Australia’s terrific teenage cricketers have emulated their seniors by beating India to become champions of the world.
Hugh Weibgen’s gifted side lifted the Under-19 World Cup at the South African venue of Benoni with a comprehensive 79-run win over the reigning champs on Sunday.
After compiling a daunting 7-253 off their 50 overs, the Australians, with their “ferocious” young quartet of fast bowlers and the artful spin of Raf MacMillan, skittled out India’s previously unbeaten side for 174 off 43.5 overs at Willowmoore Park.
“It’s unbelievable, and I’m just so proud of the boys and our coaches,” said their Queensland skipper Weibgen.
“A lot of work has gone into this over the last year – but it gives you a fair bit of confidence when you’ve got a pace attack like ours.”
The youngsters became the fourth Aussie U19 team to win the tournament that has so often unearthed gems of the future, and the first since 2010 when Josh Hazlewood helped Mitch Marsh’s side lift the crown in New Zealand.
This time, the triumph came off the back of more quality fast bowling with Australia’s gamble of playing all four of their hugely promising quicks paying off as they proved far too relentless for an Indian batting line-up that was asked to chase down a record score in a final to prevail.
Having won the toss and elected to bat on a humid, overcast morning, the accomplished Weibgen himself (48 off 66 balls) and aggressive left-handed opener Harry Dixon (42 off 56) provided a fine launch pad.
Then the much-touted Harjas Singh, who’d moved to Sydney from India with his family when he was a boy, put a miserable tournament behind him in which he’d scored just 49 runs in six innings by hammering a half-century decorated with three sixes.
When India earned valuable wickets and threatened to bowl out the Aussies, 17-year-old Ollie Peake, son of former Victoria player Clinton Peake who was himself a teenage, triple-century-scoring prodigy, produced a gem of a finisher’s knock, smacking an unbeaten 46 off 43 balls.
Australian players celebrate victory after defeating India in the U19 World Cup final. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
“I’d always back us to defend a total of 250-plus when we have an attack like ours,” said Weibgen.
Siure enough, India never looked like challenging the score once Queensland’s red hot paceman Callum Vidler – motto: “if anyone ever tells me to slow down, I am not listening to them” – got Arshin Kulkarni caught behind in just the third over.
But it was player of the match Mahli Beardman (3-15 off seven overs) who was the real pick of the quicks, making the key double breakthrough of star batters Musheer Khan and captain Uday Saharan in his silky swift spells, while his pal Vidler took 2-35 off his 10 and swing bowler Charlie Anderson 1-42 off nine.
Tom Straker, the other quick nicknamed ‘Monster Truck’ who’d taken a record-breaking six-wicket haul in the semi against Pakistan, then got in on the final act, as wicketkeeper Ryan Hicks snaffled his fourth catch to end the innings and cue huge celebrations.
The team’s fast boys call themselves the “Cartel”, as Beardman, who has had a certain DK Lillee as a mentor back in Western Australia, smiled: “Standing alongside Cal and the rest of the Cartel, it’s a dream come true – I feel super privileged.”
But spin had its day too. The excellent allrounder MacMillan snaffled the wicket of the dangerous Sachin Das with the first slow ball in the innings, caught behind, and added two more key scalps in his invaluable 3-43 off 10.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Just that his stock ball is quicker and flatter, and doesn't turn much, with his wrong-un being his big wicket-taking delivery. He relies a lot on batters trying to force the pace off good length bowling, and historically that sort of spin bowling hasn't succeeded in tests in Australia. I wouldn't be surprised if he's been modelling his game on Zampa, or even Rashid Khan. Who knows though, he might be skilled enough and determined enough to adapt his style to red ball cricket.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Just because a batsman bowls well does not mean he must bat at #6. Webster has made big scores from all positions from #3 to #8. Ollie Davies has failed so often in his first few years (mainly white ball stuff) and is only now getting one or two good scores with stacks of failures in between. Davies needs to work on at least 3 things; 1. Consistency 2. Getting big scores instead of token 40s 3. Losing weight (the main reason he can’t build big innings)
Opeo
Roar Rookie
Why do you say that his style of bowling does not suit longer formats? Absoutely spinners take a while. I reckon Lyon’s best bowling has been in the last few years.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
No confusion there. Michael Neser is out of form right now...but he is up to the standard. Ashley Chandrasinghe has proven he is up to it but at the moment he is out of form. Xavier Bartlett sits behind Steketee, Sandhu, Neser and Wildermuth but he is up to it. Will Pucovski is a gem and has proven himself big time, but his form is nothing special right now. So many cases of players having troughs in form but that never means they have proven unable to play at the level; it just means they are not in form.
jamesb
Roar Guru
He is averaging 22 overall, and close to 18 this season. A tailender would be handy with those numbers.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Both have legitimate claims for a spot in a test squad. However, Bancroft is not playing test cricket again for Australia and that has nothing to do with ability or form. Webster would be competing for the number 6 spot and I'd have Marsh, Hardie and Davies (and perhaps others) ahead of him.
DTM
Roar Rookie
It's a short list to watch, that's all. Nothing stopping someone from coming outside of this group.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
You’re saying he’s done very well. Yet at the same time, saying that he’s been dropped. For not doing well enough. Take every Don comment with a grain of salt.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Are you reading and thinking...or just arguing?
Panthers
Roar Rookie
No. The total runs on average that he actually scored, is the overall problem . You do know that not everyone that plays for WA, is actually a test quality player right?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He has already lost his place in the state side. That indicates he has lost form, not that he is "not up to par". You must genuinely believe he didn't score those runs.
JamesH
Roar Guru
He was clutch in multiple games, playing one of the most difficult positions. Got robbed of a 50 in that semi against Pakistan by a questionable umpiring call.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Thankfully they've left Hardie out of the NZ T20 squad so he can play some Shield cricket.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Right? Considering his age he's actually shown a fair bit so far in domestic white ball cricket. He just took 13 wickets in 6 BBL games and was a big reason why the Strikers came back well from a poor start. I don't think his style of bowling will suit the longer format but who knows. He's got time on his side and we all know spinners generally take a while to mature.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
It probably can’t hurt . Perhaps playing with the ups & downs , no crowds of SS. Can be the death of many players with natural talent & for the enthusiasm they’d started playing with?
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Pakistan has a mortgage on promoting youth, with more than 80 players who are under 21 making their debuts. Perhaps in the next 4 or 5 years, we'll see a few more names added to the 34 Australia has handed baggy greens to, before they turned 21.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
His current average shows that he’s not up to par. If he continues to keep that average up, he’s no certainty to keep his place in the state side .
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
So do you think that means he didn’t get those scores? Present poor form doesn’t negate achievement; it just indicates a drop in form. A big score in a Shield final is not exactly chopped liver.
Opeo
Roar Rookie
McSweeney has had six good games. It is not enough. Neser has the same average as him this year.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
As did Corey Wasley,who had a brilliant Aus U/19 domestic season.