USA rout Namibia despite Scholtz fifer

USA strengthened their position at the top of the WCL 2 table after yet another emphatic 70-run victory over Namibia in the ongoing tri-nations series in Oman. In what would encapsulate as a complete team victory, USA rode on half-centuries from their batting mainstays Andries Gous (83 off 105) and Monank Patel (53 off 67) after a brittle batting performance against Oman in the previous game. Aaron Jones and Sanjay Krishnamurthy's counterpunching half-century stand resurrected the American innings from Bernard Scholtz's devastating five-wicket haul that saw reduced to 165 for 5 after cruising at 136 for 1.

USA spinners bossed a clueless Namibian batting line-up for the second time in a row after notching up a respectable 268. Milind Kumar proved to be their nemesis with the ball yet again with a three-wicket haul. Kumar, along with left-arm spinners Noshthush Kenjige and Harmeet Singh's opening bursts effectively ended Namibia's hunt for 269 after sending back half the Namibian side with a paltry 65 runs on the board; a point of no return in spite of Zane Green and Ruben Trumpelmann's valiant half centuries later on.

Trumpelmann's time with the bat was in exact contrast with his time with the ball. He got off to an inauspicious start in the first over of the game, helping Gous get his eye in by bowling on both sides of the wicket. Gous helped himself with a couple of boundaries in the first over, marking the start of a tormenting spell for the left-arm pacer. It would culminate with 76 runs at the end of his quota for the day. The openers batted on till the end of the first powerplay, but vigil remained short-lived thereafter as Scholtz struck on his second ball of the day to clean up a befuddled-looking Smit Patel who failed to convert his start after being cheaply dismissed in earlier two games.

Scholtz's dismissal of Smit sparked the start of one of those sensational white-ball spells that stands out in recent memory. With Scholtz drying up runs from one end, Gous and Monank Patel shifted their offence towards the lesser experienced bowlers. The pair toyed around with the young Jack Brassel for more than six runs an over before Gous welcomed Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton with a blazing cover drive. Monank continued to use his dexterity with full effect, unfurling one of the shots of the day, a cracking punch off the backfoot which he decided to wait for that extra fraction of a second to guide past the right of point.

Gous and Monank reached their half-centuries off 62 balls each. But just when the pair looked primed for another milestone Scholtz re-entered the fray to pluck Monank off a soft dismissal as he lobbed one straight to short cover. The wicket triggered a major collapse for USA. Scholtz ran through most of the USA batting lineup within minutes; castling Sai Teja Mukkamalla for 0, inducing a false stroke off Milind to mid wicket and edging out the big fish Gous 17 short of his hundred.

Jones and Krishnamurthy saw out the dangerous Scholtz. However, a long hop from Loftie-Eaton which was put away deep over the mid wicket fence ignited an Aaron Jones blitzkrieg which culminated in the dressing down of Trumpelmann for over 20 runs an over. Jones cracked a couple of mammoth sixes and a couple of boundaries to propel USA from a mediocre to a competitive total. Krishnamurthy too, hammered everything loose from Namibia, with a sparkling cameo of 41 off 29. Krishnamurthy has lately built a reputation of himself as a fearsome striker of the ball in the T20 circuit but the occasion marked his first impactful performance at the international stage. USA plundered 81 off the final 7 to seize the momentum going into the field.

Monank's plan to introduce off-spin in the second over of the innings yielded rich dividends. Kumar swept the rug out from Namibia's feet with twin strikes in the form of JP Kotze and Jan Frylink. Kotze reverse swept Kumar off his first delivery but found himself caught on the crease the very next ball. Kumar then struck Frylink in front a couple of balls later. Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus battled hard to find form but couldn't be at his fluent best. With the asking rate creeping close to six, Erasmus chanced his arm in the final over of the powerplay only to sky a straightforward chance to the wicketkeeper.

Green looked the only assuring Namibian batsman out in the middle before the first drinks break with the score at 47 for 3 after 15 overs. Green continued the rescue effort but kept losing support from the other end. Kumar snuck one past Malan Kruger's defences to end his short laborious stay in the middle. In the next over JJ Smit departed off a flighted one from Harmeet, after a mindless hoick landed into the hands of long on.

Green and Loftie-Eaton put down the anchor for a while to keep USA at bay. Green clattered a pull off Kenjige to reach his half-century off 71 deliveries. Saurabh Netravalkar ended Green's resistance with the latter trying to put his foot on the gas to stay afloat at the asking rate. Netravalkar quite intelligently held his length back to an advancing Green who couldn't get the required elevation and ballooned a catch to mid wicket. Loftie-Eaton fell prey to his overenterprising shot selection as Netravalkar thudded his pads while the batter attempted a reversesweep.

Trumpelmann used the long handle to provide some respite to the Namibian dressing room with a quickfire half-century (55 off 32). But it proved to be too little too late. The late flurry of boundaries could only delay the inevitable before Jessy Singh was brought back to clean up the tail and bring an end to the artificial excitement that was floated around by Trumpelmann's pyrotechnics.