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By Peter Della Penna

The International Cricket Council officially released the schedule on Monday for the 2011 ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier beginning July 28 in Dublin, Ireland. According to the ICC media release, Greg Sewdial will captain the USA U-19 squad in Ireland.

USA will have their hands full immediately when they take on the hosts on day one of the tournament. Ireland is captained by left-arm spinner George Dockrell, who has garnered respect worldwide for his performances at the senior level.

The following day, USA takes on a Papua New Guinea team featuring seam bowler Raymond Haoda, the leading wicket-taker at the 2010 ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand with 15 scalps. They are captained by Christopher Kent, who played with the senior team against the USA men at ICC World Cricket League Division Three in Hong Kong last January. PNG was the first place finisher in the ICC East Asia-Pacific Region Qualifier in February.

After a rest day on July 30, USA must play the first place teams from Africa and Asia on back to back days. First up is Namibia on July 30 before they square off against Afghanistan on August 1 on the team’s final day in Dublin. August 2 is a travel day for all teams as the tournament shifts northwest to Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

USA plays Scotland on August 3, the top qualifier out of Europe. Another rest day follows on August 4 before USA commences a grueling slate of three games in three days against Kenya, Vanuatu and Canada. Nitish Kumar returns to the Canadian squad after missing out on the ICC Americas Qualifier in February to travel with the men’s team to India for the 2011 ICC World Cup.

A final rest day follows on August 8 before USA finishes up the tournament against Nepal on August 9. The second place finisher out of Asia features left-arm spinner Rahul Vishvakarma, who took 7 for 15 against the USA men’s team at ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Nepal last year.

All matches for the tournament are scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. local time, 5:45 a.m. EST in the US. Conditions permitting, DreamCricket.com will provide live coverage for all of the USA U-19 team’s matches at the tournament.

Prior to leaving for Ireland, the USA U-19 squad will be playing four matches against West Indies U-19 in Florida beginning on Friday July 8 at the Central Broward Regional Park. West Indies U-19 will be captained by Kraigg Brathwaite who was the second highest scorer at the 2010 ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand with 335 runs. He scored 168 not out in April against Australia U-19 in a three-day youth Test before making his Test debut for the West Indies against Pakistan in May. He made his first-class debut at age 16 for Barbados and has two first-class centuries to his name.