Namibia beat Canada by 21 runs in a tense One Day International (ODI) match on Thursday to tie the series at 1-all.
In a match of swaying fortunes, Namibia were all out for a paltry 154 with 4 overs still remaining, but then dismissed Canada for 133 with three overs remaining.
The match concluded Canada’s tour of Namibia, which saw the two countries sharing the ODI series, while Namibia won the four-day Intercontinental Cup competition.
Namibia lost the wicket of Ewald Steenkamp early for 3, but Ian Opperman and Sarel Burger recovered with a 52-run partnership before Opperman was out for 33 runs.
From 69/2, Namibia lost three wickets within three overs to crash to 72/5. Rizwan Cheema dismissed Craig Williams (9) and Sarel Burger (18), and Junaid Siddiqui dismissed Gerrie Snyman (1).
Christi Viljoen and Raymond van Schoor gave brief hope for the home team with a 27-run stand before Van Schoor was out for 12.
Viljoen kept the scorecard ticking along but he received little support as Namibia’s tailenders all went cheaply, with Nicolaas Scholtz out for 1, LP van der Westhuizen (8) Louis Klazinga (1) and Bernard Scholtz (4).
Viljoen was not out on 50 which came off 88 balls and included four fours.
Rizwan Cheema was Canada’s best bowler, taking 6/34 off 8,5 overs.
It was not much of a total to defend, but Namibia’s bowlers rose to the occasion. Christi Viljoen caught and bowled Ruvindu Gunasekera for 4, while Craig Williams took three wickets in an inspired spell to reduce Canada to 33/4.
Jimmy Hansra and Tyson Gordon however shared a 60-run partnership to swing the match in Canada’s favour.
Christi Viljoen got the breakthrough, dismissing Hansra for 34 and when Bernard Scholtz dismissed Cheema and Junaid Siddiqui within four balls, Namibia were back in charge with Canada at 98/7.
But Canada produced a spirited fightback as Gordon and Rustam Bhatti put on 33 runs for the eighth wicket to take them to the brink of victory.
Namibian captain Sarel Burger however had the final say as he caught and bowled Bhatti for 23 and then dismissed Godon and Durand Soraine in quick succession as the whole team was out for 133 runs.
Sarel Burger (3/16 off 8,5 overs) and Craig Williams (3/34 off 9 overs) were Namibia’s top bowlers, while Christi Viljoen and Bernard Scholtz each took two wickets.
The scorecard:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/wcl-championship-2011-13/engine/current/matc...