Rew keeping wicket and captaining the side. Manny Lumsden, the tournament’s joint leading wicket-taker, anchors the bowling attack alongside Alex French, who comes in for Alex Green.
Australia will rely on skipper Peake and a balanced line-up that includes Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel and Steven Hogan at the top, with Charles Lachmund leading the pace attack. William Byrom returns to the side in place of Ben Gordon, adding depth to the bowling unit.
With a place in Friday’s final at Harare Sports Club at stake, conditions at Queens Sports Club are expected to play a decisive role as two evenly matched sides look to seize the early advantage.
