Match

Namibia won by 5 wkts

• Ireland: 129/10 (33.1 overs)
• Namibia: 131/5 (21.2 overs)

Ireland - 129/10 (33.1 overs)

Extras: 4

Namibia - 131/5 (21.2 overs)

Extras: 2

Commentary

• It was a hard-fought series, with both sides having their moments. Ireland started with a win, only for Namibia to fight back and take the lead. The visitors showed resilience to level things up heading into the decider, but today it was Namibia's bowlers who rose to the occasion, setting up a famous series triumph. Ireland were without a few of their regulars, but that takes nothing away from the way Namibia went about their business, showing plenty of character and quality across the five games. That's all from us. Until next time, goodbye and take care..
• Erasmus (2/2): [Where to from now?] Yeah, I guess a little bit of resting. We've got domestic cricket that's obviously always important for us to feed back into. Yeah, and just to service the whole country and make everyone aware of our brand and what we want to create as a culture at the Eagles. And then obviously off to the December qualifier if we happen to be outside the top four in World Cricket League. That's in Nepal in December. So yeah, lots of skills that we want to take there and hopefully qualify to the next round. [A lot of support around the field. It must be a proud moment for you] Yeah, it's, I guess, why you do it is also for them to be inspired and for the next generation to take up cricket and to enjoy. And if you can do that sort of game by game and year by year, then that's a very special feeling for us as a team.
• Gerhard Erasmus | Player of the Series (1/2): Yeah, obviously a win in a five-match series shows that we brought certain qualities to the series that allowed us to win. So obviously a team that's known around the world these days to play really good cricket. They play against very good teams. But we've played a lot of cricket, I felt, over the year and it felt like we had our skills in a good place for the series. [Coming into the series as underdogs and winning it] Yeah, as I said, we've played a lot of cricket through the year and unfortunately we didn't actually play our best cricket at home. We played away from home. And now to give our fans a little bit of taste of the levels that we can reach, I think that's special. [How brilliant was JJ out there today?] Yeah, and throughout the whole series. That's what you want to do as a senior player. You want to consistently perform sort of in back-to-back games and he's done that through the series. And sometimes through the poweplay I couldn't believe he didn't reap the rewards, but then he just stayed patient and I'm so glad for him that it happened today after the partnership.
• Lorcan Tucker: Yeah, I think obviously a disappointing day for us. We came in excited about the opportunity, the series on the line. I don't think we quite rocked up from a skill perspective. JJ bowled fabulously in that little period and swung the momentum of the game in their favour. But like you said, I think we have learnt a lot. I think we've a lot to reflect on going forward. So hopefully we can do that. [What are some of those things that you'll be looking to work on?] I think top-order batting, a lot of bowling through the middle period of the innings. I think Namibia gave us a good lesson in some of those games in terms of how to do those things successfully. So I think there are a few things from a skill perspective. I think we brought intensity. But just, yeah, those skills need to sharpen up a little bit. [Your feelings and thoughts about the conditions right here in Windhoek?] It's a lovely place to play cricket. I think it was a really competitive series. I think the teams that focused in and played diligent cricket had success. Like I said, I think they did that for longer periods of time than us and that's why they're series victors today.
• JJ Smit | Player of the Match: Yeah, it was a good performance from me and a big Brassell this morning. Unlucky to just take one wicket in the powerplay. I think we bowled very well. And then just the return spell, reap the rewards. [At what moment did you start believing?] I actually told Erasmus, yeah, the captain (Tucker) is coming hard. We have to bowl very well now. And yeah, lucky that it went my way. [How do you feel about this bowling performance?] No, I think it was good. Every, all the seamers hit their straps and we are coming in. Trumpy bowled really well. So yeah, happy with that performance and happy the series is done.
• 14:10 Local Time, 12:10 GMT, 17:40 IST: Namibia have secured a comfortable 5-wicket victory to clinch the five-match series 3-2. Their bowlers delivered a clinical performance earlier in the day, setting the tone for a dominant team display. JJ Smit and Jack Brassell led the charge with the ball, claiming four and three wickets respectively to dismantle the opposition batting line-up, restricting them to a paltry total of 128. In response, Namibia’s openers provided a solid start, putting together 40 runs for the first wicket. Louren Steenkamp set the tone with an aggressive knock but fell short of a well-deserved half-century, being run out in the 13th over. With little pressure on the scoreboard, Namibia’s batters played with freedom and confidence. Despite losing a few wickets along the way, they comfortably chased down the target in 21.2 overs.
• 21.2: Matthew Humphreys to Zane Green, SIX, Namibia win by 5 wickets. They take the series as well - first series win for them against a full member nation. Green finishes it off in style. Humphreys gives this one bit more flight and Green pounces, he crouches low and launches the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket
• 21.1: Matthew Humphreys to Zane Green, no run, keeps a bit low, Green toe-ends the cut towards cover
• 20.6: Gavin Hoey to Willem Myburgh, no run, maiden! Just held the length back a touch, Myburgh pats it with soft hands to the off-side
• 20.5: Gavin Hoey to Willem Myburgh, no run, flighted close to off, Myburgh prods forward and blocks to backward point
• 20.4: Gavin Hoey to Willem Myburgh, no run, short and turning away, Myburgh cracks it straight to cover-point
• 20.3: Gavin Hoey to Willem Myburgh, no run, tossed up on off, Myburgh goes back and defends down the pitch
• 20.2: Gavin Hoey to Willem Myburgh, no run, floated up around off, Myburgh drives it straight into silly point. The fielder is hit on the shin
• 20.1: Gavin Hoey to Willem Myburgh, no run, too full in length, Myburgh pushes it straight to cover
• 19.6: Matthew Humphreys to Willem Myburgh, 1 run, drifting into the pads, Myburgh tucks it square and retains strike
• 19.5: Matthew Humphreys to Willem Myburgh, no run, darted down leg, Myburgh misses the glance and Lorcan Tucker is quick to remove the bails, but Myburgh never left the crease. Wide not given
• 19.4: Matthew Humphreys to Willem Myburgh, no run, flighted around off, Myburgh eases it towards cover-point
• 19.3: Matthew Humphreys to Willem Myburgh, no run, tossed up on off, Myburgh prods forward and blocks solidly
• There are three men around the bat
• 19.2: Matthew Humphreys to Zane Green, 1 run, short and turning in, Green rocks back and pulls to deep backward square