Namibia score opening one-day win over SA emerging men’s team
Namibia beat SA emerging men’s team
JOHANNESBURG, April 28 (ANA) – Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus scored a century as he helped his side to a five-wicket victory over South Africa emerging men’s team, in Windhoek, on Tuesday.
The home skipper recorded an attacking 108 (95 balls, 10 fours, four sixes) to help his team make light work of a 245-run victory target as they won with 31 balls to spare.
It was a crushing defeat for the tourists, who have now lost the last three matches of the tour having initially gone 1-0 up in the T20 series which they lost 2-1 on Sunday.
SA were asked to bat first in this latest outing after losing the toss at the Wanderers, and, after losing Matthew Breetzke (one) early, Joshua Richards (42) and Kabelo Sekhukhune (23) put on 50 for the second wicket in what was a relatively solid start.
Jonathan Bird (22) helped continue the momentum, before a flurry of wickets led to them slipping from 91/2 to 99/5.
The loss of Jason Smith (11) left South Africa in further trouble at 131/6, before Delano Potgieter struck 56 off 58 balls (four fours, two sixes) in a partnership of 73 with Wandile Makwetu (47) that helped Malibongwe Maketa’s side recover.
Dayyaan Galiem (20) tried his best late on, but he ran out of support – the SA Emerging team all out with their final ball of the innings.
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton ended as the pick of the bowlers with 3/29.
The tourists claimed three wickets within 14 overs of the chase starting to leave the score on 67 for three. Smith (2/57), Stefan Tait (1/14) and a Tshepo Ntuli run-out were responsible for those early strikes.
But Erasmus and Craig Williams (47) put on a powerful 123 for the fourth wicket to deflate their opponents, with JJ Smit (14) then helping take the Namibians over the line with more than five overs to spare.
Namibia take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second clash set for Friday at the same venue. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman