http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-Robert-Cowdrey-c60631 Der Westhuizen leads Namibia to 4-run victory
An all-round display from Louis Van Der Westhuizen (top-scoring with 34, and taking 2 for 37) powered the Namibian side to victory against Ireland in the 3rd ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier of Group B today on March 13 at the ICC Global Cricket Academy
in Dubai.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Namibia got off to a rocky start, with opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Raymond-van-Schoor-c84385 (who managed a run-a-ball
31) and Westhuizen teamed up to propel the team to 77 before the 23-year-old left-hander was sent back to the pavilion by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/PR-Stirling-c2200.
The middle-order chipped in with some useful runs – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sarel-Francois-Burger-c88808 (21) and Christi Viljoen (12) all contributed to bringing the total up to 160 by the end of 20 overs.
Ireland’s Stirling claimed an impressive 3 for 20, but the Irish team was unable to restrict the Namibians, who then went on to demolish their opponents’ batting order.
The Irish openers were not allowed to settle in at the crease, with Stirling dismissed on a duck, and Captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/WTS-Porterfield-c2801 following soon after - with just 11 runs to his name. The middle-order managed to help their team gain some momentum, with Kevin
O'Brien contributing 20 runs, before Gary Wilson’s brisk 49 threatened to take the game away from the Namibians. Westhuizen stepped in once again, and displayed some impressive death bowling skills, taking Wilson out in the 18th over, and followed
that up with the elimination of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DT-Johnston-c1405 (1).
After http://www.senore.com/Cricket/John-Francis-Mooney-c67825 (38) was run out in the last over, the lower order was unable to make much of a difference to the total score, and the Irish found themselves cut off at 156 at the end of 20 overs.
In addition to the performance of Westhuizen (who went on to win the Player of the Match award), Hendrik Geldenhuys was also economical, taking a wicket at the expense of 16 runs in 3 overs.
The defeat was a significant blow for the no.2 ranked Irish contingent, who will now need to comeback strongly in the remaining matches. The Namibians however, will be eager to maintain their impressive start when they take on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 on March 14 at the
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imtiaz-Sheikh-c64290 Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
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