Under 19 World Cup Previews and Pre Tournament Articles

[Saj]

Group A Preview

India in relentless form to defend its ICC U19 CWC title

Newcomers Hong Kong and Afghanistan set to push England for second qualifying spot

First of four group previews being sent out in the final build-up to the event, which starts on 15 January

Title holders India will be favoured to finish top of Group A at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (U19 CWC) in New Zealand this month, while an interesting battle looms for the second qualifying spot with Afghanistan and Hong Kong – both first-time participants at the event – expected to put pressure on an England side struggling for consistent form.

Teams from Group A will play in Christchurch with matches to be held at the picturesque surroundings of Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Hagley Oval and QEII Park. India and Afghanistan play on the opening day with the match the first to be televised live by ICC’s broadcast partner, ESPN STAR Sports.

India enters the tournament as defending champion after beating South Africa in the 2008 final in Kuala Lumpur and has a strong history in the competition, winning it twice (2000 and 2008) and being runner-up in 2006.

The side comes to New Zealand off the back of an impressive campaign against South Africa and Sri Lanka in the recent tri-nation series in South Africa which it won after the final was abandoned without a ball being bowled. India made it through the series unbeaten as it disposed of Sri Lanka twice and South Africa once (with one other match also abandoned).

The current world champion put up some imposing performances in South Africa, dismissing Sri Lanka for just 52 in the second match of the tri-nation series, and is in fine form to defend its title in New Zealand. The only question mark remains over the ability of its batsmen to adjust to New Zealand’s seamer-friendly conditions.

The team is led well by all-rounder Ashok Menaria who will bat in the middle order and who has the ability to pick up cheap wickets with his right-arm googlies. Dashing opener Mayank Agarwal amassed a magnificent 160 against Australia at Hobart last April, putting on 270 for the second wicket with Mandeep Singh (151 not out) and without doubt these are two players to watch. Saurabh Netravalkar will lead the new ball attack after picking up the man of the series award in South Africa, taking eight wickets in just three matches.

One-time winner England (1998) has warmed up for the U19 CWC with a home and away series against Bangladesh in which it was comprehensively beaten by seven matches to three. England finished fifth, equal with Australia, at the last U19 CWC in Malaysia after losing in the quarter-final to India.

England’s Joe Root was named man of the series after his team’s 5-2 thrashing in Bangladesh for his 194 runs at an average of 38.8, including two half-centuries in five innings, while skipper Azeem Rafiq looks set to shoulder the major bowling workload after claiming 13 wickets. Karachi-born Rafiq has already played for Yorkshire and can boast a first-class century to his name.

Vice-captain James Vince is a very capable middle-order batsman and although he failed to stand out against Bangladesh, he is a serious talent with two half-centuries in six one-day matches for Hampshire. All-rounder Ben Stokes returns to his birthplace of Christchurch for the event and his adopted country will be hoping he can provide some consistent performances to propel his side into the semi-finals.

Afghanistan will compete in an U19 CWC for the first time and the team will act as trailblazers for their men’s side which is aiming to qualify for the senior event in 2015. They bring a young side to New Zealand and this tournament will provide these players will some great exposure to international cricket abroad.

Afghanistan qualified for the event by finishing second to Ireland in the global qualifying tournament in Toronto and lost only to Canada and Ireland in nine matches. Prior to that, Afghanistan finished second to Hong Kong in the Asian Cricket Council regional competition but gained redemption by beating them when it really mattered in the global qualifier.

Zakiullah Zaki was his side’s best bowler in Toronto, claiming 21 wickets with his leg-spin, the most in the tournament. His best performance came against Vanuatu with six wickets, as well as taking four against Papua New Guinea. Izat Dawlatzai also claimed a bag of wickets during the tournament, with six against the Netherlands. Noor-ul-Haq will be Afghanistan’s rock in the batting department after finishing the tournament with 216 runs at 54, including a highest score of 70 not out against PNG.

Hong Kong follows Afghanistan into its first U19 CWC. These two teams have already had a good chance to get to know each other during a rigorous qualifying campaign.

Captain Jamie Atkinson is Hong Kong’s key player – having already represented the senior team against Pakistan at the tender age of 17. Irfan Ahmed will be the other key contributor with the bat after scoring 293 runs in the global qualifying event last year. Ahmed won the 2008-9 Hong Kong Cricketer of the Year award as well as the Ben Hollioake Trophy for the leading player at the Hong Kong Sixes Tournament last year. The bowling attack will be led by Aizaz Khan who was in fine form last year taking 15 wickets at the qualifying tournament.

Group A squads

India:
Ashok Menaria (captain), Mandeep Singh, Mayank Agarwal, Harmeet Singh, Harpreet Singh, Gaurav Jathar, Manan Sharma, Saurabh Netravalkar, Harshal Patel, Lokesh Rahul, Akshath Reddy, Sandeep Sharma, Sufiyan Shaikh, Jaydev Unadkad, Zahid Ali.

England:
Azeem Rafiq (captain), James Vince, Adam Ball, Michael Bates, Paul Best, Danny Briggs, Nathan Buck, Jos Buttler, Chris Dent, Matthew Dunn, Ateeq Javid, Jack Manuel, David Payne, Joe Root, Ben Stokes.

Afghanistan:
Shir Mohammad Shirzai (captain), Aftab Alam, Afsar Khan, Anwar Anwari, Ayub Khan, Hamza Hotak, Hashmat Shaidi, Izat Dawlatzai, Javed Ahmadi, Khushal Rasooli, M.S. Aminzai, Murad Ali, Noor-ul-Haq, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zakiullah Zaki.

Hong Kong:
Jamie Atkinson (captain), Aditya Kanthan, Aizaz Khan, Ashish Gadhia, Asif Khan, Harmeet Singh, Irfan Ahmed, Niaz Ali, Nizakat Khan, Mark Chapman, Max Tucker, Alex Smith, Shakeel Haq, Vikash Vaswani, Waqas Barkat.


Group A fixtures

Friday 15 January: India v Afghanistan, Bert Sutcliffe Oval (TV)
Saturday 16 January: England v Hong Kong, Bert Sutcliffe Oval (TV)
Sunday 17 January: India v Hong Kong, Hagley Oval
Monday 18 January: England v Afghanistan, QEII
Tuesday 19 January: Afghanistan v Hong Kong, Hagley Oval
Thursday 21 January: India v England, Bert Sutcliffe Oval (TV)

All matches start at 1030 (local time)

More information on ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 can be found at: www.iccevents.yahoo.com

[Saj]

Azeem Ghumman will be leading the Pakistan side in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup this year in New Zealand and the 18-year-old believes the side will be fully prepared once the tournament gets underway on 15 January.


