The Proteas completed a 3-0 clean sweep of the ODI series against Namibia in emphatic fashion on Sunday in Windhoek.
The tourists cruised to a nine-wicket victory at the Namibia Cricket Ground. The Proteas openers, Jordan Hermann (77 off 59 balls, 13×4) and Connor Esterhuizen (68 not out, 68 balls, 4×4, 3×6), were again in superb form as they put together a 150-run stand for the first wicket before Dewald Brevis finished the series in style with a maximum.
Both batters have scored centuries in the series already, and have now added maiden half-centuries too.
Hermann was the aggressor, utilising just 39 balls to reach his milestone. Esterhuizen was more cautious, needing 14 more balls for his 50 as he played the perfect support act.
The pair maintained the pressure on the Namibians throughout, although Hermann enjoyed a let-off on 54 when Max Heingo generated extra pace to deliver a brutish delivery that rose sharply off a length.
Hermann was caught unawares as the ball struck the shoulder of his bat and looped to backward point. The fielder managed to get his fingers underneath it, but it slipped out of his hands as his elbow hit the ground.
From then on, the Warriors star was not going to give the hosts another sniff. He made the Namibians pay dearly by striking three boundaries in Waldo Smith’s next over before eventually the Smith gained his revenge later on by clean bowling him.
Earlier, captain Bjorn Fortuin led the charge with the ball through an ODI career-best 4/33 to dismiss Namibia for just 156.
The left-arm spinner has been in superb form throughout both the T20I and ODI series, and has shown why coach Shukri Conrad has called him up to a full-strength squad set to face Australia at the end of the month.
Fortuin’s leadership has been outstanding, with the extra responsibility bringing out the best in him.
His dismissal of Lourense Steenkamp was particularly outstanding, with the ball drifting through the air before turning sharply off the surface to hit the stumps.
Sunday’s victory brings to a close the Proteas’ successful white-ball tour of Namibia, where a host of players have put up their hands for tougher assignments across a long summer.
All-rounder Duan Jansen, who made his international debut on this tour, has already reaped the rewards after being called up for the Australian ODI series as an injury replacement for Ottneil Baartman.
The Dolphins seamer bowled just five overs in the first-class series when he pulled up with a left hamstring injury.
THIRD ODI SCOREBOARD
Namibia: 156 all out (Volschenk 31, Fortuin 4/33, Maphaka 2/18)
Proteas: 157/1 (Hermann 77, Esterhuizen 68*, Brevis 6*)
Proteas won by 9 wicket, series 3-0
