Former South Africa player Justin Kemp appointed Cricket Namibia's Director of Cricket
Windhoek, June 10
Former South Africa all‑rounder Justin Kemp has been appointed as Cricket Namibia's new Director of Cricket, the board announced on Wednesday. Kemp played four Tests, 85 ODIs, and eight T20Is for South Africa from 2001 to 2007 as a right-arm medium-pace bowling all-rounder.
"As Director of Cricket, Kemp will oversee the strategic direction of cricket operations across Cricket Namibia, including the national teams, high-performance programmes, talent identification structures, coach development pathways and the continued growth of the game throughout the country," Cricket Namibia said in a statement on Wednesday.
Kemp, who also turned out for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their title-winning Indian Premier League (IPL) 2010 season, was Western Province assistant coach in the South African domestic cricket ecosystem in 2024 before joining Namibia's coaching staff in the same role last year.
Apart from being Namibia's assistant coach in the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, Kemp was in the coaching team of the Chattogram Royals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Rawalpindiz in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
"The appointment aligns with Cricket Namibia's vision of becoming a globally competitive cricket nation. Kemp's international playing experience, combined with his exposure to some of the world's leading high‑performance and franchise environments, will support the organisation's efforts to strengthen its cricketing systems and create sustainable pathways from grassroots participation to international success.
"As Cricket Namibia continues to build on recent achievements on and off the field, the appointment represents another important step in ensuring that Namibian cricket remains competitive on the global stage while developing the next generation of players," added Cricket Namibia.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting move. Namibia has shown they can spring surprises in T20 World Cups. But I hope Kemp focuses on grassroots development rather than just the national team. We've seen too many associate nations rely on a few stars without building proper pathways below.
Kemp was a proper finisher during his playing days. Remember him smashing 6 sixes in an over in county cricket? That aggression will help Namibia become more than just competitive. With the T20 World Cup coming to India and Sri Lanka in 2026, Namibia could pull off some upsets under his guidance. 💪
Another ex-Protea moving into coaching. Hope he's more successful than some others we've seen take up these roles. The real test will be if he can produce results from limited resources. We Indians know a thing or two about that—our own system grew from nothing. Good luck to Kemp and Cricket Namibia!
As someone who followed Kemp's career closely, I think this is a solid pick. He was always a smart cricketer—not just a hitter but someone who read the game well. Namibia needs that kind of cricket IQ now more than ever, especially with the ODI Super League and World Cup qualification pathways shifting.
Nice to see associate nations getting experienced coaches. But I'd love to see more female cricket development in Namibia too. Kemp has worked with men's teams mostly—hope the board ensures he also focuses on women's cricket pathways. The game grows faster when both genders get equal attention.
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