Azeem Ghumman
The squad headed to New Zealand on 30 December for a series of warm-up matches against the host nation and prior to that it had assembled for a training camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore under the supervision of head coach Ijaz Ahmed.

Azeem led the side during its tri-nations tournament with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the beginning of December. The top-order batsman took his team to the final on 8 December against Sri Lanka and he top-scored that day with 65. But, in a thriller, Sri Lanka managed to snatch victory by just one wicket off the last ball of the match.

Azeem said: “It’s always great to play for Pakistan and I’d like to thank the selectors who have made me captain of the side for the ICC under-19 Cricket World Cup. It’s a great honour to play for your country and to be captain is even greater.

“As a team we don’t feel pressure having twice won the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. We’re going to New Zealand with the confidence to win.”

The young man from Hyderabad believes that New Zealand will provide good conditions for his team: “I think it’s going to be good pitches for our seam bowlers in New Zealand but having said that I think the batsmen will do well there too, as long as they take their time at the wicket and don’t rush themselves.

“I think Bangladesh and India will be the two toughest competitors in this tournament. I think along with ourselves those two sides have enormous talent at under-19 level.

“I feel I’ve got good knowledge of playing outside of Pakistan having travelled to Australia with the Pakistan ‘A’ team, I’ve been to Zimbabwe with the under-19 squad and we recently toured Sri Lanka with the same squad.”

Pakistan’s 15-man squad has a number of players that Azeem thinks are crucial to his side’s success at the tournament, in particular opening batsman Babar Azam, leg-spinner Usman Qadir and left-arm spinner Raza Hassan.

The young Azeem has sought the advice of his elders ahead of the start of the tournament, which is surely the biggest event of his career to date: “I have been in touch with the two captains of the two Pakistan teams that won the under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2004 and 2006, Khalid Latif and Sarfraz Ahmed. They have advised me the way I need to be with the boys and that it is all about having a good combination of players.

“They believe that if you’ve got a good combination of players you can win the World Cup. We’ve played a couple of good tours before the World Cup – one to Sri Lanka and one to Zimbabwe and ahead of the World Cup starting we’ve got our warm-up matches in a series against New Zealand to get used to the climate.

“We’re fully aware of our strengths and weaknesses before we start our World Cup campaign. We are ready.”

http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/news...100107-15.html

[muhammad saad]

I can safely say that our U19 team batting lineup is technically more sound than our senior's side and this is proved after they have scored above 200 three times in a row on a bowling friendly tracks in Nz.

[Rizla786]

I wish our team best of luck for this tournament and I'm sure they will show our national team how true cricket is played. I wont be surprised if some of these boys make to Pakistan Team soon if politics dont interfere.......

Good Luck Boys - Make Our Nation Proud.

[cricket_fever]

best of luck pakistan U 19s

[mehdizaheer]

http://cricomania365.blogspot.com/20...-pakistan.html

[sunnysheikh420]

http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/team...n-profile.html

all players : profile

[sunnysheikh420]

This guy is under- 19

http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/team...ullah-zak.html



Team Afghanistan looks like a veteran team !!

[*sallu*]

Originally Posted by Saj Group A Preview Afghanistan will compete in an U19 CWC for the first time and the team will act as trailblazers for their men’s side which is aiming to qualify for the senior event in 2015. They bring a young side to New Zealand and this tournament will provide these players will some great exposure to international cricket abroad. Afghanistan qualified for the event by finishing second to Ireland in the global qualifying tournament in Toronto and lost only to Canada and Ireland in nine matches. Prior to that, Afghanistan finished second to Hong Kong in the Asian Cricket Council regional competition but gained redemption by beating them when it really mattered in the global qualifier.

Argh, we lost to Afghnaistan by about 2 balls in that tournament

If only we would have won that match I might have been playing the world cup =(

[Juggernaut]

Ahsan Ali's cricketing hero is Yuvraj Singh. Well Ahsan that leads me to believe that your a bit of a tulla batsman.

Kaleem Sana would like to be a film star if he can't be a professional cricketer.

Well good luck to the lads.

[genghis81]

Aussie squad is an interesting one too it includes 3 sons of past aussie cricketers/coach

Mitchel Marsh son of Geoff Marsh and brother of Shaun Marsh
Alister McDermott son of Craig McDermot
Nick Buchanan son of John Buchanan

Really looking forward to this as aparently some games will be delevised on Foxtel here in Australia.

[Waseem]

Originally Posted by genghis81 Aussie squad is an interesting one too it includes 3 sons of past aussie cricketers/coach Mitchel Marsh son of Geoff Marsh and brother of Shaun Marsh Alister McDermott son of Craig McDermot Nick Buchanan son of John Buchanan Really looking forward to this as aparently some games will be delevised on Foxtel here in Australia.

Yes genghis, i was checking out Foxtel's schedule and some games are LIVE but very bad timing as most games will start around 8 am Aussie time. Only couple of pool games, Quarter finals, semis and FINAL will be LIVE.
I am looking forward to see likes of Ghumman, Babar Azam, Rameez, Shehzad, Qadir and Raza.

[Waseem]

Originally Posted by Juggernaut Ahsan Ali's cricketing hero is Yuvraj Singh. Well Ahsan that leads me to believe that your a bit of a tulla batsman. Kaleem Sana would like to be a film star if he can't be a professional cricketer. Well good luck to the lads.

Ahsan Ali was very consistent at Domestic U19 tournament so good luck to him.

Here is something amazing, checkout the profile of this Afghan player and see who is his favourite cricketer ;)

Name : Hashmat Shaidi
Date of Birth : November 4, 1994
Place of Birth : Logar
Batting/Bowling Style : Left Handed / Off break

His favourite shot is the cover drive.

His cricketing hero is Salman Butt for his stylish batting. His favourite cricketing memory is Shahid Afridi’s 45-ball century against India in April 2005

////////////////////

It's interesting to read about favourite players and favourite cricketing moments of Afghan players, half of them's favourite cricketers are Indians and other half like players like Afridi, Yousuf, Salman Butt, Asif etc.

