Namibia recorded their first victory in the first round of the ICC’s T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.
Chasing down their highest T20 total ever, they defeated group A rivals Netherlands by six wickets. Opener Max O’ Dowd was the lynchpin of the Dutch innings after they were put in to bat first at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Eager to give their campaign some impetus following their seven-wicket loss to Ireland on Monday, O’ Dowd batted through until the final over. He ensured that they made a solid start putting on a 42-run opening stand with Stephan Myburgh before Myburgh was dismissed for 17. But it was the 82-run third-wicket partnership with Collin Ackerman that took the fight to the Namibians.
O’Dowd scored his half-century from 47 deliveries, becoming the first batsman from the Netherlands to score back-to-back 50s in a T20 World Cup.
Ackerman departed for a better than a run-a-ball 35, while O’Dowd was run-out by former Proteas player David Wiese an over later for a well compiled 70 from just 56 deliveries. The Netherlands eventually posted a very competitive 164 for four in their 20 overs, setting Namibia a record victory target. The Southern Africans made a decent start but lost wickets at regular intervals.
Opener Zane Green was bowled for 15 in the fifth over. And Craig Williams was dismissed for 11 in the eighth over. Stephan Baard was also bowled for 19 and Namibia were in a bit of trouble on 52 for three in the ninth over. Wiese and his captain Gerhard Erasmus led the recovery with a 93-run partnership.
Wielding the willow, Wiese provided some much-needed momentum. He raced to a half-century from just 29 deliveries, bringing up the milestone with a maximum.
Erasmus was dismissed for 32 from just 22 deliveries, leaving Namibia on 145 for four, needing just 20 runs from the last 19 deliveries. And they obliged as JJ Smit added the finishing touches to secure a six-wicket victory with an over to spare, keeping their hopes of advancing to the Super 12 stage very much alive. Wiese was named man of the match for his unbeaten 66 off 40 deliveries that included four fours and five sixes.
“Means a lot to me, in a World Cup on an international stage is special and to put in a big performance for Namibia, I’m glad to get this opportunity to play international cricket,” said Wiese.
Namibia’s next match is against Ireland on Friday.
