Liam Banks believes that England have “peaked at the right time” as they prepare to face Australia tonight in the Under 19s World Cup in New Zealand.
The old rivals will face each other in a quarter-final at Queenstown on Tuesday morning (9.30pm tonight our time) after England topped their qualifying group by winning all three games.
t was good to score some runs and contribute to a winning performance. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit nervous but I was more looking forward to it as well.
Liam Banks
In the third of those, against Canada, Warwickshire opener Banks batted for the first time in the tournament and scored a classy century.
His 120, in a partnership of 186 with Surrey’s Will Jacks, underpinned England’s total of 383 and a 282-run win which sends them towards the quarter-final full of confidence.
“It was good to score some runs and contribute to a winning performance,” said 18-year-old Banks, who played in the last two championship games for the Bears last season. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit nervous but I was more looking forward to it as well.
“I was very pleased how it went. I’ve played with Jacksy for a year or so now and we have a good understanding between us and were talking and helping each other all the way through to try to get the best of us both.
“Then the bowlers did really well. A team is always in a good place when there are a lot of players battling to get in the side and the depth we have and the form everybody is in is brilliant. I think we could pick any of the 15 players and put out a challenge to anybody in the competition.
“Now we are really looking forward to the quarter-final. Any game against Australia is special and I think the lads have peaked at the right time. The lads are playing well and we can’t wait for the game to come.”
