Eddie Norfolk

Canada Under-19s opponents in Group C of the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, after the opening game loss to Bangladesh Under-19s by 66 runs, are Namibia Under-19s (Thursday, Jan 18) and England Under-19s (Saturday, Jan 20). Namibia U19s had a tough time against England U19s while Canada battled away against Bangladesh on Monday,

Namibia did not reach quite reach 200 against England but batted the full 50 overs. Namibia’s innings closed on 196/9. If Canada’s innings had lasted three more balls against Bangladesh then Canada may have reached the 200 mark. It did not happen, so optimists may look to see Canada U19s do better against Bangladesh in the Championship final on February 3, 2018.

Batting out 50 overs and reaching/breaking the 200 mark became targets in the early 2000s when Canada secured ODI status for a number of years before tumbling down the World Cricket League structure. Indeed, many of Canada’s mens team for next month’s ICC World Cricket League Division Two in Namibia were preparing in the nets at Yashi Sports on Monday evening as I was trying to compile this background article.

Canada does not play many U19 games, the number of such games in the two year cycle of Under-19 Cricket World Cups tends to depend on Canada qualifying for the tournament as ICC Americas Under-19 champions. If the USA or Bermuda win the ICC Americas U19 World Cup Qualifier then Canada only plays a few Under-19 games in the two year cycle, which is far from ideal for player development.

By contrast, England Under-19s had a tour to India early in 2017 that included Youth Test matches and Youth ODIs, then India Under-19s undertook a tour of England in August 2017 with a similar mix of matches. England then played in an Under-19 Tri-Series in South Africa late in 2017.

England-India U19 ODIs in 2017

India U19s won three of the five Youth ODIs in India after England U19s won the opening game of the series. The fifth Youth ODI was tied with India’s last wicket falling on 226 to end the 50th over. The two Youth tests ended as match drawn. Delray Rawlins, known to Canadian players as a Bermudian junior international, took part in this tour as an England U19 international.

India U19s won the two Youth tests in the English summer, then won all five Youth One Day internationals. England U19s did much better in the last two of these Youth ODIs after scoring only 181, 175 and 158 in the first three matches. By contrast, India U19s reached the heights of 327/7 from 50 overs in the third match, batting first. England had batted first in the earlier games with limited success. India U19s took game four by 1 run under the D/L method after England hit 276/8 from 50 overs.

Summary scores for these two England U19-India U19 Youth ODI series are not included in this

outline, but may follow before Canada U19’s Group C game on Saturday against England U19s.

Under-19 Tri-Series in South Africa

England U-19s Will Jacks spoke about the team’s awareness of the Namibian players after England’s win against Namibia U19s on Monday (January 15, 2018). This awareness was gained during an Under-19 Tri-Series played in South Africa in December 2017. This series also included one or two warm-up games for the visiting teams.

England won all four games in the Tri-Series double-round robin but lost a close game in the Tri- Series final to South Africa. Namibia U19s won the third-place playoff game in December against North-West University, who had been the opposition for the visiting teams in some warm-up games.

It’s interesting that when England U19s lost in the Final of the U19 Tri-Series in South Africa, England was out after 49.1 overs. So 5 balls of the England U19s innings were “lost” and South Africa U19s won with just 2 balls to spare. But England’s innings included an eighth wicket stand of 74, which ended after 48.1 overs, that carried the total into defendable territory. Then came some ups and downs as the first six South African batsmen each made a reasonable start, with number 6 bat, Jason Niemand completing the victory trail with a vital 60*.

England’s Group C win against Namibia

England restricted Namibia U19s to 196/9 from 50 overs in Queenstown on Monday (January 15, 2018) in Group C of this U19 Cricket World Cup. England then chased down the runs after 24.1 overs for the loss of two wickets. As previously mentioned, England’s Will Jacks comments about this win were included in an ICC Media release.

Jacks said “We have played these guys a few times before and knew what we were going to expect, we can now look to push forward from this to our game against Bangladesh on Thursday.”

“For the first game of the tournament, you just like to hit the ground running and start with a good performance bat and ball, and we did that today. The captain [Harry Brook] has been playing very well recently, in South Africa and in the warmup game, he’s very important for us.”

