July 1: 2 run victory over Namibia in Canada Day thiller
Canada have got just the start they needed against a powerful Namibian side in the opening match of the ICC Trophy. A century by man-of-the-match John Davison, well supported by 90 from vice-captain Ian Billcliff, allowed Canada to set a big total. Namibia came within two runs of Canada, but brave captaincy and five wickets at the death from Sandher gave Canada a thrilling victory
Canada were put into bat by Namibia skipper Kotze after losing the toss. Dixon, Bhatti, and Osinde were the players to miss out. John Davison celebrated Canada Day by smashing two boundaries off the first over. However Desmond Chumney was dismissed in the third over, caught by Louis Burger off the bowling of Sarel Burger. The other opening bowler, Kola Burger, struck next, with Surkari judged lbw for 4, leaving Canada at 26/2 in the 6th over. Billcliff also started aggresively, taking two boundaries from Kola Burger's 4th over. The fifty came up in the 11th over, and Davison reached his personal half century (out of 73) four overs later. Davison treated the bowling of his counterpart, Kotze with scant respect, and the hundred came up in the 20th over. At the half-way stage of the innings Canada were 141/2, Davison 87, Billcliff 33.
Davison completed a superb hundred in the 26th over, taking just 86 balls, with four sixes and 12 fours. He and Billcliff put on 169 before Davison was caught by Swanepoel off the fourth Burger to bowl. His 125 equals the third highest innings by a Canadian in the ICC Trophy (Muneeb Diwan made 125, also against Namibia in 1996-97). Billcliff reached his half-century and brought up the 200 in the 35th over, but Namibia halted the Canadian acceleration with three quick wickets. Maxwell made just a single; and Dhillon (1) and Dassanayake (2) followed shortly afterwards leaving Canada at 228/6. Dharinam (13) put on 32 with Billcliff, but both were dismissed in the 44th over. Billcliff had made an excellent 90, his highest score in ICC trophy matches. Canada failed to bat out their overs and as it torned out a total of 284 was only just enough.
Thuraisingam and Maxwell opened the bowling, and Maxwell made the initial breakthrough, bowling the dangerous Andries Burger for just 8. Sarel Bruger (42) and Keulder (83) however were harder to dislodge, and built a good partnership. Tight bowling by Canada saw them fall behind the run-rate, and both were dismissed as they tried to accelerate the scoring. George Codrington, a late addition to the touring party, proved his worth as he came on 3rd change, and bowled his first 5 overs for just 8 runs, capturing the wickets of Keulder and Snyman. As the required run-rate passed 9 per over, Louis and Kola Burger were forced to hit out, which they did to some effect- Sandher bowled just three expensive overs before being replaced. Kola was bowled by Davison for 27 after they had put on 42 in short order. Captain Deon Kotze came in and took up the challenge, taking on Davison, and hitting a quick 22. Davison showed faith in his young spinner and was rewarded when Sandher had Kotze caught when he returned to the attack. Sandher picked up three more wickets but the Namibians scored fast to set up a thrilling finish. Sandher took his fifth wicket with the final ball of the penultimate over as Canada squeaked home by just 2 runs.
Sandher bowled 8 overs, taking 5/57, and was well supported by Codrinmgton in particular (9 overs, 2/32). Canada remarkably bowled only three wides, and no no-balls. A win over one of the strongest teams in the group is the perfect start for Canada. Assuming that they have no trouble with Papua New Guinea or Oman (both crashed to heavy defeats), Canada can assure World Cup qualification with a win over Scotland tomorrow, or Netherlands.
ICC Trophy 2005
Canada v Namibia
Woodvale
1 July 2005 (50-over match)
Result: Canada won by 2 runs
Toss: Namibia
Umpires: T Henry (Ire), B Dactrove (WI)
Canada innings (50 overs maximum)
D Chumney c LJ Burger b SF Burger 2
*JM Davison c Swanepoel b AJ Burger 125
Z Surkari lbw b KB Burger 4
IS Billcliff c Walters b SF Burger 90
DES Maxwell c LJ Burger b Snyman 1
H Dhillon c Snyman b AJ Burger 1
+PB Dassanayake b SF Burger 2
S Dhaniram c Snyman b KB Burger 13
S Thuraisingam c Snyman b KB Burger 2
GR Codrington not out 13
K Sandher b LJ Burger 5
Extras (lb 7, nb 2, w 17) 26
Total (all out, 48.1 overs) 284
FoW: 1-16 (Chumney), 2-26 (Surkari), 3-195 (Davison), 4-200 (Maxwell), 5-213 (Dhillon),
6-228 (Dassanayake), 7-260 (Dhaniram), 8-261 (I Billcliff), 9-271 (Thuraisingam),
10-284 (Sandher).
Bowling O M R W
SF Burger 10 0 58 3
KB Burger 10 0 60 3
Kotze 6 0 40 0
LJ Burger 9.1 0 50 1
Snyman 7 0 49 1
AJ Burger 6 0 20 2
Namibia innings (target: 285 runs from 50 overs)
AJ Burger b Maxwell 8
D Keulder c Dassanayake b Codrington 83
SF Burger c Thuraisingam b Dhaniram 42
G Snyman st Dassanayake b Codrington 7
LJ Burger c ? b Sandher 33
KB Burger b Davison 27
*DB Kotze b Sandher 25
R Walters lbw b Sandher 10
SJ Swanepoel c Codrington b Sandher 32
BL Kotze c ? b Sandher 9
+H Ludik not out 0
Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 3) 6
Total (all out, 49 overs) 282
FoW: 1-10 (AJ Burger), 2-132 (Keulder), 3-137 (S Burger), 4-148 (Snyman), 5-192 (KB Burger),
6-226 (LJ Burger), 7-241 (DB Kotze), 8-243 (Walters), 9-266 (BL Kotze), 10-282 (S Swanepoel).
Bowling O M R W
Maxwell 8 1 36 1
Thuraisingam 8 1 37 0
Dhaniram 9 0 53 1
Davison 7 0 64 1
Codrington 9 0 32 2
Sandher 8 0 57 5
*** Davison hundred in 88 balls with four 6s, twelve 4s