KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's under-19 cricket team have been doing laps in two-layered tracksuits and encouraged to swelter in a sauna to help them prepare for the climatic conditions they will experience at their World Cup in Malaysia.
This attention to detail is a marked contrast to New Zealand's last
World Cup campaign in Sri Lanka two years ago, where an ill-prepared squad suffered the ignominy of losing the plate final to Nepal.
New Zealand Cricket have evidently learned from that chastening experience with the build-up for this side in place since last April when the first clutch of contenders were selected.
The national age-group tournament also had a bearing before the squad were decided with 15 players now starting to acclimatise in Brisbane with two matches against their Australian counterparts.
Coach Dipak Patel said attempting to replicate the heat and humidity his players will face and the pre-tournament visit to the Allan Border Academy was indicative of the organisation's more calculated approach.
"At the last World Cup we gave the boys no chance at all," he said.
"We had no lead-up time, 95 per cent of the guys had not even been out of New Zealand.
"This time we're that much wiser. The boys are a lot more aware of hydration, they started loading up 5-6 weeks ago and have been putting their bodies under stress in those sorts of conditions.
"We tried to get the boys to do runs in tracksuits, even two tracksuits and encouraged them to sit in a sauna.
"We've done all our home work, we've got advice from the Black Caps from their experiences in places like Sri Lanka and we've been keeping a close eye on the weather - the humidity is anywhere between 85 and 100 per cent."
New Zealand, seeded ninth in the 16-nation competition, are grouped with defending champions Pakistan, Zimbabwe and hosts Malaysia.
With the top two assured of progressing to the Super Eights stage it seems a straight forward assignment though as Patel discovered in Sri Lanka, the minnow nations cannot be discounted.
"You can't underestimate the associate teams like the Nepals and this time is no different. Zimbabwe at age group level is stronger than the senior side."
Patel nominated India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who blanked Australia 5-0 recently, as the tournament frontrunners.
After arriving in Kuala Lumpur, New Zealand have practice matches against India and Ireland before basing themselves in Johor, where they complete their pool play in just four days.
Patel said the campaign's success may hinge on the input from five players who have experienced first class cricket this season - Northern Districts pair Kane Williamson and Tim Southee, George Worker from Central Districts, Canterbury's Corey Anderson and Greg Morgan (Auckland).
Southee, the only survivor from the 2006 team, joins the squad after being involved in the Twenty20 matches with England tomorrow and Thursday.
"I could be selfish and say it's been disruptive not having Tim now but it's wonderful for him. The kid deserves it and if he came bring back what he's learnt and share it with the group, that's great.
"To have someone who's played international cricket at his age gives a lift to the rest of the guys."
There are two familiar names in the squad. Michael Bracewell is the nephew of national coach John Bracewell while Hamish Rutherford is the son of former captain Ken Rutherford.
New Zealand under-19 squad
Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Anurag Verma, Tamati Clarke (all Northern Districts), Nicholas Beard, Michael Bracewell, Hamish Rutherford (Otago), Corey Anderson (Canterbury), George Worker, Andrew Dodd (Central Districts), Harry Boam, Fraser Colson (Wellington), Michael Guptill-Bunce, Greg Morgan (Auckland).
New Zealand's group A schedule:
Feb 18: v Zimbabwe
Feb 19: v Pakistan
Feb 21: v Malaysia
Group B: South Africa, West Indies, India, Papua New Guinea
Group C: Australia, Nepal, Namibia, Sri Lanka
Group D: England, Ireland, Bangladesh, Bermuda.
Quarterfinals from Feb 24
Final March 2.
- NZPA
