A masterful bowling performance from Manny Lumsden propelled England to a convincing 65-run victory over New Zealand, clinching a semi-final place in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup. At Bulawayo’s Queen’s Sports Club, Lumsden’s 5-wicket blitz for 17 runs in under seven overs earned him Player of the Match honors in the Super Sixes thriller.
England set the tone by batting first, compiling 234 for 7. The opening duo of Ben Dawkins and Joseph Moore forged 48 runs in quick time, with Moore scoring 20. Dawkins’ patient 42 (62 balls, five fours) combined with Ben Mays’ 53 (70 balls, five fours) for 48 more, stabilizing the innings.
Caleb Faulkner’s 47 with three boundaries accelerated the scoring. New Zealand’s response was led by Mason Clarke and Snehit Reddy, both claiming two scalps.
Targetting 235, New Zealand stumbled to 64/4 before Samson (14) and Reddy (47 including a six and two fours) added 48. Jaskaran Sandhu contributed 26, but Lumsden’s guile and Sebastian Morgan’s two strikes bundled them out for 169 in 38.5 overs.
As the first Group 2 semi-finalist, England eyes glory. Australia and Afghanistan represent Group 1, with India-Pakistan’s February 1 showdown for the last spot. New Zealand joins Bangladesh and Zimbabwe on the sidelines, marking a pivotal win for England’s campaign.