The Namibian Richelieu Eagles got off to a losing start in their Cricket World Cup League 2 Tri-Nations series after a comprehensive six-wicket defeat to the United States on Monday.
After being sent in to bat, Namibia posted 199/9 off their 50 overs, which was never a problem for the USA, who reached the target for the loss of four wickets, with nearly nine overs in hand.
The result left Namibia in fourth place on the eight-nation log, but the United States are closing in, now just two points behind in fifth place, with four matches in hand.
Namibia’s innings got off to a shaky start as USA opening bowler Juanoy Drysdale dismissed JP Kotze (8) and Michael van Lingen (5) in quick succession to leave Namibia on 19/2 after eight overs.
Jan Frylinck and Gerhard Erasmus rebuilt the innings with a 75-run third wicket partnership, with especially Frylinck hitting some fine boundaries.
USA off spinner Milind Kumar, however, struck a double blow, bowling Erasmus for 27 (4×4) and then trapping Malan Kruger lbw for one to leave Namibia struggling at 98/4 at the halfway mark of their innings.
Frylinck continued to score freely, but his innings came to an end when he was bowled off a great ball by Jasdeep Singh for 70 off 88 balls (7×4).
Further down the order, JJ Smit weighed in with some big sixes, but the USA’s bowlers, and especially their spinners Nosthush Kenjige and Kumar started to tie the batters down.
Smit was eventually bowled by Saurabh Netravalkar for 49 off 75 balls, but he received little support, with Nicol Loftie-Eaton (17) being the only other batter to reach double figures, as Namibia were restricted to a modest 199.
For the USA, Netravalkar (2/41), Drysdale (2/16) and Kumar (2/18) took two wickets each.
In reply, USA opener Smit Patel was dismissed by Tangeni Lungameni off a great catch by Loftie-Eaton for nine, but the rest of their top order soon took control as they went after Namibia’s bowlers.
Loftie-Eaton was once again involved in the next wicket, with a superb throw to run out Sushant Modani for 36, but Monank Patel and Saiteja Mukkamalla took the USA to the brink of victory with a 106-run partnership.
Erasmus dismissed Patel for 72 (7×4, 1×6) and Kumar (0) off successive balls, but Mukamalla (59 not out) and Shayan Jahangir (21 not out) took the USA to a commanding victory as they reached 200/4 off 41,3 overs.
The USA’s neighbours, Canada, meanwhile, also posted a comprehensive 103-run victory against Nepal in another Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Ontario on Monday.
Canada posted a total of 253/8 with Nicholas Kirton scoring 73 not out off 44 balls, Navneet Dhaliwal 48 and Dillon Heyliger 30, and then dismissed Nepal for 150 with player of the match Heyliger taking 5/31.
That win put Canada second on the log on 10 points from nine matches, just behind the Netherlands, who lead the log on 12 points from eight matches.
Scotland have now dropped down to third position on nine points from seven matches, followed by Namibia (eight points from nine matches) and the USA (six points from five matches).
Oman (three points from four matches), Nepal (two points from five matches) and UAE (zero points from three matches) make up the rear.
UAE will be aiming to break their duck when they take on the USA at the United field today, with the match starting at 09h30.
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