Namibia national cricket team

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The Namibia men's national cricket team, nicknamed the Eagles, is the men's team that represents the Republic of Namibia in international cricket. It is organised by Cricket Namibia, which became an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1992.[7]

Namibia
Refer to caption
Cricket Namibia logo
Nickname(s)Eagles[1]
AssociationCricket Namibia
Personnel
CaptainGerhard Erasmus
CoachPierre de Bruyn
International Cricket Council
ICC statusAssociate Member with ODI status (1992)
ICC regionAfrica
ICC RankingsCurrent[2]Best-ever
ODI16th14th (22 September 2022)
T20I14th11th (22 November 2023)
One Day Internationals
First ODIv.  Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, Harare; 10 February 2003
Last ODIv.  Netherlands at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur; 23 February 2024
ODIsPlayedWon/Lost
Total[3]5226/25
(0 ties, 1 no result)
This year[4]43/1
(0 ties, 0 no results)
World Cup appearances1 (first in 2003)
Best resultFirst round (2003)
World Cup Qualifier appearances6 (first in 1994)
Best resultRunner-up (2001)
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20Iv.  Ghana at Kyambogo Cricket Oval, Kampala; 20 May 2019
Last T20Iv.  Oman at Oman Cricket Academy Ground Turf 1, Al Amarat; 7 April 2024
T20IsPlayedWon/Lost
Total[5]6442/21
(0 ties, 1 no result)
This year[6]126/5
(0 ties, 1 no result)
T20 World Cup appearances2 (first in 2021)
Best resultSuper 12 (2021)
T20 World Cup Qualifier appearances5[a] (first in 2012)
Best resultChampions (2023)

ODI and T20I kit

As of 7 April 2024

A team representing South West Africa played in South African domestic competitions prior to Namibia's independence in 1990. After joining the ICC, the country soon became one of the leading ICC associate members in Africa. Namibia finished second at the 2001 ICC Trophy, thereby qualifying for the 2003 Cricket World Cup in South Africa. The team made its One Day International (ODI) debut at the tournament but failed to win a match. Beginning in 2004, Namibia participated in every edition of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, finishing runners-up in 2007–08. It also featured at the highest levels of the World Cricket League (WCL), twice participating in the WCL Championship, and finished third at the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.

Namibia were runners-up at the 2019 WCL Division Two tournament to secure the ODI status and qualify for the 2019–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. The team finished fourth at the 2019 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier to qualify for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. It subsequently recorded its first World Cup victories, defeating the Netherlands and Ireland in the first round of the tournament to progress to the Super 12 stage.[8]

History

The earliest instance of cricket being played in Windhoek dates back to 1909 when South West Africa was very much a German colony.[9] During the First World War (1914), South African troops opened assault in the region. A game of cricket was recorded in the Okonjande prisoner of war camp near Otjiwarongo.[10] South Africa captured South West Africa following Germany's defeat. It came under the League of Nations mandate in the Union of South Africa.

Following this, cricket was regularly played in the Western Province. The South West Africa Cricket Union was formed in 1930 and the first organised matches were played in the region.[11] South West Africa began playing in the South African Country Cricket Association's annual competition in the 1961–62 season.[12]

South West Africa (1961–1989)

South West Africa competed in the South African Country Cricket Association's annual competition between 1961 and 1989.[13] In 1966, the Namibian war of Independence was launched by the People's Liberation Army of Namibia, an armed wing of SWAPO. South West African rebels welcomed the sporting boycott of the South African apartheid regime and lent their support to the "Stop the seventy tour" campaign.

South West Africa played their last domestic season in South Africa in January 1989. In April, PLAN launched its final guerrilla campaign and the South West Africa Cricket Union severed their ties with the South African Cricket Board (SACB).

In November 1989, a Namibian team toured Botswana and played their first international fixture,[14] although the Namibian Cricket Board were not affiliated to the International Cricket Council until 1992.

