U19s World Cup delay to deny Aussie young guns

Australia coach Matthew Mott has expressed his disappointment that the inaugural Women’s Under-19 World Cup has been postponed, a move that will see some of the country’s most exciting young players denied their chance to compete in the tournament.

The underage event had already been pushed back once due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from January 2021 to December 2021, but the International Cricket Council announced this week it had now been postponed for a second time, and will be played in Bangladesh in January 2023.

In a statement, the ICC said the pandemic “has had a significant impact on the establishment and subsequent development of the U19 programmes in many countries and teams would not be able prepare appropriately for a global event later this year”.

"It is disappointing," Mott, who is a coaching representative on the ICC’s Women’s Committee, said on Saturday.

"But the fact is there’s very few windows left to play that World Cup (before January 2023), and it was going to be hard to get it up in the time-frame (for this year)."

The ICC have not confirmed a cut-off date for players to be eligible to compete in the tournament. However, if the same approach is taken as for the most recent men’s Under-19 World Cup, only players born after September 1 2003 will be eligible to play in the 2023 tournament.

That would mean WBBL young guns including Darcie Brown (who debuted for Australia’s senior T20I side last week), Phoebe Litchfield, Tess Flintoff, Charli Knott and Hayley Silver-Holmes would all be ineligible, but would have qualified to play had the event been held this year.

However, the likes of Heat batter Georgia Voll, Renegades off-spinner Ella Hayward and Hurricanes leg-spinner Amy Smith could still take centre stage when the event does proceed.

"From a development point of view (the Under-19 World Cup) is something that would be a lovely thing to have in our system," Mott said.

"We’ll still run some really good programs and give some opportunities to those talented players, but there’s nothing that can replicate a World Cup."

Cricket Australia were instrumental in pushing for a women’s Under-19s tournament to be introduced. The men’s event has long been a crucial stepping stone for future international stars and the 2010 tournament – the last time Australia won the event – featured the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh and Adam Zampa.

The decision to postpone the tournament could also have ramifications on the make-up of this year’s women’s National Performance Squad, which sees a group of promising young players outside the CA contracted list train at the National Cricket Centre through the winter.

There were no men’s or women’s NPS squads named in 2020-21 due to budgetary constraints, but the program is intended to resume this year.

Cricket Australia Female High Performance Manager Shawn Flegler told cricket.com.au in February that if the Under-19 World Cup went ahead as planned, this year’s NPS would largely become an underage program to prepare for the tournament.

Instead, that squad will now likely feature some older talent alongside some of the best under-19s, to prepare for a summer that will include blockbuster series against India and England and an ODI World Cup.

Mott also shed light on minor changes to the playing conditions for women’s ODIs, confirmed at the ICC board meeting late last month, with the discretionary five-over batting Powerplay removed.

"Over the last couple of years, it’s a rule that hasn’t been utilised all that well," the Australia coach explained.

"So there’s been conversations around do we need it, is it playing a role? Or could we simplify the game for the fans.

"One of the beauties of the female game is how simple it is with the four (fielders) out (of the inner circle).

"With that extra Powerplay only being the difference of one fielder, it wasn’t seen as a significant factor in any captain’s strategic planning so it was best to remove it."

Another change means all tied ODIs will now be decided by a Super Over.

Australia last played in a tied ODI in 2016, against South Africa in Coffs Harbour.

CommBank tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia ODI & T20I Squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck

New Zealand ODI squad: Amy Satterthwaite (capt), Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin (wk), Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

1st T20: Australia won by six wickets

2nd T20: New Zealand won by four wickets

3rd T20: Play abandoned due to rain

1st ODI: April 4, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 9am AEDT

2nd ODI: April 7, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

3rd ODI: April 10, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo