Namibia out of World Cup

The Namibian national cricket team butchered at the recent International Cricket Council (ICC) Tournament in Northern Ireland arrived in the capital with coiled tails and a swarm of unanswered questions over the future of the team. Having failed to make it to the Caribbean World Cup in 2007, Namibia now ponders on the future of National coach Andy Waller whose contract with the NCB expires this July.

The failure to earn a World Cup berth means that Namibia will only return to the Wanderers Sports Club around 2008 when the new campaign for World Cup 2010 starts. Director Of Fixtures Marius Visser who did not travel with the squad expressed his disappointment over the mediocre mission in Ireland. "We just did not perform well", said Visser blushing aside the fact that Namibia faced better opposition. Three of the teams that Namibia was seeded with managed to qualify for the 2007 World Cup. Canada, whom Namibia beat by runs finished third, while Holland who beat Namibia by 6 wickets and Scotland who assailed 27 runs over Namibia made the group of five to proceed to West Indies. The national team was ushered into the relegation seat by an unheralded United Arab Emirates teams who conquered by 4 wickets.

The Scottish and Dutch teams exposed the Namibia's weakness of losing early wickets and the team's failure to increase momentum of inning scoring. Questions linger over the NCB will keep the country's only full-time coach since independence in the office. Zimbabwean born Andy Waller, will be receiving a full salary during this period of inaction until 2008, if the NCB renews its contract with the former South African and Zimbabwean player. He came into office July 2004 and out of 34 matches, Namibia had won 17, drawing 3 and losing 14, before the recent Qualifying tournament. "In the end one will agree that Namibia is World Cup material but how to get to the World Cup remains the question", had said NCB President Laurie Peters before the team's departure for Ireland. The team's failure means that South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe will be the only teams in the continent at the next World Cup.

According to Visser, Namibia has to go back to the drawing board because, "something is obviously wrong". Namibia was at the last World Cup in South Africa 2003 and a lot had been invested and anticipated from a team which left for Ireland buoyed by the presence of evergreen captain Deone Kotze. "We now have to wait for their return and re-look the whole structure from technical to administration, so that start preparing for 2011", pointed out the Fixtures Director. Peters had explained before departure for Europe that the sponsors, MTC were after results, "since it's a supply and demand thing" and that the results from Ireland will also shape the future of the sport in the country. MTC has splashed more than N$1,5 million into the development of the sport in the country. Nevertheless, in Northern Ireland, Waller's fears that the players lacked the mental strength were almost solved when Namibia beat Canada in the first game. The MTC Boyz earned a flicker of hope for a semi-final place when they overran minnows Papua New Guinea by 96 runs but in the end, they were dumped by UAE.

Jan Greyling who heads the Cricket Development program joined in unison, going back to the drawing back. "The loss dealt a tremendous blow to our cricket as we lost both prestige and funding", said the development director. Greyling expressed hope that Captain Deone Kotze would be available for the next qualifying stages although he might fail to make it for the 2011 showcase due to age. Kotze who is in his early 30s might have his position filled by young open-bowling sensation Kola Burger, who has saved the country on many an occasion both in the friendlies, qualifying matches and at the ICC Trophy tournament in Northern Ireland.