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| Hong Kong's team at Kai Tak |
Defending ACC U-19 Elite champions Hong Kong arrive in Thailand on a high, with two of their star players, allrounders Aizaz Khan and Nizakat Khan fresh from a barn-storming victory in Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3 just a few days before the start of this event. The two were also part of the squad that did so well in winning the title in Kuwait two years ago.
Hong Kong will be up against some strong competition,eaten finalists in 2009 Afghanistan are sure to be in the mix along with Nepal who have several talented players with plenty of international experience and any one of the Gulf countries - Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, UAE - are likely to feature too in the semi-finals. "The defining thing about youth tournaments is that what is being measured is not just talent on the field but systems off the field. At any one time, a batch of young cricketers can win a tournament. At many times a country's young cricketers can win tournaments - if they're all trained, nurtured and developed properly. For Hong Kong and Afghanistan to again get to the Final and again go to the ICC U/19 World Cup Qualifier and again from there go to the U/19 World Cup, if it happens, will be testament to the systems in place. And with the lessons learnt in competition with the rest of the world, the teams which get through from Asia have to be not just the best in Asia but able to compete with the best in the world.
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| This could be Malaysia's year |
"It's an amazing stepping stone for these countries to rub shoulders with the top teams," says ACC Development Officer Venkatesh Prasad who is in Bangkok for the duration of the ACC U-19 Elite Cup. "Raw talent makes every one equal up to a certain age, after that the quality of coaching and frequency and standard of match play determines competition success," he adds.
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| UAE could go all the way |
Thailand as hosts, playing at this level for the first time on merit, are in what is already being called the 'Group of Death' with Hong Kong, Afghanistan, UAE, and Oman. Fifth place will mean demotion down to the Challenge group but it is not something they want at all. "We have worked too hard for too long ever since (winning) the ACC U-19 Challenge to give it up now," says Cricket Association of Thailand Development Officer Saurabh Dhanuka, "staying in the Elite will be a huge boost for this generation of players and all those who will come after them."
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| Dark horses Oman |
All the teams have been practising seriously, on tours or at home, in preparation for this event. Bowlers are going to decide the event, spinners to the fore.
| Schedule: | |
| Matches start at 9.30 AM (0230 hrs GMT) Matches in italics will have live commentary on the Asian Cricket Council facebook page |
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| Tues, Feb 1 | Bahrain v Hong Kong at Prem Malaysia v Qatar at Gymkhana Thailand v Afghanistan at TCG Nepal v UAE at AIT |
| Wed, Feb 2 | Qatar v Singapore at Prem Bahrain v Malaysia at Gymkhana Nepal v Oman at TCG Thailand v UAE at AIT |
| Thu, Feb 3 | Hong Kong v Singapore at Prem Afghanistan v Oman at TCG |
| Fri, Feb 4 |
Hong Kong v Qatar at Gymkhana Afghanistan v Nepal at AIT |
| Sat, Feb 5 |
Malaysia v Singapore at Prem Bahrain v Qatar at Gymkhana Oman v UAE at TCG Nepal v Thailand at AIT |
| Sun, Feb 6 | Bahrain v Singapore at Prem Hong Kong v Malaysia at Gymkhana Thailand v Oman at TCG Afghanistan v UAE at AIT |
| Tues, Feb 8 | SF1: A1 v B2 at TCG SF2: A2 v B1 at AIT |
| Weds, Feb 9 | 5th/6th Playoff: A3 v B3 at TCG 7th/8th Playoff: A4 v B4 at AIT 9th/10th Playoff: A5 v B5 at BPS |
| Thu, Feb 10 | FINAL: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 at TCG 3rd/4th Playoff: Loser SF1 v Loser SF2 at AIT |
Tournament page
Filed January 31st, 2011
