The South Africa under 19 team, captained by KwaZulu-Natal's Hashim Amla, flies out of Johannesburg on Thursday en route for New Zealand and the Under 19 World Cup which starts later this month.

The team, which includes Stephen Cook who has become a Highveld Strikers' regular this season, has two warm-up matches before its first game of the tournament against Bangladesh in Auckland on February 20.

"We are especially proud of this team. The selectors have chosen a side that has balance in every way," said UCB chief executiver Gerald Majola today. There are older, more experienced players from our provincial set-up as well as a group of young guys who have just come through the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week."

"What is also important about this team is that it shows just how far our development programme and transformation policies have brought us. This side was chosen entirely on merit and is fully representative of our country, with a majority of players coming from the previously disadvantaged communities. Our Transformation Charter target for national teams at Under 19 level is a composition of 50% players of colour, which has been exceeded without the necessity of imposing a quota," he said.

"We would like to wish this team the best of luck in New Zealand. We will be following their progress with great interest."

The team will be coached by Hylton Ackerman and Lawrence Mahatlane.

The squad: Hashim Amla (capt, KZN), Ryan Bailey (WP), Chad Baxter (EP), Stephen Cook (Gautentg), Riël de Kok (FS), Zwelibanzi Homani (EP), Davey Jacobs (NW), Imraan Khan (KZN), Rory Kleinveldt (WP), Brent Kopps (EP), Ryan McLaren (FS), Ian Postman (Border), Brendan Reddy (Easterns), Greg Smith (Gauteng).

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