Team Profiles
Argentina
After an outstanding effort at the WCL Division 3 event in Australia earlier this year, when it surprised everybody by securing qualification for this event, the side will be hoping to keep alive its ICC Cricket World Cup dreams. Under the leadership of Esteban MacDermott, who picked up the player of the tournament prize in Darwin, Argentina will also look to the experienced Danny Forrester and wicket-keeper batsman Alejandro Ferguson for top performances. Other key players in the team are all-rounder Gary Savage, as well as seam bowlers Steven Nino and Diego Lord.
Denmark
One of the favourites for the event, Denmark comes to Namibia well prepared, bringing a squad of both experienced players, including Lars Hedegaard, Thomas Hansen and Frederik Klokker, and talented youngsters. Klokker, who captains the national side under the guidance of his father Peter Palle Klokker, who is the national coach of Denmark, is currently hopeful of securing a county contract in England having played for Derbyshire this year. The Danish National team has participated in all but one of the ICC Trophy tournaments and came eighth at the ICC Trophy 2005, narrowly missing out on qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
Namibia
Namibia performed creditably at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 but failed to qualify for the 2007 event due to a disappointing ICC Trophy in 2005. The senior team had a very busy season this year, participating in the SAA Amateur competition in South Africa and enjoyed varying levels of success. The country was also boosted when the Namibia team qualified for the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup 2008 by winning the African qualifying event in August. The key players for Namibia will include Bjorn Kotze, all rounder Gerrie Snyman and captain Louis Burger.
Oman
Cricket has only been played in Oman since 1979 and the side finished ninth at the ICC Trophy 2005. Hemin Desai is a hard hitting all rounder and was the man of the tournament in the ACC Trophy 2004 held in Malaysia, while Adnan Ilyas, an attacking opening batter, will also be a key player and is a product of the Oman youth system, having represented his country at Under 15 and Under 19 level. Sultan Ahmed, the side’s wicket-keeper, and the side’s highly experienced vice captain Hemal Mehta are also important players for Oman.
UAE
Having had its ICC Cricket World Cup dreams crushed by the Netherlands at the ICC Trophy 2005, when it lost the decisive fifth place play-off match by 145 runs, the UAE will be hoping to rekindle its ambitions to play on world cricket’s major stage again by finishing in the top four at this event. The UAE will be hoping to cast aside a disappointing start to its ICC Intercontinental Cup campaign in this one-day event. After a rain affected draw against Scotland, where three of the four days were lost to bad weather, it suffered a humiliating defeat against Canada in Toronto in July. Making just 112 and 110 in two innings, the UAE lost by an innings and 228 runs, with the only bright spots being four wickets each for Javed Ismali and Zahid Shah.
Uganda
Frank Nsubuga produced a brilliant all-round performance to help Uganda beat Argentina by 91 runs to capture the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in May 2007 and he will again be a key player as Uganda aims for ICC Cricket World Cup qualification. Uganda illustrated its potential to compete against some of the leading international teams, when it claimed a sensational two-wicket win over Kenya at a Twenty20 Quandrangular tournament in Nairobi in September and then put in a spirited performance against Bangladesh as it lost by 21 runs.
