NAMIBIA crashed to an innings and 91 run defeat to Kwazulu-Natal in their Sunfoil 3-Day Cup match in Durban on Saturday.
After the recent success and euphoria over Namibia’s performance at the u19 Cricket World Cup, it was back to reality for the senior team as they crashed to one of their heaviest defeats in recent years.
Kwazulu-Natal were dismissed for 229 in their first innings, but Namibia’s batting crumbled as they were dismissed for a mere 49 in their first innings and then 89 in their second to hand Kwazulu-Natal a commanding victory.
Namibia got off to a good start as JJ Smit dismissed Mishkal Ramsaroop for a duck, but Senuran Muthusamy and Jonathan Vandiar put Kwazulu-Natal in the driving seat.
Muthusamy was eventually dismissed by Tangeni Lungumeni for 65 while Vandiar top-scored with 68 runs before being dismissed by JJ Smit.
Namibian spinner Bernard Scholtz cut through Kwazulu Natal’s middle and lower order before the whole team was out for 229.
Scholtz took five wickets for 64 runs off 21 overs, while JJ Smit took 3/16 off 13 overs.
Namibia’s reply was however pathetic as the whole team was out for a mere 49 runs in their first innings. Justin Baard (12) was the only batsman to reach double figures, as Namibia wilted under the pressure of the home side’s bowlers.
Rabian Engelbrecht led the charge, taking five wickets for 18 runs off 10 overs, while Calvin Savage took two for 17.
Things didn’t go much better in the second innings as Namibia lost their first two wickets without a run on the board, before crashing to 89 all out.
Nicolaas Scholtz top-scored with 29 not out, but the only other batsmen to reach double figures were Gerhard Erasmus (25) and Pikky Ya France (24).
Daryn Dupavillon was Kwazulu Natal’s best bowler, taking five wickets for 18 runs off eight overs.
On Sunday, Kwazulu-Natal continued their winning streak with a comprehensive eight-wicket win against Namibia in their T20 match.
Namibia scored 122 for seven wickets off their 20 overs but it was never enough and Kwazulu-Natal reached the target for the loss of two wickets with eight balls to spare.
Namibia won the toss and elected to bat and got off to a quick start as Stephen Baard attacked the bowling from the start.
His brother Justin Baard was however dismissed for a duck before Stephen was out for a top score of 38 off 36 balls, (3×4, 2×6) with the total on 50.
Gerhard Erasmus scored 27 off 27 balls and Zane Groenewald 22 off 18 balls, but they received little support as Namibia reached a modest total of 122 for seven wickets off their 20 overs.
Kwazulu-Natal got off to a strong start as openers Bruce Kerr and Khalipha Cele put them on the road to victory with a 96-run partnership.
JJ Smit finally got the breakthrough, dismissing Kerr for 39, but Cele went on to reach his half century before being dismissed by Christopher Coombe for 58 off 52 balls.
Senuran Muthusamy (16 not out) and Sibonelo Makhanya (7 not out) took Kwazulu Natal to a comfortable victory with eight balls to spare.
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