The ICC has appointed Auckland umpire Phil Jones to the upcoming ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 — and he’ll have a key role in the opening match.
“Jonesy”, as he is ubiquitously known to the New Zealand cricket circuit, will be the TV umpire for the tournament opener between host Bangladesh and defending champion South Africa, to be played at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong on Wednesday, 27 January.
The two-yearly World Cup runs from 27 January to 14 February, with the New Zealand Under-19s presently in Dubai where they are warming up for the tournament in a youth tri-series with Pakistan and Australia at the ICC Academy facility.
The on-field umpires for the Under-19 Cricket World Cup are drawn from the International Panel of ICC Umpires, which includes Jones; and the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires.
Adrian Griffith, ICC’s Senior Manager – Umpires and Referee, says the panel for the tournament represents “an outstanding cross-section of international officials who are among the most experienced currently standing in international cricket.
“The players will benefit from the calibre of the match officials, with the game’s best young talent exposed to umpiring and refereeing of a high international standard.”
Jones, 56, made his international umpiring debut in 2014, officiating a match between Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea, and has stood in three One-Day Internationals — the most recent having been the BLACKCAPS’ first ANZ ODI with Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval this season; and three Twenty20 Internationals, debuting in the BLACKCAPS’ ANZ International Series this summer.
His international elevation came after a solid background standing in New Zealand domestic cricket.
New Zealand Cricket congratulates Phil Jones on his appointment to an ICC World Cup, a significant reflection of his commitment to his craft.
About the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016
• The eleventh edition will be held across eight venues in four Bangladesh cities, contested between nine Test-playing countries as well as seven Associate and Affiliate Members — Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland.
• New Zealand is in the same group as India, Nepal and Ireland, with our opening match against Nepal on 28 January.
New Zealand Under-19s schedule
• Warm-up matches will be played from 22 to 25 January, with the final of the prestigious gathering to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
• All matches will be day fixtures, starting at 9am local time. The Super League semi-finals and final will have reserve days.
• For the first time in the history of this competition, ICC is producing live broadcasts of an unprecedented 20 matches. The matches will be shown around the world, with more detail on broadcast coverage of the event to be announced in due course.
New Zealand Under-19s captain Josh Finnie, of the SBS Bank Otago Volts
