Namibia prevails in a match of centuries

Two centuries - one from each side - ensured an absorbing battle between Namibia and Scotland in their ICC Under-19 World Cup match at Eden Park.

In the end, the bigger century, 142 by their captain, Stefan Swanepoel, ahead of the 100 not out by Steven Gilmour, saw Namibia home by four wickets.

They were individual innings of sharp contrasts. Scotland, after winning the toss and choosing to bat on the pitch that Zimbabwe had plundered 291 from the previous day, quickly found themselves 26 for three.

From that position, Gilmour's first task was to rebuild the innings. He found an able assistant in Qasim Sheikh (60) as the pair carefully compiled 50 in 20 overs, 100 in 30 and 150 in 40 before Gilmour, helped at the end by Kyle Coetzer (27 not out), powered the score through to 234/4. A single off the last ball of the 50 overs ensured a deserved century in an innings that blossomed from survival into rampant attack.

Swanepoel's, on the other hand, started with a blast as Namibia went looking for the bonus point available if they could reach the 235 target inside 40 overs. He had 68 of the first 100 when it was brought up in the 17th over. He went into the 90s in the 25th with Namibia 139/1.

However, he was still on 91 in the 27th when the innings hit a rock. First Johan Nel, a junior member of an 81-run partnership with 24, departed after coming too far down the pitch to the off spin of Stewart Leggat, and then the Scotland pace bowler Christopher West in his first over of a new spell took two wickets in succession.

Namibia had gone from 144/1 to 145/4 in the 28th over and it was time for a different sort of captain's innings. He finally brought up his century in the 33rd over as he and Colin Steytler (32 not out) brought the innings back on track.

From there, the victory was hardly in doubt. Swanepoel himself departed when the score was 222/5 and the victory just a couple of overs away, Namibia finishing on 237/6 in the 44th.

The tall, lanky West ended with the most wickets of the Scotland bowlers, conceding 51 runs for his three, in the process getting them back into the match when they most needed it.

However, the individual to take the eye was the leg-spinner, Moneeb Iqbal. A whirl-wind action, plenty of loop, some destructive turn and a mystery wrong'un all served to keep the Namibians watchful if not on occasion bemused. They may have collared him towards the end of his spell but that was more by good luck than good management and his one for 43 off 10 hardly reflected the web he spun around the Namibian batsmen.

As for the Namibian bowlers, when Scotland's Gilmour threatened to take control of the match Swanepoel rang the changes. Nine were used in all. However, the best of them remained the contrasting opening pair who did the damage at the beginning. Left-arm medium pacer Hendrik Geldenhuys took two for 19 in his first seven overs before returning at the end and finishing with two for 36 from nine. At the other end, the off spinner Michael Durant bowled his 10 overs straight through, ending with one for 24.

Swanepoel won the man of the match award. Gilmour will remember - probably ruefully - the day when he reached a century and only came second.