[Aces Middle East]

Well done to the U-19 boys who beat New Zealand 2-1 in their warm up games. I feel we seriously have a stronger TEAM at this level where we have 4-5 potential match winners. Please all lets get behind the boys, win or lose you know that these youngsters will give their all.

Special mention to Azeem, Babar, Usman & Raza. These boy will make us all proud inshallah.

[sa88]

Originally Posted by sunnysheikh420 This guy is under- 19 http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/team...ullah-zak.html Team Afghanistan looks like a veteran team !!

Not one of them looks a day under 25.

[NavSheikh786]

Any new pakistani under 19 pace sensations to look out for

[amarmak]

Originally Posted by NavSheikh786 Any new pakistani under 19 pace sensations to look out for

zohaib shera... but he aint in the squad

[NavSheikh786]

Originally Posted by amarmak zohaib shera... but he aint in the squad

Ok so I guess we relying on our spinners and batters for this tournament - which is quite the opposite to the main team

[muhammad saad]

Originally Posted by NavSheikh786 Ok so I guess we relying on our spinners and batters for this tournament - which is quite the opposite to the main team

The most amazing thing is that our batting is extremely strong compare to the past teams and I really like the NCA Colt U16 team integration in the U19 league as these are the guys who will be representing Pak U19 in future ,Hats off to this system

[truth]

Did all players undergo any kind of Age Identification Test to show they are U19 ............................

[sunnysheikh420]

Originally Posted by truth Did all players undergo any kind of Age Identification Test to show they are U19 ............................

Yes they did, i dont know about the aghan team if they have done this

bcoz look at this guy : http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/team...ullah-zak.html

[truth]

Originally Posted by sunnysheikh420 Yes they did, i dont know about the aghan team if they have done this bcoz look at this guy : http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/team...ullah-zak.html

Woww ........ is he U19 ................ UNBELELIEVABLE

[BD-fan]

England U-19 team is good. They are balanced. They can shock anyone (like Ind) on their day. No chance for Afgan real team to beat the Eng U-19. Let alone Afgan u-19 team.

Good preview. Looking forward to read on the other previews as well.

[Saj]

Group B Preview

Star-studded Australians look for third U19 CWC crown

Ireland and USA face tough task to make second round

Second of four group previews being sent out in the final build-up to the event, which starts on 15 January

Australia and South Africa will be favourites to progress into the second round of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (U19 CWC), which runs from 15 to 30 January in New Zealand, although a strong Ireland team could pose a threat if the young Aussies and Proteas are not on top form. The fourth team in Group B, USA, is a capable outfit on its day but could just lack the consistency to foot it with the top teams.

Group B teams have the pleasure of Queenstown as their base with the Events Centre ground providing one of the most picturesque backdrops in world cricket. With the town seen as the tourism capital of New Zealand it will surely keep these young men and their supporters entertained in their down time. Traditionally, the Events Centre provides a hard and fast track and it is likely Australia and South Africa will enjoy playing their group matches there.

South Africa came ever so close to winning the 2008 title, eventually losing a closely fought final to Virat Kohli’s India by just 12 runs. Wayne Parnell, who has since gone on to bigger and better things with the senior Proteas, was instrumental in his team’s success in Malaysia but it wasn’t quite enough for South Africa to claim its first U19 CWC.

The 2002 South Africa team also finished as runner-up, losing to a well-drilled Australia outfit, but on the whole its performances at the tournament have been mixed, fighting out the Plate play-offs in 2000 and 2006.

South Africa comes into the tournament after a commendable performance in the tri-nation series at home against India and Sri Lanka, finishing second after the final against India was rained off. Prior to that series, South Africa hosted England in January 2009 and claimed the one-day series 3-2, although just two players from that squad remain in the shape of left-arm slow bowler Dale Deeb and all-rounder Stephan Smith.

South Africa have selected a squad full of quality, boasting four players with first-class experience and two more with ‘List A’ experience. Colin Ackermann will seek to provide the bulk of the runs from first drop, showing his class in the recent tri-nation series with a sensational 133 not out off just 113 balls against India in a losing cause.

Left-handed opening batsman Dominic Hendricks has represented his state, Gauteng, in one-day matches with a top score of 51, and also impressed in the tri-nation series with a sparkling 66 against Sri Lanka.

Deeb will be one of the bowlers to watch at the U19 CWC after some credible performances on the first-class circuit for Gauteng, collecting 24 scalps at just less than 28 runs apiece with a career best of 6-50.

Australia has been a strong performer at the tournament, winning the title in 1988 and 2002, and being losing semi-finalists in 2000 and 2006. In 2008, Australia lost its quarter-final to Pakistan and went on to finish equal-fifth with England after their play-off match was abandoned due to rain.

The side’s performances have been mixed of late, losing 3-2 to Sri Lanka at home in October and losing 2-1 to India in April, also at home. While losing both series, individuals have put their hands up with strong performances throughout but as a collective they have struggled to put together a complete performance.

Of the current Australian Test team Marcus North, Nathan Hauritz, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke have all played in the U19 CWC and this year’s squad has some names which look set to take the cricketing world by storm.

Mitchell Marsh, son of Geoff and brother of Shaun, is undoubtedly the player to watch, having impressed in domestic cricket for Western Australia this summer, scoring three half-centuries from four one-day appearances including a best of 92 against Tasmania and 60 not out from just 29 balls against New South Wales. He has proved capable with the ball too, taking 4-6 in a recent Twenty20 match with some handy medium pace.

Alister McDermott (Queensland), Josh Hazlewood (New South Wales) and Kane Richardson (South Australia) will form a formidable new-ball attack, all having played for their respective states at senior level. McDermott is the son of former Australia pacer Craig, who took 291 Test wickets in 71 appearances for his country.

Ireland cruised through the global qualifiers with its only loss in nine matches being to fellow Group B qualifier USA. Notwithstanding that hiccup, Ireland has shown itself to be the most consistent qualifying side at the tournament and will be hoping for a bit of luck if it is to make it out of a tough group and into the top eight this year.

Ireland has never made the Super League stage in the past, even with players of the calibre of Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan, William Porterfield and the O’Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall, playing for it over the years. Morgan, in fact, has scored the most runs in the tournaments’ history with 606 in just 13 matches with two centuries.

