New Zealand out to end Super League let-downs

New Zealand will be hoping to overcome successive Super League let-downs when they show up for the under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka next month.

In three previous tournaments since they were losing finalists in 1998, New Zealand have reached the second stage on each occasion but in nine Super League matches in those tournaments they have recorded just one win set against eight losses.

They will obviously hope to improve on that dismal record in February but before they can do that they have to get past the group stage and that looks a tall order.

New Zealand are in Group A, a group that includes not only the current holders Pakistan, but also Bangladesh, winners of the Plate competition in 2004 and more recently winners of a tri-series against Sri Lanka and England in December.

The group is completed by Uganda, one of the Africa qualifiers, and team manager Dayle Hadlee admitted his side will face a real test just to reach that second stage.

"We expect to qualify for the Super League but realise that having two sub-continent teams in our pool will make it a difficult task," he said. "We know Pakistan will have a strong team, as always, and Bangladesh had a very promising under-17 team in Bangladesh in 2004 so we expect them to be highly competitive this year.

"We have no knowledge of the Uganda team but will respect them as worthy participants in the tournament and opponents," he added.

With their tough draw and the fact they will be playing in conditions that are totally alien, Hadlee is certainly not going over the top in his predictions for New Zealand in this tournament, saying: "We will aim to qualify for the Super League and then reassess our goals."

The spine of this New Zealand side is made up of players from Auckland, which won the national under-19 tournament earlier this year. Seven of the 14 squad members come from that province, including captain Marc Ellison, a batsman who impressed with his consistent run-making in that domestic tournament.

The squad has two players with first-class experience, Todd Astle, a batsman and leg-spinner who is also vice-captain, and fast bowler Hamish Bennett, with both of them coming from Canterbury in the South Island.

Also included is Auckland batsman Andrew De Boorder, who made two hundreds in the national under-19 tournament and whose older brother Derek played in the under-19 World Cup in 2004.

New Zealand have several allrounders in their squad, including Otago's Kieran Noema-Barnett, a left-handed batsman who also bowls useful right-arm medium-pace, while Northern Districts' Tim Southee is primarily a bowler but is also capable of destructive hitting down the order.

Their seam-bowling resources include Bennett as well as Dean Bartlett and Colin Munro, both from Auckland, and New Zealand also have two left-arm spinners in Jason Donnelly and Roneel Hira to supplement Astle's leg-spin.

Whatever the final outcome for his side, Hadlee sees the tournament as vital in helping to develop his country's next generation of senior players.

An impressive collection of Black Cap stars, including Chris Cairns, Lou Vincent, James Franklin, Kyle Mills and Brendon McCullum, have taken their first steps on the road to full international honours in the under-19 World Cup.

And Hadlee, the brother of New Zealand bowling legend Sir Richard, is hoping this tournament will play a part in developing New Zealand's future heroes. "This tournament is an essential component of our development pathway," he said. "We gauge our overall success by the number of Black Caps who eventually emerge through the system."

As for New Zealand's chance, Hadlee is not making any big predictions. "Our team is made up of sound rather than exceptional players who will work hard to achieve positive results," he said."We will attempt to win every game and if we win the tournament we will be proud champions. Our cricket followers at home would view such success as a major achievement in a difficult playing environment."

New Zealand Marc Ellison (capt), Todd Astle, Dean Bartlett, Hamish Bennett, Andrew De Boorder, Jason Donnelly, Nicolas Fitzgerald, Shaun Fitzgibbon, Martin Guptill, Roneel Hira, Ronald Karaitiana, Colin Munro, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Timothy Southee.