South Africa Clinches ODI Series Against Namibia with Dominant Performance

In a commanding performance, South Africa defeated Namibia by 157 runs in the second ODI, securing the series with one match left. Connor Esterhuizen scored his first international century, while Duan Jansen excelled with the ball. Namibia struggled in their chase, ultimately bowled out for 178 runs. The final ODI is set for Sunday, where South Africa aims for a clean sweep.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 12, 2026, 00:00 IST

South Africa's Impressive Batting Performance

Connor Esterhuizen achieved his first international century, scoring 119 runs off 110 balls, while Duan Jansen excelled with bowling figures of 4/31, leading South Africa to a commanding 157-run victory over Namibia in the second ODI at Namibia Cricket Ground on Friday. This win secured the series for South Africa with one match remaining.

Esterhuizen's innings, alongside Tony de Zorzi's solid contribution of 79 runs, helped South Africa set a challenging target of 335/9 after being asked to bat first. Jansen and Eathan Bosch, who took 3/27 in 9.5 overs, effectively dismantled Namibia's batting lineup, bowling them out for 178 in just 41.5 overs.

Namibia's captain, Gerhard Erasmus, chose to field after winning the toss, but South Africa quickly recovered from the early loss of opener Jordan Hermann, who scored 20 runs, reaching 34/1 within eight overs. The partnership between de Zorzi and Esterhuizen was pivotal, as they added 183 runs for the second wicket, significantly shifting the momentum in favor of South Africa.

Esterhuizen's aggressive play culminated in his maiden international century, achieved in 100 balls, before he was dismissed by Ruben Trumpelmann in the 36th over. His innings included eight fours and six sixes.

De Zorzi provided stability with his 79 runs off 87 balls, but both he and Esterhuizen were dismissed in quick succession. Matthew Breetzke scored four runs before Dewald Brevis added a brisk 37 runs off 30 balls. Eathan Bosch then contributed a quick 29 runs off just 13 balls, helping South Africa finish their innings at 335/9.

For Namibia, Jack Brassell was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for 64 runs, while Ruben Trumpelmann and Jan Balt each claimed two wickets.

Namibia's Struggles in the Chase

Namibia's batting response began poorly, with Michael van Lingen dismissed by Eathan Bosch and Malan Kruger falling for a duck to Duan Jansen, leaving the team at a dismal 1/2 after three overs. Their situation worsened when Bosch struck again, removing Jan Frylinck and reducing Namibia to 2/3.

Erasmus tried to stabilize the innings, scoring 68 runs off 84 balls, but Namibia struggled to form significant partnerships. Jan Balt added 26 runs, and Trumpelmann contributed 30, but neither could maintain the chase effectively.

Jansen maintained pressure with a disciplined bowling performance, finishing with 4/31 from nine overs, while Bosch supported him well with 3/27, leading to Namibia's innings collapsing for 178 runs in 41.5 overs.

Series Victory for South Africa

With this victory, South Africa has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The final ODI is scheduled to take place at the same venue on Sunday, where the Proteas will aim for a clean sweep of the series.