Australia targets another World Cup double

Australia's U/19 cricketers arrive in Bangladesh tomorrow aiming to become the first ever team to defend the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup.

The Australia U/19s squad will be hoping to draw inspiration from the full Australia team that, less than 12 months ago, successfully retained the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa without losing a match.

Australia claimed the U/19 title for the second time in New Zealand in 2002, beating South Africa by seven wickets in the final.

Adam Crosthwaite is the only member of Australia's 2002 squad that will feature in Bangladesh. Two years ago he kept wicket in all eight matches, claiming 11 catches - including two in the final - and four stumpings. Crosthwaite also scored 102 runs at an incredible strike rate of 129.62.

The ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup has been held on four previous occasions. It began with a one-off event in Australia in 1988 which was won by the hosts. There was then a 10 year gap until South Africa hosted the tournament in 1998. It has been a biennial fixture in the international calendar ever since.

Australia is the only country to have won the ICC U/19 CWC on more than one occasion. The other previous winners are England in 1998 and India in 2000.

In 2004 Australia has been drawn in Group A with Canada, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and will play its first round matches in Rajshahi and Bogra.

Full ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup history:

1988, Australia

Participants:

Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, ICC Associates XI comprising four players from Zimbabwe, plus two each from Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Final: Australia bt Pakistan by 5 wickets

Future international stars:

Stuart Law (Aus), Nasser Hussain (Eng), Mike Atherton (Eng), Venkatapathy Raju (Ind), Pravin Amre (Ind), Chris Cairns (NZ), Mushtaq Ahmed (Pak), Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak), Sanath Jayasuriya (SL), Brian Lara (WI), Ridley Jacobs (WI), Jimmy Adams (WI)

1998, South Africa

Participants:

Australia, Bangladesh, Denmark, England, India, Ireland, Kenya, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe

Final: England bt New Zealand by 7 wickets

Future international stars:

Robert Key (Eng), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Mohammad Kaif (Ind), Harbhajan Singh (Ind), Lou Vincent (NZ), Shoaib Malik (Pak), Abdul Razzaq (Pak), Jacques Rudolph (SA), Ramnaresh Sarwan (WI), Chris Gayle (WI), Marlon Samuels (WI), Mark Vermeulen (Zim)

2000, Sri Lanka

Participants:

Americas, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe

Final: India bt Sri Lanka by 6 wickets

Future international stars:

Michael Clarke (Aus), Nathan Hauritz (Aus), Shane Watson (Aus), Mohammad Kaif (Ind), Yuvraj Singh (Ind), Collins Obuya (Ken), Brendon McCullum (NZ), Mohammad Sami (Pak), Graeme Smith (SA), Jacques Rudolph (SA), Marlon Samuels (WI), Jermaine Lawson (WI), Tatenda Taibu (Zim), Sean Ervine (Zim)

2002, New Zealand

Participants:

Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe

Final: Australia bt South Africa by 7 wickets

Future international stars:

Parthiv Patel (Ind), Tatenda Taibu (Zim), Sean Ervine (Zim)

ICC Media Contact:

Jon Long
ICC Event Media Manager
In Bangladesh: 01750 17668
International: +44 (0) 7946 545 090
Email: jon.long@icc-cricket.com