The next generation of New Zealand’s cricketing talent is a bit like the last generation.
University-Grange all-rounder Zac Cumming has been named in the New Zealand team to contest the ICC men’s under-19 Cricket World Cup qualifiers in Darwin in June.
He is following in the footsteps of his father, Craig, who forged an impressive first-class career for Otago and went on to play 11 tests and 13 ODIs for his country, and older bother Jacob, who is carving out a niche at first-class level.
Jacob (19) has played nine first-class games for Otago and is a highly rated opening batter.
Zac (18) impressed during the Dunedin club season. The wrist spinner picked up 20 wickets and clobbered 355 runs, including a rapid century in the T20 tournament. He also shone during the national under-19 tournament, grabbing nine wickets at an average of 21.77. He was the third leading wicket-taker.
Queenstown’s Mason Clarke has been named as one of four reserves for the 14-strong squad.
New Zealand under-19 assistant coach Paul Wiseman said a high standard of performances at age group national tournaments guided selection.
"We’ve picked players off the back of performances from the under-19 and under-17 national tournaments, and the under-17 cohort in particular boasted a pretty high standard, so it’s great to see a couple of those young guys get this chance," he said.
The youngest in the squad are 16-year-olds Tom Jones and Snehit Reddy, who were among the top scorers at the under-17 national tournament.
Reddy was also a top wicket-taker in the tournament, alongside another all-rounder, Ollie Tewatiya, who also made an impact with the bat and ball.
Three of Wellington’s under-19 national championship-winning side are included: wicketkeeper Alex Thompson and all-rounders Alex Tsourgas and Oscar Jackson.
The squad also boasts six players who have already made the step up to representative A cricket.
Wiseman said providing high-performance pathway opportunities for talented cricketers was pivotal to player development.
"It’s really important for the guys that are coming through to see a pathway through to domestic level and on to the Black Caps," said Wiseman.
"Some really talented cricketers missed out on the last World Cup, so it’s great to be able to get a young group together again and give them the opportunity at this level."
New Zealand needs to qualify for the World Cup after opting out of the 2022 tournament to protect the wellbeing of young players, given the stringent MIQ regulations they would have been required to undergo upon their return.
The squad will join Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu in the qualifying pool, with the top team qualifying for the World Cup.
The squad will take part in three training camps at New Zealand Cricket’s High Performance Centre in Lincoln starting today, before departing for Australia on June 9.
