Aussie rookie bats smash England bowlers

Nov 18, 2017 - 9:05 AM Smashing England's Test bowlers to near records, set by Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting one week, back playing in suburban Penrith in Sydney's west the next.

That's the scenario that awaits 18-year-old Jason Sangha, highlighting his incredible efforts to derail England's Ashes preparations on Saturday in Townsville.

Sangha scored 133 in a 263-run third-wicket stand with 22-year-old Matt Short (134no) to save the game for a Cricket Australia XI, as the visitors took just one wicket in the last day of their final warm-up match before the Ashes.

The pair, yet to play in the Sheffield Shield, had just five first-class games to their names between them before this week, but that didn't show.

They both looked largely unfazed against a Test-quality bowling attack, that included Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and potential debutant Craig Overton.

Sangha's knock was more remarkable considering his age.

He's just second to Tendulkar for the youngest player to score a first-class hundred against England, while he is also the youngest first-class centurion in Australia since Ricky Ponting in 1992-93.

"Scoring a hundred against England is pretty good," Sangha said.

"It would definitely be up there (as one of my best days).

"You can't really get too caught up with facing this bowler or that I'm facing Broad or Woakes.

"You've really got to try and treat them as any other bowler."

Ranked as one of the best up-and-comers in the country, Sangha has long been a part of Cricket Australia's development pathway system - and there's little doubt he'll continue.

He and Short will play this week in the Futures League for NSW and Victoria respectively, before returning to club cricket at Randwick-Petersham - against Penrith - and Northcote's clash next Saturday with Casey South Melbourne respectively.

Short's century followed a first-innings 51, his 32 games' experience in CA XI and national performance squads showing as he took Australia to the close at 4-364 as captain.

"You learn from every game of cricket you play at whatever level it is," Short said.

"It's definitely these kind of games against international teams that mean a bit more than others."

YOUNGEST PLAYERS TO SCORE FIRST-CLASS CENTURIES AGAINST ENGLAND:

* 17y, 107d - Sachin Tendulkar, India, 1990

* 18y, 68d - Jason Sangha, CA XI, 2017-18

* 18y, 223d - Hashan Tillakaratne, Sri Lanka, 1985-86

* 18y, 246d - Mushtaq Mohammad, Pakistan, 1962

* 18y, 250d - Gursharan Singh, India U-22, 1981-82

*** Age at start of match. Source: Cricinfo

Source: AAP