By Niall Hickman
England’s youngster’s found it tough against their Australian Under-19 counterparts as the visitors racked up 373-8 on day one of their Emirates Durham ICG ‘test’ match, but it was a day to remember for Lancastrian leg spinner Matthew Parkinson who took five wickets on his debut.
Aussie skipper Jake Doran and Jordan Gauci both scored centuries, while England’s Parkinson toiled away for a mammoth 30.3 overs, taking 5-85.
Parkinson troubled all the Aussie batsmen and is certainly one for the future as he kept England very much in the hunt, despite the visitors scoring at the healthy rate of around four runs per over.
Parkinson said: “I enjoyed it immensely. I got a late call up to come into the side so I’m delighted. I didn’t think I would bowl at all until the last session, but I got the call from the skipper and bowled from one end almost all day. It will be interesting to see how I feel tomorrow as I’m not a very flexible bloke. It was a gale force wind bowling into, so I will be a bit stiff.
“We are not that pleased because if we had taken all our chances they could have been 250-odd all out. But we are quite pleased with the effort we showed.”
The first Ashes ‘test’ match on these shores at Under-19 level since 1999 started under light cloud and amidst breezy conditions, as Aussie captain Doran won the toss and elected to bat.
In that game 16 years ago, future Three Lions star Ian Bell tested his mettle against the likes of Aussies Michael Klinger, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson. Klinger, skipper that day 16 years ago for the visitors, hit 135 not out for Gloucestershire as they easily beat Durham in the Royal London One-Day Cup at Bristol. England’s Under-19 captain on that occasion was Michael Gough, who this time stood as one of the umpires as both sides prepared to lock horns in cricket’s oldest rivalry.
Earlier this year these two sides played a one-off test Down Under, with Australia having the better of a drawn match, but England got off to a flier early on as Saqib Mahmood had opener Jonte Pattison brilliantly caught down the leg side by keeper Ryan Davies for a single, with Australia’s youngsters 2-1.
There followed a terrific 106 stand by Caleb Jewell and Jordan Gauci, with the latter dominating England’s attack for lengthy spells. Gauci raced to his 50 and continued to plunder the home bowling, before his partner Jewell was superbly caught by England skipper Haseeb Hameed at short mid wicket off Matthew Parkinson’s impressive and accurate leg spin.
Aussie captain Doran was twice given a lifeline – once dropped in the covers and on the other occasion ‘caught’ off a Mahmood no-ball – then Gauci went on to complete a fine century off only 136 balls.
Just as England seemed to be flagging in the windy conditions, they hit back with three wickets for just six runs.
Gauci went first, caught by Tom Alsop off Somerset’s Ben Green, then a mini collapse saw Will Pucovski caught by keeper Davies off Parkinson for a duck. Wicketkeeper Tom Healy came to the crease but was soon back in the pavilion as he was given out plumb LBW, off Green for one.
Three quick wickets encouraged England to hope for a swift resolution to the Aussie innings, but the visitors, led by their skipper, had other ideas. Doran dug in and interspersed with some high class shots, he and partner Jhye Richardson set about the England attack.
Doran passed his fifty and went to 99 with a big six over long on off Parkinson. Next ball Doran completed his ton off 165 balls, square cutting the leg spinner to the point boundary with a classy shot to go to 103. Incredibly, with Parkinson’s the next ball Doran was adjudged LBW as the bowler trapped him on the back foot, making it 343-6.
Parkinson had a decent shout for LBW against Fletcher Seymour before the spinner bowled him around his legs with his next ball, leaving the visitors 348-7.
Richardson fell in the final over, chipping Parkinson to mid-on, leaving the Aussies on 373-8 at the close.