New Zealand beat Afghanistan in a dramatic, low-scoring contest in East London while England won their second match in a rain-affected game against hosts South Africa.
Matt Rowe followed up a sensational, five-wicket burst inside 16 balls with a nerveless shot to hit the winning runs in New Zealand’s one-wicket win over Afghanistan at Buffalo Park in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.
In a low-scoring game that went down to the wire, a run-out at the non-striker’s end in the final moments was the major talking point, but Rowe’s crucial hit took New Zealand past the finish line for their second win that took them to the top of the table.
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar was exceptional with the ball to nearly negate Afghanistan’s ordinary batting effort, but in the end, they just had too few runs on board to force a win.
Meanwhile, in Potchefstroom, England proved too good for hosts South Africa. Jaydn Denly, Eddie Jack and Tazeem Ali all took three wickets apiece as South Africa were bowled out for a par total of 230.
Skipper, Ben McKinney, and Noah Thain then put England ahead in the game before persistent rain and lightning resulted in abandonment. England, well ahead on the DLS method after their strong start, notched up a second win in the tournament to top Group B.
New Zealand beat Afghanistan by one wicket in East London
New Zealand 92/9 (28.2 overs) v Afghanistan 91 (21.3 overs)
Opting to bat first in East London, Afghanistan would have hoped to fare better than they did against Pakistan three days back, when they were bowled out for 103.
While they lost Hassan Eisakhil and Khalid Taniwal early to the impressive Ryan Tsourgas, Jamshid Zadran held the fort to help Afghanistan to a steady start. At 46/2, Afghanistan had a decent start, but it derailed all too quickly thereafter.
In 34 balls, Afghanistan lost five wickets for eight runs with pacer Matt Rowe running amok and completing a five-wicket haul in 16 balls.
The New Zealand speedster, cousin of White Ferns player Hannah Rowe, had Afghanistan on the mat with his spell. At 54/7, Afghanistan had thrown away their solid start and it was down to the tail to resurrect the innings and get them to the three-figure mark.
That didn’t quite happen, but Afghanistan’s tail still managed to stick around enough to get into the nineties, eventually getting bowled out for 91.
With a meagre target to defend, Afghanistan threw their trump card, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, the new ball, and the ploy worked.
The mystery spinner, often likened to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, was touted as a superstar right from age group cricket and showed exactly why on Tuesday.
He sent back three of the top four batters for ducks to reduce New Zealand to 23/3. With the centurion from the last game, Snehith Reddy, absent, New Zealand’s top-order struggled to combat Ghazanfar.
Khalil Ahmed joined in on the act with a couple of quick wickets as New Zealand crumbled to 42/5.
Afghanistan, however, then struggled to make further inroads as skipper Oscar Jackson, who had smashed 75 in the previous game against Nepal, stood tall to counter the spinners.
A 30-run stand between him and Sam Clode was broken when Naseer Khan had the wicketkeeper bowled in the 25th over. In a massive breakthrough for Afghanistan, Jackson followed suit in the next over with Arab Gul Momand bowling him with a fuller, quicker ball that slipped under his bat to hit the timber.
A streaky four and a few singles brought New Zealand to within touching distance of the target, but skipper Naseer Khan had noticed Ewald Schreuder taking a few steps outside the crease at the non-striker’s end.
In the first ball of his next over, Naseer ran Schreuder out at the non-striker’s end, leaving the match tantalisingly poised. New Zealand still needed two runs to win, but only had one wicket left.
Despite the tense atmosphere, Rowe was all calm. He calmly hit the winning runs off the very next ball to script a thrilling win for New Zealand.
Reacting to the non-striker’s end run out, Naseer Khan told ICC Digital: “Yeah it is in the rules and that’s why I did it.”
The New Zealand skipper Oscar Jackson hailed the match as a “great game of cricket” and praised Matt Rowe for his excellent spell.
“It was a great day for bowling and our top bowlers did a great job. Matthew Rowe was just unbelievable today – his control, and line and length were perfect and broke the game wide open for us. After the day he had with the ball, it was always going to be his day [on him hitting the winning runs].”
England beat South Africa by 36 runs (DLS Method)
England 137/2 (28.3 overs) v South Africa 230 (49.2 overs)
Put in to bat in Potchefstroom, South Africa got off to a flyer, making 71 runs in less than 11 overs before pacer Jack and left-arm spinner Denly struck in back-to-back overs to pull England back into the game.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius was the first to fall after a half-century stand with Steve Stolk. The latter was the more aggressive of the two in the partnership and had already raced to 44 in 36 balls when Pretorius nicked an upper-cut to the wicketkeeper.
David Teeger was sent back for nought the next over, but Richard Seletswane and Stolk strung together a partnership that brought the Proteas back up to pace.
However, against the run of play, Stolk was run out for 64 while attempting a risky single, the wicketkeeper Jack Carney showing impeccable skills to collect the throw and take down the stumps.
The game soon turned England’s way decidedly when off-spinner Tazeem Ali struck off successive deliveries to send back Oliver Whitehead and Romashan Pillay for ducks.
With three spinners in the side, England strangled the South African middle-order and runs were hard to come by on a sluggish wicket.
That didn’t quite affect Dewan Marais, fresh off an exceptional knock against the West Indies in the opening game. The lower middle-order batter and Seletswane stitched together a stand before another couple of quick wickets put a halt to South Africa’s charge.
Jack returned to clean up Seletswane and Denly struck the next over to remove the well-set Marais for 42.
But the tail-enders put up a good fight for the hosts, with each of the final four batters making double-digit scores. From 169/7, South Africa made a further 61 runs to finish on 230.
South Africa made a strong start with the ball as Tristan Luus accounted for opener Denly (1) in the second over, but England dominated from there with skipper McKinney once again impressing.
The left-hand opener, who had struck an 88 against Scotland in the previous game, was accompanied by Noah Thain at No.3 and the duo put on a strong partnership that pushed the hosts on the backfoot.
Runs came thick and fast during the stand as both batters played positive cricket. It took the medium pace of Romashan Pillay for South Africa to make the breakthrough.
Bowling from around the wicket, Pillay slanted one back into McKinney to beat his drive and hit the stumps. Despite the wicket, McKinney’s 48 had laid a strong foundation for England in the run-chase.
Thain continued to go for his shots, reaching his fifty with two boundaries off Juan James in the 26th over. With Hamza Sheikh for company, England brought the runs required to under 100 when lightning and rain stopped play at Senwes Park.
Skipper Ben McKinney identified Tazeem Ali as the game-changer, stating that his three wickets, which came in two overs, changed the game.
“I think Tazeem Ali came in and picked three wickets in two overs. It just changes the pattern of the game. They got off to a great start, but the way we got back was excellent.”