A new chapter in cricket's oldest rivalry

In a year during which Australia and England continue their 133-year Ashes battle, another two teams are extending the rivalry.

With series in Perth and England in 2015, the under-19 squads from the two countries are set to ensure the legend lives on with the next generation of elite cricketers.

"It's a good year for the under-19s," said Cricket Australia's National Talent Manager Greg Chappell.

"We spend a lot of time playing in the subcontinent with the under 19s but this year – and being an Ashes year it's a great time to do it – we're playing two series against England.

"One in Perth in March-April, that'll be a four-day game – a youth Test match if you like – followed by five one-dayers (located) between Perth and Bunbury.

"And then later in the year – late July through to late August – we have a return series in England, which will be exactly the same – a four-day game and five one-dayers against their best under-19s players as well."

Test legend Chappell believes the two sides are well suited in terms of both their quality and their preparation. 

"They're very evenly matched really," he said. "Very similar programs, split between cricket and education.

"We played off with England in the last Under-19 World Cup for third and fourth and they beat us on the last ball of the game to pip us for third place, so there's a little bit of a rivalry developing at youth level as well."

Striking a balance

Australia's elite young cricketers are encouraged to prioritise their education during their developmental years, a fact which Chappell says could put them behind the world's pace-setters, India, but is a deliberate strategy aimed at producing well-rounded individuals.

"I think from a playing point of view the subcontinental kids outdo us, particularly in India; they're playing pretty much full-time cricket from 16 onwards," he explained.

"We're much more aware of the need for our guys to finish school and be well educated, so we probably have to play a bit of catch up in that sense.

"It's from this time (under-19s) onwards that I think we start to take leadership in the world in preparing young cricketers.

"We have to compromise a little bit to be sure we don't interfere with their schooling, so all of the program is pretty much fitted into school holidays to have minimal impact on their education.

"If you're not developing yourself as a human being, you won't develop yourself as a cricketer."

Be prepared

Last year's tour to Sri Lanka and experience with KFC T20 Big Bash League clubs as development and community rookies looks likely to hold many of the Australia Under-19s squad in good stead during the two England series.

A talent camp from March 16-20 at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane is further preparation for 24 of the nation's best young cricketers, a proportion of whom will also be available for next year's ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh.

"We had a team go away to Sri Lanka late last year which contained some of the players named for the English series, while there were a number of good individual efforts at the National Championships which we took into account in picking the team and the overall squad," Chappell said.

"A number of the players have also received additional exposure and experience recently through their ties to BBL clubs as community or development rookies or on the various supplementary lists.

"We'll have 24 of the best under-19 players in the country up here so it'll be two teams, and again, it's an opportunity to get them out in the middle … playing some games.

"It'll be a chance for us to compare like for like, because it will be two teams from the same age group."

The production line

Evidence from the recent National Championships and exposure at more senior levels suggests Australia's talent conveyor belt shows no signs of abating, giving the likes of head coach Graeme Hick and assistant Troy Cooley plenty to choose from. 

At Cricket Australia's U19 Championships in January, Western Australian batsman Jake Carder hit a tournament high total of 366 runs at 73.2, while at the U17 titles, South Australia and Adelaide Strikers supplementary batsman Patrick Page Jnr scored 391 runs at 78.2.

Australia's U19 squad to play against England U19s will be captained by left-handed WA batsman Jaron Morgan, who played for a CA XI in two World Cup practice games against Bangladesh this week.

Chappell was also impressed by the form of one of the youngest members of next month's talent camp.

"Young Sam Grimwade, an off-spinner from Victoria who's only just 17, he's another one who's really impressed with what he's done this year," the talent manager added.

"He played in the CA XI game in Adelaide earlier in the summer against the full Indian team and bowled against some of their Test players, and wasn't out of his depth at all.

"Those sorts of experiences are invaluable for our players."

Also included in the squad is left-hander Jake Doran, who was the youngest player to appear in a BBL game when named in the Sydney Thunder squad last month; Melbourne Renegades allrounder Matt Short; and Sydney Thunder Development rookie Jonte Pattison.

Pattison, who is Indigenous, also played in the CA XI which turned out against India in a tour match earlier this season, while another young gun, Tom Healy – son of Test wicketkeeping legend Ian – is also tipped for big things.

The 18-year-old keeper-batsman said the talent camp was an opportunity to both compete and bond with his contemporaries.

"Any time you get the chance to compete against others or get that chance to do well, it's always going to be competitive, especially coming together as an Australian team," he said.

"I don't think it's (just) competitiveness – we've been given the faith that we're good enough, so now it's about combining with the others and having a lot of fun.

"That's something we've really spoken about – let's play hard, let's be competitive in the contest, but at the same time let's enjoy each other's company."

The talent

Participants in the Bupa NCC talent camp, March 16-20: Matt Short (Vic), Jaron Morgan (WA), Jake Carder (WA), Sam Harper (Vic), Patrick Page (SA), Jake Doran (NSW), Sam Heazlett (Qld), Tom Healy (Qld), Jonte Pattison (NSW/ACT), Jhye Richardson (WA), Henry Thornton (NSW), Guy Walker (Victoria), David Grant (SA), Sam Rowley (Qld), Sam Grimwade (Vic), Matthew Renshaw (Qld), Clint Hinchliff (WA), Caleb Jewell (Tas), Corey Murfett (Tas), Jonte Rushton (Vic), Liam Hatcher (NSW), Michael Cormack (SA), Matthew Kuhnemann (Qld), Luke Bartier (NSW), Riley Ayre (NSW/ACT), Matt Condon (NSW/ACT), Jack Prestwidge (Qld).