Windhoek
Namibia’s cricket team lost their opening game of this year’s Sunfoil 3-dayer first class series but defeated the same opponents in their first List A match of the CSA provisional 50 Over challenge, in Windhoek, last weekend.
Led by captain Stephen Baard, the hosts went on the offence during the first innings of their Sun-foil match after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Xander Pitchers and Baard got off to a good start with their partnership racking up a solid 75 runs.
The rest of the batting order, with the exception of Raymond van Schoor’s 43 and Zane Green’s 54 – could not quite achieve the required results with Namibia being restricted 225 runs after 67.3 overs all out. Zakhele Qwabe did most of the damage for Boland with 4 wickets.
In their first inning, the South African visitors amassed 256 Runs after 73.3 overs all out, hugely thanks to Simon Khomari who recorded an incredible 77 runs with Michael Loubser, adding a total of 51 runs.
Bernard Scholtz, the best bowler during the recent Pepsi ICC T20 World cup qualifiers, once again underlined his superb skills by taking a massive five wickets. Namibia’s second inning proved to be even harder as the team could only managed 203 runs after 66.3 overs all out, 68 of these runs came curtsey of JP Kotze.
Boland had Grant Edmeades to thank for their exploits after he took no less than six wickets during the course of the innings. With 173 runs left to chase in their second inning, the Boland players stepped up to the plate, needing only 37 overs and 2 wickets to record an 8 wicket win at the Affies Park Stadium, in Windhoek.
Despite the loss, the hosts were determined to bounce back on Sunday during the two teams first List A match of the CSA provisional 50 Over challenge game at Wanderers.
Skipper Baard once again led the attack alongside Gerrie Snyman and the pair’s partnership amassed an incredible 101 runs before both were dismissed, but still giving the rest of the batting order huge confidence.
Sarel Burger and JJ Smit added 22 and 30 runs respectively to help gain a total of 182 runs after 46.2 overs all out. Boland, on the other hand, struggled to get runs on the board from the very beginning.
Keegan Petersen, third in order, did get 39 runs to calm his teams nerves but he was let down by the rest of the team, with only Ferisco Adams being able to accumulate more than 30 runs. The guests were eventually restricted to 153 runs, giving Namibia a 29 run win. Gerrie Snyman was Namibia’s standout bowler with four wickets.
A historical cricket event will be taking place at the coast this week when Namibia take on SWD from South Africa in their second Sun foil 3-Day match from October 15-17, followed by a T20 Match on October 18.
It will be the first time the men’s senior side will play outside Windhoek. The matches are scheduled to take place on the Sparta Cricket Field in Walvis Bay. The Namibia Squad going to the coast, will include coastal born players; Zhivago Groenewald, JJ Smit, Christopher Coombe and Ricardo Strauss.
Team Namibia
1. Steven Baard (capt)
2. Xander Pitchers
3. Michau de Preez
4. Helao ya France
5. Raymond van Schoor
6. JP Kotze
7. Sarel Burger
8. Zane Green
9. JJ Smit
10. Bernard Scholtz
11. Christopher Coombe
12. Niko Davin
13. Zhivago Groenewald
14. Ricardo Strauss
15. Gerrie Snyman
Team SWD
1. Waldo Lategan (Capt)
2. Luthando Mnyanda
3. Neil Hornbuckle
4. Sammy-Joe Avontuur
5. Brendon Louw
6. Erinn Ewerts
7. Marcello Piedt
8. Siyabonga Booi
9. Siya Simetu
10. Lyndon Volkwyn
11. Gurshwin Rabie
12. Nelson Setimani
13. Hanno Kotze