Cricket Highlights, June 6: T20 WC 2024 (Match 12) – Namibia vs Scotland

Namibia vs Scotland (Match 12) – Highlights

In this article, we will discuss Scotland’s stunning run chase that led to a memorable five-wicket victory over Namibia in the T20 World Cup 2024. Returning to the Kensington Oval after their match against England was washed out, Scotland chased down a target of 156 with nine balls to spare, marking their first T20I victory over Namibia in four attempts. 

We will delve into the pivotal moments, including Richie Berrington and Michael Leask’s game-changing partnership, Gerhard Erasmus’s all-round performance, and the tactical shifts that defined the match. Join us as we analyze how Scotland overcame a mid-innings collapse to secure this crucial win and what it means for their position in the tournament.

Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, had earlier swung the match in his team’s favor with a dual contribution, scoring 52 and taking 2 for 29, setting up a total of 155 for 9 in the first innings. Choosing to bat first on a tricky Kensington Oval pitch, Erasmus’s decision initially seemed dubious as Namibia stumbled to 55 for 4, largely due to the excellent new-ball bowling by Brad Wheal and Brad Currie.

Erasmus anchored Namibia’s innings with his 11th fifty-plus T20I score, contributing 37 runs in a crucial 51-run partnership with Zane Green for the fifth wicket. Despite losing George Munsey early in their chase, Scotland managed to reach 49 runs by midway through the eighth over with only one wicket down. Michael Jones accelerated the 

Scoring, hitting 15 runs off the final over of the powerplay, but Erasmus’s return to the attack triggered a collapse. Erasmus and Bernard Scholtz combined to stifle Scotland’s middle order, taking three wickets and reducing Scotland from 49 for 1 to 73 for 4 by the 11th over.

At this critical juncture, Leask partnered with Berrington to bring Scotland to the brink of victory with a 42-ball partnership that included seven boundaries, four of which were sixes from Leask. Although Leask was eventually dismissed, Berrington sealed the win in style, hitting David Wiese into the pavilion at long on.

Leask’s brief but explosive 17-ball cameo turned the game on its head. Arriving when Scotland needed 80 from 50 balls, he played out a dot ball first but then scored off all but one of his next 16 deliveries, reducing the requirement to 9 from 13 balls.

Leask took over after Berrington had set the tone with a six and four off consecutive deliveries from Tangeni Lungameni. Erasmus was dispatched to midwicket for the first of Leask’s four sixes. After Jones’s powerful sixth over, Erasmus and Scholtz focused on slowing down the scoring. Erasmus bowled around the wicket, darting off breaks to restrict the right-handers, leading to Jones’s caught-behind dismissal and McMullen’s stumping.

Scholtz, maintaining a wicket-to-wicket line, conceded just one boundary and trapped Matthew Cross lbw attempting a sweep. The pressure from Namibia’s bowlers resulted in Scotland scoring only 35 for 3 in the six overs following the powerplay.

The defining moment came in the 17th over, which cost Namibia 19 runs. David Wiese, the hero of Namibia’s Super Over win against Oman, was hit for two sixes by Leask, flanked by a Berrington boundary in the same region. Leask’s final six, a massive 101-meter hit off Ruben Trumpelmann’s slower ball, brought Scotland’s target to under a run-a-ball for the first time.

A decisive 74-run stand between Richie Berrington and Michael Leask guided Scotland to victory. Berrington remained unbeaten on 47, while Leask added a vital 17-ball 35 to inject momentum into the chase.

Namibia vs Scotland Scoreboard

Namibia – 155/9 (20.0)

Scotland – 157/5 (18.3)

Result – Scotland won by 5 wickets

Player of the match – Michael Leask

Michael Leask

Namibia vs Scotland Playing XIs

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