The second match of the double header in the T20 World Cup on Wednesday sees the two remaining associate nations battling it out when Namibia take on Scotland in Group 2 of the Super 12s in Abu Dhabi.
Both teams were slightly surprising qualifiers for this stage of the competition and Scotland have already found the going a little tough at Super 12s level. Namibia play their first match in this stage of the competition here.
Namibia
I think it is fair to say that Namibia were widely expected to finish last in a first round group which contained Sri Lanka, Ireland and the Netherlands – two Test playing nations and another who has had ODI status for a fair while and who has upset a number of big teams in these global events in the past. Namibia didn’t see it that way though. After being well beaten by Sri Lanka in their first match, they handed out two comprehensive beatings to the Netherlands and then Ireland to make it through to this stage.
They chased scores down on both occasions whereas they set a score against Sri Lanka so there might be something in that, strengthened by the fact that they chased a score down against Scotland in a match in the lead up to this event earlier this month. They need to prove that they can defend a score but with the bowlers they have at their disposal, there is no reason why they couldn’t do that. It might be that pacing an innings batting first is more the issue.
Scotland
Scotland were on the crest of a wave after winning all three of their first round matches, including a fine win over Bangladesh in the first of those. They were brought down to earth with a bit of a bump in the opening match of the Super 12s where the Afghanistan spinners just ripped right through them after their batsmen had put up a total which always looked on the larger side of what was going to be possible to chase down.
Scotland need to put that behind them and get back on the horse as with Pakistan, New Zealand and India to come you would have to suggest this will be their best chance of coming out of this stage of the competition with a win. The good thing for Scotland here is there is no mystery spin for them to face so if they can play the sort of cricket they were playing in the opening leg of the tournament there is no reason why they can’t win here.
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Key Men
It hardly needs stating that David Wiese is the key man for Namibia. In the knockout game with Ireland in the previous round it was his blitz which transformed the game in the favour of the Africans after he had restricted them to a manageable score with four tight overs.
Mark Watt has been one of the best players Scotland have had in this tournament. He smashed 20 odd in the opening match to put Scotland beyond Bangladesh and then has bowled tidily in the tournament since then to win or keep them in matches.
Betting
I like Namibia in this match. They beat Scotland in a T20 international earlier in the month and they have played the better cricket in this tournament in my eyes. They have their ‘bomb squad’ middle order, the majority of which have delivered in the tournament, and while they might lack the mystery or quality spin which Scotland have struggled against, the Scots didn’t exactly flourish against a pretty ordinary Oman attack so there are no guarantees they bat well here.
Defeats like the one Scotland took in their first match at this stage tend to leave a mark on the team who suffers it and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Scotland be very tentative in the early stages of this match. Namibia have played positive cricket throughout the tournament and since their batting innings in their opening match against Sri Lanka they have looked a very good side. More of their important players are in better form than the Scottish equivalent and so I like Namibia at the prices here.
Tips
Back Namibia to beat Scotland for a 3/10 stake at 2.25 with Coral
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