U19 World Cup: Peake ton fires Australia into the semis

U19 World Cup: Peake ton fires Australia into the semis

Australia qualified for the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup after beating West Indies by 22 runs in Harare. Captain Oliver Peake led the charge, scoring 109 off 117 balls to take Australia to 314 for 7.

West Indies came close in reply, with Zachary Carter (64) and captain Joshua Dorne (62) scoring sixties, but they lost their way in the closing stages, finishing at 292 for 9.

Australia's Innings
After West Indies opted to bowl, openers Will Malajczuk (48) and Nitesh Samuel (56) provided a solid start with a 73-run stand. Following Malajczuk's dismissal, Samuel and Peake added 85 for the third wicket. Peake, after reaching his fifty, partnered with Alex Lee Young (45) to maintain momentum. A late flurry of 76 runs in the last nine overs between Peake and Jayden Draper propelled Australia past 300. Peake reached his century with a six in the final over before being run out.

West Indies' Chase
West Indies started aggressively, with Carter racing to a 29-ball fifty. The opening partnership yielded 84 runs in the first 10 overs. Despite losing Carter and Jewel Andrew (44), Joshua Dorne anchored the middle order. However, with 83 needed from the last 10 overs, regular wickets fell. Charles Lachmund (4-66) and Aryan Sharma (2-47) struck crucial blows to derail the chase, despite a late cameo from Jonathan van Lange (22).

Brief Scores:
Australia 314/7 in 50 overs (Oliver Peake 109, Nitesh Samuel 56; Jakeem Pollard 2-37) beat West Indies 292/9 in 50 overs (Zachary Carter 64, Joshua Dorne 62; Charles Lachmund 4-66) by 22 runs.