CRICKET/ICC Trophy warm-up matches: Ireland suffered a confidence-sapping defeat to Namibia at Downpatrick yesterday in a warm-up match for the ICC Trophy, which gets under way on Friday.
Despite being set a target of 273 to win, Namibia's top order did well, headed by an unbeaten century from Louis Burger.
Ireland skipper Jason Molins won the toss and decided to bat, but with just one run on the total he was trudging back to the pavilion having been bowled by Kola Burger for a duck. Ireland then lost Andre Botha, Eoin Morgan and Peter Gillespie, each managing just a single apiece.
Jeremy Bray dominated the early scoring to such an extent when he reached his 50 in the 16th over, Ireland's total was 62 for 4. He hit two crashing sixes on the off side and played some classic drives. He was run out after a mix-up with Kyle McCallan for 127 off just 121 balls.
Andrew White (35), Dom Joyce (37), McCallan (26) and Naseer Shoukat (20) all did their bit as Ireland reached 272 for 9 off their 50 overs. In reply, Andries Burger and Dannie Keulder got Namibia off to a fine start, adding 75 for the first wicket, before Shoukat trapped Burger lbw for 50.
A 115-run partnership between Louis Burger and Sarel Burger put Namibia in the box seat.
When Jeremy Bray ran out Karg off the first ball of the 50th over, Namibia still needed nine to win off five balls. But Kola Burger then struck the first ball he faced for six, and Namibia got the three runs required with a ball to spare.
Today Ireland will take on Scotland at Lurgan.
IRELAND
J Bray run out 127
J Molins* b K Burger 0
A Botha c Kotze b S Burger 1
E Morgan c Kotze b K Burger 1
P Gillespie c Keulder b Kotze 1
A White c Keulder b Kotze 35
D Joyce b S Burger 37
K McCallan b Synman 26
P Mooney c Ludik b K Burger 3
N Shoukat not out 20
A McCoubrey not out 2
Extras (5b, 2lb, 3nb, 9w) 19
Total (for 9, 50 overs) 272
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-13, 3-25, 4-61, 5-129, 6-194, 7-230, 8-238, 9-270.
Bowling: K Burger 10-3-40-3, S Burger 10-0-45-2, Synman 6-1-45-1, Kotze 10-1-36-2, L Burger 3-0-27-0, JB Burger 6-0-39-0, Keulder 5-0-33-0.
NAMIBIA
D Keulder c Morgan b McCoubrey 33
JB Burger lbw b Shoukat 50
S Burger b McCoubrey 63
L Burger not out 102
G Synman b McCoubrey 7
D Kotze* c McCallan b McCoubrey 4
M Karg run out 2
K Burger not out 8
Extras (2lb, 1nb, 1w,) 4
Total (for 6, 49.5 overs) 273
Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-97, 3-212, 4-241, 5-256, 6-264.
Bowling: P Mooney 7-2-26-0, McCoubrey 10-0-66-4, Botha 8.5-0-46-0, Shoukat 9-1-45-1, White 6-0-35-0, McCallan 9-0-53-0.
Namibia won by 4 wickets Man of the match: Louis Burger.
Other matches: At Woodvale: Oman 251-8 (50 overs); Denmark 185 all out (44.5 overs). Oman won by 66 runs. At Osborne Park: Canada 153 all out (46.1 overs); Uganda 135 all out (49.2 overs). Canada won by 18 runs. At Saintfield: UAE 295-9 (50 overs); Papua New Guinea 99 all out (23.3 overs). UAE won by 196 runs. At Shaw's Bridge: USA 225-7 (50 overs); NCU President's XI 227-5 (43 overs). NCU won by 5 wickets.
