Scotland clinches thriller at U19 World Cup
Cricket
The chase of 252 runs would reveal a lot about the character of the Namibian team.
Namibia’s youngsters will be able to take valuable lessons from yesterday’s tense finish in a narrow losing cause against Scotland in the final playoff match for both nations at the Under 19 Cricket World Cup.In hindsight, the Namibians gave away many opportunities on their way to losing by just three runs, in the bottom-four clash between two sides that had lost all three of their respective pool matches against favoured opposition.
Scotland, who chose to bat first, put up a competitive 251 for six at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. Scotland’s talented opening batsman Jamie Dunk delivered another classy innings of 76 (93 balls, eight fours) which pushed him to the overall second place among the leading run-scorers in the tournament.
Dunk, who had scored 40, 57 and 90 against England, West Indies and South Africa, gave one difficult catching chance that flew over the head of Namibia’s Jack Brassell.
The second half of the Scotland innings was dominated by the aggressive Bahadar Esakhiel, who clobbered six sixes and four fours on his way to an unbeaten 76 off just 54 balls.
Esakhiel punished Zacheo van Vuuren for 26 runs (four sixes and a two) off the 50th over.
Namibia’s decision to give Van Vuuren the final over, instead of for instance the impressive Jack Brassell (1/17 in 8) will be one of many what ifs that will play on their minds as the contemplate the result that so narrowly slipped away from them, in which just one more ball could have given them the win.
Van Vuuren took 2/72 in eight overs, while spinner PD Blignaut took 2/42 off 10.
DETERMINED CHASE
Scotland’s total set Namibia a bigger target than they had achieved in any innings in the tournament – and the chase would reveal a lot about the character of captain Alex Volschenk’s team.
After the sluggish start by openers Hansie de Villiers (1 off 23 balls) and Gerhard van Rensburg (9 off 21, 1x4), Namibia ended the first ten overs at just 26/2.
The pace gradually accelerated thanks to increasingly confident fifties by JW Visagie (69 off 87 balls, nine fours) and Zacheo van Vuuren (86 off 119 balls, five fours).
Their partnership of 115 runs fell just short of the best-ever for Namibia at any U19 World Cup (119 between Lo-han Louwrens and Shaun Fouché) and certainly kept their team firmly in the hunt.
Captain Volschenk, who took over after Visagie was given out LBW, struck two sixes and a four in a valuable innings of 32 off 30 balls, but his dismissal was another turning point.
The 16-year-old Ben Brassell (3 off 7) and PD Blignaut joined up with Van Vuuren, as Namibia progressed to a tense final over off which they needed 16 runs.
Scotland bowler Ibrahim Faisal nearly gave it away as he conceded a four to Van Vuuren, followed by five wides. However, he redeemed himself by dismissing Van Vuuren off the penultimate ball.
New batsman Jack Brassell walked to the crease needing to hit the final ball for a six in order for Namibia to win, but he only succeeded in taking two as Scotland recorded a dramatic win.