
The 2010 ICC Under-19 World Cup has been officially launched in New Zealand, where the tournament will take place in January.
“It’s been shown over and over that a number of players come through this event, and very shortly afterwards they’re on the international arena in a meaningful way,” ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said at the launch, which was held in Dunedin, where New Zealand play Pakistan in the first of three Tests from 24th November.
Lorgat looked back on a number of stars to have emerged from recent Under-19 World Cups and gone on to represent their country in full international colours shortly afer, including Ross Taylor, Tim Southee, Hashim Amla and Wayne Parnell.
“Wayne Parnell had hardly finished playing at the under-19 level when he was picked in the international side. This reflects the close migration from the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup tournament to the international stage," Lorgat said.
“We’ve pencilled this in as one of our major events going into the future. The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup deserves to be put alongside the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC World Twenty20, ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup.
“This ICC U19 CWC is the most important event that those under-19 players will play at this stage in their careers.”
The 16-team tournament gets underway on the 15th January with the final on the 30th January with the ten full ICC members joined by the six Associates who came through a qualifying tournament in Canada.
© Cricket World 2009
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