Namibia won the tournament (its fifth overall, and third consecutive) on points from Uganda, thus qualifying directly for the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. As runner-up, Uganda qualified for the 2015 Under-19 World Cup Qualifier, along with runners-up at other regional tournaments, with the winner of the World Cup Qualifier securing the final place at the World Cup.[1] Two African under-19 sides, South Africa and Zimbabwe, are ICC full members, and thus qualify directly for the World Cup.
The tournament was the sixth edition of the ICC Africa Under-19 Championships, and the first to be held in Tanzania. It was originally scheduled to be played in Namibia in December 2014, but was postponed and then relocated by the African Cricket Association, only a month before the tournament's scheduled start. Matches at the tournament were televised live on Azam TV, an East African satellite provider.[2]
Teams and qualification
The top five teams at the eight-team 2013 Division One tournament qualified directly for the 2015 Division One tournament.[3] The three bottom teams (Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia) were relegated to the 2014 ICC Africa Under-19 Championship Division Two tournament. Tanzania were undefeated at the tournament, and consequently returned to Division One.[4]
Teams at the 2015 ICC Africa Under-19 Championship (Division One) Teams automatically qualified for the 2016 World Cup (ICC full members)
Botswana, coached by Obert Musiyamhanje, held two separate training camps, one in the north of the country, in Francistown, and another in the south, in the capital Gaborone. At least three of the players named in the 24-man squad for the championship have already represented the Botswanan senior side.[5]
Four teams – Kenya A, Kenya B, Tanzania, and Uganda – played a series of friendly matches in December 2014, in Nairobi, Kenya.[2] Tanzania, coached by a former captain of the senior national side, Hamisi Abdallah, subsequently participated in a two-month training camp at the Muhimbili Cricket Academy in Dar es Salaam.[6] The Kenyan side, coached by former ODI player Thomas Odoyo, held a training camp at the Sir Ali Muslim Club Ground, Nairobi, in early February 2015.[1]
Namibia, the winner of the 2013 tournament, prepared for the 2015 edition by playing a three-match one-day series against Zimbabwe. The matches were played in Harare in early February 2015, all at the Old Hararians ground.[7] Coached by Zimbabwean Norbert Manyande, Namibia had early undertaken a brief two-day training camp at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek.[8] Their squad includes at least two players from the previous 2014 World Cup.[9]
Fixtures
Matches were played at the Annadil Burhani, University of Dar es Salaam and Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club grounds.[10]