Initial years

After the Botswana tour, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club visited Namibia in March 1990, taking part in the Independence Day celebrations.[15] This was followed by a visit from The Netherlands in April.[16] Before the formation of the African Cricket Association, the SCSA Zone VI cricket federation was formed after two schoolboy cricket tours between Namibia and Botswana in 1989 and 1990.[17] The inaugural ACA tournament was held in Windhoek in September 1991, with Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana playing as well as an Oxford University Cricket Club side.[17]

2003 World Cup

The road to the 2003 Cricket World Cup started with the 2001 ICC Trophy in Canada. Namibia reached the final at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club, losing to the Netherlands, but still qualifying for their first World Cup.[18] Namibia then hosted the ICC 6 Nations Challenge in April 2002, finishing fourth[19] and had a disappointing Africa Cup campaign that September, finishing fourth in their group and beating only Tanzania,[20] before losing four matches against Zimbabwe A a few weeks later.[21] A tour of Kenya was more successful, as Namibia beat Kenya in a four match one-day series.[22] Following this, Namibia took part in the top level of South African domestic one-day cricket, the Standard Bank Cup, but lost all five of their games.[23] Bangladesh toured in January 2003, winning the five match one-day series 4–1.[24]

The World Cup itself started on 10 February 2003 in Harare with Zimbabwe beating Namibia by 86 runs in Namibia's debut One Day International (ODI).[25]

10 February 2003
Scorecard
Zimbabwe 
340/2 (50 overs)
v
 Namibia
104/5 (25.1 overs)
Zimbabwe won by 86 runs (D/L)
Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe
(First ODI match for Namibia)

They went on to lose to Pakistan by 171 runs,[26] before a 55 run defeat at the hands of England in which Namibia performed with some credit, Jan-Berrie Burger winning the man of the match award for his innings of 85 runs that came close to helping the side pull off an unlikely upset.[27] They then lost by 181 runs to India[28] and by 256 runs against Australia,[29] the eventual winners of the tournament,[30] in what at the time was the biggest winning margin in One Day Internationals.[31] The tournament finished with a 64 run loss to fellow qualifiers the Netherlands.[32]

After the World Cup

In August 2003, Zimbabwe A toured Namibia. Namibia won the one-day series 2–1, but lost both three-day games.[33] A return visit to Zimbabwe the following January saw Namibia win a five match one-day series against Zimbabwe A 4–1, also winning a match against Zimbabwe Under-19s.[34] Bangladesh toured Namibia in February, winning all three one-day games and drawing the three-day game.[35] Following this, Namibia travelled to the United Arab Emirates for the 2004 ICC Six Nations Challenge. They finished third on run rate after beating Canada, the Netherlands and the UAE and losing to Scotland and the USA.[36] Namibia played two ICC Intercontinental Cup matches against Kenya and Uganda in 2004, losing them both.[37] In between the two matches, they won an African nations tournament in Zambia.[38] Later in the year, they took part in Zimbabwe's national one-day domestic competition, in which they finished as runners-up.[39] Whilst in Zimbabwe, they won two matches against the national side.[40] This was followed by a visit to Namibia by England, who won both matches.[41]

Zimbabwe A again visited Namibia in early 2005, losing both one-day matches that finished.[42] Pakistan A were the next visitors in April, winning all three one-day matches and drawing in the three-day game.[43] This was followed by their two regional group games in the 2005 ICC Intercontinental Cup. Whilst they were unbeaten, winning against Uganda and drawing against Kenya, this was not enough to qualify for the semi-finals.[44] They then visited Ireland to take part in the 2005 ICC Trophy. They finished 7th after beating Denmark in their final play-off game.[45] Back at home, they hosted New Zealand at the end of July, losing both games,[46] losing by only 29 runs after conceding 330/6.[47] In October of that year, they hosted the semi-finals of the Intercontinental Cup, despite failing to qualify. While the final was being played, they played a two match one-day series against Bermuda after they had been knocked out of the tournament, winning both games, but the games were tarnished by controversial incidents, with the Bermuda team accusing the Namibian team of racist insults, and walking off in the second game when a flurry of bouncers were unleashed at the lower order Bermuda batsmen.[48] The Namibian Cricket Board denied the allegations of racism.[49]

