THE seniors are playing dead rubbers but the future of Australian and Pakistan cricket is chasing silverware tomorrow in the Youth World Cup Fina.l
Under-19 Australian skipper Mitch Marsh says winning the junior World Cup against Pakistan tomorrow would top everything he's done.
The teams play at Lincoln, near Christchurch, with Pakistan unbeaten so far in the tournament.
Australia's youth side is one win away from emulating the feat of the 2002 side, which raised the World Cup in New Zealand, but in Lincoln, near Christchurch, they face a side unbeaten this tournament.
Marsh and teammates Josh Hazlewood and Alister McDermott were denied more chances with their state sides when selected for the World Cup, on the basis the tournament would help develop them into future senior Australian players.
Marsh admitted the standard in some games had been below what he had encountered in three Sheffield Shield and nine limited-overs games for Western Australia, but he'd found the tournament beneficial and was now desperate to win.
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"Winning any game for your country is a pretty big thing, but to captain a World Cup-winning final would be the biggest thing in my career,'' Marsh said on Friday.
"The group of guys we've got here, we're a pretty close unit and all hope we're lucky enough to play for Australia, so hopefully this is a stepping stone to that and we can follow the guys from 2002, like Cameron White and George Bailey and Mark Cosgrove.
"It's been an awesome experience.
"Playing this sort of cricket, it's not quite first-class level, but there's been different sort of pressures from the outset and Josh, Alister and I have been happy to play.
"Because we've played first-class cricket, the less-experienced players have looked up to us and we've taken it in our stride.''
Marsh scored a match-winning 97 in Wednesday's semi-final against Sri Lanka, the day after older brother Shaun scored 83 in Australia's one-day win over Pakistan in Adelaide.
Coincidentally, Shaun was also part of the triumphant squad that won the 2002 under-19s World Cup.
Despite Shaun's recent success, most of the Marsh clan is in New Zealand following Mitch, including the brothers' father Geoff, the former Australian opener.
Mitch Marsh's success has also buoyed cricket officials in their ongoing battle to retain talented athletes away from the clutches of various football codes.
Marsh had considered pursuing a career in the AFL before he committed to cricket, while fellow squad member Alex Keath faces a similar dilemma, as he is tied to the Gold Coast franchise, which will enter the AFL in 2011.
Marsh was unsure which way Keath would head, but said the increased opportunities in cricket, such as lucrative Twenty20 competitions, had helped sway him in his own decision.
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