JB Burger back in national fold

FORMER Namibian batting star JB Burger has been recalled to the national side to take on Western Province at the Wanderers Ground in Windhoek, starting today.

Burger, who has been one of Namibia’s top batsmen over the past decade, retired from the national team after the World Cup cricket qualifiers in 2009 when Namibia lost out on a place at the 2011 Cricket World Cup.He announced his arrival on the international stage when he scored 85 runs against England at the 2003 World Cup and although Namibia lost the match, Burger received the Man of the Match award. He became a constant member of the national side and made his mark as a powerful batsman, although he is also a very capable leg spinner, and took a career-best 6/56 against Bermuda in 2008.His premature retirement in April 2009 came as a shock since he was only 27 years old at that stage, but after a 20-month hiatus he has decided to come out of retirement.National coach Johan Rudolph told Namibia Sport that Burger was keen to play at the top level again.’I had a long chat with JB last week and he is very keen and committed to play cricket at the highest level again. He has been playing club cricket regularly and although he will have to work on his fitness, his addition will definitely strengthen our middle order batting,’ he said. While Burger’s return should strengthen the batting, the bowling department has been weakened by the non-availability of pace bowler Kola Burger, due to work commitments. Burger was in great form last month when he took 7/38 in Namibia’s victory against the UAE in the ICC Intercontinental Shield final in Dubai.All rounders LP van der Westhuizen and Sarel Burger are also unavailable for the Three-Day Challenge match due to work commitments, although both will be back for the One Day Challenge match on Sunday.Leg spinner Nicolaas Scholtz is also unavailable due to study commitments, while former captain Louis Burger has retired from cricket. Scholtz’s younger brother, 20-year-old spinner Bernard Scholtz has been called up to the squad, while 17-year-old bowler Zhivago Groenewaldt, who made his senior debut against Boland two months ago, has been retained.Rudolph said they would target the One Day competition because they still had an outside chance of reaching the final. Namibia is currently fifth on the One Day log, compared to Western Province who are second. In the Three-Day competition, Namibia are 11th, while Western Province are once again second.’We must target the One Day competition. We still have three home games left in the competition against Western Province, Border and Eastern Province, and if we can win these matches we will have a good chance of making the final,’ Rudolph said.The Namibian team for the Three Day Challenge is as follows:Raymond van Schoor, Ewald Steenkamp, Gerhard Rudolph, Craig Williams (captain), Gerrie Snyman, JB Burger, Tobie Verwey, Christi Viljoen, Louis Klazinga, Zhivago Groenewald and Bernard Scjholtz. A 12th man must still be appointed. Sarel Burger and LP van der Westhuizen have been added to the team for Sunday’s One Day Challenge. – namibiasport.com.na

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