‘No better time to start coming up against strong teams,’ says captain Oliver Peake as Aus U19 inch closer to SF
New Delhi: Australia U19 captain Oliver Peake believes his side’s unbeaten run has set them up perfectly to strike at the business end of the U19 World Cup, declaring there is “no better time” for his young squad to test themselves against the tournament’s heavyweights.
Australia can secure a place in the first semi-final with a win over the West Indies on Wednesday. That match will be their first in Zimbabwe after spending the opening stages of the tournament in Windhoek, Namibia.
Victory would book a semi-final next Tuesday in Bulawayo, where they are likely to face either India or England, the dominant teams in Group 2.
Peake said the early part of the tournament has helped the squad settle and build momentum. “I’ve loved my time in Namibia – I didn’t really know what to expect, but it’s been a really cruisy place. Every new experience you get is a cool one, and coming up against different teams as well is an awesome experience,” he was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“It feels like there’s no better time to start coming up against the strong teams, as it feels like we’ve got plenty of momentum at the moment, and hopefully we can continue that on,” he added.
Australia topped Group A with emphatic wins over Ireland and Japan by eight wickets, followed by a nine-wicket demolition of Sri Lanka. Those results carried crucial points into the Super Six stage, where they opened with a six-wicket win over South Africa before shifting base to Zimbabwe.
While Australia’s batters have made light work of run chases, their success has been built on consistent bowling performances. They have bowled first in every match so far, with England the only other side to match their balance across disciplines. Both teams are the only nations with two players ranked in the tournament’s top eight for runs and wickets.
Will Byrom has been outstanding with nine wickets at an average of 6.88 and an economy rate of 2.83, while Charlie Lachmund has claimed eight wickets at 11.12. Peake praised the variety in his attack. “With every game it feels like we’re building in the right direction. Our bowling has come a really long way from our first practice match.
“The bowlers all complement each other nicely… So I feel like we’re a really well-balanced attack at the moment and going really strong,” Peake stated.
With the bat, Steve Hogan leads Australia’s run tally with 201, while Nitesh Samuel has been remarkably consistent, averaging 172 thanks to three early unbeaten innings. Samuel’s stability has complemented the explosive Will Malajczuk, who boasts the tournament’s highest strike rate among regular batters.
Elsewhere, Sri Lanka’s win over Afghanistan has opened Group 1, though Australia’s path means they can only meet Afghanistan in a potential final. England and India remain the front-runners in Group 2 as the Super Six stage reaches its climax.