Roelof van der Merwe

All-round van der Merwe drives Netherlands

Roelof van der Merwe

Netherlands' bowlers rattled Namibia after a 285-run stand for the sixth wicket between Roelof van der Merwe and Max O’Dowd lifted it to a massive 501 for 8 declared on the second day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Thursday (November 30).

Despite a measured 111 by opener Stephan Baard, Namibia was bowled out for 203, conceding a massive deficit of 298 runs when stumps were called. Van der Merwe and Vivian Kingma were Netherlands' star bowlers, picking up three wickets each. Van der Merwe’s exploits with the ball came after a monumental 175, while O’Dowd brought up his highest first-class score, making 126.

Namibia’s reply was rocked in the fourth over when it lost Louis van der Westhuizen to Vivian Kingma. The right-arm pacer then accounted for Zane Green before Craig Williams helped Baard put on 54 for the fourth wicket. Just as Namibia seemed to be settling down, Williams was dismissed by Peter Borren, the Netherlands captain, for 18.

Namibia kept losing wickets at regular intervals, the only resistance coming from Baard, who brought up his second first-class century off 157 balls. Gerhard Erasmus (4) and Jan Frylinck (15) were sent back by van der Merwe and O'Dowd respectively, reducing Namibia to 161 for 5. Baard's innings came to an end when Shane Snater trapped him leg before for 111. His innings spanned 186 balls and included 12 boundaries.

Van der Merwe then winkled the tail out with his left-arm spin as Namibia lost its last six wickets for the addition of just 42 runs. Van der Merwe finished with 3 for 50 while Kingma was impressive with 3 for 22 from 13 overs.

Earlier, when Netherlands resumed the day on 400 for 5, van der Merwe added 18 to his overnight 157 before being castled by Frylinck, the medium-pacer. His 193-ball 175 was studded with 13 fours and three sixes.

O'Dowd followed soon when Williams stopped him at 126, which came off 223 deliveries with 13 fours and a six. However, Snater smashed an unbeaten 50 off just 39 deliveries, with four fours and three sixes, to boost the total past 500.

Williams was Namibia's most successful bowler with 4 for 71, while Frylinck chipped in with two.