Benkenstein to lead England Men U19s

Luc Benkenstein will captain the England Men Under-19s during their three game Youth ODI series against Sri Lanka.

The Essex all-rounder, who captained for one game during last summer's Youth ODI Series against Australia, is set to lead the team in front of his home fans at the Cloud County Ground in Chelmsford, where the opening game is to be played under lights on Friday 28 June.

The 16-man squad includes nine players who were a part of the winter’s ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in South Africa.

Ben McKinney, who was captain at the World Cup, and Hamza Shaikh have not been considered with the option for them to appear in the three-day First-Class County Select XI match against West Indies in early July. The squad for the two-match Youth Test series is to be announced later this month.

England Men Under-19s coach, Mike Yardy, said: “We have selected an exciting squad for the series, with a blend of some players who are currently playing in the Vitality Blast and some younger players for whom it will be their first time in an Under-19s squad.

"As always, it’s a great opportunity for the players to perform in an England Under-19 shirt and to experience international cricket."

England Men U19s squad: Luc Benkenstein (Essex – captain), Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire), Tazeem Ali (Warwickshire), Charlie Allison (Essex), Noah Cornwell (Middlesex), Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire), Keshana Fonseka (Lancashire), Eddie Jack (Hampshire), Dom Kelly (Hampshire), Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire), Harry Moore (Derbyshire), Haydon Mustard (Durham), Thomas Rew (Somerset), Noah Thain (Essex), Raphael Weatherall (Northamptonshire), Theo Wylie (Warwickshire).

England Men U19s fixtures:

50-over warm-up: England U19s v Young Lions Invitational XI, Loughborough – 24 June

1st Youth ODI: England U19s v Sri Lanka U19s, Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford (D/N) – 28 June

2nd Youth ODI: England U19s v Sri Lanka U19s, 1st Central County Ground, Hove – 1 July

3rd Youth ODI: England U19s v Sri Lanka U19s, 1st Central County Ground, Hove – 3 July

1st Youth Test: England U19s v Sri Lanka U19s, Wormsley – 8-11 July

2nd Youth Test: England U19s v Sri Lanka U19s, Cheltenham – 16-19 July

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