Erasmus the big winner at Cricket Awards

National captain Gerhard Erasmus was the big winner at Cricket Namibia’s annual awards on Friday, as he walked away with five awards at the glittering occasion. 

Erasmus won the Player of the Year; Players’ Player of the Year; the National Eagles ODI Player of the Year; the ICC T20 World Cup Best Batter; and the National Eagles T20 Player of the Year awards. 

At the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States, Erasmus was Namibia’s top batter with 102 runs at a strike rate of 109,68 and an average of 34,00, while he was also the joint-second top bowler with four wickets.

In international T20 matches over the past year he scored 462 runs at an average of 33,00, while he took 28 wickets at an average of 11 and an economy rate of 5,1. 

Erasmus also led by example, taking the Eagles on their most successful campaign in history as they qualified for their third T20 World Cup over the past four years. They also narrowly missed out on a top three place in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tournament, after finishing fourth behind Scotland, Oman and Nepal, to lose out on a place at the final qualifier for the 2024 50-over World Cup.

Ruben Trumpelmann won the ICC T20 Best Bowler award, with seven wickets; Jack Brassell won the award for the Most Improved National Eagles Player; and the national u19 coach Oscar Nauhaus won the Coach of the Year award for winning the Africa World Cup Qualifier in Tanzania and competing at the 2024 ICC u19 Cricket World Cup. 

Namibian all-rounder David Wiese received a special recognition award for his contribution to Namibian cricket over the past few years. Wiese, who originally played for South Africa, switched allegiances to Namibia a few years ago, due to the fact that his father was born in Namibia, and has since gone on to play a crucial role for Namibia at all three their T20 World Cup campaigns. At the recent 2024 T20 World Cup he played a vital role in Namibia’s only victory against Oman as he starred with both bat and ball in the final super over to steer them to victory.

Women’s cricket also received recognition with several awards in the Capricorn Eagles’ category. 

Yasmeen Khan won the Player of the Year award, as well as the Batter of the Year award, after scoring 365 runs in 15 innings at an average of 24,33 and a strike rate of 110. 

She also scored 194 runs at an average of 38,8 in a series against the UAE in Dubai that helped Namibia clinch the series 4-2. 

Merzerly Gorases won the Players’ Player of the Year award; Kayleen Green won the Bowler of the Year award after taking 18 wickets at an average of 11,05; Mekelaye Mwatile won the Junior Women’s Best Batter Award after scoring 129 runs at an average of 64,5; and Veronika Tobias won the Junior Women’s Best Bowler award after taking nine wickets at an economy rate of 5,18. 

The top national u19 players received awards for their performances at the 2023 ICC u19 Africa World Cup Qualifier, with Alexander Volschenk winning the Player of the Tournament award; Zacheo Jansen van Vuuren the Best Batter as well as the Player of the Series awards; and Jack Brassel the Best Bowler award.

There were numerous other awards for teams, players, coaches, umpires, administrators and scorers, as well as all the winners in the various club leagues, as well as for coaches, administrators and participating schools in the Ashburton Kwata Development Programme, with more than 139 000 children now playing the game in all 14 of Namibia’s regions.