This year the Irish have another potential start in the form of Paul Stirling who knocked up two centuries at the qualifier tournament. The hard-hitting opening batsman made 164 off 128 balls against Vanuatu and a more sedate 117-ball hundred against the Netherlands. He has already made his full international debut and showed some promise with 30 off 26 balls against England in August last year. Ireland will need Stirling to be at his belligerent best if it is to qualify for the Super League in 2010 but there are also potential match-winners in captain Andrew Balbirnie, Graham McDonnell and Shane Getkate.

USA finished the global qualifying tournament in fifth place but was well ahead of Hong King who grabbed the final qualification spot. USA lost just three games all tournament – to Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Canada – and surprised even themselves by beating Ireland along the way.

USA will be making just its second appearance in the U19 CWC after its first in 2006 landed it a credible 12th place, after losing the Plate semi-final to New Zealand.

Ryan Corns could prove to be the key player for the Americans after picking up the player of the tournament trophy in the qualifier in Toronto with 230 runs and 13 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox. Right-arm leg spinner Saqib Saleem could also be a handful at the tournament after some crucial spells earned him 17 wickets at the qualifying event, including five wickets against Ireland.


Group B Squads
South Africa
Josh Richards (captain), Colin Ackermann, Cody Chetty, Dale Deeb, Rabian Engelbrecht, Dominic Hendricks, Graham Hume, Simon Khomari, Kirk Wernars, Samuel Mofokeng, Bokang Mosena, Malcolm Nofal, Jerry Nqolo, Stephan Smith, David White.

Australia
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Tim Armstrong, Tom Beaton, Nick Buchanan, Jackson Coleman, Luke Doran, Ben Dougall, Jason Floros, Josh Hazlewood, Alex Keath, Nic Maddinson, Alister McDermott, Kane Richardson, Tom Triffitt, Adam Zampa.

Ireland
Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Ben Ackland, Jordan Coghlan, Adrian D’Arcy, George Dockrell, Shane Getkate, Graeme McCarter, Graham McDonnell, Lee Nelson, Stuart Poynter, Eddie Richardson, James Shannon, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Craig Young.

USA
Shiva Vashishat (captain), Salman Ahmad, Regis Burton, Ryan Corns, Muhammad Asad Ghous, Naseer Jamali, Abhijit Joshi, Azurdeen Mohammed, Saqib Saleem, Gregory Sewdial, Yash Shah, Hammad Shahid, Sammi Siddiqui, Steven Taylor, Henry Wardley.


Group B fixtures (Queenstown Events Centre)

Friday 15 January: South Africa v Ireland
Saturday 16 January: Australia v USA
Sunday 17 January: Australia v Ireland
Monday 18 January: South Africa v USA
Tuesday 19 January: Ireland v USA
Wednesday 20 January: South Africa v Australia

All matches start at 1030 (local time)

More information on ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 can be found at: www.icc-cricket.com

[Stewie]

Ryan Corns (originally from South Africa) plays in our league in Houston and is a good player. Expect him to do well. He was MVP of the qualifiers.

[umarf76]

i did not see babar azam in pak squad. is he playing?

[Thank God It Is ME]

Would there be any procedure to make sure that all the players in the competition r under 19 years of age? If u check the profiles of Afghani team players most of the looks in their 20s and few seem to be in their 30s, or it is my fading eyesight which is playing tricks on me.

[*sallu*]

I've played against the Afghan side
Many of even smiled when directly confronted with the age question, but since it is u19 level, the age verification bone test is very very inaccurate and is hence not used.

Only proof of age is passport/birth certificate which is very inaccurate especially from regions like Afghanistan

[Saj]

Group C preview folks :-

Sri Lanka aiming to take group honours over host New Zealand

Zimbabwe and Canada have work cut out in difficult group assignment

Third of four group previews being sent out in the final build-up to the event, which starts on 15 January

Host nation New Zealand will face a rampant Sri Lanka in the race for the top qualifying spot in Group C at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, while form would suggest that Zimbabwe and Canada look set to battle it out in the Plate competition.

Group C matches will be played in Christchurch at Lincoln No. 3, QE II Park and the Bert Sutcliffe Oval – named after New Zealand’s famed batting sensation of the 1950s. The two matches from BSO will be televised on ESPN STAR Sports with Sri Lanka facing Zimbabwe and New Zealand up against Zimbabwe in those games.

New Zealand has a steady record in the event, being losing finalist once (1998) and losing semi-finalist twice (2000 and 2008) so there is still plenty of room for improvement. The side has only once missed the Super League stages (in 2006) so 2010 shapes as a big chance for it to make its second final.

New Zealand only has the recently concluded three-match series against Pakistan in Blenheim as a guide to its form. After comprehensively winning the first match of the series, it went on to lose the last two with the final match going down to the wire. New Zealand showed a weakness against quality spin but on home pitches, this vulnerability against spin won’t be tested as much as it would be elsewhere around the world.

Skipper Craig Cachopa is without doubt the key batsman. Cachopa scored 76 not out in the first and 70 in the final match of the Pakistan series, and adds value by rotating the strike through the middle overs.

Corey Anderson has played 15 first-class matches for Canterbury and is the team’s leading all-rounder, providing strong middle-order hitting and some handy left-arm medium pace bowling. Anderson averaged 40.5 in the 2008 U19 CWC with a top score of 82 against Zimbabwe and will need to be even more consistent during this campaign if New Zealand is to advance to the latter stages this time around.

Sri Lanka journeys to New Zealand on the back of some very good performances in two tri-nations series campaigns at home and abroad. Most recently, it finished second to world champions India at the tri-nations series in South Africa over the new year period. In December, the side won a tri-nations series at home against teams that included Pakistan and Bangladesh. And last October saw it travel to Darwin to take on Australia and it beat the home side 3-2 in a one-day series.

At previous U19 CWCs, Sri Lanka fell well short of its expectations and although the side has provided many individual stars for world cricket, it has failed to claim a title at this level. Sri Lanka’s best finish was in 2000 at home, losing the final to India, while in 2008 it lost its quarter-final to New Zealand. This year, batting seems to be a real strength with depth in all facets and some seriously talented individuals to scare any bowling attack.

Kithuruwan Vithanage was the best batsman during the home tri-nations series, playing two vital knocks, one of which helped topple Pakistan in the final. Vithanage masterminded the chase, playing an accomplished innings, 75 not out off 82 balls, to guide Sri Lanka to the title on the final ball of the match.

