All-round performance sees Namibia topple Kenya on the opening day of Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2
The first day of Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2 has seen host Namibia secure a five-wicket victory over Kenya, Uganda squeeze past Nepal by two-runs in a last-ball thriller, and Netherlands record a convincing 67-run victory over Canada.
At Wanderers, Namibia achieved the victory target of 194 for the loss of five wickets after it had restricted Kenya for 191 for eight; at Wanderers Affies, Uganda defended a modest score of 146 to bowl out Nepal for 144; and **At United,**Netherlands scored 251 for seven wickets and then dismissed out for 184 in 46 overs.
In the feature match of the day, Namibia started the tournament perfectly with Sarel Burger trapping Alex Auma in front of the wickets with the first ball of the day. Burger added the wickets of Irfan Karim (1) and Narenda Patel (14) as Kenya was left struggling at 16 for three, which soon became 65 for four and then 75 for five.
However, a 78-run sixth-wicket partnership between Nelson Odhiambo (54) and captain Rakep Patel (39) helped Kenya recover to 191 for eight in 50 overs. Odhiambo’s 76-ball innings included three fours and one six, while the captain’s 81-ball innings included one four and one six.
Opener Stephen Baard led the host side’s run-chase when he put on 56 runs for the first wicket with Gerrie Synman (16) as the home side romped to victory in 39.2 overs with five wickets to spare. Namibia was in some bother when it slipped to 79 for three but Baard and Raymond van Schoor (33) put on 85 runs for the fourth wicket to ensure a comfortable victory.
Baard, who was the last man out when 25 runs were required in almost 15 overs, scored 97 runs from 96 balls including nine fours and one six.
For Kenya, Nelson Odhiambo was the stand out bowler taking three wickets for 34 runs.
Elsewhere, in a repeat of October’s Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3 final, Uganda held its nerves to defeat Nepal by two runs. Chasing 147 for victory, Nepal needed three runs from the final ball, but Basant Regmi (15) was caught in the deep to hand victory to Uganda.
After a positive start by Subash Khakurel (32), Naresh Bahadur Budhaayer (16) and Gyander Malla (34), Nepal suffered a sensational collapse as it lost its last eight wickets for 71 runs with left-arm spinner Henry Ssenyondo taking three for 21.
Earlier, the Ugandan openers made a slow start Roger Mukasa (13) and Arthur Kyobe (23), before losing wickets and being bowled out for 146 all out in 49.5 overs. Brian Masaba (43, four fours, one six) and David Karashani (23, one four) brought some short-term stability to the middle-order before the rest of the Ugandan wickets fell.
Captain Paras Khadka was the stand out bowler for the Nepalese taking three wickets for 14 runs.
In the day’s other match, Netherlands got its campaign off to a fast start, scoring 251 for seven in its 50 overs at United against Canada. Half-centuries from Ben Cooper (57, three fours, one six) and Wesley Barresi (83, nine fours and one six) were the main scorers for the Dutch, while Canada’s Parth Desai (took three for 57) and Cecil Pervez (two for 35) shared wickets.
The Canadian’s lost regular wickets as Vivian Kingma ripped through the batting order taking four wickets for 32 runs.
Srimantha Wijeyeratne (35) and Hamza Tariq (61) kept the Canadian’s total respectable. Tariq’s innings included eight fours and three sixes.
Scores in brief:
At Wanderers
Kenya 191 for eight, 50 overs (NM Odhiambo 54, RR Patel 39; SF Burger 3-40)
Namibia 194 for five, 39.2 overs (SJ Baard 97, Raymond van Schoor 33; NM Odhaimbo 3-34)
Namibia won by five wickets
**Player of the Match:**Stephen Baard (Namibia)
At United
Netherlands 251 for seven, 50 overs (W. Barresi 83 not out, B. Cooper 57; PA Desai 3-57)
Canada 184 all out, 46 overs (Hamza Tariq 61, SA Wijeratne 35; VJ Kingma 4-32)
Netherlands won by 67 runs
**Player of the Match:**Wesley Barresi (Netherlands)
At Wanderers Affies
Uganda146 all out, 49.5 overs (B Masaba 43; P Khadka 3-14)
Nepal144 all out, 50 overs (G Malla 34, SP Khakurel 32; H Ssenyondo 3-21)
Uganda Won by 2 runs
**Player of the Match:**D Karashani (Uganda)
Sunday’s Fixtures
**At Wanderers:**Namibia v Uganda
**At United:**Nepal v Netherlands
**At Wanderers Affies:**Kenya v Canada