A second-string Namibian side slumped to a 123-run defeat against Kwazulu Natal Inland in their CSA Provincial One Day Challenge in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.
With Namibia’s first team involved in the World Cricket League Division 2 tournament which was concluded in Windhoek last Thursday, Namibia had to field a second team which failed to provide much resistance for KZN Inland.
KZN Inland were all out for 218 off 45,3 overs, but then dismissed Namibia for a mere 95 off only 23,4 overs to complete a one-sided victory.
In KZN Inland’s innings, Namibia did well to reduce them to 143 for six wickets, before they could not finish them off as the tail-enders added 75 runs.
Gareth Dukes top scored with 44, while Ruhan Pretorius scored 37.
Christopher Coombe was Namibia’s best bowler, taking four wickets for 37 runs off six overs, while Karl Birkenstock took three wickets for 34 runs off six overs.
Namibia’s batsmen could provide no resistance and lost wickets at regular intervals. Opener Karl Birkenstock top scored with 38 but the only other batsmen to reach double figures were Jean Bredenkamp (19) and Michau du Preez (21) before the whole team was out for 95.
For KZN Inland, Lwandiswa Zuma took three wickets for 23 runs off seven overs, while Kyle Nipper took 3/19 off seven overs.
On Saturday, Namibia suffered another big defeat against the same opponents when they lost their Sunfoil 3-Day Cup match by an innings and 143 runs.
Namibia elected to bat after winning the toss but were soon in trouble as they lost their first four wickets for only 27 runs.
Veteran Gerrie Snyman however halted the slide with a superb century, scoring 101 off only 77 balls (3×6, 15×4).
He shared an 86-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Christopher Coombe (38), but they received little support as the whole team was out for 189.
Ruhan Pretorius was KZN Inland’s best bowler with four wickets for 34 runs, while Graham Hume took 3/42 and Gareth Dukes 3/71.
Namibian pace bowler Ben Shikongo struck with only the second ball of KZN Inland’s innings when he dismissed Luke Schlemmer for a duck, but Grant Roelofsen led their revival with a brilliant innings.
He was eventually not out on 224 which came off 276 balls and included 29 fours. The lower order also weighed in with big contributions, with Dukes scoring 80, Joel Veeran 59 and Kushen Kishun 46, before KZN Inland declared at 491 for seven wickets.
Namibia fared even worse in their second innings, being dismissed for 159, to lose by an innings and 143 runs.
Michau du Preez was the top scorer with 28 runs, while Ruhan Pretorius was KZN Inland’s best bowler, taking five wickets for 45 runs off 19 overs.
