TOM Alsop top scored with 66 on the second day of England Under-19s’ Test against their Australia counterparts in Durham.

The Hampshire star dominated an opening stand of 95 with Middlesex’s Max Holden before he was lbw to Tasmanian fast bowler Fletcher Seymour in the 34th over.

Left-hander Alsop, 19, faced 103 balls while laying an excellent foundation before England recovered from 161-5 to close on 242-5 in reply to Australia’s 446.

Lancashire leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson, having been preferred to Hampshire’s Mason Crane, was the pick of the England bowlers with 6-130.

Hampshire off-spinner Brad Taylor would have played had he not aggravated an injury to his spinning finger in practice. Alsop struck 40 and 77 in his two previous U19 Tests, against South Africa last year.