I'm also curious to see what will happen with the National U19 Tournament this year.
In a year with an U19 world cup. The national tournament would usually begin at the start of December. So, obviously is not happening as per their original paper schedule. Also, NZ have already pulled out of the world cup.
So, with no team going to the world cup. And the Lincoln fortnight up in smoke - what will they do?
There is no necessity to make it a 50 over tournament this year, therefore.
By my reckoning the last time the U19s included a round of 3-day cricket in the competition was 2014/15 season.
Causation or correlation? Not many good cricketers have come through that tournament to graduate to FC since then. Only Ravindra from the batters? Chu and N Smith who can bat as a secondary skill, and Sears? Even Finn Allen, for all his talents, is a FC struggler. Georgeson looks the part.
Not enough multi-day cricket at young ages? Or just a generational quirk?
There are lot of players that came through the 19s. If not from NZ U19s they did from their province. Obviously you know the likes of Sears, Ravindra, Allen, Smith etc...
Clarkson, Finnie, Bhula, Will O'Donnell, Zac Gibson, Matt Fishcer and a whole lot of them. I don't think any young one has played first class through club stats. If they're good enough at club they will have played age group. Even the likes of Cooper, McClure, Leo Carter etc either have been involved in NZ 19s or the provincial 19s team.
I guess they'll be playing the u19s tourney this year too, I'm not sure if 3 day format has made a come back though. The 3 day format I think is now between the provinces themselves to arrange as in you play the nearest province like Wellington plays CD in couple of 3 dayers home and away. Likewise Canterbury vs Otago and Auckland vs ND (if permitting).
I know NZ backed out of the u19s in WI citing the MIQ won't sit well with young kids. As harsh as it may sound it is true that some of the notable youngish players have suffered due to MIQ. Depression and what not. I won't name names but they have. NZC obviously won't say but then they had to make a hard decision to say out of the tournament to avoid similar scenarios. Imagine few kids not having gone great in the u19s tourney and then they have to stay on their own for like a fortnight. Some may cope but you never know how young kids with dreams may cope with it. I don't think they would have risked sending young kids over in commercial flights due to covid as well.
Also the fact that some of the players upper north will miss out and the team will be made up mostly of other provinces would have swayed that decision too. Shame the deserving kids miss out but I think that is the right decision to make.
