Under-19 World Cup: England thrash Sri Lanka by 152 runs in Plate final

England thrashed Sri Lanka by 152 runs to finish ninth at the Under-19 World Cup to win the Plate final.

Opener Dan Mousley hit 111, while Jack Haynes (68) and Joey Evison (59) made half-centuries to help England post 279-7 off their 50 overs.

Lewis Goldsworthy took 5-21 as Sri Lanka were dismissed for just 127 off 31 overs in Benoni, South Africa,

Only Ravindu Rasantha (66) provided resistance, with England also running out three Sri Lanka batsmen.

Victory for England follows wins over Japan and Zimbabwe in the Plate competition after they failed to reach the eight-team Super League stage because of a final-ball defeat to Australia in their last group game.

However, their ninth-place finish in the overall tournament is their worst since the event was first staged in 1988.

Mousley hit nine fours and one six as his knock gave England a solid start despite fellow opener Sam Young falling for a two-ball duck.

He put on 142 for the third wicket with Haynes before Sri Lanka hit back by taking three wickets for 21 runs, with Mousley finally stumped off Kavindu Nadeeshan.

But Evison then struck four fours and three sixes in his 45-ball innings to guide England to a challenging total.

Sri Lanka opener Navod Paranavithana fell for a three-ball duck to England captain George Balderson and Sri Lanka continued to lose regular wickets to slip to 77-5.

Rashantha did not receive any telling support before he was dismissed lbw by Gouldsworthy, who claimed the final two wickets in the same over to wrap up victory.

India face Pakistan in the Super League semi-finals on Tuesday, with New Zealand facing Bangladesh in the other semi-final on Thursday, before the final takes place on Sunday.

Hosts South Africa face Afghanistan in Wednesday’s seventh-place play-off, while West Indies play Australia in the fifth-place match on Friday.