Rob Key, Graeme Swann and Paul Franks were among England’s unlikely World Cup winners. They recall a memorable tour
Away from the senior team’s ongoing Test tour of South Africa, but not too far away, the latest batch of starry-eyed English teenagers are preparing for the ICC Under-19 World Cup and their opening fixture against West Indies in Kimberley on Monday.
Lancashire’s George Balderson leads a squad that includes seven players with county experience. The Spin is keen to see more of Joey Evison of Nottinghamshire, a seam-bowling all-rounder, and Jack Haynes, an elegant right-hander from Worcestershire. But between 17 January and 9 February there will be plenty who catch the eye. The 16-team tournament – the 13th edition and a first for Japan and Nigeria – is being hosted by South Africa for only the second time, having previously done so in 1998 when a slightly unfancied England side went on to lift the trophy under the captain Owais Shah and head coach John Abrahams.
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