SPORT -
| 2013-07-31Namibia ready for Afghans
Helge Schutz
OPENING BOWLER ... Christi Viljoen will lead Namibia’s bowling attack against Afghanistan.
Photograph by Helge Schutz
NAMIBIA’S national cricket team returns to action when they take on Afghanistan in an ICC Intercontinental Cup match starting tomorrow at the Wanderers Ground in Windhoek.
It will be Namibia’s first match since they won a Four Nations Tournament in April but coach Doug Watson said they were ready for the challenge.
“We have had a good pre-season training camp and had a warm-up match last weekend. Not all our players were here - Jason Davidson for instance is training with the Chevrolet Warriors Academy in South Africa, but they should all be fit and ready for the match,” he said.
Namibia’s top pace bowler over the past few years, Louis Klazinga will miss the match due to an elbow injury, but Watson said it would give other players a chance to perform.
“Louis could not be considered due to an elbow injury. He went to see a specialist in Cape Town and we hope he will be back soon. It’s a setback to lose someone of his experience while he is also a central figure and dominant performer in the team. But this will allow Jason Davidson to play a bigger role and we’ll see what he can do,” Watson said.
The team is largely the same as that of three months ago, although Under 19 all-rounder MP Delport, who represented Namibia at the African Junior World Cup Qualifier earlier this year has been called up, as has fellow U19 bowler JJ Smit.
Pikky Ya France and Xander Pitchers will open the batting while the top order includes proven performers like Craig Williams, captain Sarel Burger, Raymond van Schoor and Nicolaas Scholtz.
Viljoen and Davidson will lead the bowling attack which includes seamers Sarel Burger and Craig Williams and spinners Bernard Scholtz and MP Delport. LP van der Westhuizen was not available for the Intercontinental Cup due to work commitments but he will replace JP Kotze for next week’s two 50-over World Cricket League matches.
“It is a well balanced side with six seam bowlers, two spinners and a strong batting lineup down to Christi Viljoen at number eight,” Watson said.
Watson said Afghanistan were a good side but he was confident that Namibia would do well.
“They are a good team and right up there in both the Intercontinental Cup and the One Day competition. They have a decent bowling attack and attacking batsmen. But we need to focus on our strengths and game plan and if we stick to the basics we can win,” he said.
But Namibia will face a strong opponent in Afghanistan who have improved tremendously over the past few years.
In 2008 they were still competing in Division Five of the World Cricket League, but a year later they were already competing in the World Cup qualifiers and also won their first Intercontinental Cup title.
Since then they qualified for both the 2010 and 2012 T20 World Cups and last month the ICC granted it Associate member status which will translate into additional funding and exposure.
Afghanistan and Namibia are currently third and fourth on the eight-nation ICC Intercontinental Cup log, and since both have a match in hand, they are both in a strong position to make the final.
Ireland who lead the log on 96 points are virtually assured of making the final, but whoever wins between Afghanistan (on 64 points) and Namibia (on 57) will overtake second placed Scotland, who are on 66 points. With only a match remaining in the series, the winner will be in a good position to make the final.
Ireland also leads the 50-over World Cricket League Championships where the top two countries will qualify for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Ireland secured the first qualifying spot when they drew against the Netherlands last month but the second position is still wide open with the Netherlands, Scotland and Afghanistan all still in the running.
Namibia has only won two matches in the limited overs competition and is out of the running for a direct spot at the 2015 World Cup, although they will still compete at next year’s final qualifying competition in New Zealand. The Namibian team is made up of: Zander Pitchers, Pikky Ya France, Stephen Baard, Craig Williams, Sarel Burger (captain), Raymond van Schoor (wicket keeper), Nicolaas Scholtz, Christi Viljoen, Bernard Scholtz, Jason Davidson, MP Delport, JJ Smit, Gerhard Erasmus, JP Kotze.
LP van der Westhuizen will replace JP Kotze for the One Day matches.
Swimmers off to good start in Barcelona
• Helge Schütz
NAMIBIA’S two competitors at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Daniela Lindemeier and Zandre Oberholzer both set Namibian records in their opening events on Monday.
Lindemeier came third in her 100m breaststroke heat in a time of one minute 12,6 seconds which was more than a second faster than her previous record of 1:13,48. The 21-year-old Lindemeier also finished 44th out of 60 swimmers overall.
Oberholzer, who is still only 14, took more than two seconds off her previous national record of 1:05,94, when she came fourth in her backstroke heat in 1:03,36. She finished 34th overall out of 50 swimmers. Lindemeier is the current Namibian short course record holder of all the breaststroke disciplines from 50m to 200m and in long course for the 100m and 200m breaststroke. Oberholzer is the current Namibian short and long course record holder of all the backstroke disciplines from 50m to 200m.
The two swimmers have been training under the watchful and experienced eye of coach Ryan Skinner and have been in good form of late.
The feisty Lindemeier broke the Open 200m butterfly record on July 20 at the local NASU Short Course Gala with a time of 2:27,25 to underline her status as one of Namibia’s best swimmers.
Oberholzer was also in fine form at the same event as she set a new Namibian Open as well as 13/14 year record in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:16,75.
Oberholzer has also qualified for the World Junior Championships to be held in Dubai from the August 24 and has already posted an A qualifying time for the Junior World Olympics.
