Cricket
Scotland thrash Namibia to secure top spot in World Cup League 2
The Scots win by 10 wickets to collect an unassailable 48 points from 33 matches.
Sports Bureau
Scotland defeated a sorry Namibia by 10 wickets to secure top spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 with three matches in hand in Kirtipur on Wednesday.
Chasing a paltry target of 154 runs, the Scots racked up 157 in 22.1 overs without losing a wicket. George Munsey smashed his maiden ODI century and Kyle Coetzer made 46 not out to humiliate Namibia.
Munsey, who was adjudged player of the match, cracked 12 fours and seven sixes in his aggressive 61-ball 103. Coetzer hit seven boundaries in his 42-ball knock.
The win gives Scotland 48 points from 33 matches. Oman are second with 44 points after playing all 36 games, while Namibia, who succumbed to their second defeat in two days, are third with 37 points from 32 matches—meaning the Scots’ lead cannot be overtaken.
Scotland opted to field first and restricted Namibia 153 all out inside 40 overs after their bowlers shone at the TU cricket ground.
Michael Leask took 4-24 while Safyaan Sharif and Mark Watt picked three wickets each as seven Namibian batters failed to touch the double digits.
Namibia opener Lo-handre Louwrens scored 54 runs off 88 balls that included four fours but Sharif and Watt combined to wreck the top order, with Karl Birkenstock (4), Michael van Lingen (4), captain Gerhard Erasmus (0) and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (0) departing cheaply.
Louwrens was caught by Coetzer off Sharif in the sixth delivery of the 32nd over as he played a bad flick.
Zane Green made 25 before Leask had him caught by Brandon McMullen on the off side.
Bernard Scholtz provided the second highest score for Namibia with 30 runs before he was caught by Brandon McMullen off Leask after attempting a poor drive.
Namibia had lost against Nepal by two wickets in their opening match of the Nepal-Namibia-Scotland Tri Series of the League 2.
Scotland will conclude the League 2 campaign in Kirtipur, playing two matches against Nepal on February 17 and 21 and taking on Namibia on February 20.