Left-hand opening bat Rumesh Buddhika showed he is capable of making big scores with a sensational 139 against South Africa on New Year’s Eve while Banuka Rajapaksa also proved his ability with 154 not out from just 111 deliveries against Australia at Darwin in October.

Zimbabwe will want to forget its 2008 campaign in Malaysia after finishing 14th with disappointing losses to Malaysia, Nepal and Ireland. While 2010 offers the chance to put to bed the scars of 2008, coming up against hosts New Zealand and a very dangerous Sri Lanka team, its chances could be slim. Recent form has been similarly poor, with a 5-0 series loss away to Bangladesh and a 5-1 drubbing by Pakistan at home.

Dean Mashawidza was the best performing batsman on the tour of Bangladesh with 150 runs in the five-match series including a best of 77. Stephen Chimhamhiwa’s medium pace was successful at home against Pakistan with 14 wickets in four games including a best of five for 49, while Tendai Chatara was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers during the Bangladesh series chiming in with eight wickets in four games.

Canada completes Group C and has been dubbed the most impressive under-19 team to leave those shores. The side finished fourth in the global qualifiers and completed a very respectable victory over second-placed Afghanistan. It currently has four players in the squad to have played for the Canada senior team, in an ODI or an ICC Intercontinental Cup match.

This is only Canada’s third appearance at the U19 CWC after participating in the 2002 and 2004 events. The side is still looking for its first match victory at an U19 CWC and possibly this is the year.

The Canadians’ star performer is 18-year-old all-rounder Hiral Patel who scored a double hundred in the regional qualifiers against Argentina, then backed that up with 17 wickets during the global qualifying tournament with his slow left-arm bowling. Having already played two ODIs for Canada against Kenya last year, Patel will be looking to cement his spot in the team for 2010 with some match-winning performances in this event.

Group C squads

New Zealand:
Craig Cachopa (captain), Corey Anderson, Tom Blundell, Harry Boam, Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Dane Cleaver, Jono Hickey, Tim Johnston, Tom Latham, Jimmy Neesham, Bevan Small, Mattie Thomas, Logan Van Beek, Ben Wheeler.

Sri Lanka:
Chatura Peiris (captain), Andri Berenger, Banuka Rajapaksa, Charith Jayampathi, Danishka Gunathilleke, Denuwan Rajakaruna, Kasun Madushanka, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Kushan Apputhantri, Kankanamge, Lahiru Jayaratne, Maduka Liyanapathiranage, Rumesh Buddika, Rushan Jaleel, Saranga Rajaguru, Udara Jayasundera.

Zimbabwe:
Dylon Higgins (captain), Stephen Chimhamhiwa, Gary Chirimuuta, Tendai Chatara, Scott Daly, Andrew Lindsay, Natsai M’Shangwe, Dean Mashawidza, Peter Moor, Simon Mugava, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richard Muzhange, Calum Price, Nathan Waller, Mazvita Zambuko.

Canada:
Rustam Bhatti (captain), Manny Aulakh, Parth Desai, Darius D’Souza, Ruvindu Gunasekara, Hardik Kotak, Nitish Kumar, Usman Limbada, Zain Mahmood, Asif Manjra, Hiral Patel, Riyazkhan Pathan, Harpreet Singh, Arsalan Qadir, Hamza Tariq.

Group C fixtures

Friday 15 January: Zimbabwe v Canada, QE II
Saturday 16 January: New Zealand v Canada, Lincoln No. 3
Sunday 17 January: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Bert Sutcliffe Oval (Televised)
Monday 18 January: Sri Lanka v Canada, Lincoln No. 3
Tuesday 19 January: New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Bert Sutcliffe Oval (Televised)
Wednesday 20 January: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, QE II

All matches start at 1030 (local time)

More information on ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 can be found at: www.iccevents.yahoo.com

[Saj]

ICC U19 Cricket World Cup opens in Christchurch

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan: “ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is a great showcase for the best young cricketers in the world”

Photographs available through Getty Images and ICC FTP site

The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup was officially opened with a vibrant welcome ceremony in Christchurch, New Zealand on Sunday.

Representatives of the 16 teams competing at the tournament, along with officials from the ICC, New Zealand Cricket and other partners in the event, gathered at the Christchurch Art Gallery to be greeted by traditional Maori songs and haka.

The captains of the teams were also joined by New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori for the photographs along with the impressive silver trophy which one of the captains will take home in three weeks time.

In opening the tournament, New Zealand Cricket President Denis Currie said the competition was one of the most prestigious events on the international cricket calendar. “During these next few weeks on cricket fields throughout this country, we will witness the success and outstanding abilities of the superstars of world cricket tomorrow,” Mr Currie said.

“New Zealand Cricket is privileged to host this wonderful event. The popularity and interest in cricket on the world scene has never been at such a high level and for all the players taking part in this tournament there are tremendous opportunities for personal success in the years ahead.”

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan also noted the significance of the tournament in the development of the game. Mr Vaughan said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is particularly important to the ICC as it is great showcase for the best young cricketers in the world, and it’s a really important way to grow the game of cricket throughout the world.

“The 2010 event is the eighth ICC U19 Cricket World Cup and each of the past events has uncovered new cricketing stars that have graced the international stage, right from the first event in 1988 held in Australia.

“That event featured players like Brian Lara, Mike Atherton and Inzamam-ul-Haq. And since that time, events have introduced players to the world such as Chris Gayle, Yuvraj Singh, Graeme Smith – and in the last event New Zealand’s Tim Southee was player of the tournament. All have gone on to have quite significant international careers.

“I am certain that the millions watching this event through ESPN STAR Sports worldwide will be just as fascinated to see which stars emerge after the next three weeks of competition.”

Mr Vaughan also paid tribute to the efforts of the Associate Members that had qualified for the event. “This event in New Zealand has ICC’s 10 Full Members represented, but importantly they are joined by the six best Associate U19 sides.

“It is great to see the United States of America, Canada, Ireland, Afghanistan, Ireland and Papua New Guinea joining the 10 Full Members to compete in this tournament. Those six Associates earned their spot through a tough qualifying tournament in Canada in September last year – so well done for making it here.”

The tournament is expected to reach a huge global audience, with ICC’s broadcast partner ESPN STAR Sports to televise live all the 10 matches to be played at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, near Christchurch.

Live scoring, highlights and other features from the event will be available at the tournament website, www.iccevents.yahoo.com.

[JeeraBlade]

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[BoomBoomCricket]

Eng and Pak both have captains named Azeem !

