Eighteen-year-old Lohan Louwrens’ 76 stunned Easterns to hand Namibia a seven-wicket victory and take Group A of the Africa T20 cup to the wire.
Easterns’ competition came to an end after losing both of their Group A games, while Namibia set up a virtual quarter-final against South Western District, who won their game earlier in the day against Western Province.
This means that both teams now top the table with two wins (eight points), and will have to face each other next to decide the first semi-final spot of the Africa T20 Cup.
Easterns got off to a rocky start when Tumelo Bodibe was run out for one in the first over, but a recovery from Wesley Marshall and Wesley Coulentianos saw the hosts reach the 61-run mark before a second run-out.
Grant Thomson’s 32-ball 40 was crucial to Easterns’ innings, despite them losing wickets in the 10th and 16th over to see them reach 100 with four wickets down.
Matthew Arnold (22 off 16 balls) helped Thomson push forward, as they set a target of 150 for Namibia to chase.
The visitors were dominant from the start, led by Stephan Baard and Louwerens’ century opening stand, before the latter lost his scalp on the 100-run mark.
Baard was next to go just 16 runs later on 30, as Namibia’s onslaught was put on hold.
Craig Williams (23 off 16 balls) saw the visitors lose their third only a run from victory, as Jean Bredenkamp (18) hit the winning runs.
Elsewhere, Western Province also suffered a second defeat to miss out on a semi-final spot. They could not defend their skimpy total of 121-5, as South Western District cruised to victory by five wickets to end their innings on 125-5. Obus Pienaar and George Linde ended on 32 not out, and 11 not out respectively to take their side over the line.
Photo: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Image
