Showcasing the Next Generation - AllOutCricket.com 10/8/12

The Under 19 World Cup is a proven crucible for the world’s tyro cricketers. The alumni of the tournament are a storied bunch. The first tournament, a one-off in 1988, boasted the likes of Hussain, Atherton, Jayasuriya, Lara and Cairns among its participants. Since the competition was made biannual in 1998 each edition has featured boys who’ve become cricketing men of the highest calibre: Chris Gayle in ’98, Graeme Smith in ’00, Alastair Cook in ’04, and Virat Kohli in ’08 are just a few graduates.

A sneak peek at the greats of the future is one reason to watch this year’s tournament in Australia with interest, but more immediately there’s the enticing prospect of a high-quality contest between world cricket’s brightest starlets. England Development Programme head coach Tim Boon is well aware of the duel role the tournament plays. “Our primary goal is to produce England cricketers at the top end in 2019,” he told AOC. “Along the way we’d dearly love to win a couple of World Cups. It’s important that youngsters get into winning ways.”

The expectation is that it will be a closely fought competition with no runaway favourite and Boon believes his young charges have the opportunity to return from the tournament in Townsville, Australia with silverware to show for their efforts. “I think we’ll be definite challengers. We’ve had good experience over the past year and after the preparation I’m happy with the squad we’ve got.” That preparation included a Quadrangular Series in Queensland back in April between Boon’s boys, Australia, India and New Zealand, in which England came third, winning four games in the process. The under 19s also entered a team in the English Second XI Twenty20 domestic competition and emerged victorious, with players such as Nottinghamshire’s Brett Hutton taking the opportunity to stake their claims for a place in the team come the World Cup.

Boon makes no secret of his excitement at the array of talent at his disposal. Skippering the team will be Kent’s Adam Ball, who he believes has the potential to become a “genuine allrounder” after a series of impressive performances for his county in limited overs competitions. “He’s got experience,” says Boon. “He went as a youngster – I say that, he’s still a youngster now – to New Zealand for the 2010 World Cup. I like the lad, he’s got a good rapport with his players, he leads by example, he’s an excellent fielder and he’s done well for Kent.”

Leading the attack will be Essex paceman Reece Topley and the 18-year-old will be full of confidence after a strong Friends Life t20 campaign that saw him claim 17 wickets – a tally only topped by Yorkshire’s Mitchell Starc. “Reece has been superb,” says Boon. “He got 30 Championship wickets last year. He struggled a bit with the under 19s last summer but he’s got a lot stronger and worked hard. We’re very happy with his progress.”

The two men expected to provide the bulk of the runs are Kent’s exciting young opener Daniel Bell-Drummond and Essex keeper-batsman Ben Foakes, who will fill the pivotal role at No.3. Bell-Drummond had a superb Quadrangular Series, finishing the tournament as leading run-scorer and boasting an average of 95.66, and Boon describes him as “a really explosive player”.

Foakes has been compared to Alastair Cook by his county skipper James Foster and demonstrated his huge potential with a composed 93 on Championship debut against Leicestershire in May. “Ben’s an excellent cricketer. He just loves the game, his work ethic’s unbelievable and he’s high in confidence and in his ability to succeed.” Both made an immediate impression Down Under in a convincing warm-up win over Pakistan.

To have players with such potential breaking through in county cricket is a boon to the ECB and the under 19s coach is confident the current system is playing the role it should in bringing through the next generation of England cricketers. It remains to be seen how many of the current crop can follow the likes of Steven Finn and James Taylor into the senior set-up, but first up, there’s a cup to win.

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