Namibia’s cricketers suffered an 83-run defeat to Kwazulu Natal Inland in their one-day limited overs match at the Wanderers field on Sunday.
The previous day Namibia staged a great comeback to draw their three-day SAA Challenge match against the same opponents, but on Sunday they were outplayed from the start.
KZN Inland batted first and posted a competitive total of 208 runs from their 40 overs. Namibia’s run chase got off to a poor start as they lost wickets at regular intervals, and they were eventually all out for 125 off only 32 overs.
Namibia won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat, but an expected early breakthrough did not materialise as they got off to a good start, with Tim Drummond and Mario Olivier putting on 56 for the first wicket.
Namibian seam bowler Sarel Burger got the breakthrough when he dismissed Drummond for 35, and then three balls later he removed Olivier for 23 as KZN Inland slumped to 63/2.
Namibia could not drive home their advantage as the visitors regrouped to set up a competitive total, with Kyle Nipper top scoring with 54 and Chad Barron scoring 34 not out.
Sarel Burger was Namibia’s best bowler, taking 2/27 off eight overs, while Louis Klazinga took 2/45 off eight overs and Craig Williams 1/39 off eight overs.
Namibia lost opener Gerhard Rudolph when he was run out for 9 with the total on 16 and from there on wickets fell regularly.
Ewald Steenkamp was dismissed for 18, Tobie Verwey for 15, Raymond van Schoor and Louis Burger for nine each and Craig Williams for 5 as Namibia crashed to 94/7.
Christi Viljoen and Norbert Manyande offered brief resistance with an 18-run partnership for the eighth wicket, but by then it was too late.
Viljoen was dismissed for 11, Manyande was run out for 19 and Louis Klazinga was run out for a duck as Namibia crashed to 125 all out.
Chris Savage, who took 2/24 off eight overs was KZN Inland’s best bowler.