Namibia throw away and retake nailbiter against Oman

Oman 109 allout (19.4)

Namibia 109-6 (20)

Namibia win 21 – 10 on tie breaker

These two sides created an enthralling finish as a tied game became the first in this year’s T20 World Cup to go to a tie breaker.

That excitement will probably overshadow, but should not, some extarordinarily good bowling, especially from Namibia whose bowlers were superbly controled by captain Gerhard Erasmus.

Namibia’s 109 did not look and should not have been enough to trouble Namibia.

The blonde opening bowler Reuben Trumpelmann put his side on the front foot by claiming two twickets off the first two balls of the Namibia innings, both LBW, trapping Prajabati and Aaqib Sulehri for Golden Ducks.

The hat trick ball was evaded but the lesson of bowling straight was not lost on Namibia, all of whose bowlers continued the art and were awarded with the tidiest of figures. Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni and Erasmus himself all bowled their full allocation of four overs, ceding just 18, 20 and 20 runs respectively.

Trumpelmann finsihed with 4-21 off his four and was a shoe-in for man of the Match until his opening bowling partner, David Wiese, himself no slouch with 3-18 off 3.4 overs took over the tiebreaker.

He opened both the bowling and batting for Namibia which left many wondering if there was any other squad who had a player that would do the same.

He dominated the 12 ball tie breaker hitting 13 off his four delivers before Erasmus added two further fours.

Their total of 21 was too much for Oman. After five balls, Wiese had conceded a dot ball, two singles and a 2, as well as having taken a wicket.. The last ball went for six but Oman needed 17 from it  and WQiese’s sole focus was not bowling a no-ball or a wide.

Oman did not do too much wrong.

The Namibia bowling strangulated them and they never really recoved from Trumpelmann’s devastating opening double. Batsmen came to the crease too early for their skill set and the accuracy of the bowling never waned.

Namibia’s batting also sufered on a slow wicket.

Jan Frylinck top scored with 45 but took them so slowly (48 balls), that he put pressure on other batsmen. Mehran Khan with 3-7 off three overs was the bowling highlight. Khalid Kail made an equally slow 34 for Oman.

Namibia take the win, points and plaudits but the slow pace of the wicket may give the next combatants here, England and Scotland plenty pause for deliberation as they seclect their sides

Prost International will be in Barbados for the clash of the Auld Enemy on Tuesday so please follow us for our coverage on Twitter @ProstInt. The match starts 10.30am local time, 14.30pm in Scotland and England.