5 Under-19s stars who did not fulfill their potential

Under-19 cricket produces mixed results. Some of the players who have thrived in this age-range have seamlessly transitioned into their nation's senior squads.

The likes of Quinton de Kock, Virat Kohli, Marcus Trescothick, Alastair Cook, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Amir, Chris Cairns and Kagiso Rabada all thrived in representing their country at Under-19 level, and have all similarly thrived for their senior sides.

National sides look for their youth teams to provide players of this ilk. The intention of Under-19 cricket is to pave the way for talented youngsters into the senior sides. Yet some players are unable to transfer these talents onto the big stage.

These are players who have gone toe-to-toe with the players like Kohli, Cook and Amir in Under-19 cricket, and have sometimes even bettered them, but have failed to reach their potential.

Some of these players still get their chance at international glory, often due to the fact the selectors have been familiar with them from such an early age.

Mitchell Marsh is a prime example of this. His Test batting average of 26.08 and bowling average of 42.45 are underwhelming. Yet the selectors saw his potential when he was made captain of the Australian Under-19s, and his 30 Tests can be seen as a result of them hoping he will eventually reach these heights.

Other players such as Pakistan's Sami Aslam, Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and England's Ben Foakes are currently trying to replicate the heights they reached in youth cricket at the game's highest tier.

If they are unable to make their mark at this level, having been so impressive earlier in their careers, than they certainly won't be alone. Many players have had dazzling youth careers for their countries only to have lackluster international careers.

Then there are even those who were as talented as any in their youth, but ended up struggling to maintain their place in their domestic sides, often fading into obscurity on the stage many hoped they would be leading the way for their country.

This article looks at some of the most notable players who shone in Under-19 cricket, but were unable to make an impression for their senior sides.

#5 Theo Doropoulos (Australia)

Doropoulos showed glimpses of his skill at state level

For over 14 years Doropoulos held the record for the highest score by an Under-19 player. This was in February of 2003, when he announced himself to the cricketing world with a sensational innings of 179 against an England Under-19 attack that included Tim Bresnan and Liam Plunkett.

This innings is particularly impressive when it is considered that the Australian Under 19s only mustered 270 in their 50 overs, with no other batsman reaching 30.

Doropoulos was a powerful batting allrounder, not dissimilar to the aforementioned Mitchell Marsh. Like Marsh, Doropoulos came out of the West Australian cricket academy, who for the past few decades have consistently been producing international players for the senior side.

Yet Doropoulos would never play for the senior side, and his state career would only see him recreate glimpses of the brilliance he showed that day against England.

In one of his first List A games he made a 63-ball 75, including a six he hit into the top tier of the Gabba, off Michael Kasprowicz no less.

But Doropoulos would never make a domestic hundred, and by January 2013, hehad played his last game of domestic cricket. He was not yet thirty.

#4 Mansoor Amjad (Pakistan)

It is not a rare thing for cricketing fans to swoon over a young leg-spinner. Amjad was one such player who ignited this spark in fans. But it was more than just his action; Amjad had genuine quality.

Bob Woolmer saw it, and indeed many fans did as well. Amjad helped the Pakistan Under-19 side win the 2004 Under-19 World Cup. Amjad's bowling average of just 11.82 showed he was playing at a different level to his contemporaries. He was also a gifted batsman, who could make significant contributions down the order.

Amjad was fast-tracked to the national side, and his first international for Pakistan came when he was aged 20. He was also 20 years old when he last played for Pakistan, with just one T20 International and one ODI to his name.

Amjad's performances in these games were fine. In fact, in the T20 he took 3/3 in his only over.

But in the following years he was cruelly riddled by injuries, as he slowly drifted further and further from the selectors' minds.

Amjad is still a solid domestic cricketer today, but it is unlikely he will represent his country again.

#3 Sumit Sharma (India)

Jadeja made the leap to international cricket while Sharma did not

In February 2007, the India Under-19s routed the England Under-19s to win the HSBC Invitational Tri-Series, a tournament that also included the Sri Lanka Under-19s.

It was a gifted side that included the likes of Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma and Piyush Chawla, who captained the side.

Naturally, with Chawla and Jadeja, the Indian Under-19s had a strong spin attack. But their most exciting spinner was arguably Sumit Sharma.

Like Jadeja and Chawla, Sharma was a spinner who also contibuted with the bat. Sharma's off-breaks had been vital for the Under-19s, who he would average just 15.76 for.

Yet Sharma would never even play an official domestic match.

Over four years after his last game for the Under-19s, Sharma would take part in a handful of one day matches for Comptroller and Auditor General. In these games he would once more show the skill he possessed.

His 4/34 against India Cements included the wickets of Abhinav Mukund and Dinesh Karthik, but an official domestic debut still eluded him.

Now 31, Shama may have once thought he would be in his prime, playing a role for the senior side similar to the one Ravichandran Ashwin currently plays. Instead, his performances for the Under 19s remain his most notable.

#2 Billy Godleman (England)

Godleman looked destined to play for England from a young age

In September this year Godleman played an incredible innings against Middlesex in an attempt to rescue the game for Derbyshire.

His unbeaten 105 on a deteriorating wicket ended up amounting to half of his team's score, as they fell well short of their target.

This innings was a reminder of the quality Godleman possesses. A reminder that while he does captain English Second Division side Derbyshire, he has the potential to be much more.

From an early age Godleman looked destined to represent England at the highest level. He represented England at the Under-15, 16, 17, and 18 levels, before going on to average 54.69 for the England Under-19s.

Godleman was even give a county contract at the age of just 17. Yet things never fully worked out for him.

Godleman has still shown plenty of talent at domestic level. But his first class average of 31.94 is underwhelming.

Still only 29, he may have his best years ahead of him, and his recent form is indeed promising. Perhaps in the coming years the cricketing world will see the talent that dominated youth cricket just over a decade ago.

#1 Xavier Marshall (West Indies)

Xavier Marshall was a stylish and promising batsman

In the mid 2000s Xavier Marshall looked like the player West Indian cricket had been yearning for.

Over the years the West Indies had seen the number of talented batsmen coming through the ranks slowly lessen. Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Chris Gayle were formidable players, but there wasn't the depth the team had possessed in years gone by.

Then Marshall began to make rumbles at youth level. He averaged 50.36 for the Under 19s and played with the aggression and flair that the West Indies had become known for.

In 2005, while still a teenager, Marshall debuted for the ODI side. He only managed five, falling to a rampant Brett Lee, but the hype around him didn't die down.

That same year Marshall was name West Indies' Youth Cricketer of the Year. But later, in what proved to be a very eventful year for Marshall, he would be reported for bad behavior, and from there things failed to improve.

Marshall would play 37 games for the West Indies across the three formats, however he only averaged 20.25 in Test cricket, and lesser in the shorter formats.

His 157 in an ODI against Canada in 2008 gave hope that he would still fulfill his potential, but less than six months later he had played his last ODI for the West Indies.

Xavier Marshall now plays for the USA, but ducks in his last two outings show that the Xavier Marshall of the mid 2000s is now a distant memory.