Despite a great comeback by Namibia, New Zealand held on to win their first One Day International cricket match at Windhoek?s Wanderers? ground by 29 runs on July 30.
New Zealand batted first and scored a huge total of 330 for six wickets off their 50 overs. Their openers Craig Cumming and James Marshall laid the foundation with a 73-run partnership for the first wicket, before Marshall was out, caught by JB Burger off Kola Burger?s bowling for 36.
James? twin brother Hamish continued the onslaught, scoring 58 runs before being caught by Nicholaas Scholtz off ST Ackerman for 58. He added 142 runs for the second wicket with Cummings.
Cummings reached his century off 96 balls, before eventually being dismissed by ST Ackerman for 116, which included nine fours and two sixes.
New Zealand were scoring freely, at more than six runs an over, and when they reached 200 in only the 31st over, a huge total was in sight.
Once Cumming was out though, Namibia?s bowlers did well to contain the batsmen and the run rate dropped.
Jacob Oram was bowled for 23 by Kola Burger, Nathan Astle was caught Deon Kotze bowled Kola Burger for 27 and Lou Vincent was bowled Gerrie Snyman for 19.
Brendon McCullum was not out for a rapid 31 which included three sixes, while Daniel Vettori was not out on 3 as New Zealand reached 330 for six off 50 overs.
Namibia?s best bowlers were new cap ST Ackerman (2/27 off five overs), Kola Burger (3/74 off 10 overs) and Gerrie Snyman (1/72 off 10 overs).
Namibia soon in trouble
Namibia were soon in trouble when new caps Dawid Burger and ST Ackerman were dismissed for ducks in quick succession.
Namibia?s new captain, JB Burger however kept the scoreboard ticking along, while Louis Burger added13 and Morne Karg 4. When JB Burger was out for 48, Namibia?s hopes of victory had seemingly gone with the total at 5/71.
Namibia?s former captain Deon Kotze and Gerrie Snyman however came together and established a great sixth wicket partnership. They started attacking New Zealand?s bowlers and with the boundaries flowing freely, Namibia were suddenly back in the game. Like New Zealand, they reached 200 in the 31st over, but crucially, Snyman was also dismissed in this over.
He went for 80 runs off only 53 balls, which included 6x6 and 8x4, while his sixth wicket partnership with Kotze amounted to 111 runs.
Kotze was next out for 47 off 32 balls (4x4, 4x6), and although the score was now 203/7, Namibia refused to give up the chase.
Nicholaas Scholtz and Ian van Zyl both went for ducks, before Stephan Swanepoel and Kola Burger came together for a great 66-run tenth wicket partnership.
Swanepoel made a great 50 off 44 balls, while Burger bludgeoned New Zealand?s attack, scoring 45 off only 18 balls (1x6, 8x4). When Burger was finally out, Namibia had reached 301, just 29 runs short of the victory target.
New Zealand?s wicket takers were James Franklin (3/46 off 9 overs), Shane Bond (2/20 off 10), Chris Martin (1/72 off 7), Kyle Mills (2/77 off 9) and Daniel Vettori (2/80 off 10).
It was a great comeback by Namibia, which should give them a lot of confidence ahead of the second ODI on July 31.