Top 5 wicket-takers in Under-19 World Cups

The twelfth edition of the Under-19 World Cup is set to begin on January 13 with New Zealand hosting it for a record third time. With young names ready to step up to the big stage and gain the attention of the cricketing world, a visit to the record books to check the highest run-getters in the history of the tournament is only apt.

Sportskeeda lists the names of the 5 batsmen with most runs in the youth World Cup so far.

#5 Wayne Parnell, South Africa

23 wickets at 11.39 in 9 matches

The lanky left arm pacer Wayne Parnell participated in two Under-19 World Cups before graduating to the senior side on the back of consistent performances. In his first outing in 2006, though the wickets column did not have much to show, Parnell bowled extremely economically to choke the opposition.

Spells of 2/31 against West Indies in ten overs did not give South Africa a win, but 2/22 against Scotland in nine ensured they romped over with a 185-run victory.

Bigger things awaited him in 2008. Parnell continued to bowl cheap overs and started with figures of 3/37 in a defeat to West Indies.

He then got 2/27 in eight overs against India and 2/39 in a semi final win over Pakistan, but in between, came a performance of a lifetime. Figures of 6/8 against Bangladesh helped bowl them out for merely 41, and though he picked up two more wickets in the final against India, his side ended up on the wrong side.

#4 Tim Bresnan, England

Tim Bresnan claimed figures of 9-3-7-4 against Uganda in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup

25 wickets at 19.64 in 13 matches

A bright all-rounder offering useful lower-order runs and accurate medium pace, Tim Bresnan utilised the platform of the Under-19 World Cup extremely well on the two occasions that he was present.

In 2002, he delivered spells which brought wickets as well maintained a control on the opposition’s run rate: 1/32 against Nepal in 9 overs, 3/46 against Pakistan in 10 overs and 2/38 against New Zealand in 9.4 overs.

Bresnan again had the opportunity to play in the tournament in 2004 – his captain Alastair Cook would go on to lead him in the senior England side in eight years’ time – and produced stunning figures of 9-3-7-4 against Uganda who were shot out for 46.

He continued with rich hauls of 3/35 against South Africa as England almost successfully defended 190; 3/34 against Zimbabwe at just over four an over restricted them to 218 and 3/33 against Pakistan took England to a scratchy win by 5 runs as they stopped their opponents at 191.

#3 Abhishek Sharma, India

Sharma played in the Indian Cricket League later

26 wickets at 17.81 in 14 matches

Though Abhishek Sharma brought in the variety of leg-break bowling, he never made it big despite coming to notice through two Under-19 World Cups. In the first one, played in New Zealand in 2002, he was India’s highest wicket-taker on pitches aiding seam and swing. In a rampaging spell of 3/13 against Canada, Abhishek bowled five maidens out of seven overs as India thumped them by 242 runs.

He continued to be in the wickets with hauls of 3/46 against Sri Lanka and 3/37 against Pakistan, the latter spell nearly taking India over the line.

On the spin-friendly surfaces of Bangladesh in 2004, Abhishek helped India defend 216 against New Zealand by bagging 2/33 and then claiming 3/39 against the hosts to seal a comprehensive win. But his most memorable performance came against West Indies with 4/28. As he did in 2002, he ended the tournament as India’s leading wicket taker.

#2 Greg Thompson, Ireland

Leg-spinner Greg Thompson played in three Under-19 World Cups for Ireland

27 wickets at 21.74 in 19 matches

Leg-break bowler Greg Thompson made Ireland proud even before they had any recognition on the global stage. Having played three consecutive Under-19 World Cups in 2004, 2006 and 2008, Thompson immediately gained the attention of the observers by bagging 5/49 against West Indies in his first World Cup, though that could not prevent Ireland from losing a close match.

An economical haul of 2/22 came against Uganda where he conceded just over two runs an over.

In 2006, he took 3/48 against Zimbabwe, but further glory arrived two years later when he bagged his second five-wicket haul in the youth World Cup by claiming 5/26 against Bermuda in the Play-Off semi-final to help Ireland defend 237.

A fantastic average of 21.74 is testimony to his wicket-taking abilities, though it remains a pity that Thompson never made it big for the senior Ireland side, having only played 3 ODIs and 8 T20s since his debut in 2008.

#1 Moises Henriques, Australia

Moises Henriques led Australia by example in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup

27 wickets at 14.15 in 13 matches

For a country never having a dearth of pace bowling all-rounders, Australia found another of them in Portuguese-born Moises Henriques. Rated highly in both departments, he found success early after starting playing cricket in his adopted country aged nine.

As a seventeen-year old, he was in Australia’s Under-19 World Cup team that played in Bangladesh but lo 154 lost the Plate Final to the hosts. He bowled accurately throughout, as figures of 2/18 against Canada, 2/10 against Papua New Guinea in ten overs to skittle them out for 83 and 2/26 versus Nepal to restrict them to suggest.

In 2006, Henriques wore the captain’s hat and led by example by contributing ample middle-order runs as well as picking up a number of wickets. Multiple three-wicket hauls – 3/37, 3/32, 3/21 and 3/58 – took Australia to the semi-final, but his best haul remained 4/22 against Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for only 177.