Eagles take 1-0 lead over Indian tourists
Cricket
Willem (WP) Myburgh made an influential debut for the senior Namibian cricket team.
Under their new coach Craig Williams and with a new headline sponsor, the FNB Eagles started the next chapter entertaining their home fans at the FNB Namibia Cricket Stadium with a six-wicket win in the series-opening match against the Indian touring team Assam Cricket Association on Saturday.
The hosts’ captain Gerhard Erasmus won the toss and sent the Indian team in to bat first, as they accumulated a total of 232 all out in 49.4 overs.
Number six Saahil Jain top-scored for Assam with a fifty (54 off 58 balls), but Namibia took regular wickets through six of the eight bowlers used. Seam bowlers JJ Smit (2/20 in 8.4 overs), Ruben Trumpelmann (2/34 in 7) and Dylan Leicher (2/17 in 5) each took two wickets.
In the FNB Eagles run-chase, the 24-year-old debutant WP Myburgh used his opportunity to open the batting, hitting four fours on his way to 88 not out off 135 balls. As a right-arm spin bowler, he also sent down a tidy five overs that cost just 14 runs (18 dot balls).
Myburgh lost his first partner Zane Green early (4), but Jan Frylinck (51 off 60; 6x4 1x6), Gerhard Erasmus (20 off 18; 1x4 1x6) and Nicol Loftie-Eaton all played their part.
Loftie-Eaton was named player of the match for his attacking innings of 58 off 40 balls (7x4, 1x6), which helped Namibia overtake the target with 19 balls to spare.
His partnership with Myburgh took the score from 113/3 (30.3 overs) to 221/4 in 44.5 overs, when Loftie-Eaton was finally caught out. JP Kotzé came in at number six to pick off the last few runs (11 not out off 9 balls, one four).
Afterwards, Erasmus said it was an important toss to win due to the playing conditions with the early start.
“During overs 18 to 40 we bowled really well and kept their scoring rate down. During our batting innings, WP helped set the foundation for our ball strikers. We’ll be looking to keep improving our skills as the series progresses.”
Up next
The second of the five 50-over Assam vs Eagles tour matches will be played from 09:30 on Monday. Match three, four and five will follow on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at the same time and venue.
Watch the matches live: https://q.my.na/2YJX
The hosts’ captain Gerhard Erasmus won the toss and sent the Indian team in to bat first, as they accumulated a total of 232 all out in 49.4 overs.
Number six Saahil Jain top-scored for Assam with a fifty (54 off 58 balls), but Namibia took regular wickets through six of the eight bowlers used. Seam bowlers JJ Smit (2/20 in 8.4 overs), Ruben Trumpelmann (2/34 in 7) and Dylan Leicher (2/17 in 5) each took two wickets.
In the FNB Eagles run-chase, the 24-year-old debutant WP Myburgh used his opportunity to open the batting, hitting four fours on his way to 88 not out off 135 balls. As a right-arm spin bowler, he also sent down a tidy five overs that cost just 14 runs (18 dot balls).
Myburgh lost his first partner Zane Green early (4), but Jan Frylinck (51 off 60; 6x4 1x6), Gerhard Erasmus (20 off 18; 1x4 1x6) and Nicol Loftie-Eaton all played their part.
Loftie-Eaton was named player of the match for his attacking innings of 58 off 40 balls (7x4, 1x6), which helped Namibia overtake the target with 19 balls to spare.
His partnership with Myburgh took the score from 113/3 (30.3 overs) to 221/4 in 44.5 overs, when Loftie-Eaton was finally caught out. JP Kotzé came in at number six to pick off the last few runs (11 not out off 9 balls, one four).
Afterwards, Erasmus said it was an important toss to win due to the playing conditions with the early start.
“During overs 18 to 40 we bowled really well and kept their scoring rate down. During our batting innings, WP helped set the foundation for our ball strikers. We’ll be looking to keep improving our skills as the series progresses.”
Up next
The second of the five 50-over Assam vs Eagles tour matches will be played from 09:30 on Monday. Match three, four and five will follow on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at the same time and venue.
Watch the matches live: https://q.my.na/2YJX
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