YorksLanka
International Debutant
this should be an easy win for India..boy that Indian keeper makes a lot of noise doesn't he..our running has been farcical..oh well, guess a WC semi isn't a bad place to get to..
Afghanistan beats NZ by 8 wickets with 135 balls remaining. SA will play NZ ( both Full Members) to see who finishes 11th or 12th out of 16 ( with Australia absent). Which countries have to play and pre- qualify for the next U 19 WC? Yes , you guessed it - those countries at risk of not getting to the next U 19 tournament- are the Associate Members- eg: Namibia, Nepal and Afghanistan all of whom finished above SA and NZ in 2016.
SA, NZ and Australia, Full Members of ICC, are guaranteed a place at the High Table next time ! Level playing field ? Sadly not. This ICC tournament is plainly not rewarding praiseworthy tournament performances of selected countries.
While I agree with how ****ed up it is, I must say that the quality of a U-19 sides varies greatly from year to year. It's heavily reliant on what kind of raw talent you can produce each year, and you will have years where even major nations like SA and NZ will be putting out below par teams. But over the course of a long period time, better established cricketing nations with stronger youth talent frameworks are more likely to put out stronger XIs than nations where cricket isn't as well supported.That's ****ed
*****. All helpful comments. But ICC provides Full Members with generous cash allocations in cycles which dwarf the funding received by Associates . Eg: $10 million to Full Member Zimbabwe compared to $350,000 for say Namibia. That cash disparity is meant to ensure Full Members turn up at major ICC events and perform. But if they don't there is no penalty. Same for the next Senior World Cup - reduced to 10 countries by ICC. Meanwhile Associates face cut throat Qualifiers just to make it to the world stage. Seems very odd in a sporting context I suggest .
Nah raw talent is very much a thing. Although I agree that over an extended period, cash talks, and that the ICC's disparity in how they support full-nations vs associate nations is quite appalling.Yeah, 'raw talent' is basically a misnomer. Cash is over an extended period the best predictor of sporting success in all sports.
So what were these unprepared ,raw Kiwi 17-19 year old cricketers expected by NZC to produce when selected and then rapidly despatched to alien foreign shores? Which faceless bureaucrat(s) in NZC produced this hibernation policy and how has Full Member NZ spent this portion of its generous ICC funds allocation intended for youth cricket development ? NZC also recently announced a bonus cash windfall from the 2015 WC. Using this ICC funding most Full Member countries select a shadow U 19 squad a year ahead of a major ICC tournament, like the U 19 World Cup, and fund targeted overseas tours in preparation. The botched military campaign on the shores of Gallipoli springs to mind.I like Kippax's hard/clay court analogy.
Expecting them to struggle early. No foreign experience, NZC put the U19 program into hibernation for 23 months.
The fact they were poorer v Afghans than what they were 6 games earlier in the warm up match is the concern. Didn't improve at all as the tournament progressed.
It's a good question.So what were these unprepared ,raw Kiwi 17-19 year old cricketers expected by NZC to produce when selected and then rapidly despatched to alien foreign shores? Which faceless bureaucrat(s) in NZC produced this hibernation policy and how has Full Member NZ spent this portion of its generous ICC funds allocation intended for youth cricket development ? NZC also recently announced a bonus cash windfall from the 2015 WC. Using this ICC funding most Full Member countries select a shadow U 19 squad a year ahead of a major ICC tournament, like the U 19 World Cup, and fund targeted overseas tours in preparation. The botched military campaign on the shores of Gallipoli springs to mind.
The NZC bureaucrats can relax though as, unlike Associates Nepal and Namibia and co. who have scrapped their way through 2-3 qualifying tournaments to actually make it to Bangladesh in 2016, Full Member NZ's invitation from ICC to the next U 19 WC is guaranteed.
Great few points and very balanced. Our funding is not massive like say India or Australia's. Moreover we don't tend to produce young prodigies so we are a bit laid back and reckon these will anyways go on to play first class cricket at least.It's a good question.
This is the first time NZC have put the U19s on ice between tournaments.
E.g for the 2014 tournament where nz also missed top 8 in UAE - they had a series v Aus. As well as a tri series with Aus and India in Darwin. They just weren't a particularly talented group.
This tournament they had a tri series in Dubai a week before going to Bangladrsh. No time for any learnings to be absorbed by either the young players, or by selectors. The feeling is this is actually a talented group by NZ standards, but obviously unsuited to the conditions the tournament would be held.
I'd be all for qualification. In my view that's basically an ICC enforced participation in an ICC funded tournament. Months or a year before the proper one (if qualified). Good prep. I think we should grab that lolly.
As for NZC allocation of their funding. They've had an increase in A Tours the last few years (partially subsidised by an ICC grant in the aftermath of the Cape Town 40 odd debacle). Plus they have a professional FC structure of 6 x 15 man provincial squads. Plus about 20 central contracts. Plus investment in pitch quality. I actually think their spending has been fairly well done in terms of results for what they have spent it on.
I'd love some more U19s spending though by NZC out of their coffers - so that young fellas aren't hung out to look silly. I think some of that depends on Aus availability, if our only neighbour has bigger fish to fry then getting anything else worthwhile becomes that much more expensive.