Australia have made the final of the U-19 world cup – we should probably care.

This is a Guest Post by Sid, who can be found at Thoughts from the Dustbin

If we discount the inaugural U19 world cup, which was really just Bicentenary celebrations for Australia anyway, there have been 7 competitions in total (current one inclusive). Australia have made only 1 final – in the 01/02 tournament – which they won. But of the young players that have been showcased over the years, many have become household names in Australia and often throughout the cricketing world.

In that winning tournament of 01/02, held in New Zealand, Australia were captained by none other than recent ODI hero and current Victorian state captain, Cameron White. On his dominating team was Shaun Marsh. The previous tournament, in which Australia made the semi-finals only to be knocked out by India – who went on to win – the side was captained by Australia’s current #1 spinner and the love of my life, Nathan Hauritz. On his team were such familiar names as Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson, Andrew McDonald and again Shaun Marsh.

In the 03/04 cup, Australia were captained by Tim Paine and on his team were Moises Henriques and current West Aussie all-rounder Theo Doropoulos. Sadly, the team were beaten to third place by Bangladesh that year. Moises appeared again in 05/06 – this time as captain – and had current NSW team mate David Warner on his side.

By the time we reach the 2008 competition in Malaysia, the players that appeared are still a bit young even today, yet a few are still recognisable – NSW’s Steve Smith and Twitter’s Phil Hughes will be known to many people outside Australia as well as in their homeland. The current team, who will play Pakistan in the final this weekend, is captained by the latest installment of that great Australian cricketing dynasty, Mitchell Marsh (brother of Shaun, above). Other than Mitchell, who is still a relative unknown outside his home state of Western Australia, the players names are not at all familiar – but if previous year’s teams are anything to go by, many of them one day will be.

If the U-19 world cup is nothing else, it is a chance for young Aussie players to get international experience and to show their state sides what skills they’ve got. Compared to India, who have made 3 finals and won 2 of them, and Pakistan, who have made 4 finals and won 2 with one still to play (which they will probably win, as Mitchy and his boys only just scraped through), Australia may be lacking in talent in this age range. But the wealth of Aussie talent that has come through the tournament in previous years, and has since made it into the Australian side, surely suggests that the competition is an investment in the future of the game.

So maybe you don’t know who they are, but in 10 years time when Mitchell Marsh and Luke Doran are bowling Australia to a 5-0 Ashes victory over England (again) wouldn’t you like to be able to say “ooh, I remember when they were 18 and playing in the U19 world cup final …”?

I would.

But I am an arrogant cow like that.