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A 90-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Essex pair Noah Thain and Luc Benkenstein on their home ground in Chelmsford could not prevent England Under-19s losing by 65 runs in the first of three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka.

Benkenstein was the most flamboyant, hitting two sixes in his 51st inning off 50 balls, but Thain was the lynchpin of the innings with six fours in his 58th inning off 69 balls.

However, when Thain and his captain departed eight balls apart after a stand of 16 overs, England faced an uphill task chasing 295 to win in 50 overs, falling well short with 27 unused balls.

Sri Lanka’s 294 for 6 was driven by three contrasting half-centuries from the middle order, with Dinura Kalupahana scoring his 52 from just 37 balls, Sharujan Shanmuganathan needing 75 balls for his 57 and Mahith Perera needing 60 balls for his 58.

England were on the verge of scoring just under six an over, but after six overs they were on a roll when they lost their openers in six balls to Sri Lanka’s off-spinner pair Vihas Thewmika and Thisara Ekanayake. Freddie McCann was bowled by one that stayed low and Keshana Fonseka, who had scored five fours on his 25-yard line, chipped to short third man.

Charlie Allison played second fiddle to his Essex teammate Noah Thain and tried to remedy this by hitting Thisara straight out of the ground and was caught on the boundary for eight from twenty balls.

The second all-Essex partnership proved more productive with Benkenstein launching sixes over midwicket and long-off followed by a classic cover drive for four. Benkenstein went for another big heave two ball after reaching his half-century and was caught on the midwicket boundary by Hivin Kenula.

Praveen Maneesha then tore the heart out of the England batting line-up in the space of seven balls, playing Thain around one and Haydon Mustard in the other.

Rocky Flintoff, Freddie’s 16-year-old son, was Hivin’s second wicket as he tried to beat mid-off and Farhan Ahmed lasted two balls before lobbed back to Vihas Thewmika. Harry Moore played defiantly for his 26 before falling to Vihas and Noah Cornwell was bowled to end the match.

Middlesex’s Cornwall claimed 3 for 54 on his ODI debut, including dismissing the Sri Lankan openers in an over after England had won the toss and placed the visitors on a green-tinted wicket of variable bounce.

Pulindu Perera had hooked fellow pace bowler Harry Moore six times over the wicketkeeper’s head in the previous over, but fell while an inswinger slipped first. Thisara followed him, pulling Cornwell violently to short, fine leg.

Thain claimed the third Sri Lankan scalp when Gayana Weerasinghe hooked into the hands of deep square leg and England gained the upper hand.

Dinura led the counter-attack, however, contributing 34 of the first fifty in a fourth-wicket stand worth 73, with Sharujan lofting McCann over midwicket for six. But he left one short of a half-century, playing the wrong line to be lbw for Benkenstein.

Sharujan had been more tortoise than Dinura’s hare, but scampered off the single that took him to a 64-ball fifty. He fell seven runs later, however, when he swept the thrifty off-spinner Farhan Ahmed to short leg after helping Mahith add 67 for the fifth wicket.

Mahith and Diniru continued in the final 10 overs, with Mahith nudging Cornwell for the single that took him to his fifty off 55 balls. Diniru hit Moore over square leg for a second maximum before reaching his own half-century from just 34 balls. He became Cornwell’s third victim when he was bowled off the penultimate ball of the innings.

Short scores:
Sri Lanka U19 294 for 6 in 50 overs (Gayana Weerasinghe 20, Mahith Perera 58*, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 57, Dinura Kalupahan 49, Diniru Abeywickramasingha 52; Noah Cornwell 3-54) defeat England U19 229 in 43.3 overs (Keshana Fonseka 25, Noah Thain 58, Luc Benkenstein 51, Rocky Flintoff 22, Harry Moore 26; Hivin Kenula 2-28. Thisara Ekanayake 2-48, Vihas Thewmika 3-37, Praveen Manisha 2-50 ) with 65 runs

(Cricinfo)