Africa-Press – Namibia. WANDERERS reclaimed Cricket Namibia’s 50-over Premier League title in style with a five-wicket victory over defending champions AMH WHS Old Boys on Saturday.
After winning the toss and sending Old Boys in to bat, Wanderers’ bowlers turned on the screws to limit Old Boys to 161 all out and then comfortably reached the target when Nyasha Nyashadzaishe hit the winning six off Gerhard Janse van Rensburg in the 28th over.
Spinner Bernard Scholtz was Wanderers’ stand out bowler, taking 4/22 off 10 overs, while Karl Birkenstock (55) and Nyashadzaishe (45 not out) were their leading batters.
It was the first time in three years that Wanderers had won the title after Old Boys’ recent dominance and captain Nicolaas Scholtz said it was a great feeling to be the champions again.
“It’s amazing and to finish it off in style like Nash did there, it’s a great feeling and it’s great to win the Premier League like this,” he said.
“Over the whole season we were the two teams that played the most consistent cricket so I think it was obvious that we would be in the final. I think it was a really good game, it could have gone either way, and there was a stage when we lost two or three quick wickets, but luckily it went our way today,” he added.
“A final is a different ball game so I told the guys it can be anyone’s day, so just stick to the basics and our game plan,” he said.
All of Old Boys’ top order batsmen reached double figures, but none could build a big score as wickets fell at regular intervals.
Shaun Fouche scored 28, Gerhard Janse van Rensburg 11, Malan Kruger 19, and when JP Kotze was caught and bowled by Nicolaas Scholtz for 9, they had reached a modest 82/4 just after the halfway mark of their innings.
Zane Green and JW Visagie revived the innings with a 52-run fifth wicket partnership, but Visagie (19) and Donovan Zealand (run out for a duck) were dismissed in quick succession to peg Old Boys back to 135/6 with 14 overs to go.
Green tried to guide Old Boys to safety, but when Nyasha Nyashadzaishe dismissed him for 45 off 51 balls (1×4, 3×6), Old Boys’ tail quickly folded before they were all out for 161.
Besides Scholtz’ 4/22, Danie van Schoor took 2/51, Nyashadzaishe 1/27 and Nicolaas Scholtz 1/20.
Wanderers’ batsmen attacked from the outset, but Niko Davin (19), JC Balt (16), Lohan Louwrens (18) and Michau du Preez (5) were all dismissed before getting into their stride.
Birkenstock and Nyashadzaishe, however, put Wanderers in charge with a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take the total to 151 before Birkenstock was caught and bowled by JP Kotze for 55 off 44 balls (6×4, 1×6).
Nyashadzaishe reached the winning target in style with a six off Gerhard Janse van Rensburg in the 28th over to remain not out on 45 off 31 balls (5×4, 2×6) as Wanderers reached 165/5 off 27,3 overs.
The victory completed a highly successful season for Wanderers who also won the First Division 40 over title after beating the Shaheen Titans by 122 runs in the final on 26 February.
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