Cobb double-century boosts England U-19

Joshua Cobb, playing his first youth Test for England Under-19s, compiled an outstanding double-century to put the hosts in a commanding position against Bangladesh Under-19s at Scarborough. Cobb, who plays for Leicestershire, scored 220 off 290 balls as England finished the first day on 422 for 8.

Cobb had scored only one first-class century - an unbeaten 148 - in 24 innings for Leicestershire and he, along with Jaik Mickleburgh, provided England U-19 with a superb start after the hosts chose to bat. The openers added 139 for the first wicket before Mickleburgh was out in unorthodox fashion, hit wicket to Shabbir Rahman for 57.

None of the other batsmen made substantial contributions but they didn't collapse either. They hung around long enough to support Cobb, who did the bulk of the scoring. He hit 29 fours and four sixes, holding up one end spectacularly as wickets gradually fell at the other and was the seventh man to be dismissed when the score was 409.

Bangladesh used as many as nine bowlers but few apart from Rehman and Alauddin Babu had much success. They picked up three wickets each while Shaker Ahmed and Mominul Haque took one apiece as England raced along to a formidable total, virtually erasing the visitors' hopes of victory.