Namibia face do-or-die ICC Intercontinental Cup clash with Ireland

Namibia will go into its latest ICC Intercontinental Cup match, against defending champions Ireland in Dublin starting on Wednesday, knowing it is a must-win game.

Having lost its opening Group A encounter against Scotland by an innings and 65 runs last weekend, the Africans are pointless approaching the clash at Clontarf Cricket Club.

And with only the top side in each group progressing through to the final, Namibia team manager Francois Erasmus admitted his side had it all to do over the next four days.

"It is do-or-die for us really," he said. "We must put up a good show to stay in the hunt and that makes this a very big game for us."

The good show the side requires will, however, be easier said than done with the odds stacked against it, something Erasmus was willing to acknowledge.

"We have picked a few youngsters and that makes it difficult for us as we are lagging in experience while the Scots and Irish get game time in the (England & Wales Cricket Board's) C & G Trophy," he said.

"A few players also struggled with the conditions in Scotland as our guys are just not used to that type of cold and we had to spend the whole day in the field.

"But we are looking to bring our youngsters through and there is no other way but to expose them to this type of situation.

"They are all gaining experience and that is something they can take back with them no matter what happens over the next few days," he added.

Given the cut-throat nature of Group A, Ireland will know the importance of matching Scotland's performance against Namibia so a win for it is vital. Despite that, Ireland's captain Trent Johnston said that would not alter his side's approach.

"No matter what happens here we have still got to play Scotland so although I suppose you could say that (it's a must-win game for us) we are not thinking like that," he said.

"Our approach is just to go out and be as positive as we can be, bat, bowl and field with discipline and that should ensure the rest looks after itself.

"We haven't played a three- or four-day game since last November (when Ireland won the ICC Intercontinental Cup) but we have played some county opposition this season which is a high standard and that has been a huge preparation for us."

Ireland has been able to include Pakistan overseas players Shahid Afridi and Saqlain Mushtaq in those matches against the county sides but the pair are ineligible for the ICC Intercontinental Cup and that has forced the squad into changes.

In come batsman-wicketkeeper Gary Wilson and left-arm spinner Gary Kidd, both currently on the MCC groundstaff at Lord's after impressing in the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka and the Ireland A matches in the recent EurAsia Cup in Abu Dhabi.

"They have both performed well and deserve their chance, as does young batsman William Porterfield, who captained the side in Abu Dhabi," said Johnston.

"Gary Wilson is spending some time with Surrey while Gary Kidd is an exciting talent and I think when some counties see him in action they will snap him up.

"He bowls well and having him here helps the balance of the side as he spins the ball away from the right-hander while Kyle McCallan turns it the other way.

"And, in any case, we won the tournament last year without overseas stars so we are not banking on them," he added.

Ireland will also be without all-rounder John Mooney, who has study commitments, while off-spinner Andrew White (Northamptonshire) and wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien (Kent) have county cricket commitments.

Namibia, already missing batsmen Jan-Berrie Burger (personal reasons) and Louis Burger (work commitments), will also be without all-rounder Gerrie Snyman, who has not been released from his club cricket contract in the UK. New cap Gareth Cloete comes into the squad to replace him.

The weather could be a factor in the match with rain preventing Namibia from having outdoor practice in the two days beforehand and there is the chance of interruptions with the forecast far from settled.

"We can't do anything about that," said Johnston. "Scotland had that blow last year when its match against the Netherlands was virtually washed out but all we can do is do the basics well whenever we take the field.

"The wet weather around is likely to affect conditions and that may play into our hands as Namibia will not be as used to that as us but we have still go to put in a performance," he added.

The umpires for the match include John Thallon, a member of the ICC's Associate & Affiliate Panel and play is due to start at 11am on each day.

The other sides in Group A are 2004 winners Scotland and the United Arab Emirates, with the latter team reaching last year's semi-finals.

The other group comprises Bermuda, Canada, Kenya and the Netherlands with the latter two sides already having contested a drawn match in Nairobi. The final, set to take place in early 2007, will be between the two group winners.

The new format means sides will play a minimum of three four-day matches in this tournament, increasing to seven four-day matches in 2007 and 2008 when it is hoped the event will be a full round-robin format.

That compares to a minimum of just two three-day matches per year under the previous structure which, until the semi-finals, was regionally-based rather than global.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup began in 2004 to give the leading players from Associate sides the chance to improve by exposing them to a longer form of the game.

Ireland (from): Trent Johnston (captain), Andre Botha, Jeremy Bray (wicketkeeper), Peter Gillespie, Dominick Joyce, Gary Kidd, Dave Langford-Smith, Kyle McCallan, Paul Mooney, Eoin Morgan, William Porterfield, Gary Wilson.

Namibia (from): Deon Kotze (captain), Dawid Botha, Kola Burger, Sarel Burger, Gareth Cloete, Bjorn Kotze, Hugo Ludik (wicketkeeper), Henno Prinsloo, Nicholaas Scholtz, Stefan Swanepoel, Louis van der Westhuizen, Ian van Zyl, Tobie Verwey.

Umpires: Vic Hadcroft & John Thallon; match referee: David Jukes.

Full details of this year's ICC Intercontinental Cup can be found here