Proteas give Namibia 99-run whalloping in Windhoek

Jordan Hermann became the fifth South African to score a century on ODI debut and the second to go on to make 150 in his first match, as South Africa posted 348 in their opening One Day International against Namibia in Windhoek.

Hermann and Tony de Zorzi shared a 190-run second-wicket stand, with de Zorzi reaching his third half-century in the format, before South Africa completed a 99-run win by the DLS method, Firdose Moonda reports for Namibia Cricket.

Hermann was fortunate to survive on 30, when he was short of his ground completing a single and Namibia's direct hit at the non-striker's end went unrewarded – a decision that could not be reviewed, since there was no DRS available.

He went on to make the most of the reprieve, a lapse that ultimately cost Namibia 120 runs and the match.

Namibia's bowling struggled for control throughout, with left-arm seamer JJ Smit the only bowler to concede at under six runs an over, while their leading wicket-taker in the format, Bernard Scholtz, finished wicketless.

Namibia have passed 300 only four times in their ODI history and their highest successful run chase stands at 266, context that goes some way to explaining the scale of the defeat.

South Africa were put in to bat and had to negotiate early movement from Ruben Trumpelmann, who beat the bat on several occasions without reward. Conner Esterhuizen edged behind off Trumpelmann in the first over but wicketkeeper Zane Green could not complete the catch at full stretch, and Trumpelmann also beat Hermann's outside edge early on. Namibia's premier seamer eventually made the breakthrough in the seventh over, when Esterhuizen pulled a short ball to Jack Brassell at fine leg to end the opening stand on 27.

De Zorzi was given several lives of his own, surviving an edge wide of the slips, an unsuccessful LBW review and a close run-out chance, while Hermann was also reprieved on a risky single. South Africa reached 100 for one after 20 overs before accelerating, adding 50 runs in the following seven as Hermann brought up his half-century and de Zorzi reached fifty off his 64th ball.

Hermann's century came off 93 balls and prompted a more aggressive approach, with five fours and two sixes following his hundred, including a series of scoop shots. De Zorzi's innings ended when he was beaten for pace attempting a reverse sweep and given out lbw, bringing Dewald Brevis to the crease, who struck a six off only his second ball.

South Africa entered the final 10 overs on 266 for two with a score in excess of 350 in sight, but Namibia tightened their bowling and forced Hermann into a mistimed shot, holing out to backward point.

That dismissal triggered a collapse of four wickets for 58 runs, three of them to Trumpelmann, though a late innings of 39 off 24 balls from Corbin Bosch pushed the total to within two runs of 350.

In reply, Namibia's openers added just 24 runs in the first 10 overs and went without a boundary for a ten-over stretch, as the required rate built pressure on the innings.

Alex Busing-Volschenk was dropped on the long-off boundary before falling to Kwena Maphaka the following ball, while Jan Frylinck managed only seven runs from 16 deliveries before dragging on. Opener Malan Kruger was the top scorer for Namibia with 34, but his innings ended lbw to Prenelan Subrayen, who finished with a career-best four for 28.

Rain interrupted the chase twice, first with Namibia on 73 for three, after which their target was revised to 301 from 38 overs. Namibia lost four wickets for 67 runs following the second stoppage, as the equation became unmanageable, and were beaten by 99 runs on DLS.