Townsville, Apr 12: India have sealed a spot in the final of the Quadrangular Under-19 series after comprehensively beating table-toppers England by 63 runs in the second semi-final at the Tony Ireland Stadium here today.

Asked to bat first, skipper Unmukt Chand (94 runs) ensured that India posted a competitive target on the board. Although they lost the key wickets of opener Manan Vohara and Akhil Herwadkar, followed by Vijay Zol, with just 70 runs on the board the captain held the innings together. Though they continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, a 90-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Chand and wicketkeeper Smit Patel helped India set England a target of 240 runs.

After Brett Hutton removed Vohara, Craig Overton dismissed Herwadkar while Adam Ball claimed the prized wicket of Zol. Ball later sent back Patel and Kamal Passi while Jamie Overton picked the wickets of Harmeet Singh (12) – known to chip in with some useful runs lower down the order – and Sandeep Sharma. Aneesh Kapil, who was the most expensive of the English bowlers, sent back the Indian captain.

Defending 239 runs, India wrapped up the England innings for 176. After paceman Sandeep Sharma knocked England on the back-foot by sending back their top three batsman, left-arm paceman Mohsin Sayyed claimed a four-for to ensure that the opposition never recovered from the early blows. Harmeet Singh and Baba Aparajith chipped in with a wicket each.

England skipper Ball, who had earlier claimed three wickets, top-scored with 39 runs while Jamie Overton remained unbeaten on 37.

India will take on hosts Australia in the final on April 15.

Brief scores: India 239 all out in 49.1 overs (U Chand 94, S Patel 53, A Ball 3/39) beat England 176 all out in 44.5 overs (A Ball 39, MM Sayyed 4/31, S Sharma 3/32) by 63 runs