Georgetown : With just seven weeks to go before the first ball is bowled in the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup 2012, all the 16 sides have submitted their provisional squads, with Australia naming fast bowler Pat Cummins and West Indies including opener Kraigg Brathwaite in its line-ups.
The ninth edition of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup will take place in Queensland, Australia, from 11-26 August with Australia defending the title it won after defeating Pakistan by 25 runs in the final of the previous event in Lincoln, New Zealand, in 2010.
Cummins, the 19-year-old from New South Wales, took seven wickets in his debut Test against South Africa in Johannesburg last year, and played in three ODIs on the same tour, which Australia won 2-1. He is currently ranked 64th and 222nd in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test and ODI bowlers, respectively.
Right-handed Brathwaite most recently represented the West Indies in the home series against Australia in April. He has so far played in nine Tests after making his debut against Pakistan last year and is currently ranked 94th in the Reliance ICC Player Ranking for Test batsmen.
Apart from Cummins’ and Brathwaite’s inclusions in the provisional squads, which will certainly spice up the event billed as a finishing school for future stars, Namibia and New Zealand have confirmed their 15-man squads, while England, Ireland and Scotland have named their captains for the tournament.
England, which won the second edition of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup under the captaincy of Owais Shah in 1998 in South Africa, will be led by middle-order batsman Adam Ball, who has thus far played nine first-class matches for English county side Kent.
Left-arm spinner George Dockrell will make his second successive appearance in the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup and will be leading Ireland. Dockrell also showed his talent, prowess and potential in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, which was staged in the subcontinent, is best remembered for claiming the wicket of India’s Sachin Tendulkar. He has thus far represented Ireland in 28 ODIs taking 35 wickets, apart from featuring in 18 first-class matches.
Ireland’s neighbour Scotland has named right-handed batsman and fast bowler Paddy Sadler as its captain.
New Zealand has announced its 15-player side for the event, which will be led by right-handed batsman Will Young. Young made his first-class debut for New Zealand’s state side Central Districts in March this year and has so far played in four first-class matches. New Zealand reached the final of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup 1998, where it lost to England by seven wickets.
Namibia has also announced its 15-player line-up which will be led by South Africa-born right-handed batsman Steve Baard.
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