[BoomBoomCricket]

Mine preffered 11 for Pak is :

Ahmed Shahzad
Babar Azam
Muhammad Naeem
Azeem Ghumman
Rameez Aziz
Hammad Azam
Usman Qadir
Sarmad Bhatti
Anop Ravi
Raza Hassan
Kaleem Sana

Matchwinning line up hey ????????????

[Sultan Yusuf]

Originally Posted by sunnysheikh420 This guy is under- 19 http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/team...ullah-zak.html Team Afghanistan looks like a veteran team !!

Worst part about the profile is that his favourite player in the history of the universe is none other than.......err....robin uthappa

[Saj]

Group D Preview

Pakistan to battle Bangladesh, PNG and West Indies in quest for world title hat-trick

Final group preview being sent out in the final build-up to the event, which starts on 15 January

Pakistan will face stiff opposition from Bangladesh and West Indies as it looks to secure a hat-trick of titles in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (U19 CWC), which runs from 15 to 30 January in New Zealand.

Alongside Papua New Guinea, the three Full Member nations will be vying for two Super League spots, with the bottom two in the group left to play off in the Plate competition. Group D will be played entirely at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, one of New Zealand’s most attractive provincial cricket grounds.

Pakistan is traditionally a very consistent U19 side and has two previous titles under its belt, having won this event in 2004 and 2006. The side pushed hard again in 2008 but lost in the semi-final to eventual winners, India. Pakistan is fresh from a hard-fought series victory over New Zealand in Blenheim during the build-up to the competition, coming back from an opening loss in the three match series to steal the final two matches.

Prior to touring New Zealand, Pakistan took part in a tri-nation series in Bangladesh where it lost a nail-biting final to Sri Lanka off the last ball of the match. During October, Pakistan took on Zimbabwe away from home and blew the African side off the park, winning 5-1 in the six-match series.

Rameez Aziz looks like a dangerous middle-order player, scoring two half-centuries against New Zealand, while his 82 not out in the second match in Blenheim proved his worth as he scored under pressure. Skipper Azeem Ghumman was the form player during the series with Zimbabwe, scoring three half-centuries in six innings including a top score of 66.

Pakistan brings a strong spin attack to the tournament, led by 16-year-old leggie Usman Qadir, the son of Pakistan spin legend Abdul Qadir. Left-arm spinner Raza Hasan and leg-spinning all rounder Ahmad Shahzad, who has already played full ODIs for Pakistan, also look set to trouble opposition batsmen.

Bangladesh is perhaps the most well-prepared under-19 side coming to the U19 CWC. With a strong track record of international matches already behind it, the side should be well placed to compete in U19 CWC 2010. However, despite strong performances outside of the U19 CWC, the side has yet to deliver a championship win. It has twice lost in the quarter-finals, as in 2006 to England and 2008 to South Africa. Bangladesh’s best finish was fifth in 2006 after beating Pakistan and New Zealand in pool play and then the West Indies and Sri Lanka in the play-offs.

Bangladesh has been busy in the lead-up to the tournament with a tri-nation series against Sri Lanka and South Africa, a one-day series against Zimbabwe, home and away contests with England, and perhaps its greatest feat, a 4-1 series win over Sri Lanka in May 2009. Amit Majumder will have to score the bulk of the runs if Bangladesh is to make it through to the second round, and with a couple of centuries against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in one-dayers he has shown his capabilities. Right-arm seamer Abul Hasan was the standout bowler in the series against Zimbabwe, taking 14 wickets at an average of just less than nine.

The West Indies has been playing in the domestic Presidents Cup alongside regional teams where it struggled to compete with these men’s teams, failing to win a match and with only one of their batsmen passing 50. However, match practice against men will surely put the West Indies in good stead to face the best players in their age group, although the side will have to rely on individual brilliance to get them through.

Kraigg Braithwaite of Barbardos is the shining light with the bat, scoring 73 on first-class debut at the age of 16. He was called into the West Indies Test squad last year against Bangladesh and isn’t too far away from making his full international debut. He holds a national contract and will be a vital part of this team’s 2010 U19 CWC campaign.

West Indies will look for their skipper, Andre Creary, to lead from the front with middle-order runs and some tidy off-spin. Creary made his first-class debut for West Indies A against the touring Bangladesh team mid-way through last year and his experience will be vital to his inexperienced side.

Papua New Guinea makes its fifth visit to the U19 CWC after finishing third in the global qualifying tournament in Toronto in 2009. The side beat fellow qualifying teams Hong Kong, Canada and USA, losing only to winners Ireland and second-placed Afghanistan. In the 2008 event, Papua New Guinea recorded its first win in the U19 CWC, defeating Bermuda by seven wickets, and with former Australian fast bowler Andy Bichel on board as coach, it will be hoping to register a second win, although it may have to wait until the second round to do so.

Left-handed bat Henry Siaka is the team’s top performing batsmen and he took the responsibility on board at the global qualifier by scoring 277 runs with a best of 103 against the Netherlands. Wicketkeeper Steven Eno picked up 11 catches and two stumpings during the qualifier and proved extremely hard to dismiss with five not outs in eight innings, scoring 173 runs at an average of just under 58.

Medium-pacer John Reva heads the bowling line-up and his side will be looking for similar performances to the 7-34 he took against the USA in Toronto, completing the tournament with 15 scalps at just over 14 runs per wicket.

Group D squads

Pakistan:
Azeem Ghumman (captain), Ahmad Shahzad, Ahsan Ali, Anop Ravi, Fayyaz Butt, Hammad Azam, Kaleem Sana, Muhammad Babar Azam, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Waqas, Rameez Aziz, Raza Hassan, Sarmad Bhatti, Shahzaib Ahmed, Usman Qadir.

Bangladesh:
Mahmudul Hasan (captain), Alauddin Babu, Amit Majumder, Anamul Haque, Arman Badsha, Hasan Raju, Kamrul Islam, Muminul Hoque Showrav, Nur Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Saikat Ali, Shabbir Rahman, Shaker Ahmed, Soumya Sarkar, Tasamul Hoque.

West Indies:
Andre Creary (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nelson Bolan, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Yannic Cariah, Akeem Dewar, Shane Dowrich, Nicholson Gordon, Trevon Griffiths, Jason Holder, Keon Joseph, Evin Lewis, Yannick Ottley, Jomel Warrican.

