Africa-Press – Namibia. NAMIBIA A took an unbeatable 2-1 lead in their 50-over series against Ireland Wolves when they won their fourth match by six wickets on Sunday.
With one match having rained out, Namibia now hold a 2-1 lead in the series ahead of the final match on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Namibia won the toss and sent Ireland in to bat and the visitors got off to a steady start as James McCollum and Murray Commins put on 28 runs for the opening wicket.
Namibian pace bowler Ruben Trumpelmann however got the breakthrough, dismissing McCollum for 13 and when JJ Smit dismissed Jeremy Lawlor for a duck two balls later, Ireland were suddenly two wickets down with 28 on the board.
Commins tried to revive Ireland’s innings, but he received little support as the wickets continued to fall around him, and when Commins was dismissed by Jan Frylinck for a top score 30, Ireland were struggling at 58 for five wickets.
Gareth Delaney, however, led a lower-order revival, putting on 63 runs for the seventh wicket with Graham Hume, and taking the total to 178, before he was last man out for a defiant 81 which came off only 77 balls and included four sixes and seven fours.
For Namibia A, Trumpelmann took two wickets for 46 runs and Frylinck 2/46.
Hume made an early breakthrough for Ireland when he dismissed Craig Williams for a duck, and when Stephen Baard was bowled by Michael Frost for 11, Namibia were two wickets down with only 15 runs on the board.
Erasmus, however, joined Nicol Loftie-Eaton and put Namibia in control with a 96-run partnership.
When Loftie-Eaton was dismissed for 60, which came off 68 balls and included 10 fours, Namibia were cruising at 111/3, and although Malan Kruger followed shortly after for six, Erasmus and JJ Smit took Namibia to the target with 16 overs to spare.
Smit bludgeoned four sixes in his 27 not out off 17 balls, while Erasmus remained not out on 66 which came off 77 balls and included five fours and three sixes.
Frost was Ireland’s best bowler, taking three wickets for 39 runs off 10 overs.
After the match, Erasmus said it was a fine all-round performance.
“We definitely played better than our previous game, but in saying that we won a good toss, but I think we buckled up quite well, we managed to start better with the ball and in the field we had a few inspirational moments with the guys taking some great catches. It always helps when you have that energy in the field, it always inspires everyone and then we finished it off quite nicely with the bat,” he said.
“There were still some anxious moments but it’s always a good challenge and hopefully we can still play the perfect game in the next game, because I don’t think we are at our best yet,” he added.
Erasmus added that his batting form is starting to improve.
“I managed to get a few good scores on our tour and now with this score as well, I hope to take that form going forward. It’s been quite a tough time for myself with my finger injury, so I’m looking to enjoy every moment and do the best that I can under the circumstances,” he said.
“I broke it quite badly just before the World Cup and it was put together as best as it could, but it’s not in great shape to be honest. But you get used to these things as a sportsman and now I just have to do the best that I can and carry on with the business,” he added.
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