While only three countries will be taking part in this year's European Under-17 Division 2 tournament at the Svanholm ground in Copenhagen, it promises to be a keenly-contested competition.

Hosts Denmark will have the edge in experience as well as home advantage, eight of their squad having been in the side which took part in the 2010 Under-15 Division 1 tournament, before the Danish federation opted to develop their players through Division 2 competition.

The side will be led by Adeel Akhtar, while two of their key bowlers may again be Mads Nyeng, the leading wicket-taker in the Netherlands two years ago, and Mati Malik. Newcomers will include Saif Ali Ahmed, at 14 the youngest player in the tournament.

Among the batsmen, Malik and keeper Mads Rasmussen were among the more successful players at under-15 level, and the Danes will be hoping that they are able to score prolifically this time.

The Isle of Man will also bring an experienced side, including six of the squad which reached the final of the Under-15 Division 2 tournament in Italy in 2009.

That group includes skipper Rowan Bird, and a solid attack comprising Matthew Ansell, Andrew Vels, Sebastian Aycock and Sam Kebbell.

The unknown quantity in the tournament will be Italy, whose entire squad will be new to European competition.

It includes five players from the Venezia club, who have been Italy's under-15 champions for the past three seasons: Munna Ahammed, Afjal Ali, Asif Ali, Imran Khan, and Shamim Molla Mohamed, while skipper Abdullah Al Noman Chowdhury plays for Bologna.

The tournament will feature two different formats, with the sides meeting each other in a 50-over round robin competition before concluding with a trio of Twenty20 games on the final day. It is a tightly-packed schedule, and the organisers, officials and players will all be hoping that the event is favoured with good weather.