Papua New Guinea:
Jason Kila (captain), Charles Amini, Sese Bau, Jonathan Diho, Raymond Haoda, Steven Eno, Timothy Mou, Vagi Oala, John Reva, Rogeauka Roge, Heni Siaka, Lega Siaka, Lega Tau, Toua Tom, Tony Ura.

Group D fixtures (Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North)

Friday 15 January: Pakistan v West Indies
Saturday 16 January: Bangladesh v Papua New Guinea
Sunday 17 January: Bangladesh v West Indies
Monday 18 January: Pakistan v Papua New Guinea
Tuesday 19 January: West Indies v Papua New Guinea
Wednesday 20 January: Pakistan v Bangladesh

All matches start at 1030 (local time)

[BoomBoomCricket]

Originally Posted by JeeraBlade .

Azeem G might get his hands on that come 30th Jan.

[IAJ]

Originally Posted by Saj Group D Preview Pakistan is traditionally a very consistent U19 side and has two previous titles under its belt, having won this event in 2004 and 2006. The side pushed hard again in 2008 but lost in the semi-final to eventual winners, India. (local time)

I think Pakistan lost to South Africa in the semi-final.

[sunnysheikh420]

Pakistan Lost by 10 Runs

Again Azeem & Shehzad didnt do much !!

Raza Hassan got smashed all over the place !!

Rameez Aziz shows his talent but cant play a matchwinning inning.

Pakistan needed 28 of 18 with 2 average batsmans (Hammad Azam & Sarmad Bhatti) But they both lost their wicket in the 31st over.

Pakistan needed a fast bowling allrounder !! Bilawal Bhatti should have played there.
But i think he didnt pass the wrist test.

I dont expect much from these guys.

In newzealand spinners will not play a bigg role. & our pace bowling is average.

Maybe they will play quater final (maximum)

http://iccu19worldcup.yahoo.net/matc...name=scorecard

[muhammad saad]

Yep our Pace bowling sux not a single pace bowler is capable of completing his quota and not playing Usman really didnt help us either.

[sunnysheikh420]

They still doesnt understand how important it is that ur wicketkeeper is also a good batsman.

Mohammed Awais should have been selected instead of Anop Ravi.

We have a strong batting line up but still we also have the problem of getting collapses.

Now we have so many openers in the team : Azeem Ghumman, Ahmed Shahzad, Mohammed Naem, Hammad Azam, Babar Azam.

But they are opening with Ahsan Ali which is a middle order batsman.

Azeem and Ahmed are experienced but both are scared to open the inning. Go and lead from the front !!

What should pakistan do now ??

Mohammed Naem/Ahsan Ali & Mohammed Waqas : Drop one of them (injured) and get Umar Siddiq (And give him all matches to open the inning)

Send Back Shahzaib Ahmed : & Get a fastbowler Bilawal Bhatti/Nasir Malik

Anop Ravi Out : Mohammed Awais In.

POOR SELECTION. Everyone knows the ball will not spin in Newzealand they are sending 3 spinners.

[Waseem]

Originally Posted by sunnysheikh420 They still doesnt understand how important it is that ur wicketkeeper is also a good batsman. Mohammed Awais should have been selected instead of Anop Ravi. We have a strong batting line up but still we also have the problem of getting collapses. Now we have so many openers in the team : Azeem Ghumman, Ahmed Shahzad, Mohammed Naem, Hammad Azam, Babar Azam. But they are opening with Ahsan Ali which is a middle order batsman. Azeem and Ahmed are experienced but both are scared to open the inning. Go and lead from the front !! What should pakistan do now ?? Mohammed Naem/Ahsan Ali & Mohammed Waqas : Drop one of them (injured) and get Umar Siddiq (And give him all matches to open the inning) Send Back Shahzaib Ahmed : & Get a fastbowler Bilawal Bhatti/Nasir Malik Anop Ravi Out : Mohammed Awais In. POOR SELECTION. Everyone knows the ball will not spin in Newzealand they are sending 3 spinners.

Relax sunny420, it was a practice game and they were trying different combinations. I do agree with the selection though, there was no need to include Shahzaib( or even Ahmed Shehzad to some extent) as both of them have already played in U19 WC but we hardly have any options in fast bowling department.
Worst decision is to drop Awais for Anop Ravi because Awais is not only a specialist Wk, he was also amongst top run scorers in domestic U19 tournament.

[sunnysheikh420]

I we want to see our crickters on TV then they must have to top their group !!
If we come second then we will for sure meet india in the quater final (which will be not televised)

Who will make it threw ??

Group A : India & England
Group B : South Africa & Australia
Group C : Sri Lanka & New Zealand
Group D : Pakistan & Bangladesh

Quater Final 1 : India (A1) vs Bangladesh (D2)
Quater Final 2 : Pakistan (D1) vs England (A2) (Live on TV)
Quater Final 3 : South Africa (B1) vs New Zealand (C2)
Quater Final 4 : Sri Lanka (C1) vs Australia (B2)

Semi Finals 1 : India vs Australia (Live)
Semi Finals 2 : Pakistan vs South Africa (Live)

Inshalllah

Final : India vs Pakistan (Live also in Uk/Europe)

[Super Sixer]

Originally Posted by JeeraBlade .

why is the Indian captain standing at the back,out of view in the picture?I thought they won the last edition!
so shouldnt he be at the front?
lol anyway,i guess they are standing randomly

Azeem bhai at the front
Good luck to the Pakistani team.

[Saj]

Title favourites eagerly await the start of U19 CWC

India vice-captain Mandeep: “Being defending champion makes us more confident”

Sixteen teams, 48 matches and global audience of millions through ESPN STAR Sports

The stage is set for the opening round of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (U19 CWC) 2010 in New Zealand with defending champion India looking to make a convincing start in defence of its title.

India takes on qualifier Afghanistan in the first Group A game in front of the ESPN STAR Sports cameras at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Christchurch to open the prestigious tournament on Friday (15 January).

In seven U19 CWC tournaments to date, the competition has yielded four champions – Australia, India and Pakistan have each won twice, while England won the 1998 contest. Those teams could again be in the running for the 2010 crown but the form book is wide open and there are many other challengers in this year’s contest.

After beating South Africa in the 2008 final in Malaysia, and with a strong build-up to this year’s tournament, India comes in as a favoured contender to lift the title for a record third time.

Speaking ahead of the side’s opening match on Friday, vice-captain Mandeep Singh said that expectations would not be an issue for the team.

