England U19 401 for 5 (Shaikh 107, Denly 91, Flintoff 82, Fonseka 76) lead Sri Lanka U19 153 (Weerasinghe 77, Sharma 5-44) by 248 runs
Captain Hamza Shaikh played an exemplary innings to steer England into a dominant position by the end of the second day of the second Youth Men's Test against Sri Lanka at Cheltenham.
Displaying remarkable dedication, solid temperament, and considerable skill, the Warwickshire batsman crafted a high-quality 107 from 210 balls. He shared a pivotal fifth-wicket partnership of 121 with Rocky Flintoff, guiding England to 401 for 5 by the close, a significant first-innings lead of 248.
Flintoff impressed with an unbeaten 82 off 148 balls, featuring 8 fours and 2 sixes. Jaydn Denly contributed 91, and Keshana Fonseka added 76 as England took control at the College Ground. Despite Sri Lanka's bowlers working tirelessly to create pressure on a true pitch, England ended the day in a commanding position, with five wickets still in hand.
With two days remaining, England has the opportunity to further extend their lead and still have ample time to bowl Sri Lanka out and secure both the match and the series.
Starting the day at 73 for 1, England aimed to surpass Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 153 while preserving wickets. This was achieved largely thanks to Denly, who dominated a crucial second-wicket stand of 85 with Fonseka over 24.5 overs.
Sri Lanka missed a prime chance to dismiss Denly early when Tisara Ekanayake dropped a straightforward catch at mid-on off Vihas Thewmika’s bowling. Denly, who initially struggled to score, soon found his rhythm and punished the Sri Lankan bowlers, especially Thewmika, whom he lofted over mid-wicket for six. Denly's progressive knock, which included 15 fours and a six from 120 balls, laid a solid foundation for England.
Shaikh then combined with Fonseka in a steady partnership of 64, propelling England into the lead. Fonseka, full of energy, reached his fifty off 85 balls but was dismissed after lunch, having scored 76 from 119 balls with 12 fours and a six, adding crucial top-order stability.
A period of stalemate ensued as both teams vied for control, with spinners Maneesha and Thewmika probing for weaknesses. Shaikh and Noah Thain focused on building a commanding lead. Thain was eventually out, driving at Thewmika and being caught by Manuja Chanthuka.
Shaikh, a picture of concentration, patiently reached his fifty from 120 balls, marked by his sixth four. Flintoff played conservatively, providing strong support to Shaikh as they took England to 303 for 4 and a lead of 150 at tea.
In the final session, Flintoff showcased his talent with some exquisite off- drives and pull shots, reaching his fifty from 114 balls with 6 fours. Shaikh, playing within himself, achieved his century in style by lifting Chanthuka's slow left arm high over long-on for six, earning a warm ovation from the crowd.
Shortly after reaching his hundred, Shaikh was dismissed, skying a catch to mid-off off Chanthuka, who ended the day with 2 for 59 from 29 overs.