ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

NAMIBIA v NEPAL The fixture was treated as a challenge match in which Namibia were rated the higher of the two teams and Nepal therefore had to beat them in order to qualify for a place in the main competition. The chance of a Nepal victory was much reduced after the first day’s play was abandoned because of a wet outfield. Namibia was having its wettest rainy season in 30 years, with over 500 mm being recorded at Windhoek in the previous six weeks. Some 5.33 mm fell on the first day and the forecast was poor, suggesting that there would be many interruptions should play be possible at all. Not surprisingly, Nepal chose to bowl first when play got under way on the second day. Namibia resisted Nepal’s opening attack of Mehaboob Alam and Binod Das for nearly an hour, after which debutant Aamir Akhtar, coming on as first change, made the breakthrough with two wickets, both caught by the wicketkeeper, Manoj Katuwal. When left-arm spinner Basant Regmi disposed of Jan-Berrie Burger and Louis Burger, to leave the home team on 60 for four, Nepal looked to be in control. Deon Kotze and Gerrie Snyman responded well with a 97-run partnership. Kotze played the anchor, but even Snyman was much subdued, with a strike rate of only 63.1, and hitting only four fours and two sixes, before falling leg-before to Das. Das also bowled Stefan Swanepoel just before tea but Deon Kotze and Bjorn Kotze prevented Nepal from making further inroads before the close. It took only a further 12.2 overs on the third day for Nepal to dismiss Namibia, Das finishing with the excellent figures of six wickets for 80 runs, in the process preventing Deon Kotze from reaching his century, as he offered a catch to Shakti Gauchan in the slips. Luck was with Nepal when Kanishka Chaugai was dropped by Swanepoel at third slip before any runs were scored. Despite a short break for rain when the score was 11 for none, he and Paresh Lohani progressed steadily in a partnership of 45 runs before Chaugai offered another slip catch, this time safely taken by Bjorn Kotze. Nepal’s middle order then displayed a total lack of application and wickets fell regularly, all Namibia’s bowlers being able to extract life and lift from the pitch. Regmi, Akhtar and Katuwal held up proceedings, each surviving more than 50 balls, but scoring runs was difficult and they managed only to take Nepal from 91 for seven to 143 all out. Hapless batting allowed the initiative to swing entirely to Namibia who had a lead of 139 runs with all wickets in hand at the end of the day, by which time an injury to Alam, after bowling two deliveries, one a wide, prevented him from taking any further part in the game. Akhtar completed the over. Namibia began somewhat tentatively on the last morning with Jan-Berrie Burger taking 53 balls to score 18 runs (strike rate of 33.9) and Dawid Botha requiring 98 balls for the same score (strike rate of 18.3). Once the opening pair and Sarel Burger (8 runs at a strike rate of 23.5) had been dismissed, Namibia raised the tempo. Louis Burger and Snyman added 76 for the fifth wicket, the latter, in a typically aggressive innings, hitting three fours and four sixes in an undefeated 78 runs, made at a strike rate of 125.8. Kola Burger not only helped Snyman add 43 for the sixth wicket but outscored him; his 31 runs were made at a strike rate of 238.4 and included four sixes. With Namibia now in a dominant position, the question was when, or if, they would choose to declare and see if they could bowl Nepal out for a second time. When the declaration came, almost certainly too late, Nepal were set a target of 369 runs to win and Namibia were left with 40 overs in which to dismiss Nepal. With the light deteriorating, Kola Burger and Snyman were each given only one over before Deon Kotze turned to medium-paced bowling and the leg spin of Jan-Berrie Burger. Three wickets were taken and no Nepalese batsman looked likely to play a long innings, but after 24 overs the light got worse and the umpires called a halt. The rain returned, with a further 10.4 mm falling in the evening and overnight. 84 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2006-07