Namibian cricket
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:38 am
With the interest in the current series between Zimbabwe Emerging & Namibia, I thought I'd just share a brief history of Namibian cricket.
Before independence they were part of the South Africa West country districts & became an ICC affiliate in 1992.
They competed in the ICC Trophy from 1993-2005.
Also, from 1996/7-2001/2 they competed in the 2nd tier South African domestic 3 day & 1 day tournaments. For some reason SA didn't give this tournament FC status during these years.
But, regardless, this was exceptional grounding for Namibia who qualified for the WC in 2003/04.
During these years they had some good die hard stalwarts, Dannie Kuelder, Gavin Murgatroyd, Rudi Van Vuuren, The Burgers- AJ, Louis & Sarel, & the Kotzes- Deon & Bjorn.
Some continued on & formed the nucleus of the Namibian team that was given FC status in the 2nd tier South African FC & List A tournament from 2006/7 till 2017/18. Namibia was also a part of the ICC Intercontinental Cup from 2004-2017.
So, whilst Namibia had a habit of turning over a lot players during these years, a core group such as Christi Viljoen, Gerrie Snyman, Craig Williams, Louis Klazinga, Brett Scholtz, the tragic Raymond Van Schoor, Stephen Baard, Branden Viret, Louis van der Westhuizen forged a pretty damn good GC & List A portfolio. Some of these blokes have played 75 + FC games.
In the latter years of their FC status players like JJ Smit, Zane Green, Erasmus, JP Kotze emerged but they were the youth & hadnt quite developed.
When Ireland & Afghanistan were granted test status, the InterContinental Trophy stopped but Namibia were granted, with others, official 20/20 & odi status.
So really, this is not quite a "sudden" emergence.
Namibia toured Zimbabwe in 1990/1 & Zimbabwe A toured Namibia in 2002/3, 03/04 & 04/05.
I'm a member of cricketarchive.com & they provide a section of all tournaments in each country. Obviously, they rely on contributors. In the Namibian section, they gave details of the Namibian Club Premier League 2012/13. That's the only year given detail. But surely it still exists in some format.
In 2019/20 & 2020/21 the site provides details of the T20 Richelieu Franchise comps. Sadly, it doesn't detail the schools cricket.
I will say the following as an observation.
It is in only recent years the coloured population has penetrated the national team & mostly fast bowlers.
I'm very surprised I don't see any sub continent names bar one in their domestic comps. I mean, not even a spin bowler!
Ruben Trumppelmann has played the last couple of years for Northerns in the CSA Provincial comp. If he's a saffer whose sees an international cricket pathway though Namibia, aren't Zimbabwe concerned or interested in any South Africans who may want to wonder? I mean, you are wanting for opening bats, spinners & maybe a keeper. This last comment should have it's own thread, maybe.
Anyway, I thought I'd provide these details. Welcome for comments & areas I've missed. Apologies to any cricketers I've missed.
Before independence they were part of the South Africa West country districts & became an ICC affiliate in 1992.
They competed in the ICC Trophy from 1993-2005.
Also, from 1996/7-2001/2 they competed in the 2nd tier South African domestic 3 day & 1 day tournaments. For some reason SA didn't give this tournament FC status during these years.
But, regardless, this was exceptional grounding for Namibia who qualified for the WC in 2003/04.
During these years they had some good die hard stalwarts, Dannie Kuelder, Gavin Murgatroyd, Rudi Van Vuuren, The Burgers- AJ, Louis & Sarel, & the Kotzes- Deon & Bjorn.
Some continued on & formed the nucleus of the Namibian team that was given FC status in the 2nd tier South African FC & List A tournament from 2006/7 till 2017/18. Namibia was also a part of the ICC Intercontinental Cup from 2004-2017.
So, whilst Namibia had a habit of turning over a lot players during these years, a core group such as Christi Viljoen, Gerrie Snyman, Craig Williams, Louis Klazinga, Brett Scholtz, the tragic Raymond Van Schoor, Stephen Baard, Branden Viret, Louis van der Westhuizen forged a pretty damn good GC & List A portfolio. Some of these blokes have played 75 + FC games.
In the latter years of their FC status players like JJ Smit, Zane Green, Erasmus, JP Kotze emerged but they were the youth & hadnt quite developed.
When Ireland & Afghanistan were granted test status, the InterContinental Trophy stopped but Namibia were granted, with others, official 20/20 & odi status.
So really, this is not quite a "sudden" emergence.
Namibia toured Zimbabwe in 1990/1 & Zimbabwe A toured Namibia in 2002/3, 03/04 & 04/05.
I'm a member of cricketarchive.com & they provide a section of all tournaments in each country. Obviously, they rely on contributors. In the Namibian section, they gave details of the Namibian Club Premier League 2012/13. That's the only year given detail. But surely it still exists in some format.
In 2019/20 & 2020/21 the site provides details of the T20 Richelieu Franchise comps. Sadly, it doesn't detail the schools cricket.
I will say the following as an observation.
It is in only recent years the coloured population has penetrated the national team & mostly fast bowlers.
I'm very surprised I don't see any sub continent names bar one in their domestic comps. I mean, not even a spin bowler!
Ruben Trumppelmann has played the last couple of years for Northerns in the CSA Provincial comp. If he's a saffer whose sees an international cricket pathway though Namibia, aren't Zimbabwe concerned or interested in any South Africans who may want to wonder? I mean, you are wanting for opening bats, spinners & maybe a keeper. This last comment should have it's own thread, maybe.
Anyway, I thought I'd provide these details. Welcome for comments & areas I've missed. Apologies to any cricketers I've missed.