Excitement building in NZ U19 camp

The match is a key opportunity for the 15-man squad to get used to playing together and adjusting to the conditions. File photo

A penultimate warm-up match will be played by The New Zealand U19 cricket team today, before their ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018 campaign gets underway in Tauranga next week.

New Zealand face Zimbabwe at Hagley Park, before their final warm-up against Papua New Guinea on January 10.

Coach Paul Wiseman says it's a key opportunity for the 15-man squad to get used to playing together and adjusting to the conditions.

'They all know each other, but haven't had a lot of game time together,” says Paul.

'We had two games against Zimbabwe prior to Christmas and then one against Pakistan on Wednesday. We just want to get combinations together and know our bowling plans, all those sorts of little things that you want to get sorted before the opening game.

'There's a lot of energy in the camp. Coming to Christchurch and having their first ICC meetings and getting the new kit is pretty exciting for the guys.”

The two remaining warm-up matches provide the last opportunity for the 15 players in the squad to put their hands up for selection ahead of the first pool game against the West Indies at the weekend.

Wiseman admits settling on his strongest XI won't be an easy task.

'It's going to be a really tough decision to make and any one of the fifteen would do a good job.

'It's about getting the right balance for each opposition and pitch. I think we've got the players to cover all those situations, so it'll just come down to those factors.”

Play got underway at Hagley Park No.4 ground around 10.30am.

The match will be live-scored at http://www.icc-cricket.com

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