Eagles out of T20 final

The Namibia Richelieu Eagles failed to qualify for their T20 tri-nations final in Nepal, after their final match against the Netherlands was abandoned due to rain. 

Namibia had to post a convincing victory against The Netherlands to have any chance of reaching the final, but even without the rain intervention, their performance was not up to standard as they struggled to 98 for four wickets off 15 overs before the rains came. 

With Nepal beating The Netherlands by six wickets on Saturday, the hosts booked their place in the final on four points, while yesterday’s draw saw The Netherlands going to the top of the log on five points to join them, while Namibia finished bottom of the log on three points. 

After being sent in to bat, Namibia got off to a positive start as JP Kotze and Malan Kruger put on 30 runs at more than seven to the over. 

Especially Kruger was in fine form, scoring 24 off 18 balls (4×4, 1×6), before he was bowled by Roelof van der Merwe, but Kotze (6)and Jan Frylinck (5) both went cheaply as Namibia collapsed to 35/3. 

Captain JJ Smit and Nicol Loftie-Eaton led a brief revival, before Smit was dismissed for 18, while Zane Green joined Green in a 38-run stand as they took the total to 98/4 with five overs remaining when the rain put an end to the contest. 

Loftie-Eaton remained not out on 34 off 29 balls (2×4, 2×6), while Green was on 11 not out. 

Nepal and The Netherlands will contest the T20 series final in Kirtipur tomorrow, while Namibia departs. Namibia, however, will compete at the Africa Games starting in Accra, Ghana on 8 March, with most of the players in the Nepal squad also due to compete in Accra.