Namibia ready for Kenya

By: HELGE SCHUTZ

NAMIBIA’S cricket team is well prepared for this weekend’s ICC Intercontinental Cup match and next week’s two 50-over matches against Kenya and will be going full out for a win against their African rivals. According to Cricket Namibia CEO Graham MacMillan the team has been in camp for a week while the players are in top shape.

“The preparation has gone really well. Most of the guys have already played two weeks of club cricket while we had a Namibia A versus B practise match last weekend so we are ready for Kenya,” he said. 

There is one change to the Namibian squad with national Under-19 captain Stephan Baard ruled out due to an injured shoulder. Fellow U19 batsman Gerhard Erasmus will replace him for the four-day match while another U19 player Jason Davidson comes in for the 50-over matches. 

The Namibian selectors earlier this month named quite a young team with three national Under-19 players Stephan Baard, Wian van Vuuren and Jason Davidson called up to the senior squad. 

Baard however has been ruled our after injuring his shoulder and will be replaced by another Under-19 player Gerhard Erasmus for the four-day match. 

All rounder Sarel Burger will lead the team that seems to be well balanced and has depth in the batting as well as bowling departments. 

Burger, Raymond van Schoor, Pikkie Ya France, Craig Williams, LP van der Westhuizen, Gerrie Snyman and Christi Viljoen will lead the run charge, while Louis Klazinga, Christi Viljoen, Burger and Jason Davidson will lead the seam attack. 

Then there are still several spinners like LP van der Westhuizen, Nicollas Scholtz, Barend Scholtz, Ian Oppermann and Pikky Ya France that can be called upon. 

Namibia will have to beat Kenya if they want to have any hope of making an impact in the ICC Intercontinental Cup tournament. 

Namibia are currently third last amongst the eight teams on 23 points, while Kenya are second last on 22 points. Both teams however have a match in hand on the other teams and if Namibia can collect a maximum 20 points from the match they will close in on second-placed Scotland (46 points) and third-placed Afghanistan (44 points). Ireland have built up a big lead at the top of the log with 67 points. 

The ICC Intercontinental Cup match starts tomorrow at 10h00 at the United field and continues through to Tuesday. The two 50-over matches take place at the same venue on October 4 and 6. 

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