Aussie U19s romp into World Cup final

A powerful Jack Edwards half-century has helped Australia make light work of a tricky run-chase against Afghanistan to storm into the Under 19 World Cup Final. 

Edwards hit 72 from 65 balls to back up the effort from the bowlers, lead by Jonathan Merlo's four wickets, for a comprehensive six-wicket win at Christchurch's Hagley Oval. 

The Australians lost an early wicket but a 77-run partnership for the third wicket between Edwards, named player of the match, and captain Jason Sangha (26), broke the back of the run chase. 

Edwards was put down early, a simple catch dropped at point, and the tall New South Welshman made Afghanistan pay, going on the attack and hitting three fours in the next over against Azmatullah.  

He then showed no fear against the many variations of spinner Mujeeb Zadran to smash him for a pair of sixes over deep extra cover in the eighth over to put the Aussies on course.

Fellow opener Max Bryant middled a drive off Mujeeb but hit it straight to mid-off to be the first man to fall before Edwards and Sangha put on their partnership. 

Afghan No.3 Ikram Ali Khil top scored with 80 from 119 balls but fell with 10 overs remaining to rob their innings of momentum at an important stage. 

 The Afghanistanis had won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that suited the Australians with captain Jason Sangha indicating he would have bowled had the coin fallen his way.  

It was a wayward start for the Aussies with Ryan Hadley sending down a couple of wides, but the early nerves soon disappeared. Zak Evans made the inital breakthrough to have Ibrahim Zadran caught by Hadley on the fence.

Rahmanullah was the first of three catches down the leg-side for wicketkeeper Baxter Holt as Merlo picked up the next four wickets to fall. However Darwish Rasooli may consider himself unlucky to have been given out leg before on 2 to a ball that appeared to be angling down the leg side.

The dangerous Azmatullah was removed by Hadley for one, before Edwards claimed the key scalp of Ikram (80) with the first ball of the 41st over.  Will Sutherland had Qais Ahmad (8) caught down the leg side with the batsman, unhappy with the decision, departing inspecting his forearm.  

Monday's result ended a fairytale run for Afghanistan, who backed up last year's Asian Cup success with the country's first semi-final appearance in any global top-tier cricket tournament, earned when they flogged New Zealand by 202 runs last week. 

Australia U19s: M Bryant, J Edwards, J Sangha (c), J Merlo, P Uppal, N McSweeney, W Sutherland, B Holt, Z Evans, R Hadley, L Pope 

Afghanistan U19s: I Zadran, Rahmanullah, I Ali Khil, B Shah, N Wahdat, D Rasooli, A Omarzai, Q Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Zadran, Z Khan

Source: Cricket.com