Under-19 World Cup wrap: Success for Nepal, struggles elsewhere

Namibia (=15^th)

Results:

Group Stage: vs Australia, lost by 4 wickets (with 181 balls remaining)

Group Stage: vs Sri Lanka, lost by 77 runs

Group Stage: vs Zimbabwe, lost by 8 wickets (with 87 balls remaining)

Playoff: vs Scotland, lost by 3 runs

Analysis

Namibia scrapped harder and showed more promise than the record of four defeats shows, finding themselves in the contest in three out of four games. But whilst the bowling was often competitive, the batting frequently struggled.

No more could this have been shown by their opening two games, against Australia and then Sri Lanka. In the first, the Namibians were bowled out for a mere 91 batting first. But they claimed six Australian wickets in reply, having had the Aussies at 57/5 at one stage. The follow up against Sri Lanka was a mirrored story of the first game. After bowling out Sri Lanka for 133, Namibia were bowled out for 56 in reply, after being 25/8, with none of the top eight reaching double figures.

If they had hopes of replicating their senior men’s habit of defeating neighbours Zimbabwe, it was not to be. A slow scrap to 146/8 across their 50 overs batting first was proved to be well short of a par total. And this time, the bowlers could not bail out the batting, as Zimbabwe iced the chase two-wickets down, with more than 14 overs remaining.

The closest game was in the playoff, against Scotland. And the Namibians looked as of they had kept Scotland to a par total, before the last over was hit for 26, giving Scotland 251/6. The Young Eagles lost two early wickets, before a partnership of 115 between Zacheo van Vuuren and Johannes Visagie got the chase back on track. Van Vuuren would bat on to the final over, Namibia needing 16 to win, having scored 22 off the preceding two overs. They managed ten off the first 5 balls, with van Vuuren out for 87 off the penultimate ball. With six to win off the last, new batter Jack Brassel could only get two, resulting in a three-run loss.

Zacheo van Vuuren, nephew of former cricket and rugby union international Rudie van Vuuren, was the start performer, massing 129 runs and 6 wickets, topping both charts for Namibia. Jack Brassel shared the top bowling spot with another six wickets.