England Under-19s suffered a disappointing start to their three-match One-Day International series against South Africa, sliding to a six-wicket defeat in Leicester.

Ben Dawkins, the 19-year-old Kent opener and England’s most experienced player, showed his quality with 44 from 50 balls at the top of the innings. But in the side’s first competitive action since reaching the final of the Under-19s World Cup in February, his teammates were unable to build on the start he provided as they were bowled out for 158 inside 34 overs.

Hampshire’s Matty Lumsden (30) and Lancashire’s Rocky Flintoff (27) were next highest scorers as South African captain Jason Rowles took three for 20 with his left-arm spin and seamer Bandile Mbatha picked up three for 23.

Opener Rowles then struck five fours and two sixes in a 40-ball 42 before Muhammed Bulbulia‘s unbeaten 55 (66 balls, 6 fours) eased the touring side home with 17 overs to spare. Surrey seamer Alex French took two for 31.

Dawkins and debutant Harry Wallace, the 17-year-old Glamorgan left-hander, put on 48 in six overs after the South Africans had chosen to bowl first, Wallace falling leg before to left-arm seamer JJ Basson.

When first-change Mbatha replaced Basson at the Bennett End, he had immediate success, uprooting Caleb Falconer’s off stump, before running out Dawkins at the non-striker’s end when he deflected a Flintoff drive into the stumps.

Yorkshire’s Will Bennison, recently named Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year, was also bowled by Mbatha, via a thick inside edge, before left-arm spinner Rowles, finding some turn from the Pavilion End, dismissed Flintoff and Jack Nelson with consecutive deliveries, both bowled.

England’s collapse continued as skipper Ralphie Albert was beaten and bowled by the returning Majola, who also had Byron Hatton-Lowe leg before, as 104 for three became 118 for eight in the space of 33 balls.

Lumsden’s 25-ball counter-attacking cameo dragged the total beyond 150 but his dismissal leg before to a shin-high ball from Mbatha was quickly followed by the demise of James Minto as Rowles picked up his third and England were all out in the 34th over.

French gave his side some early encouragement by bowling South African debutant Nkosana Sibiya in his first over. The dangerous Jorich van Schalkwyk edged behind in the 11th, after which Rowles countered by launching Albert’s left-arm spin for two sixes in four deliveries but fell leg before trying to sweep the same bowler.

However, removing Rowles merely cleared centre stage for Bulbulia, who has an Under-19 Test match century against England to his name.

The 19-year-old played some high quality shots and as he and 18-year-old newcomer Joshua Van Biljon added 78 in 93 balls before the latter nicked behind off French the result was never in doubt.