Hogan hero: Aussies open U19 World Cup defence in style

Steven Hogan has become the first centurion at the men's Under 19 cricket World Cup as Australia's top teenagers began their defence of the trophy in style with an eight-wicket trouncing of Ireland.

The 18-year-old Queensland prospect scored a breezy 115 in Australia's chase on Friday, putting on a second-wicket stand of 186 with Nitesh Samuel as they comfortably chased down Ireland's 7-235 in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.

Hogan, who plays grade cricket for Sandgate-Redcliffe, scored at better than a run a ball as his 111-ball knock, which featured 11 fours and a six, eased the four-times champions towards their target.

Once he was out in the 36th over, captain Ollie Peake, who played a key knock in the final against India when the Under 19s won the 2024 title in South Africa, joined Samuel to finish the job.

Samuel finished 77no while, remarkably, not even scoring a single boundary in his 101-ball knock, while Peake (15no off 18) hit the winning four with 10.2 overs still remaining.

The 19-year-old Peake has been making a name for himself in the BBL, having smashed a six off the last ball for the Melbourne Renegades to beat the Perth Scorchers earlier in the month before dashing off for the World Cup defence in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Having won the toss at the Namibia Ground, he inserted Ireland, who gave a decent account of themselves with the bat with wicketkeeper Freddie Ogilby making 49 to lay the platform before Rob O'Brien hit a 98-ball 79 to give Australia some work with the bat.

Regular wickets for Toowoomba paceman Charles Lachmund (3-41), the pick of Australia's bowlers, kept Ireland's run-rate in check.

In Australia's chase, Samuel and Hogan scored their half-centuries off 62 balls and 50 balls respectively, with the latter then pushing on more swiftly to complete his ton off 97 balls.

The other two World Cup matches on Friday were tighter, with England defeating Pakistan by 37 runs in the Zimbabwe capital of Harare, while Afghanistan overcame a brilliant 98 from Jason Rowles to beat South Africa by 28 runs at Windhoek's High Performance Oval.