Ralston rises to occasion on debut

Fast bowler Jason Ralston was out to make an impression in his first game for the Australia Under 19s, and he certainly managed to do that.

Three wickets on debut - plus snapping the bat of the opposition captain in his first ball at the crease - has Ralston in the frame for Australia's 2018 Under 19 Cricket World Cup opener against India in Tauranga on Sunday.

The 18-year-old right-armer claimed two early wickets in Wednesday's warm-up match as Sri Lanka slumped to 6-64, and finished with figures of 3-38 as Australia dismissed the Sri Lankans for 198 in reply to 7-251 in Christchurch.

"It was unreal, a great start for the boys," Ralston said.

"We obviously still have some things to work on, but definitely a great start, a win against Sri Lanka and pretty convincing at that.

"I went out there and opened the bowling with Xavier Bartlett, we had a really good partnership up front.

"Putting on the jersey this morning was an unreal feeling…. playing for your country is just amazing. I thought I bowled pretty well today, and hopefully others think the same."

Hailing from the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Ralston grew up playing his cricket in Port Kembla - a Wollongong suburb 90 minute drive south from Sydney - where he captained the club's 1st XI as a 17-year-old.

This year he's made the move to Sydney, playing for Eastern Suburbs alongside Under 19s gloveman Baxter Holt and the likes of Peter Nevill, Nic Maddinson and Will Somerville.

Now he's hoping to make a big impact on the world stage in New Zealand.

He found the edge of Sri Lanka opener Nishun Madushka, before cramping up first-drop Nipun Dananjaya with a short delivery that lobbed to midwicket.

Next ball, the bat of opposition skipper Kamindua Mendis ended in two pieces as Ralston almost pulled off an incredible caught and bowled despite flying willow.

"The wickets seam around a bit more, they're not as quick… but you've still just got to bowl fast and try to get wickets," Ralston said.

"I bowled a bouncer (to Mendis), it came off the top off the bat and half the bat fell off.

"I didn't know where the ball went - I almost got to the ball for a catch, but was unlucky in the end. I think I didn't react quick enough because I was looking at where the bat was going rather than the ball, but it was good to do that and intimidate some batsmen."

With four genuine quicks in the squad - Ralston, Bartlett, Ryan Hadley and Zak Evans - plus a number of seam-bowling all-rounders, Ralston is hopeful he's put his case forward for selection against India.

"Definitely there is (competition for spots) when there's four quicks and we're only been playing two at the moment," Ralston said, with Evans and Hadley not bowling in Tuesday's game.

"I put my best performance out on the park there today and hopefully that will put me in good stead going forward."

Australia will have another practice match against South Africa, at Hagley Park in Christchurch, on Thursday.