No Surprises On Day Three In Queensland

All four of today’s matches in the 2012 Under-19 World Cup were predictably one-sided affairs, with Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies all overcoming qualifiers as they look to book their places in the quarter-finals.

In the day's televised match, Australia comfortably overcame Nepal at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, posting 294 for seven from their 50 overs and then bowling the visitors out for just 82. Wicket-keeper Cameron Bancroft was named man of the match for his century in the home side’s innings and shared a stand of 159 with Kurtis Patterson (86 off 87 balls) for the second wicket.

Bancroft said after his innings, “My role in the team is to bat 50 overs and if I can do that I am doing the best job for my team, I will leave the big hitting to guys like James Peirson and Kurtis Patterson. Nepal had good spinners out there today; they bowled really well and I haven’t been playing spin well the last few games and so it’s been something I want to work on.”

In their run chase, Nepal lost regular wickets from the start, with Harry Conway decimating their top-order by taking a hat-trick to remove opener Pradeep Airee, number three Naresh Budayair and captain Prithu Baskota. Ashton Turner’s off-spin also picked up four wickets and ended a promising fifth-wicket stand of 42 between Sagar Pun (22 off 39 balls) and Rajesh Pulami Magar (21 off 29).

Sri Lanka’s top-order all made meaningful contributions as they amassed 298 for nine from their 50 overs after electing to bat against Namibia. Sebastian Perera and Sandun Weerakkody both hit half-centuries, while Pabasara Waduge (39 off 57 balls), Niroshan Dickwella (38 off 47) and Lahiru Madushanka (45 off 35) all chipped in. In reply, Namibia were all out for just 103 with Jano Coetzee unable to bat and Madushanka taking four for 15.

Pakistan’s openers breezed past Scotland’s total of 200 to take their side to a nine-wicket win in Buderim.

Sami Aslam and Babar Azam added 163 for the first wicket in just 29 overs, with Aslam falling for 78 off 79 balls not long before the end, and Azam ending unbeaten on 106 off 121 balls.

Earlier, Scotland had got off to a good start courtesy of a half-century from opener Ross McLean and useful contributions from Freddie Coleman (39 off 60 balls) and Ruaidhri Smith (34 off 40).

However, Mohammad Nawaz took four late wickets and they were bowled out for exactly 200 in the final over of their innings.

West Indies recorded their own crushing nine-wicket win, in this case over Papua New Guinea in Townsville. Their openers added 111 for the first wicket and very nearly took their side past Papua New Guinea’s miserable total of 116 without any loss of wicket only for Sese Bau to dispatch Sunil Ambris for a destructive 91 off only 43 balls shortly before the end.

Earlier, Jerome Jones and Kyle Mayers had taken three wickets each, with Papua New Guinea skipper Christopher Kent one of only three batsmen to reach double figures with 39.

Tomorrow sees three more matches against qualifiers, as Australia entertain Ireland in Townsville; New Zealand take on Afghanistan in Buderim; and South Africa play neighbours Namibia in Brisbane.

The day’s televised match is at the Tony Ireland Stadium where India will be hoping to get their campaign back on track against Zimbabwe.