FILE - Dewald Brevis top-scored with 75 runs and took one wicket in the opening match of the T20I Tri-Series against Namibia in Windhoek on Friday.
Image: AFP
The Proteas began their T20I Tri-series in Namibia with a hard-fought defeat to the hosts at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek on Friday afternoon.
South Africa’s bowlers toiled in the powerplay as Namibia raced to 57 without loss after Proteas skipper Bjorn Fortuin won the toss and chose to field first.
Openers Jan Frylinck and Louren Steenkamp were scoring at nine runs an over, with Frylinck making the most of an early reprieve after he was dropped off the bowling of Proteas debutant Duan Jansen in the third over.
The news got worse for South Africa when speedster Lutho Siphamla was forced off the field in the ninth over, clutching his hamstring.
Fortuin eventually made the breakthrough, bowling Steenkamp for 41 as Namibia reached 85/1 at the halfway stage.
Frylinck continued the charge, smashing two fours and back-to-back sixes off Fortuin, but he chanced his arm once too often and was caught by Nqobani Mokoena off the part-time leg-spin of Dewald Brevis in the 13th over. His 60 came from 47 balls and included six fours and two sixes.
His departure precipitated a collapse, with South Africa’s spinners doing the damage. Senuran Subrayen was the destroyer-in-chief, taking three quick wickets to finish with 3/32 as Namibia slipped from 133/3 in the 15th over to 138/6 after 17.
Fortuin also impressed with 2/16 from his four overs, while Jansen claimed two wickets in the 19th over as Namibia finished on 163/9.
South Africa’s chase began in similarly unconvincing fashion, with Jordan Hermann and Lhuan-dre Pretorius falling cheaply before Brevis and Tony de Zorzi attempted to rebuild.
De Zorzi’s dismissal left the Proteas in trouble at 39/3 after seven overs.
Brevis, however, refused to abandon his attacking instincts, even after being struck by a bouncer. His first six came off Bernard Scholtz in the 10th over and another followed, taking South Africa to 67/3. Rubin Hermann briefly offered support before being bowled by Ruben Trumpelmann for 12, leaving South Africa 81/4.
Brevis continued to counterattack, reaching his half-century and taking South Africa past 100 alongside Jansen. But after smashing his fifth six and a boundary to take his score to 74, he fell to Trumpelmann in the 18th over for a superb 75 off 50 balls.
Trumpelmann finished with 3/24 as Namibia’s bowlers kept their composure at the death, restricting South Africa to 145/9 and securing an 18-run victory in the series opener.
Scores:
**Namibia 163/9 – **Jan Frylick 60 (38), Louren Steenkamp 42 (29); Prenelan Subrayen 3/32, Bjorn Fortuin 2/17.
**South Africa 145/9 – **Dewald Brevis 75 (50), Duan Jansen 25 (17); Reben Trumpelmann 3/24, JJ Smit 3/31.
Nambia won by 18 runs
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