NAMIBIA and Free State drew their Sunfoil 3 Day Cup match at the Wanderers field on Saturday, with star all rounders Sarel Burger and Craig Williams both playing their final three-day match for Namibia.
Captain Burger and vice captain Williams announced their retirement before the match, with Sunday’s CSA One Day Challenge against Free State to be both players’ final match for Namibia.
Saturday’s result leaves both teams well placed at the top of Pool B with Namibia leading on 153,68 points, although second-placed Free State on 122,88 have three matches in hand.
Free State scored 369 in their first innings while Namibia replied with 355 all out. Free State reached 132 for three wickets in their second innings when the match was called off as a draw.
Andries Gous was the mainstay of Free State’s first innings, scoring his highest first class of 132 off 148 balls which included three sixes and 15 fours.
There were also good contributions from Karabo Mogotsi (52), Romano Terblanche (43) and Tshepo Ntuli (39 not out) as Free State reached a competitive total of 369.
Bernard Scholtz was Namibia’s best bowler taking four wickets for 97 runs off 33,1 overs, while JJ Smit took 2/34 off 11 and Craig Williams 2/46 off 13 overs.
Namibia’s reply got off to a strong start as Stephen Baard and Lohan Louwrens shared a century stand for the opening wicket.
Baard was first to go for 58 (6×4) and when Louwrens (57) and Craig Williams (5) followed in quick succession Namibia stood at 146 for three wickets.
Jan Frylinck added a rapid 50 off 66 balls (5×4, 1×6) but Namibia regularly lost wickets and when Danie van Schoor was out for five, with the total at 262 for nine wickets, they were still more than 100 runs behind Free State.
JJ Smit and Bernard Scholtz however revived Namibia’s fortunes with a great 93-run partnership for the 10th wicket. Smit was eventually last man out for 77 off 114 balls (6×6, 1×4), while Scholtz remained not out on 32 as Namibia were all out for 355.
Tshepo Ntuli was Free State’s top bowler, taking five wickets for 112 runs off 40,1 overs, while Patrick Botha took 3/58 off 24 overs.
In Free State’s second innings, Sarel Burger dismissed Mogotsi for 15, but Paballo Mogoera steered Free State to safety. He was eventually not out on 63, while Pite van Biljon added 25 and Andries Gous 20 as Free State reached 132 for three wickets when the match was called off.
Neither Burger or Williams made a big contribution against Free State, but their contribution to Namibian cricket over more than a decade has been immense.
Burger first represented Namibia in 2003, going on to play at the 2003 Cricket World Cup – the only World Cup that Namibia has qualified for so far.
Since then he has gone on to represent Namibia in 275 matches in total, scoring 6 554 runs at an average of 23,49, with a top score of 135.
He also took a total of 341 wickets with a best performance of 6/60.
Williams made his debut for Namibia in 2007 and has gone on to represent his country in 302 matches in total.
He scored a total of 12 149 runs at an overall average of 35,83, while he scored 24 centuries with a top score of 184.
He also excelled as a bowler, taking 230 wickets with a best performance of 6/37.
The CEO of Cricket Nambia, Peter Forster, paid tribute to both players in a press release issued on Friday.
“On behalf of the Cricket Namibia, the board and the whole cricketing community, I would like to express my appreciation and respect to Sarel and Craig who have contributed so much and for so long to our national cricket side as well as to cricket overall in Namibia. Their contributions have been immense and both will be hugely missed.
