Cricketers gear up for World Cup

THE Namibia Board XI under-19 team will have four preparation matches in South Africa early next year, before they head to Sri Lanka for the ICC Cricket World Cup starting early February.The side already played at two previous tournaments held in Sri Lanka and in New Zealand.

This time, Namibia made it to the event after winning the qualifiers in Benoni, South Africa, in August this year. They have been drawn in the same group as India, Sri Lanka and Scotland and are expected to face tough opposition.But before jetting off to Sri Lanka, the junior side have been invited to compete at the Xyper Select 16 Cricket Tournament in Potchefstroom from January 4 to 7.In their first match, the Namibia Board XI plays against the Kempton Park High School on the opening day, before taking on Marensky High School the following day.On January 6, the side engages Dr EG Jansen High School, before they conclude their tour against Klerksdorp High School on January 8.According to team manager Jacques Freyer, the side will play further warm-up matches in Sri Lanka before their World Cup campaign kicks off on February 5.The team leaves for Sri Lanka on January 23 to further prepare for the event.He said they will play warm-up matches against Nepal, Zimbabwe and Asia, but will also have a few matches in that country before those three encounters.Namibia’s senior cricket side will not compete at the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, after failing to qualify during their matches in Ireland earlier this year.The Namibian senior team played in their first World Cup in South Africa in 2003 and lost all their matches but gave good performances, especially against India and England.Namibia has been host to a number of high-profile test-playing nations before and after the 2003 World Cup, among others England, New Zealand, Pakistan A and Bangladesh.Namibia have also played Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya and a host of South Africa provincial sides in their attempt to gain more experience on the top level, as the side that went to the World Cup was very young compared to most of the other participating countries.Some of the Namibian cricketers have been snapped up by clubs in Europe, while some are doing duty for their educational institutions, especially in South Africa.Namibia’s under-17 side recently completed a hat-trick of wins against the visiting Zimbabwe side in a series which also included the two countries’ under-15 and under-13 sides.The under-13 side lost two matches and won one, while the under-15s lost all three their matches.The Namibian team to the World Cup is as follows: ST Ackermann (capt), Jason Bandlow, Dawid Botha, Morné Engelbrecht, Peter Grové, Andrew Louw, Floris Marx, Hendrik Marx, Mark Olivier, Henno Prinsloo, Nicolaas Scholtz (v/capt), Ewald Steenkamp, Kiedy Strauss, LP van der Westhuizen, Andy Waller (Coach) and J Fryer (Manager).They have been drawn in the same group as India, Sri Lanka and Scotland and are expected to face tough opposition.But before jetting off to Sri Lanka, the junior side have been invited to compete at the Xyper Select 16 Cricket Tournament in Potchefstroom from January 4 to 7.In their first match, the Namibia Board XI plays against the Kempton Park High School on the opening day, before taking on Marensky High School the following day.On January 6, the side engages Dr EG Jansen High School, before they conclude their tour against Klerksdorp High School on January 8.According to team manager Jacques Freyer, the side will play further warm-up matches in Sri Lanka before their World Cup campaign kicks off on February 5.The team leaves for Sri Lanka on January 23 to further prepare for the event.He said they will play warm-up matches against Nepal, Zimbabwe and Asia, but will also have a few matches in that country before those three encounters.Namibia’s senior cricket side will not compete at the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, after failing to qualify during their matches in Ireland earlier this year.The Namibian senior team played in their first World Cup in South Africa in 2003 and lost all their matches but gave good performances, especially against India and England.Namibia has been host to a number of high-profile test-playing nations before and after the 2003 World Cup, among others England, New Zealand, Pakistan A and Bangladesh.Namibia have also played Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya and a host of South Africa provincial sides in their attempt to gain more experience on the top level, as the side that went to the World Cup was very young compared to most of the other participating countries.Some of the Namibian cricketers have been snapped up by clubs in Europe, while some are doing duty for their educational institutions, especially in South Africa.Namibia’s under-17 side recently completed a hat-trick of wins against the visiting Zimbabwe side in a series which also included the two countries’ under-15 and under-13 sides.The under-13 side lost two matches and won one, while the under-15s lost all three their matches.The Namibian team to the World Cup is as follows: ST Ackermann (capt), Jason Bandlow, Dawid Botha, Morné Engelbrecht, Peter Grové, Andrew Louw, Floris Marx, Hendrik Marx, Mark Olivier, Henno Prinsloo, Nicolaas Scholtz (v/capt), Ewald Steenkamp, Kiedy Strauss, LP van der Westhuizen, Andy Waller (Coach) and J Fryer (Manager).