Namibia stun South Africa to begin tri-series on winning note

Namibia beat South Africa by 18 runs in the opening match of the ongoing T20I tri-series on August 28 in Windhoek, getting their campaign underway in style. Namibia now lead the head-to-head between the two sides in T20Is, 2-0.

South Africa’s stand-in captain Bjorn Fortuin won the toss and asked the hosts to set a total on the board. He handed a debut to Marco Jansen’s brother, Duan Jansen, who was picked to share the fast-bowling workload alongside Lutho Sipamla and Nqobani Mokoena.

Namibia were on the offensive right from the start as the opening pair of Louren Steenkamp and Jan Frylinck took the attack to the young and slightly inexperienced bowling unit. The duo added 84 runs in just 9.4 overs, setting the platform for a big total. Skipper Fortuin broke the stand by dismissing Steenkamp for 41. Frylinck carried on and notched up a splendid half-century, scoring 60 off 38 balls with six fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 157.89.

South Africa pulled things back remarkably well after Frylinck fell to Dewald Brevis on the last ball of the 13th over. They conceded only 47 runs off the final 42 balls, claiming seven wickets and wresting the momentum back in their favour. Namibia finished with 163 for nine.

Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen was the pick of the South African bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 32 in his four overs. Fortuin and Duan Jansen also claimed two wickets apiece.

In reply, apart from Dewald Brevis, no other South African batter stood up to the challenge. Brevis smashed 75 off 50 balls, laced with four boundaries and five sixes at a strike rate of 150.00. He fell on the last ball of the 18th over. South Africa needed 31 off the final two overs but had only four wickets in hand and ultimately succumbed to the pressure.

Ruben Trumpelmann and JJ Smit claimed three wickets each as they restricted the visitors to 145.