Holden hits a ton to rescue the U19s

MIDDLESEX opener Max Holden’s unbeaten century rescued England Under-19s but they have some work to do after Sri Lanka surpassed their firstinnings score on day two in Northampton.

Holden had made just five runs in the drawn first Test between the two sides but produced a captain’s knock by carrying his bat through the innings as wickets fell around him.

Worcestershire’s Ollie Westbury, who sparked with a knock of 196 last week, produced the only notable score (45) alongside the skipper’s 111 not out from a patient 229 balls.

Indeed the pair put on 156 of England’s 208 all out, after Westbury’s wicket sparked a dramatic collapse from 91-0 to 107-6.

Lahiru Kumara was the chief destroyer for the Sri Lankans, as the right-arm seamer raced through the top of the order to collect a seven-wicket haul conceding just 82 runs.

But there was early joy for England in the visitors’ reply after Dilan Jayalath was caught behind off Warwickshire’s George Panayi.

Fast bowler Panayi continued to prove England’s main dangerman as he eventually made two quickfire breakthroughs which – allied to a wicket for Essex’s Aaron Beard – reduced Sri Lanka to 79-4.

But opener Avishka Fernando guided Sri Lanka through a rocky patch before falling a run short of his half-century at the hands of Yorkshire all-rounder Ed Barnes.

The middle order then took over the baton from Fernando as Navindu Vithanage and Jehan Daniel combined for the seventh wicket to leave England frustrated.

By the time Surrey spinner Amar Virdi dismissed Daniel for 52, Sri Lanka had developed a lead of more than 50 runs with wicket-keeper Vithanage on 68 and counting.

DERBYSHIRE physiotherapist James Pipe is to take up the post of first-team physio with Nottinghamshire.

Pipe has spent the last ten years at Derby – arriving as a wicketkeeper-batsman from Worcestershire in 2006.

He said: “It will be a similar sort of role for me as I've had at Derby – looking after the players from the first team to the academy.

“But it’s a new environment and a fresh challenge, with a different group of players and coaching staff. There are some brilliant people there and I’m looking forward to working with them.”