The best innings of the group stages of U19 CWC
Jakob Bhula (NZ), 180 v Kenya, Match 14, Hagley Oval, Christchurch, 17 January
We could have picked any one of at least four innings against Kenya, who were unfortunate to be on the end of some magnificent batting, despite bowling well at times. New Zealand’s Finn Allen’s was the most brutal – 90 off 40, six sixes – West Indies’ Alick Athanaze’s came in the most trying circumstances, rescuing his side from 155/5, with South Africa’s Raynard van Tonder’s somewhere between the two. But we’ve gone with this. It wasn’t always fluent, with Bhula outscored first by Rachin Ravindra and then by Allen, but it was a monument to staying the course, to getting in, staying in, and plundering. It ended as the highest innings ever in U19 ODIs, and set New Zealand on the way to the second-highest total in the format.
Allen hits 115* in opening win against West Indies
Allen did still make it onto our list, for his match-winning century in New Zealand’s opening game against West Indies. Considering the context – chasing a tricky 234, playing against the holders, and on TV for the first time in his life – the freedom with which he played was remarkable, showing his power, but also his skill and deftness of touch, precisely placing his sweeps especially, and driving his side home.
Lakshan hits 101 not out in 7 wicket win over Ireland
Ireland’s thrilling over victory Afghanistan showed that Group D’s billing as a group of death was deserved, with every game crucial, and for a while it seemed as if Sri Lanka’s bid for a quarter-final place would get an early set-back when they slipped to 9/2 and 51/3 chasing 208 against Ireland. That they didn’t was largely thanks to Lakshan, who shared a superb, unbeaten, pressure-nullifying stand of 157 to see their side home.
Highlights: Prithvi Shaw's superb 94 against Australia U19s
This was one of the most hyped games of the group stages – the junior counterparts of the two most successful senior ODI teams in history facing off – and it took one of the tournament’s most hyped players to grab it by the scruff and bend it to his will, tearing in from the start and leaving the Australians so punch-drunk they never recovered. All that with a style and sense for the big occasion that drew comparisons to the most prolific of all: Sachin Tendulkar.
Highlights from Tawhid Hridoy's magnificent century against Canada
Don’t be fooled by the margin of defeat inflicted on Canada by England – the North American side are a good outfit, and they had Bangladesh under the pump for much of their encounter. That the Full Member-Associate order was maintained was largely down to Tawhid Hridoy, who kept his side in it with some grit before taking off after reaching his hundred, leading his side well past 250 and out of range of Canada.
All of the top shots from Wandile Makwetu's superb unbeaten 99 against West Indies
At 112/5 after Jiveshan Pillay’s controversial ‘obstructing the field’ dismissal, a ridiculous caught-and-bowled and a pair of run outs, South Africa hadn’t done a lot wrong with the bat, and yet were in dire straits. But instead of feeling angry at the world, Proteas wicketkeeper Wandile Makwetu controlled the controllables, digging in to start with, taking 72 balls over his first fifty, before launching and taking 27 balls over his next 49. The only thing not perfectly timed about the knock was it left Makwetu one short of a hundred. It still felt worth much more, and when he hit the last two balls of the innings for four, each delicately placed, the momentum had been well and truly wrested.
Harry Brook's 102* off 84 against Bangladesh
The eventual margin – seven wickets, 20 overs remaining – makes it look comfortable, but for a while England’s clash against Bangladesh was anything but after slipping to 49/3 while chasing 176, it seemed as if an almighty scrap was on the cards. Instead, Harry Brook made a mockery of the situation, striking the ball sweetly from ball one and never letting up.
Highlights from Hermann Rolfes' 108 against New Zealand
The only innings on this list that came in a losing cause as Hermann Rolfes almost chased 280 by himself. Nine South African batsmen made single figures, and yet while Rolfes was at the crease his team here always in the game. His dismissal set in motion a collapse of 6/26, but the all-rounder didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.