In match no. 5 of the ongoing Under-19 Twenty20 (T20) Tri-Series featuring hosts Sri Lanka, Australia, and England, the visiting teams are set to lock horns at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota, on the 2nd of April, 2024, at 2:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
Australia U19 – Bonnie Berry, Maggie Clark, Samara Dulvin, Sienna Eve, Lucy Finn, Hasrat Gill, Lucy Hamilton, Amy Hunter, Eleanor Larosa, Grace Lyons, Ines McKeon, Juliette Morton, Kate Pelle, Amy Smith, Tegan Williamson
England U19 – Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Jodi Grewcock, Josie Groves, Katie Jones, Charlotte Lambert, Ava Lee, Abigale Norgrove, Charis Pavely, Davina Perrin, Sophia Smale, Alexa Stonehouse, Amuruthaa Surenkumar, Mary Taylor, Erin Thomas, Maddie Ward
Players to watch out:
Lucy Hamilton
The 17-year-old all-rounder has been a standout for the team this series, delivering with both bat and ball. Building on her starts of 28 and 12, Lucy scored 56*(41) in her most recent game, while her bowling figures read 0/12, 2/25, and 0/20 (4). She’ll be banked upon for all-round efforts.
Sienna Eve
The left-arm off-spinner has been in impressive form this series, scalping 4 wickets from 2 outings while also being economical. Sienna returned figures of 1/19 (4) and 3/10 (3.3) in the first couple of games and didn’t feature in the 3rd. It’ll be hoped she picks up from where she left off.
Davina Perrin
The 17-year-old batter has made a mark in English domestic cricket, while in this series she has had notable form with the bat. Davina has departed on scores of 10 and 23 from her couple of games this series, and it’ll be expected of the promising talent that she converts these starts into a substantial one.
Ava Lee
The 18-year-old off-spinner didn’t feature in the series opener, but in the following game, she produced figures of 4/19 (4). The team will count on her to carry forward this form into the next couple of T20s, and with the wicket-aiding spinners, she’ll be crucial to the side’s success in this tournament.
Pitch:
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium offers an evenly balanced surface that slightly favors the bowlers. While it is conducive for batting, the average score in the 130s suggests there’s assistance for bowlers, especially spinners.
Weather:
With showers forecasted during match hours, expect a delayed start or interruptions if the skies don’t clear. The temperature is expected to hover around 33°C, with light winds and humidity at 68%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Grace Lyons, Hasrat Gill, Davina Perrin, Amy Smith, Sophia Smale, Alexa Stonehouse, Sienna Eve, Eleanor Larosa, Josie Groves, Lucy Hamilton, Ava Lee
Match details:
Date – April 2, 2024
Time – 2:00 PM IST
Venue – Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube channel.