WINDHOEK: Jordan Hermann became the fifth South African - after Colin Ingram, Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke - to score a century on ODI debut, and the second to go on to make 150 in his first match as South Africa totalled 348 in their first meeting against Namibia. Hermann shared a 190-run second-wicket stand with Tony de Zorzi, who reached his third half-century in the format, as South Africa defeated Namibia by 99 runs (DLS method) in the opening ODI in Windhoek.
But Hermann didn’t have it all his way. He should have been out on 30 when he was short of his ground completing a single and there was a direct hit to the non-striker’s end, but he was not given out. With no DRS, that was the chance he needed. He made the most of it, cost Namibia 120 runs and the match.
Namibia will look back on other things too, such as that left-arm seamer JJ Smit was their only bowler to concede at less than six runs an over while Bernard Scholtz, their leading bowler in this format, went wicketless. It would be harsh to be too critical of their line-up, who have only scored over 300 only four times before in ODIs and whose highest successful chase is 266.
In the end, they came nowhere close in a chase that was interrupted by rain twice. No one scored more than Malan Kruger’s 34, though it took 60 balls, and they had no partnerships higher than a 51-run opening stand. South Africa’s seamers made good use of hard lengths and shared four wickets between them, while offspinner Prenelan Subrayen took a career-best 4 for 28 of his own.
Put into bat, South Africa had to navigate a hint of early movement from Ruben Trumpelmann but Namibia did not get the desired results. In the first over, Conner Esterhuizen feathered one down leg but wicket-keeper Zane Green’s full stretch dive was not enough for an early wicket. Trumpelmann also beat Hermann’s outside edge and induced a top-edge but no damage was done. Namibia’s premier seamer was finally rewarded when, in the seventh over, Esterhuzien latched on to a short ball and pulled it to Jack Brassell at fine leg to end the opening stand on 27.
De Zorzi edged the ninth ball he faced wide of the slip cordon and was given not out when he appeared to inside-edge Brassell to Green. He got another edge off Brassell that went between Green and first slip and then survived a close run-out chance but nothing went Namibia’s way. When Hermann was given not out and completed another risky single, it was clear South Africa were struggling for momentum. South Africa got to the end of 20 overs on 100 for 1 and shifted gears.
The next seven overs brought 50 runs as Hermann got to his half-century with a single sandwiched between two drives off Brassell, and de Zorzi reached his fifty off the 64th ball he faced. Unsure how to stem the tide, Namibia turned to experience in the form of Smit and Scholtz and they bowled two boundary-less overs but when they sought wickets in the form of Max Heingo or Trumpelmann, runs flowed.
Hermann reached his hundred with a single off the 93rd ball he faced and that unlocked a more aggressive side to him. He unleashed a flurry of scoops and went on to score five fours and two sixes after reaching his century. Known for his strong leg-side play, Hermann’s distribution was fairly even on both sides of the wicket and he scored 59 runs between cover and mid-off.
De Zorzi’s innings had been slightly more laboured throughout and it ended when he was beaten for pace as he tried to reverse sweep along the ground and was given out lbw. Namibia had little time to be relieved as that brought Dewald Brevis to the crease. It took only two balls before he brought out the no-look six.
South Africa entered the last 10 overs on 266 for 2, with a total in excess of 350 on the cards. Namibia dried up boundaries and frustrated Hermann into playing a big shot. He tried to slash a back-of-the-hand slower ball over backward point but only it got as far as Louren Steenkamp.
