The Hindu : England defeats Namibia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 20, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

England defeats Namibia

PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa) Feb. 19. England struggled to beat Namibia's amateurs by 55 runs here on Wednesday and at one stage even looked in danger of an embarrassing defeat.

Bowled out for a lower than expected 272, the England stars met stubborn resistance from club-level batsmen including opener Jan-Berry Burger who scored a run-a-ball 85.

When Namibia was 139 for two with 19 overs still to go, the semi pro team had a glimpse of a chance of glory. But England hit back and, after a tumble of wickets, Namibia finished 217 for nine.

No. 3 Danie Keulder also hung on for a fighting 46, to share an 84-run partnership with Burger for the third wicket and a 35-run partnership with Gavin Murgatroyd for the fourth. Burger was named man-of-the-match, a rare distinction for a losing side.

Put into bat by Namibian captain Deon Kotze, England struggled against the Namibian bowling and managed a disappointing 272 all out in 50 overs. That was thanks partly to a responsible 60 by Alec Stewart, standing in for captain Nasser Hussain who was down with a stiff neck. Opener Marcus Trescothick made 58, showing a return to form after having made only two half-centuries in the previous 10 matches.

Although 272 would be a fighting score against any side, England would be more worried by the fact that all its batsmen got out to amateur players, and mostly to poor shots.

Namibian medium pacer Rudi van Vuuren, who has also played the rugby World Cup for Namibia, took three wickets in the last over of the England innings to finish with commendable figures of five for 43 in 10 overs, including two maidens.

England's bowling also was exposed for its inability to dismiss cheaply and completely the Namibian side, which routinely gets out for 140-150 in South African domestic league tournaments, and had been dismissed for 84 by Pakistan in its second pool match.

The performance does not bode well for England as it has to play three tough matches in its Group A against Pakistan, India and Australia. It has already forfeited four points after refusing to play Zimbabwe and now has eight points from three outings, having beaten the Netherlands on Sunday.

Pace bowler James Anderson, the hero of the Netherlands match with figures of four for 25, was largely ineffectual against the Namibians, getting hit for 44 runs in eight overs after claiming the sole wicket of opener Stephan Swanepoel for eight. He was also dispatched to long off for a six on the last ball of the innings by No. 11 bat Van Vuuren.

After Swanepoel's departure, fellow opener Burger--one of the three Burgers in the side--then flowered in the company of Keulder. He scored his first boundary in the sixth over, one of the 10 fours and one six that he made in an 86-ball knock during a two-hour stay on the pitch.

Burger was dropped in the 11th over when he was on 17 by substitute Matthew Hoggard at square leg off Andrew Caddick.

Although not as polished in his strokes as his English peers, Burger batted bravely against the pace of Caddick, Anderson and Craig White. He cover-drove White in his first over for a four and in the next over straight drove Flintoff with such force that the bowler was forced to duck. Two overs later, he lifted White over mid-on for six.

He finally fell in the 30th over to White for 85--his highest score in three one-day internationals--playing an awkward cut to give a catch to Paul Collingwood who came running from gully to point.

Keulder was run out for 46 after a 66-ball knock that included six fours. After Keulder's departure with the score at 174 for four, Namibia had no more serious batting left and it lost the next five wickets for 26 runs.

Burger had earlier claimed the wicket of Trescothick, who mistimed a sweep to give a simple catch to Louis Burger at fine leg. Trescothick made 58 in a 78-run partnership with Stewart for the third wicket, and hit eight fours and a six. Stewart's 60 included six fours and a six. —

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