In March 2006, Namibia met Nepal in a challenge match to decide who got the eighth and final spot in the 2006 ICC Intercontinental Cup. The match was drawn, with Namibia getting a first innings lead, thus qualifying them for the main tournament. The main tournament itself started with an innings defeat by Scotland in Aberdeen before a five wicket defeat by Ireland in Dublin, both matches in May.[50] In the 2006–07 South African cricket season, Namibia took part in the second tier of first-class and List A cricket, the South African Airways Challenge. They finished second in their group in the three-day tournament[51] and third in their group in the one-day tournament, missing out on reaching the semi-finals by one win.[52] In the midst of the matches in those tournaments, they played their third and final 2006 Intercontinental Cup match, beating the UAE by an innings.[50] On 1 April 2007, they became part of the ICC's High Performance Program.[53]

In November/December 2007, Namibia hosted Division Two of the World Cricket League where they played against Argentina, Denmark, Oman, the UAE and Uganda. Although Namibia won three of their five group matches, it was not enough for them to progress to the final. Namibia beat Denmark in the third place playoff. On the basis of their top four finish in this tournament, Namibia qualified for the ICC World Cup Qualifier in 2009, the final tournament in qualification for the 2011 World Cup.

Namibia again took part in the second tier of South African domestic cricket between October 2007 and February 2008.[54] They played a 2007–08 ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Canada in October 2007, playing the remaining games against Bermuda, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands, Scotland and the UAE in 2008.[55]

Namibia won the 2009–10 ICC Intercontinental Shield defeating the United Arab Emirates by six wickets in Dubai.[56]In 2011 Namibia participated in Division Two and finished as runners-up, on this occasion behind the UAE.[57]

In July 2011, the country competed in the ICC Twenty20 World Cricket League Africa Division One competition in Uganda, winning all eight group matches before succumbing to the hosts in the Final by six wickets.[58] During this tournament, all-rounder Louis van der Westhuizen struck 16 sixes in an innings of 159* against Kenya, as part of a team total of 262/1 from 20 overs.

The Golden Generation

In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Namibia and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have the full T20I status.[59]Namibia's first T20I match was against Ghana on 20 May 2019 in the Regional Final of the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier tournament. They won the match comfortably.

20 May 2019
13:50
Scorecard
Ghana 
91/7 (20 overs)
v
 Namibia
92/1 (10.5 overs)
Simon Ateak 26 (22)
Zhivago Groenewald 3/20 (4 overs)
Stephan Baard 52* (34)
Vincent Ateak 1/27 (3 overs)
Namibia won by 9 wickets
Kyambogo Cricket Oval, Kampala
Umpires: Iknow Chabi (Zim) and Kehinde Olanbiwonnu (Nga)
Player of the match: Stephan Baard (Nam)
  • Namibia won the toss and elected to field.
  • First T20I match for Namibia.

In July 2020, the Namibia Men's team won the ICC Associate Member Men's Performance of the Year award, after gaining One Day International (ODI) status, in the ICC's Annual Development Awards to recognise developing cricketing nations.[60][61]

Namibia qualified for the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates when they finished 4th in the 2019 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in October and November 2019.[62] They lost their first match against Sri Lanka but recorded a historic first-ever win at a World Cup event when they beat The Netherlands by 6 wickets in Abu Dhabi on 20 October 2021.[63] On 22 October 2021 in the next match against Ireland, Namibia made history by winning the match by 8 wickets and qualified for the Super 12 stage of the tournament.[64] On 27 October 2021, in the first Super 12 match for Namibia, they registered another historic win, defeating Scotland by 4 wickets.

22 October
14:00
Scorecard
Ireland 
125/8 (20 overs)
v
 Namibia
126/2 (18.3 overs)
Paul Stirling 38 (24)
Jan Frylinck 3/21 (4 overs)
Gerhard Erasmus 53* (49)
Curtis Campher 2/14 (3 overs)
Namibia won by 8 wickets
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Umpires: Chris Brown (NZ) and Aleem Dar (Pak)
Player of the match: David Wiese (Nam)
  • Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Namibia qualified for the Super 12 stage.

In the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, Namibia defeated Asia Cup champions and world number 8 side Sri Lanka in a stunning upset to open the tournament.

16 October 2022
15:00
Scorecard
Namibia 
163/7 (20 overs)
v
 Sri Lanka
108 (19 overs)
Jan Frylinck 44 (28)
Pramod Madushan 2/37 (4 overs)
Dasun Shanaka 29 (23)
David Wiese 2/16 (4 overs)
Namibia won by 55 runs
Kardinia Park, Geelong
Umpires: Rod Tucker (Aus) and Joel Wilson (WI)
Player of the match: Jan Frylinck (Nam)
  • Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field.

