• Fresh start for U19s in ODI series

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    The SA U19 side is relishing the opportunity to hit the ground running in the three-match youth ODI series against England.

    Wandile Makwetu will lead his charges in the first encounter of the series taking place at the Riverside Stadium in Durham on Monday.

    Right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman Makwetu expressed his side’s eagerness to get the series under way after days of preparations.

    ‘We are looking forward to the ODI series,’ he stated. ‘The boys have prepared very well. We’ve had a good two-day buildup to the first one and the guys are looking very good.’

    The skipper believes there is renewed energy in the camp, with the players excited to compete in a more familiar format following their underwhelming 2-0 youth Test series defeat against the hosts. It will be South Africa’s first 50-over match since their eight-wicket victory in the fifth-place playoff against Bangladesh in the ICC Under-19 World Cup, hosted in New Zealand earlier this year.

    ‘The skills that we’ve transferred from the Test series are looking a lot sharper and the intensity is a lot higher on the training ground and I think the guys are just ready to get going now,’ he continued.

    ‘It was obviously a disappointing Test series for us and we want to make a big statement in this ODI series and play for a lot of our pride. We just want to do well for each other and for the people back at home, as well as the management staff,’ he concluded.

    Batsman Jonathan Bird and all-rounder Curtis Campher were added to the squad ahead of the ODI series, replacing Jacob Miltz and Jarred Jardine in the 15-man squad.

    The first youth ODI will start at 12pm SA time.

    Coca-Cola South Africa U19 squad

    • Wandile Makwetu, captain (Northerns)
    • Jonathan Bird (Western Province)
    • Curtis Campher (Northerns)
    • Archille Cloete (Boland)
    • Jade de Klerk (Eastern Province)
    • Jean du Plessis (South Western Districts)
    • Mondli Khumalo (KZN Inland)
    • Thamsanqa Khumalo (KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins)
    • Kgaudise Molefe (Gauteng)
    • Jason Niemand (Border)
    • Thando Ntini (Western Province)
    • Gideon Peters (Northerns)
    • Sinethemba Qeshile (Border)
    • Joshua Richards (Gauteng)
    • Louis van Schalkwyk (North West)

    Tour schedule

    • Monday, 23 July 2018 – 1st Youth ODI (Emirates Riverside)
    • Thursday, 26 July 2018 – 2nd Youth ODI (South North CC)
    • Sunday, 29 July 2018 – 3rd Youth ODI (Scarborough)

    Photo: Cricket South Africa

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    SA CRICKET