Australia were clinical and remorseless in their dismantling of Namibia in the sides’ first-ever faceoff in a T20I, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Adam Zampa took 4 for 12 as Namibia folded for a paltry 72. The 2021 champions then hunted down the score in 5.4 overs, sealing qualification to the Super 8s. The defeat meant Namibia were eliminated.
Namibia
PowerPlay: Hazlewood, Cummins ensure no take-off for Namibia
Phase Score: 17/3 (RR: 2.83, 4s/6s: 2/0)
Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bowl, and his fast bowling attack, missing Mitchell Starc on precautionary grounds, was quick to pin Namibia on the mat. Michael van Lingen struck a boundary each in the first two overs and those turned out to be the only boundaries struck by Namibia in the phase. Josh Hazlewood set the ball rolling for Australia when Nikolaas Davin cut a wide ball straight to point. Pat Cummins struck in his first over, the fourth of the innings, when Jan Frylinck chipped a full ball straight to mid-off. Hazlewood had another batter cutting straight to point as van Lingen fell to leave Namibia in a mire.
Middle Overs: Zampa runs riot
Phase Score: 43/5 (RR: 4.77, 4s/6s: 4/1)
Namibia’s innings remained stuck in quicksand with wickets tumbling and the runs coming in a trickle. Nathan Ellis had JJ Smit LBW with a pacy, skiddy delivery in his first over. At the other end, captain Gergard Erasmus needed 17 balls for his first run. Australia though were relentless. In his second over, Adam Zampa fluffed a review against Erasmus, who was comfortably struck outside the line. The legspinner made amends in the very over as he had Zane Green caught in front with a missed sweep. Zampa then had David Wiese chipping a shortish delivery to long-on before striking two more blows in his final over. Ruben Trumpelmann pulled a full toss for a six but hit the next ball straight to deep mid-wicket. Zampa, who also claimed his 100th T20I wicket, ended his spell with a googly that spun back sharply to beat Bernard Scholtz on the drive and knock over his off-stump to leave Namibia at 43/8.
Death Overs: Erasmus fights but Namibia fold with three overs to spare
Phase Score: 12/2 (RR: 6.00, 4s/6s: 0/1)
Erasmus began using the long handle near the end of the innings when he’d run out of proficient batting partners. This included a sweetly-timed pulled six off Cummins. But the captain’s enterprise was belated and Stoinis returned to have him miscuing to long-on, where Maxwell completed his fourth catch of the evening. Another sharp effort in the field from Tim David gave Stoinis his second wicket of the over and ended Namibia’s innings three overs short.
Australia
PowerPlay: Head, Warner finish charge inside six overs
Phase Score: 74/1 (RR: 13.05, 4s/6s: 11/4)
David Warner played only eight balls in the chase. He hit four of them for boundaries signalling Australia’s intent in the chase. They were remorseless with Travis Head blazing away two fours and a six off the third over bowled by Ben Shikongo. After Erasmus gave away just six runs in the fourth over, the challenge for Australia was if they could close this out in the PowerPlay. Head then struck a hat-trick of fours off Trumpelmann before captain Marsh went four, six and four to finish the match with 86 balls to spare.
Brief scores: Namibia 72 in 17 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 36; Adam Zampa 4-12, Marcus Stoinis 2-9, Josh Hazlewood 2-18) lost to Australia 74/1 in 5.4 overs (Travis Head 34*, David Wiese 1-15) by nine wickets.
What next for the teams?
Australia will travel to St Lucia for their last group game, against Scotland on June 15. Namibia will stay put in Antigua and take on England on the same day.