“There is no pressure,” he said. “In fact, the fact that we are defending champions makes us want to do better and makes us more confident. But I also feel that a slight pressure is necessary for us to perform well.”

Mandeep said the side’s confidence was high after a positive build-up to the series, and good opportunities to adjust to different conditions.

“Our preparation has been pretty good. We have played in Mumbai, Australia, South Africa and we’ve been here for some time now, so were used to the different conditions and the ball swinging around more. We faced some very similar conditions in the grounds that we played at in South Africa. We’re getting used to the weather and the wind here as well.”

Mandeep mentioned Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa as possible threats to their bid for a third title, but acknowledged that there were many teams in good form.

The current title-holder can expect to be hard pressed by several other sides – equally determined to make their mark in this tournament.

Pakistan, winner of the U19 CWC in 2004 and 2006, comes into the tournament with three months solid match practice together as a team, including a recent campaign against Zimbabwe, a tri-nation series with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and a series win over New Zealand.

Captain Azeem Ghumman said he was satisfied his team was where it should be for its foray into the 2010 event.

“We have been working as a unit for three months now,” he said. “We’re feeling good as a team – we have good bowlers, good batsmen and I love leading this side.”

Ahead of the side’s opening game against the West Indies, in Palmerston North, Azeem was reluctant to identify which teams he rated highest. “I can’t say. It’s a big event, a huge event, all the 16 teams have prepared for this.

“The first match, against the West Indies, is the most important match for us. From my experience if you win the first match of the tournament it’s always good as a start. So our eyes will be on winning that first match.”

Azeem believes his side’s batting will be a key to progressing through the tournament. “I think our batting is a real strength. We have good batters right down to number seven, eight and nine, and we have played a number of matches where we have chased a lot of runs on hard wickets.”

England, winner in 1998, has been drawn alongside India in Group A and will face the defending champion in the final match of the group stage, on 21 January.

England captain Azeem Rafiq said his side had learned a lot from its series loss to Bangladesh last year and was well-prepared for a tough first week in the U19 CWC.

“With India in our group we are focused on them,” he said. “The subcontinent teams are always strong but we’re not fearing anyone. We know if we perform our skills and put in 100 per cent we’ve got an immense amount of talent in this squad and we know there’s enough here to win it.”

Rafiq backs his batsmen and seamers but says it’s his spin attack that will be match-winners. “I feel we are strong in every department,” he said. “But I think during the middle overs is where, with our spinners, we can kill the game off.”

Inaugural U19 CWC champion Australia brings some big names into the tournament – Mitchell Marsh and Alister McDermott, for example, hoping to emulate the success of their respective fathers, former Test players Geoff and Craig – as well as a number of players with first-class playing experience.

As captain of the side, Mitchell said there’s a high level of confidence. “I think we’ve got a fair bit of experience in our side,” he said. “We’ve got four or five guys who have played domestic cricket back home and that’s obviously a pretty good competition. We have a few young guys as well with a lot of talent so we should go pretty well.”

Among other contenders, many observers are picking Bangladesh to make an impressive showing at the tournament – a sentiment confirmed by two strong wins in warm-up matches this week, against host New Zealand and two-time winner Australia.

The side comes to New Zealand off the back of a successful campaign in 2009 which includes a 4-1 series win over Sri Lanka as well as success against Zimbabwe and England.

Captain Mahmudul Hasan said the preparation leading up to the tournament had been good for the side. “Our team is going very well, they’ve been very excellent so far so we are happy with the way we have performed,” he said.

The side has drawn a tough pool, which includes Pakistan and West Indies, but Mahmudul is not daunted. “We are still very confident. We do have some tough games but our team is going very well – we have had two good results, and the boys are going very nicely and they're doing a good job.”

Runner-up in 2002 and in 2008, South Africa takes on 11th seed Ireland at Queenstown on day one – and the side is determined to get past second-place this time.

Talented South Africa captain Josh Richards said his side was buoyant and confident as it headed into its U19 CWC opener, but also keeping a watchful eye on other sides.

“We give every side tremendous respect,” said Richards. “We haven’t played that much against other sides. We’ve played against India and Sri Lanka in a triangular – both those sides look good. We know Australia’s always going to be a top side, New Zealand as well. But we’re going in with our eyes open – we’re not judging anyone, we’re just focusing on ourselves at the moment.

“As a side we just want to be the best we can be. We want to be at our best throughout the group stages and if we get to the quarters and semis and keep improving, we’ll hopefully take home the World Cup.”

Matches on the opening day of the U19 CWC include India v Afghanistan at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln, Zimbabwe v Canada at QEII Park, Christchurch, Pakistan v West Indies at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, and South Africa v Ireland at Queenstown Events Centre.

Over the following two weeks days the 16 teams will battle through group rounds, quarter and semi-finals and a Plate Championship play-off series before the new U19 world champion is crowned after the final on 30 January.

All 10 matches to be played at Bert Sutcliffe Oval will be televised live by the ICC’s broadcast partner ESPN STAR Sports to a huge global audience in more than 100 countries.

A full match schedule for the tournament is available at
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/events_...9/fixtures.php

[Saj]

Sri Lanka off-spinner Rushan Jaleel reported with suspected illegal bowling action

Sri Lanka’s Rushan Jaleel has been reported because of a suspected illegal bowling action.

The off-spinner was reported by Bruce Oxenford of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and Shahul Hameed of the ICC Associate and Affiliate International Umpires’ Panel, at the conclusion of Sri Lanka’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 warm-up match against Hong Kong which was played on Monday (11 January) at Hagley Park in Christchurch.

Jaleel’s bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to cricket other than Tests, ODIs and T20Is. That process states that any bowler reported in this way will be dealt with by the relevant Member board in accordance with clause 3 of the ICC regulations as follows:

Where a bowler is “called” or reported by the umpires as having a suspected illegal bowling action, the ICC will advise the Member board of this fact and the Member will be asked to instigate an immediate assessment of the bowler’s action by its group of bowling advisors and to arrange for the undertaking of any remedial action required by the player concerned.

The Member will be asked to report back formally to the ICC within 21 days.

If the home board’s assessment concludes that the bowler’s action is illegal, he would be immediately suspended from bowling in international cricket.

Pending the result of the home board’s assessment, Jaleel may continue to play and bowl in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup but of course may still be called by the umpires in accordance with the Laws.