Zimbabwe Beat Namibia By Five Wickets To Stay In Windhoek Final Race

Innocent Kaia hit 72 from 42 balls in Windhoek on Thursday and Zimbabwe beat Namibia by five wickets to stay in the running for Sunday's tri-series final. Namibia had made 156 for 6. Gerhard Erasmus carried 88 of it and finished unbeaten. It was not enough.

The result moved Zimbabwe to four points, level with South Africa, who still have a league match to play. Namibia stay on two. The three sides have been playing all seven fixtures of this series at the Namibia Cricket Ground.

Erasmus carries Namibia to 156

Namibia chose to bat. Erasmus faced 48 balls for his 88 not out, hitting eight fours and three sixes, and he was the only Namibia batter to pass 30. Alexander Busing-Volschenk made 29 from 31. Louren Steenkamp added 14.

Zimbabwe shared the wickets rather than winning any single spell. Kundai Matigimu and Brad Evans took two each. Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza took one apiece. Namibia's 156 for 6 came at just under eight an over, and roughly 56 per cent of it came from one bat.

Kaia settles the chase

Kaia's 72 contained eight fours and three sixes, the same boundary count Erasmus had managed in six more deliveries. Raza made 29. Wessly Madhevere went for nought. Ryan Burl and Tadiwanashe Marumani were together at the finish on 12 and 13.

Ruben Trumpelmann was the only Namibia bowler to take more than one wicket. Zimbabwe got home with five wickets standing and overs in hand. Published scorecards differ on their exact closing total, so it is left out here.

Sunday's final still open

Each side plays the other two twice, and the top two meet in the final on 6 September. That leaves one league fixture and three teams who can all still describe a route into it.

• South Africa: four points, one league match remaining, ahead of Zimbabwe on net run rate
• Zimbabwe: four points, league programme complete
• Namibia: two points, one league match remaining

Zimbabwe can now only watch. Namibia have to win, and win by enough. They have lost twice to Zimbabwe since beating South Africa in the opening fixture on 28 August, and their remaining game is against the side they beat that day.