Ireland U19 vs Australia U19 – 5th Match, Jan 16 2026

Ireland U19 vs Australia U19: Match Report from Windhoek

The match between Ireland and Australia’s Under 19 teams was held at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek on January 16, 2026. Australia won by 8 wickets, chasing down 236 runs with plenty of balls to spare. Both teams showed off some great young players who could be big stars one day. Steven Hogan had a great game, scoring 115 runs off 111 balls and winning Player of the Match.

The Toss and the Field

Australia won the toss. They chose to field first because the pitch in Windhoek tends to help fast bowlers early on. The ball bounced nicely, so batters could hit their shots, but there was also some movement for the seamers. The Windhoek altitude can make the ball fly further. Australia wanted to chase. Their bowlers did a good job holding Ireland to a score they could chase.

Ireland U19’s Turn at Bat: O’Brien Holds the Line

Ireland scored 235 for 7 in their 50 overs. Rob O’Brien played really well, scoring 79 runs off 98 balls with nine hits to the boundary. He was patient and aggressive when he needed to be, and he formed some important partnerships to keep Ireland in the match.

Freddie Ogilby, the wicketkeeper, added a tough 49 off 83 balls, which helped Ireland bounce back from a bad start. James West didn’t score many, getting out for 11, but Sebastian Dijkstra and Adam Leckey scored some quick runs. Ireland also got 26 runs from extras, which meant the Aussie bowlers weren’t always on target.

Ireland didn’t rotate the strike enough, so they slowed down towards the end. They put up a decent score, but didn’t go all out in the last few overs.

Australia U19’s Turn at Bat: Hogan Shows How It’s Done

Australia chased 236, and Steven Hogan led the way. He timed the ball perfectly, hitting it with power and keeping his cool. Hogan scored 115 not out from 111 balls, including 11 hits to the boundary and a six. Nitesh Samuel scored 77 not out, backing up Hogan and making sure Australia stayed in control.

Will Malajczuk started strong, scoring 22 from just 12 balls before getting out. Hogan and Samuel then put on a big partnership of 186 runs, taking the pressure off the Aussie batting lineup. They worked well together, hitting the bad balls and speeding things up later in the innings.

Oliver Peake and the batters lower down the order scored some quick runs at the end. Hogan and Samuel made sure Australia won easily, showing how important it is to have strong partnerships at the top of the order.

Bowling and Tactics

For Ireland, Charles Lachmund bowled well, taking three important wickets while only giving up 41 runs in 10 overs. Will Malajczuk took one wicket and didn’t give up many runs. Hayden Schiller and John James each took a wicket, keeping the pressure on at different times.

The Australian bowlers struggled at first to restrain the Irish batters but made good the strategy at the end. Febin Manoj gave up 49 runs in 9 overs. Luke Murray and Reuben Wilson were the only Aussie bowlers to take a wicket each. The game showed that you have to bowl the right line and length, especially when defending against batters who can build partnerships.

Talking Points

The Irish team gave away 17 wides and a no-ball, which ended up costing them. Some folks wondered if Ireland should have used a different strategy to stop Hogan’s hitting streak.

Australia also used their substitute players well.

Achievements

Steven Hogan’s century was the high point of the match. Rob O’Brien’s 79 runs was the best for Ireland. Nitesh Samuel also had a good game, scoring 77 not out.

The 186-run partnership between Hogan and Samuel was one of the biggest in the ICC Under-19 World Cup so far.

How the Match Went

Ireland started slow, reaching 50 for 1 in the first 12.3 overs. They sped things up to reach 100 in 23.5 overs but lost wickets, which slowed them down. Rob O’Brien’s 50 helped Ireland reach 235, but they could have scored more in the last few overs.

Australia started fast, reaching 50 runs in just 7.4 overs. Hogan and Samuel played well, reaching 100 in 15.6 overs and 150 in 24.4 overs. Their partnership controlled the speed of scoring. Australia won in 39.4 overs.

What It Means for Group A

This win puts Australia U19 in a better spot in Group A with 2 points and a net run rate of 1.275. Ireland U19 lost their first game and now they need to work hard to get back in the competition.

The match showed how important it is to be consistent and work together in cricket. Australia batted and bowled well, while Ireland showed some good individual talent despite losing.

Lessons

Here’s what we learned from the match. First, partnerships at the top of the order can win games. Second, you need to bowl and field well. Third, you need to be mentally tough, like Hogan.

The match showed that player fitness, good field placements, and timing are important. Teams that do these things well are more likely to win,

In conclusion

The match between Ireland and Australia was a good game of cricket. Australia won by 8 wickets. Steven Hogan and Nitesh Samuel played great innings.

Ireland tried hard, but Australia was too strong. The match gave both teams lessons about playing under pressure.

Australia will be a tough team to beat in the Under-19 World Cup. Ireland needs to get better.