NAMIBIA sounded a warning ahead of the T20 World Cup with a brilliant 84-run victory against Papua New Guinea in Dubai yesterday.
After being reduced to 27 for three wickets, captain Gerhard Erasmus and David Wiese put Namibia in charge with a superb display of batting, described by coach Pierre de Bruyn as “absolute carnage”, as they smashed the bowling to all corners of the field.
Erasmus led the way with one of the great international T20 knocks, while Namibia went on to score 249 for three wickets – the seventh-highest T20 international total recorded yet.
Erasmus’ innings was special.
He reached his 50 off 32 balls, while his century came up off 53 balls, which included eight sixes and seven fours.
After suffering from cramps, he retired on 129 not out, which came off only 60 balls and included nine sixes and 12 fours.
It was the sixth-highest T20 international innings recorded yet, and had it not been for his premature departure he could well have gotten close to Aaron Finch’s world record of 172.
Wiese added 66 off 32 balls (3×6, 8×4), while JJ Smit scored 42 off only 13 balls (4×6, 3×4) in a brilliant display of batting.
PNG never got close as they only reached 165 for nine wickets off their 20 overs. Lega Siaka scored 33 and Sese Bau 29, while Karl Birkenstock was the pick of the Namibian bowlers, taking four wickets for 33 runs, with Michael van Lingen taking 2/40.
It was Namibia’s second successive victory ahead of the T20 World Cup after they beat UAE by 17 runs on Tuesday, and De Bruyn said it was a brilliant performance.
“It was a fantastic win against a very good PNG side, that is ranked higher than us in T20 cricket. We lost the toss again and were put in to bat, and before we knew we were 23 for three wickets down. We lost Stephan Baard first ball, Zane Green run out, and then we lost Craig Williams, so straight away we were under pressure,” he said.
“But Gerhard came in with a very positive mindset and changed the momentum very quickly. That partnership between him and David Wiese was just outstanding, it was world class,” De Bruyn said.
“That’s what we are building, especially our middle-order of Craig Williams, Erasmus, Wiese and JJ Smit – if that combination comes off like it did today, it’s just going to cause absolute carnage. The batting I experienced today was world class, and the ruthlessness of Erasmus and Wiese, and then at the back end JJ Smit just again proving that he is a world-class batter,” he said.
“The top three didn’t contribute today, but I think it shows we’ve got a very strong batting unit that can beat anyone on the day. It was exquisite hitting by Gerhard. He was put down twice in his innings, but for me the innings that he played was one of the best I’ve seen in my stint in the last three years. It was a fantastic knock,” he said.
With such a big total on the board, De Bruyn used the opportunity to give some of the fringe players bowling opportunities, and they did not disappoint.
“Pikkie (ya France) bowled beautifully, Karl (Birkenstock) took four wickets again, Michael van Lingen got a couple of wickets, and Ben Shikongo bowled beautifully, so overall I’m very happy with the performance today.
“We got a couple of days’ rest now, which we need and deserve. The climate here is very hot and takes a lot out of us, so we will recuperate now before we take on Scotland on Saturday,” he said.
