Some extravagant stroke play by their top order batsmen last month against
Orange Free State B cost Namibia whatever outside chance they had of
qualifying for the final of the UCB Bowl 'B' three day competition.
Namibia needed to win convincingly at home against OFS B and hope Western
Province B lost their final group match - neither eventuated with OFS B
winning the three day match by 80 runs.
The build-up to the crucial game was less than ideal for Namibia, with Danie
Keulder, the man who guided his country to World Cup qualification just over
six months ago, vacating the role to concentrate on his own performance. Deon
Kotze, who has been Keulder's understudy, took over.
The initial omens for Kotze's captaincy were positive enough, winning the
toss and electing to bowl first on a greenish wicket. Pacemen, Rudi van
Vuuren, was again the outstanding bowler for Namibia, taking 6-42 as OFS B
eventually compiled 233, Cliffie Deacon top scoring for the visitors with
41.
Van Vuuren showed the rest of the Namibian attack how it was done, bowling a
very straight line and getting considerable movement. At times the rest of
the pace attack bowled too short.
A tendency for the Namibian batsmen to struggle to make runs in their first
innings was again an issue as they failed to capitalise on a good start due
to adventurous shot selection, often getting caught in front of the wicket.
Keulder top scored with 28 with Deacon taking 4-26 with his left arm seamers
bowling over the wicket, tempting batsmen with some short-pitched
deliveries. They duly accepted the challenge, only to get out to cross-bat
shots. Namibia was bundled out for 137, giving OFS B a 96-run first innings
lead.
The OFS B batsmen approached their second innings with aggressive intent,
wanting to set Namibia a sizeable total while giving themselves enough time
to bowl Namibia out. Kosie Venter, a veteran of over 90 first-class matches,
was the foundation of the OFS innings, gathering 81, while Johannes van der
Wath struck a quick 67 in the OFS B total of 230-7 declared.
Namibia ended the second day having wiped off around 60 of the 320 runs
needed for victory with a potential 120 overs to use on the last day. Many
of those overs were wasted as was a solid opening partnership. The Namibian
batsmen steadily lost wickets while maintaining a high run rate to
eventually be all out for 246. Keulder again top scored (70), with only Jan
Berre Burger (59) and opener Riaan Walters (38) providing support.
It was a similar story in the one day match.
Namibia batted first on a near perfect batting surface, only to play big
shots too early and be bundled out for 161 runs. Kotze top scored with 38
runs from 55 balls, receiving back up from Sarel Burger (31) and brother,
Bjorn (23). The main wicket-taker for OFS was Herman Bakkes, who nabbed
3-25.
OFS B made a comfortable start before a middle order hiccup saw it slip to
4-74. It then recovered to scramble to a two wicket win.
The last match losses in both the three day and one day competitions, gave
Namibia fourth place in each - on the surface disappointing, but in fact
Namibia's best-ever season since joining the UCB Bowl several years ago.
The focus of the Namibia team now turns to the ICC's Six Nations tournament
in Windhoek in April, when it hosts the Netherlands, Canada, Kenya, Zimbabwe
A and Sri Lanka A.
It will tune up for the tournament with some practice matches over the
Easter weekend against a visiting South African Country Districts XI.
Brief scores of Namibia's matches against Orange Free State B:
Three day match -
14,15,16 February 2002,
Windhoek. Free State 'B' beat Namibia by 80 runs
Free State 'B' 233
(WA Deacon 41, G Botha 40, LJ Wilkinson 34; R van Vuuren 6-42)
Namibia 137
(WA Deacon 4-26)
Free State 'B' 230-7 dec
(JF Venter 81, JJ van der Wath 67, JR Schorn 44, S Burger 3-21)
Namibia 246
(D Keulder 70, JB Burger 59, R Walters 38,
JF Venter 4-61, G Botha 3-41).
One day match -
17 February 2002, Windhoek.
Free State 'B' beat Namibia by 2 wickets
Namibia 161 (45 overs) (D Kotze 38, S Burger 31,
HC Bakkes 3-25)
Free State 'B' 162 for 8 (40.4 overs)
(JF Venter 55, B Kotze 3-36).
© ICC 2002
