NAMIBIA slumped to an innings and 25-run defeat to Kwazulu Natal in the final of the Sunfoil 3-Day Cup series in Durban on Friday.
The match had been scheduled to take place over four days, but Kwazulu Natal wrapped up the victory within two days after Namibia’s batsmen failed to deliver the goods.
Sent in to bat, Namibia did not offer much resistance as they were bundled out for 132 in their first innings.
Stephen Baard (4) and Jean Bredenkamp (1) were both dismissed cheaply, but Lohan Louwrens and Gerhard Erasmus gave Namibia hope with a 49-run partnership.
They, however, could not build a big partnership and when Louwrens was dismissed for 30, it started a steady procession of wickets.
Erasmus was out for a top score of 34, while Niko Davin scored 10, Jan Frylinck 9, Zane Green 25 and JJ Smit 14 before the whole team was out for 132.
Left arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy was Kwazulu Natal’s best bowler with great figures of 5/18 off 12,3 overs, while pace bowler Calvin Savage took 5/45 off 13 overs.
Kwazulu Natal’s opening batsmen Mishkal Ramsaroop and Michael Erlank sealed the match for the home side with a brilliant double-century partnership.
After 40 overs they had already surpassed Namibia’s total and after 50 overs they had reached 155 without loss.
Erlank went on to reach his century with a single off Tiaan Snyman in the 66th over, but Ramsaroop was unfortunate to miss out on his, when he was dismissed three overs later off Bernard Scholtz’ bowling for 93, with the total on 213.
Erlank was eventually out for 139 which came off 253 balls and included 16 fours and one six, while Marques Ackerman added 53 off 63 balls before Kwazulu Natal declared at 334 for four wickets.
For Namibia, Bernard Scholtz took 2/104 off 25 overs and Gerhard Erasmus 2/46 off 10 overs.
Namibia’s batsmen once again failed to deliver in the second innings as they lost their first four wickets for only 28 runs.
Gerhard Erasmus and Jan Frylinck temporarily halted the slide with a 66-run partnership, before Erasmus was out for 33, while Frylinck added a top score of 68 which came off 99 balls and included 11 fours.
Further down the order JJ Smit added 32 and Zane Green 14 before the whole team was out for 177, to give Kwazulu Natal victory by an innings and 25 runs.
Pace bowler Keith Dudgeon was Kwazulu Natal’s best bowler, taking 5/32 off 8,1 overs.
