July 25, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 09, 1428

LAHORE, July 24: Led by Imad Wasim, a 14-member Pakistan U-19 cricket team will leave for England on Wednesday morning for a one-month tour to play two Tests and five One-day matches from Aug 4-23.

The team, which arrived from Abbottabad after attending a 20-day training camp, met the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

The chairman urged the boys to maintain discipline during the tour, stressing that it was more important than winning or losing. He said the tour would help a lot to further hone their skills for next year’s Junior World Cup to be held in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, manager Azhar Zaidi said the boys were fit and well prepared for the tour and hopefully they would deliver to get maximum positive results. “The boys attended an extensive training camp in Abbotabad and now they are showing eagerness to give their best,” he said.

Captain Imad Wasim, who is among five other players of the U-19 team, whose names are being considered for the retainership under the players’ central contract programme, said the team would play with true potential to win both test and One-day series.

He said the team had experienced players in Ahmed Shahzad, Gulriaz Sadaf, Usman Salahuddin and Shan Masood, who are capable of turning the match in their favour. The 15th player of the team Kamran Hussain will join the team before the start of the one-day matches.

Team: Imad Wasim (Captain) Shan Masood (Vice-captain), Ahmed Shahzad, Umar Ameen, Adil Ameen, Ali Asad, Usman Salahuddin, Taimur Ali, Immad Wasim (captain), Shahzaib Khan, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Rameez, Gulraiz Sadaf (wicket-keeper), Azhar Attari.

Tour schedule:

Aug 4-7: 1st Test, Canterbury. Aug 9-12 Aug: 2nd Test County Ground, Derby. Aug 16: 1st ODI Denis Compton Oval, Shenley. Aug 17: 2nd ODI, Denis Compton Oval, Shenley. Aug 20: 3rd ODI, County Ground, Northampton. Aug 22: 4th ODI, Grace Road, Leicester. Aug 23: 5th ODI, Grace Road, Leicester.