South Africa U19 captain Raynard van Tonder has been given the honour of leading a World Cup U19 ‘dream team’.

 

Coming with him into the team is wicketkeeper Wandile Makwetu and fast bowler Gerald Coetzee. The team was selected at the end of the tournament, which India won at a canter, and recognises the fighting spirit of the South Africans despite the fact that they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Pakistan.

They then won two playoff games to finish fifth.

The team of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup was picked by a panel that comprised former Windies fast bowler Ian Bishop, former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra, former New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe, journalist Shashank Kishore and former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody.

Van Tonder, who aggregated 348 runs in six matches, including a highest score of 143 against Kenya, was selected to lead ahead of other captains for his better cricket acumen, the ICC said.

Makweta accumulated 184 runs and took 11 catches throughout, while Coetzee ended with eight wickets.

U19 coach Lawrence Mahatlane lamented the little errors that cost his team so much and a fall-off of batting form. ‘From a batting point of view, our top three have, prior to this tournament in the last 12 games, scored seven hundreds between them and we’ve only had one hundred from them at this particular tournament and no fifties.

‘I thought our middle order showed some character. Wandile Makwetu batted nicely and got some good partnerships, but it wasn’t meant to be,’ he said.

‘It is heartening to know that we continue to produce quality players and leaders through our talent pipeline system,’ said CSA Acting Chief Executive Thabang Moroe.

Team of the Cup 2018 (in batting order): Prithvi Shaw (India), Manjot Kalra (India), Shubman Gill (India), Finn Allen (New Zealand), Raynard van Tonder (South Africa, captain), Wandile Makwetu (wk, South Africa), Anukul Roy (India), Kamlesh Nagarkoti (India), Gerald Coetzee (South Africa), Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan), Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)