ATG Windhoek High School Old Boys returned to the top of the Namibian cricket scene after beating Wanderers by 33 runs in the 50-over Premier League final on Sunday.
Wanderers had won both the 50-over and T20 titles last season but on Sunday, Old Boys clinched the title after a dominant batting display.
Despite losing the toss and being sent in to bat, Old Boys’ top order batters all got among the runs as they posted a formidable 307 for seven wickets before restricting Wanderers to 274/9.
Old Boys’ innings got off to a solid start as Malan Kruger and Zacheo van Vuuren shared an opening partnership of 49 runs before Van Vuuren was dismissed by JJ Smit, caught and bowled for 28.
Kruger added 41 before being bowled by PD Blignaut with the total on 97, while Sean Fouche and Gerhard Erasmus continued the batting onslaught with a century partnership.
They added 143 runs off 141 balls before Smit got the breakthrough, dismissing Fouche for 81 (6×4, 3×6).
Erasmus followed shortly after for 77 off 81 balls (4×4, 5×6), while Louren Steenkamp added 36 and Dylan Leicher 24 not out further down the order as they set Wanderers a big target to chase.
Nyasha Nyashadzaishe was Wanderers’ best bowler, taking 3/54 while JJ Smit took 2/46.
Wanderers’ run chase got off to a solid start with Tiaan van der Merwe and Riaan Minnie putting on 61 for the opening wicket, but when Erasmus dismissed Van der Merwe for 16, the top order crumbled.
Erasmus also dismissed Jan Frylinck for two, while Adriaan Coetzee bowled JC Balt for six. Juma Miyagi dismissed Minnie for 47 and when Jack Brassell dismissed Michau du Preez for three, Wanderers were struggling at 94/5.
Smit and Waldo Smith led a brief recovery, but Coetzee struck with two wickets in six balls, dismissing Smit for 21 and Karl Birkenstock for a duck and with the score at 121/7, Old Boys were well in control.
Wanderers’ lower order batters, however, made a great comeback with Nyashadzaishe scoring 29, while Smith and Bernard Scholtz added an unbroken 75-run partnership for the ninth wicket, but it was too little too late as Wanderers fell 33 runs short of the target.
Smith remained not out on 87 off 103 balls (8×4, 3×6) while Scholtz added a rapid 61 not out off 28 balls (3×4, 6×6).
For Old Boys, Erasmus took 3/63 and Coetzee 3/48.
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