Cricket: Burger gives England a fright

PORT ELIZABETH - An inspired innings of 85 by Jan-Berry Burger gave Namibia hope of causing the biggest shock of the World Cup before England held on to win their Group A encounter by 55 runs on Wednesday (South African Time).

England were bowled out for 272 after being put into bat, stand-in captain Alec Stewart making 60 and Marcus Trescothick 58 in a third-wicket partnership of 78 after Nick Knight and Michael Vaughan had fallen cheaply.

Namibia were routed for just 84 by Pakistan on Sunday but thanks to Burger's knock they made England work hard for an ultimately comfortable, if unconvincing, second victory of the tournament.

Burger's innings brimmed with attacking strokes, including 10 fours and a six, and he was heading for a deserved century when he spooned a short ball from Craig White to cover.

The 21-year-old Stellenbosch University student hit White's first ball of the match for a huge six and brought his half-century up with a four through the covers off Andrew Flintoff.

He found an able ally in Danie Keulder, the pair putting on 97 in 108 balls for the third wicket. With rain clouds threatening, Namibia were ahead on the Duckworth/Lewis rate, but Burger's dismissal in the 29th over changed the course of the game.

Kuelder was run out for 46 and White's first ball dismissal of Gerrie Snyman in the 38th over ended Namibia's resistance.

Rudi Van Vuuren, who earlier completed figures of five for 43, ended the match on a fitting note by hitting the last ball from James Anderson for six. Ronnie Irani was England's most successful bowler with figures of three for 30.

England's day got off on the wrong note when captain Nasser Hussain was ruled out with a stiff neck.

A precautionary scan confirmed no disc damage but Hussain remains a slight doubt for Saturday's match against Pakistan in Cape Town, along with left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell who was unable to bowl due to a back injury.

Stewart revelled in the captaincy, top-scoring with 60 on a slow pitch suited to Namibia's medium pacers.

Knight and Vaughan set the casual tone of the England innings when they hit long hops from Van Vuuren to mid-wicket.

Trescothick and Stewart perished sweeping and, after Paul Collingwood made a useful 38 and White 35, Van Vuuren returned to take three late wickets and complete his first five-wicket haul for Namibia.

- REUTERS

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