U19s step up cricket World Cup preps??

January feels like it is just a few days away and we are really serious about being prepared, said team manager Dilip Chouhan ahead of Mondays clash with Bangladesh.

We have made sure that the boys are clear about the task that lies ahead and that is why we are putting them under high levels of pressure to perform in the upcoming preparation matches,” Chouhan said.

The New Zealand tournament next year will kick off with the 16 teams playing two warm up matches each between January 11 and 12 before the group stage that begins three days later.

Zimbabwe is pooled in a tough group Group C against hosts New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Canada. All Group C matches will be played in the city of Christchurch.

Zimbabwes first group game will be against Canada on January 15, before taking on ?Sri Lanka two days later (January 17) and rounding off the programme with what will certainly be a tough match against ?New Zealand on January 19.

Schools Cricketer of the Year runner-up Tinotenda Mutombodzi is confident that Zimbabwe will hold their own in the group.

“We will treat each team with equal respect and will not be intimidated by big names,” Mutombodzi told the Zimbabwean on Sunday.

Zimbabwe’s U-19 sensation PJ Moor, who has faced injury problems for most of the season, might be fit enough to make it to the tournament, according to coach Kevin Curran who believes that the young man is hungry for some action and will be lethal with both bat and ball on the road to the finals. ??

The World Cup team will comprise 22 players and selection — which is ongoing — will be based on performance during the preparatory Youth Series that are scheduled to run until January 2010. ??

While featuring at the ICC U-19 World Cup is the ultimate goal for every junior cricketer, the New Zealand tournament comes with an extra incentive for Zimbabwean players who will aim to accumulate impressive statistics in order to catch the eye of franchise scouts and possibly land a playing contract.

Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa (CSA) last week took their efforts to assist Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) towards making their long-awaited return to Test cricket a gear up with CSA chief executive Gerald Majola and ZCs Ozias Bvute meeting to discuss plans to improve the game in Zimbabwe.

The meeting came in the backdrop of a 2-0 Proteas victory over Zimbabwe in a two-match One Day International series in South Africa.

“We had a constructive session . . . and now we look forward to gaining further insight before presenting the three-year plan to the board. Both boards are determined to find a successful and sustainable structure for Zimbabwe cricket,” Majola said.

“The plan, which targets grassroots cricket up to the national team, and the administration of Zimbabwe cricket, will now be work-shopped by CSA’s cricket committee, the chief executives committee and will finally make its way to the CSA board meeting next February for final ratification,” he added.

Bvute said: “We are happy with the progress made with input from both parties. We shared ideas and looked for ways that will positively impact Zimbabwe Cricket. We are confident that jointly we will come up with a long term solution.”

ZC president Peter Chingoka also welcomed the idea as a positive plan to help Zimbabwes talented but inexperienced cricketers.

“Zimbabwe has a wealth of cricket talent and we want to turn them into stars. Cricket South Africa has strong development structures and we look forward to learning from them as we continue unearthing the stars of the future.”