ICC U-19 World Cup tournament opener tommorrow

TOI Sports previews the group A teams and their chances at the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh to be held in Bangladesh from 22 January to 14 February 2016.

 

First match of the tournament will start tomorrow at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong between Bangladesh and South Africa.

 

Group A Teams: South Africa, Bangladesh, Scotland, Namibia

 

South Africa

 

South Africa will aim to replicate the feat of Aiden Markram's team that created history by winning their maiden World Cup trophy, something even their senior counterparts have spectacularly failed to achieve over these years. Under the leadership of middle-order mainstay Tony de Zorzi, SA start the tournament as one of the favorites but will be tested right from the first game when they square off against hosts Bangladesh in the tournament opener on January 27 in Chittagong. Against Bangladesh though, they have lost successive Youth ODI series in 2015.

 

Players to watch out for: Tony de Zorzi struck a century in the warm-up match against Fiji. He also led the side to victory in the CSA Cubs Week. Left-arm spinner Sean Whitehead will also be crucial to their plans in the sub-continental conditions. An example of it came during the Fiji warm-up match when he took 5/5 in seven overs.

 

SQUAD: Tony de Zorzi (c), Ziyaad Abrahams, Dean Foxcroft, Dayyaan Galiem, Willie Ludick, Wandile Makwethu, Conner McKerr, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Wiaan Mulder, Luke Philander, Farhaan Sayanvala, Lutho Sipamla, Liam Smith, Kyle Verreynne and Sean Whitehead.

 

Coach: Laurence Mahatlane

 

Best performances: 2014: winners, 2012: semis, 2008: runner-up, 2002: runner-up

 

Fixtures: 27th Jan vs Bangladesh; 31st Jan vs Namibia; 2nd Feb vs Scotland

 

Bangladesh

 

Bangladesh are hosting the tournament for the second time after 2004 when they defeated Australia in the Plate Cup Final. The format is a distant memory and the hosts, on the back of their superlative performances against defending champions South Africa in two Youth ODI series will be fancying their chances of a maiden world cup triumph in conditions they are most familiar with. What gives credence to their claim is the fact that they have also registered victories against tournament favorites India and Pakistan at home in 2015. Two weeks before the tournament proper, Bangladesh beat West Indies 3-0 in an Youth ODI series at home. Since the 2014 World Cup in UAE, Bangladesh have won five of their six ODI series. They should progress to the next stage.

 

Players to watch out for: Bangladesh have wealth of experience as five of their players are all set to participate in their second U-19 World Cup. This will be all rounder Mehidy Hassan's second World Cup-- both as a player and captain and he, with 68 wickets, is their leading wicket-taker too. One of their leading spinners Saleh Ahmed Shawon Gazi was hospitalized after being hit on the head a week before the tournament during a practice session. Tests revealed it wasn't a serious injury. Najmul Hossain, Hassan's deputy, will be manning the middle order and has been in good touch.

 

SQUAD: Mehidy Hassan Miraz (c), Jaker Ali Anik,, Saleh Ahmed Shawon Gazi, Mohammed Saif Hassan, Zakir Hasan, Shafiul Hayet, Mehede Hasan, Mohammad Abdul Halim, Joyraj Sheik Imon, Ariful Islam Jony, Sanjit Saha, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Saeed Sarker, Shaif Uddin.

 

Coach: Mohammad Mizanur Rahman

 

Best performances: 2010- Plate Cup winner, 2004 - Plate Cup winner, 2000- Plate cup runner-up, 1998- Plate cup winner

 

Fixtures: 27th Jan vs South Africa; 31st Jan vs Scotland; 2nd Feb vs Namibia

 

Namibia

 

Namibia qualified for their sixth World cup by winning the Africa Under-19 Championship Division One tourney. By finishing at the top of the table with eight points-- thanks to skipper Zane Green's tournament aggregate of 271 runs-- Namibia booked their ticket for Bangladesh in February last year where they won four of their five matches. However, on a tour to Zimbabwe they were beaten 2-1. They will aim to better their best ever 11th-place finish in Kuala Lumpur 2008. However, the absence of regular competitive matches against the top sides will make their task quite difficult.

 

Players to watch out for: Zane Green and SJ Loftie-Eaton will be playing their second World Cup and expectedly will be required to bring out their experience to the fore. Green will hope that his statement "anything can happen in cricket" comes true as they target a top-8 finish which requires progress to the next round.

 

SQUAD: Zane Green(c), Petrus Burger, Charl Brits, Fritz Coetzee, Niko Davin, Sj Loftie-Eaton, Mushi Honga, Burton Jacobs, Lohan Louwrens, Jurgen Linde, Michael Van Lingen, Chrischen Oliver, Francios Rautenbach, Warren Van Wyk, Eben Van Wyk,

 

Coach: Rangarirai Manyande

 

Best performances: 2008: 11th place

 

Fixtures: 29th Jan vs Scotland; 31st Jan vs South Africa; 2nd Feb vs Bangladesh

 

Scotland

 

After their shock win over Ireland on the final day of the 2015 ICC Europe Under-19 Championship, Scotland ensured their World Cup spot by finishing at the top of the points table on net-run rate. Neil Flack was the tournament's highest run getter (166) while Haris Aslam was adjudged as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for his 15 scalps. A training camp in Sri Lanka was held to fine tune their preparations for the biennial tournament. They also harbor hopes of making it to the knockout stage but will need to punch above their weight for that to happen.

 

Players to watch out for: Captain Flack will be their batting mainstay while Aslam will lead the bowling attack.

 

 

SQUAD: Neil Flack (c), Haris Aslam, Ryan Brown, Scott Cameron, Harris Carnegie, Mohammad Azeem Dar, Mohammad Ghaffar, Rory Johnston, Ihtisham Malik, Finlay McCreath, Mitchell Rao, Owais Shah, Simon Whait, Jack Waller, Ben Wilkinson.

 

 

Coach: Gordon Drummond and Cedric English

 

 

Best performances: 2004 - Plate semis

 

 

Fixtures: 29th Jan vs Namibia; 31st Jan vs Bangladesh; 2nd Feb vs South Africa