GUYANA’S international umpire Nigel Duguid has been chosen by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as one of its match officials for the upcoming ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to get underway in South Africa from January 17.

It marks the third consecutive World Cup appearance for Duguid who also stood in the 2016 and 2018 tournaments in Bangladesh and New Zealand respectively.

Duguid joins Barbadian Leslie Reifer as the other regional umpire on the international panel which includes Roland Black, Ahmad Shah Pakteen, Sam Nogajski, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Ian Gould, Wayne Knights, Rashid Riaz Waqar, Anil Chaudhary, Patrick Bongani Jele, Iknow Chabi, Ravindra Wimalasiri, Masudur Rahman Mukul, Asif Yaqoob and  Adrian Holdstock

The former Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) left-arm spinner who gave up playing for an umpiring career in 2010, was appointed to the ICC TV Umpires panel the following year and has been officiating in regional matches ever since.

Duguid officiated in his first T20 International, featuring West Indies and Ireland on February 21, 2014 and has done 17 matches to date. He also stood in his first One Day International (ODI) on March 5, 2017 when West Indies opposed England.

His last ODI stint was on August 8 last year when West Indies hosted India at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. He is also among the umpires in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Duguid also had a stint in the English cricket season in 2012 after doing duties in the Bangladesh ‘A’ team tour of the Caribbean the previous year.

Experienced umpires Knights of New Zealand and Sri Lanka’s Wimalasiri will take charge of the opening match featuring hosts South Africa and Afghanistan in the Kimberley on January 17.

Waqar will be the TV umpire for the first of 48 games in the tournament, with a 19-strong team of match officials confirmed by the ICC.

Among those taking charge will be veteran Ian Gould, whose esteemed senior international career came to an end when he retired during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 on home soil.

The Englishman will join forces with Pakteen when India get the defence of their title underway against Sri Lanka in Bloemfontein, one of five group-stage matches he will officiate as on-field umpire.

In all, 16 umpires from 12 different countries will be on the field for five matches each in the first stage of the U-19 World Cup, with eight also performing the role of TV umpire.

The list includes five umpires who looked after the 2019 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier late last year, including Nogajski – who was on duty for the final between Papua New Guinea and Netherlands.

The Australian will take the reins for a historic occasion, with Japan playing their very first match against New Zealand in Potchefstroom. Chabi of Zimbabwe will join Nogajski out in the middle.

Nigeria will become the 31st different team to take part in the event when they face Australia, the second-most successful side since the competition first began in 1988 as the Youth Cricket World Cup. Bangladesh umpire Mukul and Duguid will be raising their finger in that match, on January 20 in Kimberley.

The pool stages will also see an Ashes rivalry revisited at Youth level, with Holdstock and Yaqoob in the middle for Australia’s clash with England, also at Kimberley, three days later.

The 16 umpires will be joined by three match referees for the duration of the tournament, with former Sri Lanka international Graeme Labrooy officiating alongside home official Shaid Wadvalla and England’s Phil Whitticase.

ICC Senior Manager – Umpires and Referees, Adrian Griffith: ‘The U-19 Cricket World Cup is a very important event in our calendar as it brings together the world’s most promising young players in a major ICC tournament, giving them the experience of competing on the global stage.

“We are committed to appointing the finest officials available and I have every confidence in the team travelling to South Africa for the U-19 Cricket World Cup that they will do a fine job. I wish them all the best.”

Umpire and match referee appointments for the knockout stages will be announced after the teams have been confirmed. The appointments for the Plate and Super League final will be finalised after the semi-finals. (Additional reporting from ICC Online Media Zone)