ICC U19 WC: Proteas ready for quarterfinal challenge against England
Jan 26, 2022
St John's [Antigua], January 26 : According to South Africa under-19 head coach, Shukri Conrad, his side is fully focused on the task at hand as they prepare to take on their England counterparts in the first ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup quarter-final.
The Super League contest will get underway at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Ahead of the crucial clash against the English, where South Africa have an opportunity to make the last four in the competition for the first time since 2014, when the Aiden Markram-led side lifted the trophy in the United Arab Emirates, head coach Conrad said: "Making the semi-finals, I don't think we ever set our goals as making semi-finals. We want to go out and win every game we play in and if it gets us to a semi-final, final or winning the competition then so be it."
"We are very process-orientated as a group and obviously it would be great to put one over England but then the next game then becomes the biggest. We just looking forward to the game and if we play similarly to what we did against Ireland then we with a good shout and like I've always said, we are quietly confident that when this group does play to its potential then there's a few teams that could stop us," he added.
In the last game, the SA U19s overcame Ireland in the third and final Group B clash on Friday, with skipper George van Heerden top-scoring with an impressive 111 off 93 deliveries, smashing eight sixes and three fours to lead his side to 315 / 7 before Ireland were removed for 158 to seal 153-run win.
In-form Dewald Brevis also contributed with a handy 96 off 122 balls, while Matthew Boast (3 / 25) and Liam Alder (3 / 20) starred with the ball.
"Really good result against Ireland," Conrad continued.
"It was more important in the way in which we played. Some might say it's only Ireland but very often the games that you are expected to win are the toughest ones, so we certainly respect every team we play against and that's a massive thing for us, showing the necessary respect to our opposition," he added.
Heading into the last eight, Brevis sits atop the runs-scorers list with 265 runs after three matches, with an average of 88.33, while Boast features in the top 10 of the leading wicket-takers, with seven scalps.
