The Under-19 World Cup got its first thriller when New Zealand scraped through by one wicket against Afghanistan while chasing a measly 92 in East London. When New Zealand got closer to the target by crawling from 52 for 6 to 82 for 6 in 11 overs, it appeared like they would go all the way but there was more drama in store. New Zealand lost Sam Clode and the well-set No. 5 Oscar Jackson, also their captain, at the score of 82, and when New Zealand needed just two to win with two wickets in hand, left-arm spinner Naseer Khan Maroofkhil ran out Ewald Schreuder backing up at the non-striker’s end.

“I think it’s probably a real lesson for our guys and just one to be a bit more aware of,” Jonathon Bassett-Graham, New Zealand Under-19 coach, said. “It is a part and parcel of the game, and we have seen plenty of it before and it is always going to make for a controversial moment in any game. Fortunately, it didn’t dictate the final result in the end.”

But Matt Rowe, Hannah Rowe’s cousin, was the hero for New Zealand. After taking 5 for 21 earlier with his swing bowling, he hit the winning runs through the covers to spark off celebrations in the New Zealand dug out.

The New Zealand chase stuttered straightaway when three of their top four batters were dismissed for ducks by offspinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar. Jackson led the chase from 23 for 4 by first stitching a partnership worth 19 with Lachlan Stackpole and then for 30 with Clode to take them to 82. Afghanistan would have sniffed a win when legspinner Arab Gul bowled Jackson and Maroofkhil ran out the non-striker. But Rowe drove the very next ball through the covers for two and take his team to the top of the Group D table.

“[It was] pretty nervous times [for us],” Rowe said after the game. “Lot of respect to the Afghanistan team, it was tough for our boys but had to get across the line.”

Earlier, Rowe’s outswing accounted for three right-hand batters and the same inswing removed two left-hand batters after Afghanistan opted to bat. Once Ryan Tsourgas took the first to wickets, Rowe ran through the Afghanistan middle order by spectacularly rattling the stumps of three batters, having one caught behind and another lbw. Only two batters – opener Jamshid Zadran (22) and No. 8 Gul (10) managed double figures as Afghanistan stuttered from 46 for 2 to 54 for 7 to be bowled out for 91.

England made it two in two at the Under-19 World Cup after beating hosts South Africa in a rain-affected fixture in Potchefstroom. During the weekend, England had started their campaign by thumping Scotland at the same venue.

After opting to bowl on Tuesday, England had to wait almost 11 overs for their first breakthrough, with South Africa’s openers Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius adding 71 for the first wicket. However, dre Pretorius’ wicket triggered a slide as South Africa collapsed for 230 in 49.2 overs. Jaydn Denly, Eddie Jack and Tazeem Chaudry Ali shared nine wickets amongst them. Stolk top-scored for South Africa, with 64 off 55 balls, before he was run-out.

“I think Tazeem Ali came in and picked three wickets in two overs,” England captain Ben McKinney said. “It just changes the pattern of the game. They got off to a great start, but the way we got back was excellent.”

England lost Denly for 2 in the second over of their chase, but McKinney and No.3 Noah Thain rebuilt for their team with a 92-run partnership. McKinney fell two short of a half-century, but Thain got to the landmark and finished unbeaten on 63 off 82 balls, including eight fours. England were 36 ahead of the DLS par score when rain and wet outfield had the final say.