Ekansh and Albert made fifties for England U19 while Henil Patel took three wickets for the visitors

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Jul-2025
India lead England by 229 after three days of the Under-19 test at Beckenham, having reached 128 for three in their second innings, after bowling the hosts out for 439.England’s Ekansh Singh made 59 and Ralphie Albert hit 50, while Henil Patel had India’s best figures with three for 81. 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi showed his all-round potential with two for 35 and RS Ambrish took two for 81.Suryanvashi then made a stylish 56 from 44 balls until he was dismissed by Archie Vaughan, who took all three India wickets, for 14 runs.England were 230 for 5 when played resumed and the only wicket to fall in the morning session was Thomas Rew’s. He chased a wide one from Suryanvashi and was caught behind, leaving England on 338 for 6 at lunch, still 52 short of the follow-on target.Ekansh fell soon afterwards, caught behind after trying to leave a Patel delivery and Albert went as soon as he reached his half-century, wafting at Ambrish and getting caught behind.At that stage England still needed another seven runs to avoid the follow on and for the next five overs the scoring rate became painfully slow, but when Ambrish bowled a no-ball and Jack Home took a single England had avoided having to bat again.Home and James Minto reached 416 for 8 at tea and put on a useful 48 for the ninth wicket before the latter hooked Ambrish and was caught by a back-pedalling Maulyarajsinh Chavda near the square leg boundary for 20.Home was the last man to fall, caught and bowled by Mohamed Enaan for 40, handing India a first-innings lead of 101.Suryanvashi got off the mark when he flashed Alex Green just over the slips, added four more with a perfectly-timed square cut and then dumped him back over his head for six.His fellow opener, Ayush Mhatre, went for 32, caught by Ben Mayes after he tried to pull Vaughan, but Suryanvashi continued to entertain, showing a wide range of shots, until he was caught by Ekansh at mid-off, after a miscued drive.Vaughan then got Chavda, who holed out and fell for three to an excellent catch by Jaydn Denly, sprinting to midwicket. Vihaan Malhotre and Abhigyan Kundu were the not out batters at stumps on 34 and nought respectively.