Netherlands Pacers Dominate, Restrict Namibia to 156 in T20 World Cup Clash

Namibia's innings began with plenty of urgency but little composure, as frantic running between the wickets nearly cost them in the opening over. Off-spinner Aryan Dutt set the tone in the powerplay, conceding just 13 runs in his three overs and removing Louren Steenkamp.

Namibia briefly recovered through a 50-run stand between Jan Frylinck and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who top-scored with 42. But the duo and skipper Gerhard Erasmus fell in their bid to up the tempo, as none of the Namibian batters managed to convert their starts into a defining knock.

Scott Edwards rotated his eight bowlers smartly to keep Namibia to a slightly under par total, leaving the Netherlands with a chase of 157 that they will back themselves to achieve. Dutt opened proceedings for the Netherlands and created drama on the final ball when Steenkamp nudged to the on-side for a single but survived a run-out chance when Edwards accidentally dislodged a bail before gathering the ball.

With Dutt getting turn and bounce, he had a breakthrough in his second over when he beat Steenkamp in flight and had him stumped by Edwards for six. Fred Klaassen's introduction in the fourth over saw Frylinck begin a brief counterattack - flicking through midwicket for four and then launching him straight over the bowler's head for six.

After surviving an lbw appeal off Colin Ackermann, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton smoked him for a towering six and later edged one for four, while Frylinck sliced him over cover to pick another boundary. After the partnership crossed the fifty-mark, Loftie-Eaton had twin reprieves on the same ball - de Leede dropping his chance at cover, while Ackermann failed to gather the ball in time to inflict a run-out.

Van Beek returned in the ninth over to break the 50-run stand by having Frylinck nick behind for 30. But Loftie-Eaton began to open up, lofting Ackermann over long-off and pulling with authority for six and four respectively.

Erasmus arrived with intent - hammering Timm van der Gugten for a six over long-on and two fours hit on both sides of the wicket in quick succession. But de Leede struck back in the 13th over, as Erasmus mistimed a pull to midwicket and fell for 18, while van Beek had Loftie-Eaton mistiming an off-cutter and holing out to long-on.

JJ Smit broke free against Roelof van der Merwe by launching him cleanly over cow corner before going down on one knee to smack it over long-off for a brace of sixes. But Netherlands made a late fightback which didn't allow Namibia to have a great finishing flourish. De Leede struck again when he cramped Smit for room on a late cut and hit the top of the off stump, while Klaassen returned to have Zane Green hole out to deep cover.

Ruben Trumpelmann was run out in a mix-up with Dylan Leicher, as de Leede ran to the stumps to complete the dismissal, while debutant William Myburgh fell short of crease while taking a second run on the last ball of the innings, as the Netherlands conceded only 26 runs in the final three overs.

Brief Scores: Namibia 156/8 in 20 overs (Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 42, Jan Frylinck 30; Logan van Beek 2-13, Bas de Leede 2-20) against Netherlands

- IANS