The two swimmers are being accompanied by Skinner as coach and the Namibian Swimming Union president, Bettina Steffen.
Lindemeier’s next race is tomorrow in the 200m breaststroke while Oberholzer’s next race is on Friday in the 200m backstroke.
“We have had a good pre-season training camp and had a warm-up match last weekend. Not all our players were here - Jason Davidson for instance is training with the Chevrolet Warriors Academy in South Africa, but they should all be fit and ready for the match,” he said.
Namibia’s top pace bowler over the past few years, Louis Klazinga will miss the match due to an elbow injury, but Watson said it would give other players a chance to perform.
“Louis could not be considered due to an elbow injury. He went to see a specialist in Cape Town and we hope he will be back soon. It’s a setback to lose someone of his experience while he is also a central figure and dominant performer in the team. But this will allow Jason Davidson to play a bigger role and we’ll see what he can do,” Watson said.
The team is largely the same as that of three months ago, although Under 19 all-rounder MP Delport, who represented Namibia at the African Junior World Cup Qualifier earlier this year has been called up, as has fellow U19 bowler JJ Smit.
Pikky Ya France and Xander Pitchers will open the batting while the top order includes proven performers like Craig Williams, captain Sarel Burger, Raymond van Schoor and Nicolaas Scholtz.
Viljoen and Davidson will lead the bowling attack which includes seamers Sarel Burger and Craig Williams and spinners Bernard Scholtz and MP Delport. LP van der Westhuizen was not available for the Intercontinental Cup due to work commitments but he will replace JP Kotze for next week’s two 50-over World Cricket League matches.
“It is a well balanced side with six seam bowlers, two spinners and a strong batting lineup down to Christi Viljoen at number eight,” Watson said.
Watson said Afghanistan were a good side but he was confident that Namibia would do well.
“They are a good team and right up there in both the Intercontinental Cup and the One Day competition. They have a decent bowling attack and attacking batsmen. But we need to focus on our strengths and game plan and if we stick to the basics we can win,” he said.
But Namibia will face a strong opponent in Afghanistan who have improved tremendously over the past few years.
In 2008 they were still competing in Division Five of the World Cricket League, but a year later they were already competing in the World Cup qualifiers and also won their first Intercontinental Cup title.
Since then they qualified for both the 2010 and 2012 T20 World Cups and last month the ICC granted it Associate member status which will translate into additional funding and exposure.
Afghanistan and Namibia are currently third and fourth on the eight-nation ICC Intercontinental Cup log, and since both have a match in hand, they are both in a strong position to make the final.
Ireland who lead the log on 96 points are virtually assured of making the final, but whoever wins between Afghanistan (on 64 points) and Namibia (on 57) will overtake second placed Scotland, who are on 66 points. With only a match remaining in the series, the winner will be in a good position to make the final.
Ireland also leads the 50-over World Cricket League Championships where the top two countries will qualify for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Ireland secured the first qualifying spot when they drew against the Netherlands last month but the second position is still wide open with the Netherlands, Scotland and Afghanistan all still in the running.
Namibia has only won two matches in the limited overs competition and is out of the running for a direct spot at the 2015 World Cup, although they will still compete at next year’s final qualifying competition in New Zealand. The Namibian team is made up of: Zander Pitchers, Pikky Ya France, Stephen Baard, Craig Williams, Sarel Burger (captain), Raymond van Schoor (wicket keeper), Nicolaas Scholtz, Christi Viljoen, Bernard Scholtz, Jason Davidson, MP Delport, JJ Smit, Gerhard Erasmus, JP Kotze.
LP van der Westhuizen will replace JP Kotze for the One Day matches.
Swimmers off to good start in Barcelona
• Helge Schütz
NAMIBIA’S two competitors at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Daniela Lindemeier and Zandre Oberholzer both set Namibian records in their opening events on Monday.
Lindemeier came third in her 100m breaststroke heat in a time of one minute 12,6 seconds which was more than a second faster than her previous record of 1:13,48. The 21-year-old Lindemeier also finished 44th out of 60 swimmers overall.
Oberholzer, who is still only 14, took more than two seconds off her previous national record of 1:05,94, when she came fourth in her backstroke heat in 1:03,36. She finished 34th overall out of 50 swimmers. Lindemeier is the current Namibian short course record holder of all the breaststroke disciplines from 50m to 200m and in long course for the 100m and 200m breaststroke. Oberholzer is the current Namibian short and long course record holder of all the backstroke disciplines from 50m to 200m.
The two swimmers have been training under the watchful and experienced eye of coach Ryan Skinner and have been in good form of late.
The feisty Lindemeier broke the Open 200m butterfly record on July 20 at the local NASU Short Course Gala with a time of 2:27,25 to underline her status as one of Namibia’s best swimmers.
Oberholzer was also in fine form at the same event as she set a new Namibian Open as well as 13/14 year record in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:16,75.
Oberholzer has also qualified for the World Junior Championships to be held in Dubai from the August 24 and has already posted an A qualifying time for the Junior World Olympics.
The two swimmers are being accompanied by Skinner as coach and the Namibian Swimming Union president, Bettina Steffen.
Lindemeier’s next race is tomorrow in the 200m breaststroke while Oberholzer’s next race is on Friday in the 200m backstroke.
Comments
