ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

UGANDA v NAMIBIA Despite overcast conditions and rain being forecast, Joel Olwenyi decided to bat first. Uganda were soon in trouble as Kola Burger and Gerrie Snyman dismissed the two openers for only nine runs. Both Olwenyi and Nehal Bibodi, after starting well, gave catches to the wicketkeeper and Akbar Baig and Nand Kishore Patel were deceived by the leg breaks of Jan-Berrie Burger. Thus, six wickets were lost before lunch. Only four overs were possible after the break before rain intervened and prevented any further play until 4.00 pm. Shortly after the resumption, Junior Kwebiha fell leg-before to Sarel Burger but, thereafter, either the pitch played easier or Uganda showed more application and a recovery set in as Franco Nsubuga went for aggression. His 64 was made at a strike rate of 130.6 and, with seven fours and four sixes, 81% of his runs came in boundaries. He added 51 with a surprisingly subdued Kenneth Kamyuka. After both were dismissed in quick succession, Emmanuel Isaneez and Charles Waiswa frustrated Namibia with an undefeated last-wicket partnership of 43 runs before the umpires stopped play early because of bad light. Although Gerrie Snyman was the most threatening of the bowlers, finishing with three wickets for 45 runs, he made an important contribution to Uganda’s total with five wides and 11 no-balls. The last-wicket pair batted for four more overs and four balls on the second morning, but could add only six runs before Kola Burger trapped Waiswa in front of the wicket. Given the dominance of ball over bat, it was somewhat surprising that Namibia used eight bowlers to restrict Uganda to 231 runs. Conditions continued to favour pace and swing and Uganda’s bowlers exploited them well as Namibia collapsed from 46 for one to 66 for six. Only a defiant effort from Jan-Berrie Burger prevented a complete disaster, his valuable 59 runs (strike rate 41.5) included 11 fours and set the example to the tail. It was now Namibia’s turn to frustrate the fielding side with a last-wicket partnership of 52 between Sarel Burger and Iaan van Zyl. Namibia restricted Uganda to a 30-run first innings lead but, like Uganda, used eight bowlers in the process. It was almost as though, regardless of the match situation, every one in the team who could bowl should have a chance to do so. Uganda changed their batting order for the second innings with disastrous results. Although Baig, Bibodi and Kamyuka batted a long time, they scored few runs as Namibia again used their full array of bowlers, with Sarel Burger and Jan-Berrie Burger being the most successful. Uganda’s lead had extended to 90 runs by the close but for the loss of five wickets. The lower order performed a valiant rescue act on the third morning, with Olwenyi, Kwebiha, Nsubuga and Patel all contributing, before Olwenyi kept the game from drifting to a draw by declaring. Set to score 242 runs, Namibia opted to accept the challenge. Jan-Berrie Burger (strike rate 56.7) and Stefan Swanepoel (strike rate 98.2) made an excellent opening partnership of 88 but Uganda retaliated with three quick wickets. Burger and Deon Kotze (strike rate of 104.1) regained the initiative in a 40-run partnership and a cameo innings by Snyman (strike rate of 155.0) took Namibia to within four runs of the target. Kamyuka then removed Snyman and Sarel Burger to give him four wickets in the innings but this was not enough to prevent Namibia obtaining a comfortable three-wicket victory. The Man-of-the-Match award went to Gerrie Snyman for his all-round performance, though Jan-Berrie Burger must have been a close contender, especially if more account had been taken of Snyman’s fifteen no-balls. There was a large number of no-balls and wides in the match, suggesting that either the bowlers found it difficult to control the degree of swing in the damp conditions or the umpires were particularly harsh. 58 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2005