Gauteng crushed Namibia by an innings and 103 runs in the SAA Challenge match in Johannesburg over the weekend.
Namibia were under pressure from the start when Gauteng built up a huge total of 422 for eight wickets declared in their first innings. Namibia’s batsmen could not respond and were all out for 183 in their first innings, still 239 runs behind, and Gauteng immediately enforced the follow on.Namibia fared even worse in their second innings as they were skittled out for 136 to give Gauteng an easy victory.Gauteng received 21,44 bonus points to go second on the log on 74,98 points, behind Griqualand West who are on 88,54.Namibia received 6,66 points to move up to seventh position on 37,42 points.Free State are now eighth and last on the log on 35,66 points.Namibia had to field a depleted side as several of their leading players were not available due to work commitments.Opening batsman JB Burger, all rounders Louis Burger and Sarel Burger and pace bowler Kola Burger were all unavailable.In their absence, the selectors called up 21-year old opening batsman Pieter Grove, who made his first class debut for Namibia, and seam bowler Rudi Scholtz and wicket keeper Hugo Ludik who both returned to the team after an absence of more than a year.Gauteng won the toss and elected to bat and their decision paid handsome dividends.Their openers Jean Symes and William Motaung put on a century stand before Symes was out for 61, caught by Gerrie Snyman off Craig Williams’ bowling.Motaung was out for 73 but the runs kept flowing as their middle-order batsmen all made good contributions.Warren Swan scored 61, Dane Vilas 71 and Heinrich le Roux top-scored with 82 as Gauteng declared at 422/8 after their allotted 85 overs.Craig Williams was Namibia’s best bowler, taking 2/81 off 21 overs, while Louis Klazinga, Rudi Scholtz, Michael Du Randt and Nicolaas Scholtz each took one wicket.Namibia’s batsmen struggled from the start and the openers Pieter Grove (13) and Gerhard Rudolph (9) were dismissed cheaply.Michael Durant (28) and Gerrie Snyman (22) put on 39 runs for the third wicket but Gauteng rocked Namibia with three wickets in three overs to leave Namibia reeling at 87/5.Nicolaas Scholtz scored 23, but Craig Williams (0), Hugo Ludik (4) and Wilbur Slabber (5) all failed with the bat.Ian van Zyl scored a courageous 50 and received valuable support from Louis Klazinga (10) at the tail as Namibia were all out for 183 runs.B Mathebula (3/32) and Jean Symes (2/25) were Gauteng’s best bowlers.Namibia’s second innings started off disastrously as both openers, Grove and Rudolph were dismissed for ducks.When Snyman was out for one, Namibia had three wickets down for only on run on the board.Michael Du Rand added 16, Craig Williams 32 and Hugo Ludik 39, while Klazinga was 10 not out at the end as Namibia were all out for 136 to give Gauteng a comfortable victory.www.namibiasport.com.naNamibia’s batsmen could not respond and were all out for 183 in their first innings, still 239 runs behind, and Gauteng immediately enforced the follow on.Namibia fared even worse in their second innings as they were skittled out for 136 to give Gauteng an easy victory.Gauteng received 21,44 bonus points to go second on the log on 74,98 points, behind Griqualand West who are on 88,54.Namibia received 6,66 points to move up to seventh position on 37,42 points.Free State are now eighth and last on the log on 35,66 points.Namibia had to field a depleted side as several of their leading players were not available due to work commitments.Opening batsman JB Burger, all rounders Louis Burger and Sarel Burger and pace bowler Kola Burger were all unavailable.In their absence, the selectors called up 21-year old opening batsman Pieter Grove, who made his first class debut for Namibia, and seam bowler Rudi Scholtz and wicket keeper Hugo Ludik who both returned to the team after an absence of more than a year.Gauteng won the toss and elected to bat and their decision paid handsome dividends.Their openers Jean Symes and William Motaung put on a century stand before Symes was out for 61, caught by Gerrie Snyman off Craig Williams’ bowling.Motaung was out for 73 but the runs kept flowing as their middle-order batsmen all made good contributions.Warren Swan scored 61, Dane Vilas 71 and Heinrich le Roux top-scored with 82 as Gauteng declared at 422/8 after their allotted 85 overs.Craig Williams was Namibia’s best bowler, taking 2/81 off 21 overs, while Louis Klazinga, Rudi Scholtz, Michael Du Randt and Nicolaas Scholtz each took one wicket.Namibia’s batsmen struggled from the start and the openers Pieter Grove (13) and Gerhard Rudolph (9) were dismissed cheaply.Michael Durant (28) and Gerrie Snyman (22) put on 39 runs for the third wicket but Gauteng rocked Namibia with three wickets in three overs to leave Namibia reeling at 87/5.Nicolaas Scholtz scored 23, but Craig Williams (0), Hugo Ludik (4) and Wilbur Slabber (5) all failed with the bat.Ian van Zyl scored a courageous 50 and received valuable support from Louis Klazinga (10) at the tail as Namibia were all out for 183 runs.B Mathebula (3/32) and Jean Symes (2/25) were Gauteng’s best bowlers.Namibia’s second innings started off disastrously as both openers, Grove and Rudolph were dismissed for ducks.When Snyman was out for one, Namibia had three wickets down for only on run on the board.Michael Du Rand added 16, Craig Williams 32 and Hugo Ludik 39, while Klazinga was 10 not out at the end as Namibia were all out for 136 to give Gauteng a comfortable victory.www.namibiasport.com.na
