Image Credit- ICC
After Australia’s Under-19 World Cup victory in
Benoni, captain Hugh Weibgen heaped praise on his fast-bowling four of Charlie
Anderson, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, and Callum Vidler, predicting that they
would “go a long way” in their individual careers.
“With a pace attack like ours there’s a fair bit
of confidence when we get 250 on the board,” Weibgen said at the
presentation. “That was our plan [at the toss] to get a few runs and back
ourselves to defend it. As a unit, they worked so good together. They know
their roles and are happy to bowl either ends. They are all for the team. I
would be surprised if all of them don’t go a very long way in their
careers.”
Beardman stated the victory felt “surreal”
and mentioned the impact veteran Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee had on his
career. Beardman took 10 wickets during the competition, including three for
fifteen in the final that held India at bay.
“[It feels] pretty surreal to be honest and
hasn’t fully set in yet,” Beardman said after he was named the Player of
the Match. “It has been something we have been working on for a long, long
time. All that hard work has paid off. India have been incredible this
tournament, so we knew there was always going to be a good battle.”
Coached by Lillee, Beardman came on as the second
substitution of the game and made an immediate impact, taking off the highly
productive Musheer Khan. The captain of India and top run scorer of the
tournament, Uday Saharan, was then removed by him, and he then defeated Adarsh
Singh, who had scored 47, to end the chase.
“From DK [Lillee] I learnt a lot of mental stuff
and tried to implement that as much as I can this tournament. He got me
thinking about my bowling instead of just bowling, thinking about my field
setting and then from there working on mental things – little cues like going
head, and then going toes next ball. Stupid stuff like that.
“[The win] means so much. The amount of work we
have put in over the last year and a bit, prior to the England series as well,
this has been on the forefront of our minds. Standing alongside Cal [Vidler]
and the rest of the cartel is a dream come true. Our strong suit has been how
close we are as a group, and it is not just performance-based but off the field
as well. We get along really well as mates and that chemistry helps.”