Beckenham/Patiala, 15 July (Sports Desk)
Match Overview
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Series: India Under-19 tour of England 2025
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Venue: Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenham
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Date: July 14, 2025 (Day 3 of 4)
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Match Status: India U19 lead by 229 runs at stumps
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Teams:
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India U19: Ayush Mhatre (c), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), RS Ambrish, Mohamed Enaan, Deepesh Devendran, Henil Patel, Anmoljeet Singh
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England U19: Hamza Shaikh (c), Jaydn Denly, Archie Vaughan, Rocky Flintoff, Ben Mayes, Thomas Rew (wk), Ekansh Singh, Ralphie Albert, Jack Home, James Minto, Alex Green
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Day 3 Summary
India U19 continued their commanding performance on Day 3, consolidating their position after a strong first innings. England U19, resuming at 230/5, fought hard but were bowled out for 439, trailing by 101 runs. India’s bowlers, led by Henil Patel, maintained pressure, while England’s lower order showed resilience. In their second innings, India U19 raced to 128/3 in 27 overs, driven by Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s aggressive 56, setting up a potential push for victory on the final day.
watch……England beat India in 3rd Test Match by 22 runs
England U19 First Innings (439 all out in 114.5 overs)
England U19 started the day at 230/5, trailing by 310 runs. Key performances included:
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Rocky Flintoff (93 runs): Fell short of a century, dismissed by RS Ambrish before lunch, caught at mid-on after a well-constructed innings.
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Ekansh Singh (59 runs): Scored a gritty fifty, providing stability before being dismissed by Henil Patel.
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Ralphie Albert (50 runs): Reached his half-century, anchoring the lower order.
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Jack Home (44 runs): Played a defiant knock, forming a crucial 48-run partnership for the ninth wicket with James Minto (20 runs) to avoid the follow-on.
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Thomas Rew (34 runs): Contributed before falling to Henil Patel.
India’s bowling attack was disciplined:
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Henil Patel (3 for 81): Led the attack, dismissing Ekansh Singh, Thomas Rew, and another batsman, maintaining pressure with tight lines.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (2 for 35): The 14-year-old all-rounder struck with the ball, removing key batsmen.
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RS Ambrish (2 for 81): Claimed the wickets of Rocky Flintoff and James Minto, the latter caught by Maulyarajsinh Chavda near the square-leg boundary.
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Mohamed Enaan (1 for 58): Wrapped up the innings by dismissing Jack Home, caught and bowled, ending England’s resistance.
England’s innings saw a slow scoring rate in the morning, with India bowling five consecutive maidens through Henil Patel and Deepesh Devendran. A no-ball from Ambrish and a single by Home ensured England avoided the follow-on, reaching 416/8 at tea. The final two wickets fell post-tea, with India securing a 101-run lead.
India U19 Second Innings (128/3 in 27 overs)
India U19 began their second innings aggressively, aiming to build a commanding lead. Key contributions included:
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (56 off 44 balls, 5 fours, 1 six): The 14-year-old prodigy played a scintillating knock, starting with a flashy boundary over the slips off Alex Green, followed by a perfectly timed square cut and a six over the bowler’s head. He was dismissed by Archie Vaughan, caught by Ekansh Singh at mid-off after a miscued drive.
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Vihaan Malhotra (34 runs): Played a supporting role, helping India maintain a brisk scoring rate.
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Ayush Mhatre (32 runs): The captain fell to Archie Vaughan, caught by Ben Mayes after attempting to pull a short ball.
England’s bowling was led by:
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Archie Vaughan (3 for 14): The standout bowler, dismissing Suryavanshi, Mhatre, and another batsman, using spin and variation to keep India in check.
India’s rapid scoring rate (over 4.7 runs per over) stretched their lead to 229 by stumps, with three wickets down. The aggressive approach, led by Suryavanshi, put India in a strong position to push for a result on Day 4.
Key Moments
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England’s Resistance: Ekansh Singh and Ralphie Albert’s fifties, along with Jack Home’s 44, helped England avoid the follow-on, but India’s bowlers maintained control with disciplined spells.
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Suryavanshi’s Blitz: Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s 44-ball 56, including a six and stylish boundaries, showcased his all-round potential and set an aggressive tone for India’s second innings.
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Vaughan’s Breakthroughs: Archie Vaughan’s 3 for 14, including the dismissals of Suryavanshi and Mhatre, gave England a glimmer of hope.
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Maiden Overs: India’s bowlers, particularly Henil Patel and Deepesh Devendran, started the day with five consecutive maidens, stifling England’s scoring.
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Avoiding Follow-On: A no-ball by RS Ambrish and a single by Jack Home ensured England crossed the follow-on mark, a critical moment in their innings.
Day 3 Scorecard
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England U19 1st Innings: 439 all out (114.5 overs)
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Top Scorers: Rocky Flintoff (93), Ekansh Singh (59), Ralphie Albert (50)
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Bowling: Henil Patel (3/81), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (2/35), RS Ambrish (2/81), Mohamed Enaan (1/58)
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India U19 2nd Innings: 128/3 (27 overs)
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Top Scorers: Vaibhav Suryavanshi (56), Vihaan Malhotra (34), Ayush Mhatre (32)
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Bowling: Archie Vaughan (3/14)
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Lead: India U19 lead by 229 runs with 7 wickets remaining.
Context and Outlook
India U19’s dominant position, bolstered by a 101-run first-innings lead and a rapid second innings, puts them in the driver’s seat heading into the final day. With five sessions remaining, India will likely aim to extend their lead further before declaring to set England a challenging target. England U19, despite resilient batting from Flintoff, Ekansh, and Albert, face an uphill task to force a draw or chase a potentially large total. The performance of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, both with bat and ball, continues to highlight his status as a rising star, following his exploits in the Youth ODI series where he scored 355 runs at a strike rate of 174.01.
The match remains poised for an exciting finish, with India U19 looking to capitalize on their lead and England U19 banking on their bowlers, particularly Archie Vaughan, to stage a comeback.
