Namibian opening batsman Xander Pitchers scored a fine century to put Namibia in a good position to win their ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Hong Kong.
Shortly before stumps on Tuesday, Namibia declared their second innings at 234 runs for five wickets to set Hong Kong a winning target of 304 runs.
Xander Pitchers was the mainstay of Namibia’s innings and at their declaration had reached 107 not out while captain Nicolaas Scholtz was not out on 29.
Hong Kong started the day on 202 for nine wickets but their innings lasted only three balls before Namibian off spinner Bernard Scholtz trapped Nadeem Ahmed LBW for six runs as the whole team was out for 203 runs – 69 runs behind Namibia’s first innings total of 272.
Namibia’s second innings started off slowly and when Stephan Baard was dismissed for one run by Tamir Afzal, they only had 13 runs on the board off seven overs.
Gerhard Erasmus joined Pitchers and upped the run tempo with some fine boundaries, including a lofted six and a four off one Afzal over to take the total past 50.
Erasmus however went soon after that, when he was caught behind off Nadeem Ahmed’s bowling for 19, with the total on 58.
Any chances that Hong Kong had of a further breakthrough were however dispelled as Raymond van Schoor and Xander Pitchers built up a solid, if slow-going, lead.
With the spinners Nizakat Khan and Nadeem Ahmed operating in tandem, they brought the run rate down considerably and in fact only conceded seven runs off 17 painstakingly slow overs as the total crept up to 65 for 2.
The Namibians however slowly took control and went on to share a 72-run partnership for the third wicket before Van Schoor was dismissed by Irfan Ahmed for 42 which included five fours and two sixes, with the total on 126.
Pitchers, meanwhile was going strong and reached his 50 with a four off Amjad, but Ahmed soon struck again, dismissing JP Kotze for two runs with the total at 128 for four wickets.
Sarel Burger joined Pitchers and the two put Namibia in charge with a 60-run partnership before Burger was bowled by Hasseb Amjad for 23, with the total on 188.
Namibian captain Nicolaas Scholtz joined Pitchers who went on to reach a splendid century, which came off 258 balls and included 13 fours.
Scholtz upped the tempo with some fine boundaries, including three fours and two sixes, and at the declaration had reached 29 not out.
At stumps, Hong Kong reached 3/0 off two overs.
With an overall lead of 303 runs, and on a crumbling and turning pitch, Namibia are now well set to win the match on Wednesday.
The scorecard:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-intercontinental-cup-2015-17/engine/match/870873.html