Namibia are participating in the inaugural 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off, a part of the qualification process for 2023 Cricket World Cup, as the hosts.[65] They got their maiden win in the tournament against Papua New Guinea, as they won the match by 48 runs.[66] Namibia's score of 381 runs was the highest total by an associate nation in an ODI match.[67]

29 March 2023
09:30
Scorecard
Namibia 
381/8 (50 overs)
v
 Papua New Guinea
333 (46.2 overs)
Gerhard Erasmus 125 (113)
Semo Kamea 5/68 (10 overs)
Charles Amini 109 (75)
Ruben Trumpelmann 3/63 (8.2 overs)
Namibia won by 48 runs
United Ground, Windhoek
Umpires: Patric Makumbi (Uga) and Isaac Oyieko (Ken)
Player of the match: Gerhard Erasmus (Nam)
  • Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to field.

International grounds

Locations of all stadiums which have hosted an international cricket match within Namibia

Records

International match summary – Namibia[68][69]

Last updated 7 April 2024

Playing record
FormatMWLTD/NRInaugural match
One-Day Internationals5226250110 February 2003
Twenty20 Internationals6442210120 May 2019

One-Day Internationals

Most ODI wickets for Namibia[74]

PlayerWicketsAverageCareer span
Ruben Trumpelmann6022.262021–2023
Bernard Scholtz5621.082019–2023
Tangeni Lungameni3719.972022–2023
JJ Smit3522.202019–2022
Jan Frylinck3425.142019–2023

ODI record versus other nations[68]

Records complete to ODI #4734. Last updated 23 February 2024.

OpponentMWLNRFirst matchFirst win
Full members
 Australia101027 February 2003
 England101019 February 2003
 India101023 February 2003
 Pakistan101016 February 2003
 Zimbabwe101010 February 2003
Associate Members
 Canada11004 April 20234 April 2023
 Jersey110030 March 202330 March 2023
   Nepal852111 July 202211 July 2022
 Netherlands31203 March 200323 February 2024
 Oman752027 April 201927 April 2019
 Papua New Guinea770022 September 201922 September 2019
 Scotland615010 July 20225 December 2022
 United Arab Emirates71606 January 202025 February 2023
 United States743017 September 201920 September 2019

Twenty20 Internationals

Most T20I wickets for Namibia[79]

PlayerWicketsAverageCareer span
Bernard Scholtz6418.542019–2024
Jan Frylinck6317.952019–2024
JJ Smit4618.132019–2024
Gerhard Erasmus4313.062019–2024
David Wiese3024.102021–2024

T20I record versus other nations[69]

Records complete to T20I #2543. Last updated 7 April 2024.

OpponentMWLTNRFirst matchFirst win
Full members
 Afghanistan1010031 October 2021
 India101008 November 2021
 Ireland211002 November 201922 October 2021
 New Zealand101005 November 2021
 Pakistan101002 November 2021
 Sri Lanka2110018 October 202116 October 2022
 Zimbabwe11740017 May 202219 May 2022
Associate Members
 Bermuda1100023 October 201923 October 2019
 Botswana5500022 May 201922 May 2019
 Ghana1100020 May 201920 May 2019
 Kenya2200025 October 201925 October 2019
   Nepal2110027 February 202427 February 2024
 Netherlands5130119 October 201920 October 2021
 Nigeria2110030 November 202330 November 2023
 Oman6420029 October 201929 October 2019
 Papua New Guinea3120020 October 201910 October 2021
 Rwanda1100025 November 202325 November 2023
 Scotland3300022 October 201927 October 2021
 Singapore1100026 October 201926 October 2019
 Tanzania2200028 November 202328 November 2023
 United Arab Emirates211005 October 20215 October 2021
 Uganda9810021 May 201921 May 2019

Tournament history

ICC Cricket World Cup

ODI World Cup record
YearRoundPositionGPWLTNR
1975Not eligible[7]
1979
1983
1987
1992
1996Did not qualify
1999
2003Group stage14/1460600
2007Did not qualify
2011
2015
2019
2023
2027TBD
2031
TotalGroup stage1/1260600

