Windhoek
Namibia’s national cricket team got their campaign off to a good start at this year’s International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Intercontinental Cup against Hong Kong.
The hosts posted 268 runs after 96 Overs with 6 wickets on the first day of the two teams’ four-day match today. The Intercontinental Cup is the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) four-day, first-class competition for the leading Associate and Affiliate Members (AMs).
Namibia won the toss and elected to bat first. Hong Kong started off with a great spell of bowling up front, getting rid of both Xander Pitchers and Stephen Baard cheaply, with both batsmen being caught behind.
Senior batsmen Raymond van Schoor and Gerhard Erasmus resurrected the innings with both taking the score to 113/2 at the lunch break.
After the lunch break, the hosts came back strongly, dispatching Erasmus for 49 runs when he played a loose shot going for a wide ball. However, Van Schoor carried on to make his 50 before being given out lbw for 52 while JP Kotze did not last long, as he played the ball straight to the midwicket fielder.
Former captain Sarel Burger was joined by his successor Nikolaas Scholtz and the pair immediately started the rebuilding process.
Both batsmen reached their 50s, battling hard against some good tight bowling from the hosts. Sarel Burger was unlucky to be caught behind to a ball that appeared to bounce short of the fielder for 52, but fortunately, thanks to a brilliant knock from the skipper, Namibia were able to finish on a strong 268/6.
Scholtz finished on an unbeaten 83 and is currently with JJ Smit, who is on 4 not-out. The match was well balanced, and promises to produce more fireworks on day 2 today.