WINDHOEK, Nov 23: Vikram Solanki and Ian Bell shared a century stand to guide England to a seven-wicket victory in a one-day warm-up match against Namibia on Tuesday.
Namibia were put in to bat and totalled 219 for eight, to which England replied with 220 for three to win with 6.1 overs to spare.
Openers Solanki and Bell put on 110 for the first wicket before Bell, on 51, top-edged an attempted sweep off the bowling of Deon Kotze to Morne Karg at backward point in the 23rd over.
Five overs later off-spinner Sarel Burger had Solanki stumped by wicket-keeper Melt van Schoor for 82, which he made off 76 balls with nine fours and three sixes. Geraint Jones scored 27 not out and Kevin Pietersen made an unbeaten 31 in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 63 to steer England to victory.
Gerrie Snyman top scored for Namibia with an aggressive 75 struck off 88 deliveries in which he hit five fours and four sixes. One of Snyman's sixes, hit off the bowling of Bell, cleared the sight screen and smashed a window in a car belonging to the chairman of the Namibian Cricket Board, Francois Erasmus.
Snyman and Louis Burger, who scored 33, shared 70 runs for the sixth wicket, the biggest stand of the innings. Snyman drove straight and with power until Giles had him caught at long-on by Paul Collingwood in the 44th over. Fast bowler James Anderson took three for 36 from eight overs.
SCOREBOARD
NAMIBIA:
J. Burger b Anderson 0
D. Keulder c G.O. Jones b Wharf 9
S. Swanepoel G.O. Jones b Anderson 0
M. Karg run out 39
D. Kotze c Solanki b S.P. Jones 0
G. Snyman c Collingwood b Giles 75
L. Burger c Solanki b Giles 33
S. Burger not out 30
M. van Schoor b Anderson 8
B. Kotze not out 6
EXTRAS (LB-6, W-11, NB-2) 19
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 219
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-6, 3-39, 4-45, 5-75, 6-145, 7-185, 8-206.
DID NOT BAT: K. Burger.
BOWLING: Anderson 8-0-36-3 (1nb, 9w); Wharf 10-1-32-1 (1nb); Collingwood 8-0-27-0; S.P. Jones 7-0-30-1 (1w); Batty 8-0-38-0 (1w); Bell 3-0-16-0; Giles 6-0-34-2.
ENGLAND:
V.S. Solanki st van Schoor b S. Burger 82
I.R. Bell c Karg b D. Kotze 51
M. Prior c Snyman b L. Burger 17
G.O. Jones not out 27
K.P. Pietersen not out 31
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-9) 12
TOTAL (for three wkts, 43.5 overs) 220
FALL OF WKTS: 1-110, 2-150, 3-157.
DID NOT BAT: P.D. Collingwood, G.J. Batty, A.F. Giles, A. Wharf, S.P. Jones, J.M. Anderson.
BOWLING: Snyman 3-1-11-0 (3w); K. Burger 8-0-39-0 (1w); B. Kotze 6-0-27-0 (1w); S. Burger 10-0-48-2; D. Kotze 9-0-59-1 (1w); J. Burger 2-0-6-0 (1w); L. Burger 3.5-0-18-0 (2w); Keulder 2-0-9-0. -Reuters