ICC T20 World Cup

ICC T20 World Cup
YearRoundPositionGPWLTNR
2007Did not qualify
2009Did not qualify
2010Did not qualify
2012Did not qualify
2014Did not qualify
2016Did not qualify
2021Super 1210/1683500
2022Group stage13/1631200
2024Qualified
TotalSuper 122/8114700

ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier

Namibia did not play in the ICC Trophy between 1979 and 1990 as they were not a member of the ICC at the time.[7]

Host & YearRoundPositionPWLTNRNotes
1979Not eligible – Not an ICC member
1982
1986
1990
1994First Round3rd of Group C743003rd & 4th from each group in 1st round played Plate competition and Namibia finished as Runner-up in plate competition
1997First Round15th62400Relegated to Division two for the next edition
2001Super LeagueRunner-up77000Advanced to 2003 Cricket World Cup
2005Group Stage7th73400Relegated to 2007 Division One
2009Super Eight8th123900Relegated to Division Two and the 2009–10 Intercontinental Shield
2014Super Six6th94500Failed to gain ODI status until 2018
2018Did not QualifyRanked 4th in 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Two & Remained in Division Two
2023Did not QualifyRanked 3rd in 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off & Advanced to the 2023–2027 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2
Total48232500

ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier

Host & YearRoundPositionPWLTNRNotes
2008Did not participate
2010
2012Elimination final3rd97200Qualified for 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier
20135th place playoff10th94500
2015Playoff7th83501
20193rd place Playoff4th95400Qualified for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup
2022Did not participate / Automatic QualificationRanked in the Top 11 in the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup
2023Africa Regional FinalsWinner66000Qualified for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Total41251601

ICC Intercontinental Cup

ICC World Cricket League

ICC 6 Nations Challenge

Honours

Other

Current squad

Updated as on 7 April 2024

This lists all the active players who have played for Namibia in the past year and the forms in which they have played, and any players (in italics) outside this criterion who have been selected in the team's most recent ODI or T20I squad.

NameAgeBatting styleBowling styleFormsLast ODILast T20I
Batters
Niko Davin26Right-handedRight-arm leg breakODI, T20I 2024 2024
Jean-Pierre Kotze30Left-handedODI, T20I 2024 2024
Malan Kruger29Right-handedODI, T20I 2024 2024
Dylan Leicher20Right-handedRight-arm mediumT20I 2023
Michael van Lingen26Left-handedLeft-arm mediumODI, T20I 2024 2024
All-rounders
Karl Birkenstock28Left-handedRight-arm fast-mediumODI 2023 2021
Gerhard Erasmus29Right-handedRight-arm off breakODI (C), T20I (C) 2024 2024
Shaun Fouché24Right-handedRight-arm mediumODI 2023 2024
Jan Frylinck30Left-handedLeft-arm fast-mediumODI, T20I 2024 2024
Gerhard Janse van Rensburg19Right-handedRight-arm leg breakT20I 2024
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton23Left-handedRight-arm leg breakODI, T20I 2024 2024
JJ Smit28Right-handedLeft-arm medium-fastODI (VC), T20I (VC) 2024 2024
David Wiese38Right-handedRight-arm medium-fastT20I 2022 2024
Wicket-keeper
Zane Green27Left-handedT20I 2024 2024
Pace bowlers
Jack Brassell19Right-handedRight-arm mediumODI, T20I 2024 2024
Tangeni Lungameni32Left-handedLeft-arm mediumODI, T20I 2024 2024
Ben Shikongo24Right-handedRight-arm medium-fastODI, T20I 2023 2023
Simon ShikongoRight-handedRight-arm medium-fastT20I 2024
Ruben Trumpelmann26Right-handedLeft-arm fast-mediumODI, T20I 2024 2024
Spin bowlers
Bernard Scholtz33Right-handedSlow left-arm orthodoxODI, T20I 2024 2024
Pikky Ya France34Right-handedRight-arm off breakODI, T20I 2023 2023

Coaching staff

PositionName
Team manager
Head coach
Batting coach
Bowling coach
Fielding coach
Physiotherapist
Strength and conditioning coach
Analyst

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

  • South African Cricket Annual – various editions
  • Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – various editions
  • Cricket Namibia official site