Namibia beat Ireland by 63 runs in the third ODI at High Performance Oval in Windhoek after posting 316/7, having elected to bat first. Ireland were bowled out for 253, leaving Namibia 2-1 ahead in the five-match series.
JAN FRYLINCK struck 126 runs and shared a century stand with captain Gerhard Erasmus as Namibia beat Ireland by 63 runs in the third ODI at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek on Tuesday to move 2-1 ahead in the five-match series.
Frylinck faced 122 balls and hit nine fours and four sixes in an innings that gave Namibia the platform for a total of 316 for seven. Erasmus contributed 54 off 51 deliveries, while Alexander Busing-Volschenk provided late acceleration with 36 from 26 balls.
Ireland’s chase was undermined by an early collapse, leaving Curtis Campher with too much to do despite a spirited century. Campher made 106 off 86 balls, including 11 fours and three sixes, but Ireland were dismissed for 253 in 44.5 overs.
Namibia chose to bat and lost Louren Steenkamp for 13 before Malan Kruger and Frylinck steadied the innings. Kruger scored 42 off 46 balls, striking six fours, and helped take the hosts to 81 before he was caught and bowled by Andy McBrine.
Frylinck then joined Erasmus to rebuild the innings and take the attack to Ireland. The pair added 102 runs for the third wicket, with Erasmus rotating the strike and finding the boundary regularly as Frylinck settled into his innings.
Erasmus reached 54 before falling to Gavin Hoey at 183 for three. Frylinck continued, bringing up his century from 110 balls as Namibia passed 200 and moved towards a formidable total.
McBrine claimed his second wicket when Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton was stumped for 11, but Busing-Volschenk’s brisk contribution kept the scoring rate high. He struck two fours and three sixes before Curtis Campher dismissed him for 36.
Frylinck eventually fell for 126 in the 49th over, run out after putting Namibia in a strong position. JJ Smit added 12 before being run out in the final over, while Ruben Trumpelmann remained unbeaten on nine. Namibia finished on 316 for seven, with McBrine taking two wickets and Campher claiming two for 68.
Ireland’s reply began badly. Cade Carmichael was trapped lbw by Bernard Scholtz for a duck in the first over, and Ruben Trumpelmann removed Andy Balbirnie for 20 before Harry Tector fell for six. Lorcan Tucker was also dismissed with the total on 46, leaving Ireland four wickets down and facing a steep climb.
Scholtz then struck again to remove McBrine for 30, reducing Ireland to 117 for five. Campher kept the chase alive, finding boundaries and building a partnership with George Dockrell, who made 25 from 49 balls.
The pair added 86 runs for the sixth wicket before Jack Brassell bowled Dockrell at 203. Campher reached his century from 82 balls, but Ireland’s lower order could not stay with him. Gavin Hoey scored 21 from 21 deliveries before being run out, while Gerhard Erasmus trapped Jai Moondra lbw for two.
Campher was run out for 106 in the 43rd over, ending Ireland’s last realistic hope of a late surge. Ireland lost their final wickets quickly and finished on 253, 63 runs short of the target. Scholtz and Trumpelmann took two wickets each, as did Brassell, while Erasmus claimed one.
Frylinck was named Player of the Match for his decisive innings, which gave Namibia a total Ireland could not chase down despite Campher’s resistance.
The result puts Namibia in front 2-1 with two matches remaining in the series.