South Africa 2017 Tri-Series leading performances

In the U19 Tri-Series, Namibia U19s lost by 10 wickets to South Africa U19s and then lost a second match by 62 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method. England U19s beat Namibia U19s by 129 runs under the D/L method and followed up with a 130-run game when the teams next played.

Namibia U19 captain Lohan Louwrens (RHB) scored 44 of 161 all out against England when the team’s first played. This game was reduced to 39 overs per innings due to a wet outfield. Luke Hollman (LBG) took 4/42 in this England win. Earlier England U19s reached 290/5 (39 overs). Savin Perera (LHB) 74, Will Jacks (RHB) 54, Harry Brook (RHB) 50, Fin Trenouth (RHB) 42 and Tom Lammonby 35* each made a showing with the bat for England.

England scored 269/6 from 42 overs in the second meeting with Namibia. Rain had reduced this game to 42 overs a side, but Namibia fell short on runs and overs used, being bowled out for 139 after 34 overs. Right-hander Eben van Wyk top-scored for Namibia with 43. England’s Prem Sisodiya (SLA) took 4/40. Sisodiya, as a right-hand batsman, had scored 63 in the England innings, Tom Scriven (RHB) was 88* at the end of that innings and Fin Trenouth had chipped in with 42.

Right-hander Petrus Burger top-scored with 34 as Namibia U19s stumbled to 90 all out in the first game with South Africa U19s. Matthew Breetzke (RHB) clipped 51* as the young South Africans raced to a ten wicket win after 16.2 overs.

Gerhard Lottering (RHB) hit 83* in the second game with South Africa that helped Namibia rise from 41/6 to 184/9 from 50 overs. Rain halted this game with South African on 139/3 from 24; a winning score by 62 runs under the D/L method.

South Africa Under-19 Tri-Series Results

Nov 30, 2017: England U19s 290/5 (39 overs; Savin Perera 74, Will Jacks 54, Harry Brook 50, Finlay Trenouth 42, Tom Lammonby 35*)

Namibia U19s 161 (32.3 overs; Lohan Louwrens 44, Luke Hollman 4/42) Result: England U19s won by 129 runs

Note: Match reduced to 39 overs due to wet outfield.

Dec 1, 2017: Namibia U19s 90 (31.2 overs; Petrus Burger 34, Gerald Coetzee 4/18, Molefe 3/19)
South Africa U19s 91/0 (16.2 overs; Matthew Breetzke 51*)
Result: South Africa won by 10 wickets

Dec 3, 2017: England U19s 289/5 (49 overs; Harry Brook 91, Savin Perera 84, Tom Lammonby 62)
South Africa U19s 166 (37.2 overs; Matthew Breetzke 52, Luke Hollman 4/30, Will Jacks 3/33)
Result: England U19s won by 112 runs (D/L method)
Note: England’s innings was reduced to 49 overs.

South Africa’s target was 279 runs in 44 overs.

Dec 4, 2017: Namibia U19s 184/9 (50 overs; Gerhard Lottering 83*, Hermann Rolfes 4/16, Thando Ntini 3/27)
South Africa U19s 139/3 (24 overs; Raynard van Tonder 59*)
Result: South Africa won by 62 runs (D/L method)

Note: Rain halted the South Africa innings.
Lottering batted at #8 for Namibia U19s; Namibia 41/6 (18.6 overs)

Dec 6, 2017: England U19s 269/6 (42 overs; Tom Scriven 88*, Prem Sisodiya 63, Finlay Trenouth 42)
Namibia U19s 139 (34 overs; Eben van Wyk 43, Prem Sisodiya 4/40) Result: England U19s won by 130 runs.

Match reduced to 42 overs per innings before play began.

Dec 7, 2017: South Africa U19s 248/9 (50 overs; Matthew Breetzke 101, Jiveshan Pillay 41, Hermann Rolfes 34, Will Jacks 3/41, Jack Plom 3/47)
England U19s 252/2 (41.1 overs; Tom Banton 74, Will Jacks 71*, Harry Brook 63*)
Result: England won by 8 wickets.

Final
Dec 10, 2017: England U19s 259 (49.1 overs; Tom Scriven 53, Liam Banks 51, Fin Trenouth 37, L Hollman 34, Niemand 3/52)
South Africa U19s 260/7 (49.4 overs; Jason Niemand 60*, Hermann Rolfes 42, Matthew. Breetzke 39, Raynard van Tonder 34)

Result: South Africa won by 3 wickets.