SA U-19’s inspired by 2014 winners

FAR from seeing the badge of defending champions as a hindrance the South African Under-19 side bound for the World Cup are using it to inspire them.

It’s a strange crown in that teams are highly unlikely to have any players from previous junior World Cups in their ranks to defend their title. That is the case with the squad that Tony de Zorzi will lead to Bangladesh.

“These guys don’t see it as their World Cup title, because they didn’t play to win it,” said head coach Lawrence Mahatlane. “Being defending champs is more symbolic, but the guys are keen to emulate what the 2014 team did.”

Two years ago South Africa emerged as surprise winners of the competition and Kagiso Rabada became an overnight star after taking six wickets against the Australians in the semi-final.

“We would like to set our own standards and hopefully make the country proud,” Mahatlane added.

It hasn’t been an easy 18 months for Mahatlane since taking over from Ray Jennings, with the team winning just three of the 19 youth One-Day Internationals in that period.

While searching for talent and building what he hopes will be a side capable of winning back the trophy, Mahatlane took the squad on a tough and eye-opening tour of Bangladesh.

“We have taken a young side and built experience. That tour to Bangladesh last year was tough, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“That will hopefully augur well for us, because I think we turned a corner on that tour.”

South Africa will play the opening match of the tournament against the host nation in Chittagong on January 27 in front of a full house of 20 000 people.

The South African team departs tomorrow for Dubai where they will hold a camp and get some extra tutoring from Indian batting consultant Sriram Sridharan.

“We learnt some valuable lessons in Bangladesh last year especially when it came to playing spin,’ said Mahatlane.

“The way we play spin in South Africa is different to what we have to do in the sub-continent.

“Here spinners generally try to beat you in the air; in the sub-continent they beat you off the pitch.”

Mahatlane expects the main challenges to come from the sub-continent sides, with India most likely the favourites, while New Zealand’s win over Australia has seen them emerge as dark horses.

As for his own team, Mahatlane was loath to look beyond the first match.

“Yeah, it’s a cliché, but we have to take it game by game. In 2004 and 2006, complacency saw us lose to Nepal, and so we won’t be taking anyone lightly.”