Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow Rescue Act Keeps England Alive

 

Harry Brook and Zane Green walk off as the rain returns

After Agonising Rain Delay, Defending Champions Overcome Early Stumble Against Namibia

England 122 for 5 (Brook 47*, Bairstow 31) beat Namibia 84 for 3 (van Lingen 33, Wiese 26) by 41 runs (DLS method).

Watching rain fall might not sound thrilling, but for England, the wait to start their final group match against Namibia was nerve-wracking. England's eventual victory by 41 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per side in Antigua on Saturday was a huge relief for the defending champions.

Must-Win Situation for England

A win was imperative for England to stay in contention for the Super Eight phase, but they first had to get on the field. After a three-hour delay, Namibia won the toss and chose to bowl. England had to beat Namibia and then hope for an Australian victory over Scotland to progress from Group B.

Rain Delays and Match Reduction

Persistent showers before the scheduled start delayed the match. Just as the covers were about to be lifted, torrential downpour returned. Eventually, play began at 4 pm local time, reduced to 11 overs per side, and then further reduced to 10 overs due to another brief rain interruption with England at 82 for 3 after eight overs.

Brook and Bairstow Steady England

Harry Brook's unbeaten 47 off 20 balls and Jonny Bairstow's 31 off 18 steadied England from a precarious 13 for 2. The pair shared a 56-run stand for the third wicket, lifting England to 122 for 5. With Namibia needing a DLS-adjusted target of 126, England's bowlers restricted them effectively, securing a comfortable victory after a torturous wait.

Namibia's Dream Start, England's Nightmare

David Wiese conceded just a single run in the first over on a challenging wicket, testing openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt. Ruben Trumpelmann then removed Buttler for a four-ball duck with a brilliant inswinger. It took England 10 balls to score their first boundary, with Salt hitting Trumpelmann for two consecutive fours. Wiese returned and had Salt caught behind off a knuckle ball, leaving England in trouble at 13 for 2 inside three overs.

Bairstow Unleashes

Left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz faced Bairstow's onslaught in the fourth over, being reverse-swept for four and then hit for six. Bairstow survived a scare when he skied a ball but it fell safely. Brook joined in with a powerful six and a four, bringing England's fifty off 34 balls. Bairstow continued with another six off Erasmus, setting a solid platform before he was caught for 31 off 18 balls.

Brook in Action

After another rain delay reduced the match to 10 overs, Brook and Moeen Ali had 12 balls to set a challenging target. They scored 19 runs off the penultimate over, with Brook hitting 4, 6, and 4. Moeen scored 16 off six balls, and Liam Livingstone hit two sixes before being run out on the last ball, clutching his side in discomfort, raising concerns over his fitness.

Namibia's Chase

Reece Topley bowled a tight opening over in Namibia's chase, conceding only two runs. England's bowlers kept Namibia's scoring in check. Nikolaas Davin retired out on 18 off 16 to make way for the experienced Wiese. Wiese hit Curran for a four and then back-to-back sixes off Rashid, but Namibia needed 55 off the last two overs. Van Lingen was caught by Brook off Jordan, and Wiese was also caught by Brook off Archer in the final over. Wiese's departure marked an international farewell, with handshakes from England players, capping off his career with Namibia after transferring allegiance from South Africa in 2021.

Teams:

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Anrich Nortje.

Namibia: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Anil Sah, Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Abinash Bohara.