Canada's Under-19 squad departs for World Cup in New Zealand

Canada's Under-19 World Cup cricket team led by Ashish Bagai,departs Toronto Friday 11th for the International Cricket Council Under-19 Cricket World Cup Tournament to be staged in New Zealand between January 14 and February 9,2002.

Canada has been drawn in Group A with powerhouses India, South Africa and Bangladesh.

Monday January 21 Canada versus India

Tuesday January 22 Canada versus Bangladesh

Friday January 25 Canada versus South Africa

Other countries qualifying include Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, West Indies, Pakistan, World leader Australia, England, Namibia, Nepal, Papua-New Guinea, Scotland and Kenya.

Matches will be played in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. The final will be played at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, at Lincoln University, in Christchurch on February 9.

The full Canadian squad is:- Ashish Bagai (captain) Nathan Richards (Vice-Captain), Christopher Argunen, Soham Anjaria, Umar Bhatti, Travis Ganga, Ajay Minhas, Aneel Nauth, Devon Persaud, Gibran Rahaman, Trevor Ganga, Jonathan Roberts, Jason Sandher, Paul Ziesmann.

Manager of the team will be Ron Dipchand, a right-hand batsman and slow-medium left-arm bowler who has appeared for Canada against the United States, and has also represented Canada at the I.C.C. Trophy in England in 1982 and 1986 and Holland in 1990. In addition he has been on tour with the Canadian national team to Ireland 1981, Jamaica 1984, Bermuda 1985, Barbados 1987 and Jamaica 1989. Ron is also CCA Coaching Coordinator.

Coach of the team will be Jeff Thomas of Queensland, Australia who coached and played for the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club between 1995 and 2001 in the Toronto & District Cricket Association competition and was coach of the Canadian national team which took part in the 1999 Red Stripe Bowl in Antigua and Anguilla and the national team which toured Sri Lanka in 2001.

Thomas who is a right-hand all-rounder has played first-class cricket for Queensland in the famous Australian Sheffield Shield competition, and has also enjoyed considerable success with the national Under-19 team at the America's Cup in Bermuda during 2001 when the team qualified for the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand and also with the Senior national team at the I.C.C. Trophy tournament in 2001 in Toronto when Canada qualified for the cricket World Cup to be staged in South Africa in 2003.

Assistant Manager of the team will be Leroy Grey of Toronto, who is junior co-ordinator of the Ontario Cricket Association, and with Dipchand is another of the junior cricket national selection panel, under Chair Martin Vieira.

Original by Kevin Boller, CCA PRO.