Curtis Campher scored a top-quality century in Windhoek on Tuesday but his rearguard action couldn’t prevent Ireland losing to Namibia for the second time in three days and slipping 2-1 behind in the best-of-five one-day international series.
The luck wasn’t with the Irish as they chased the home side’s 316-7 and Campher found himself walking to the wicket after Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector had both deflected deliveries into their stumps.
If that wasn’t bad enough, skipper Paul Stirling, who notched fine half-centuries in the first two matches, was unable to bat after injuring a finger while fielding.
Campher, ably assisted first by Andy McBrine who cleared the ropes twice in making 30, and then George Dockrell, took Ireland from 56-4 to 203-5 with more than 12 overs remaining.
But Dockrell was unusually having difficulty finding the middle of his bat and clothed one to mid-off on 25 from 49 balls, and when Campher’s desperate dive failed to beat a throw from the deep, all hope was gone and the Boys in Green were bowled out for 253.
Campher faced only 86 balls for his 106, striking 11 fours and three sixes. It was an excellent innings that deserved better than to be on the losing side by 63 runs, as acting-skipper Tucker admitted.
“We scrapped hard and tried to build partnerships but we didn’t quite set the game up for Curtis like we should have,” Tucker said.
“It’s hard to score 320 when you’re losing three wickets in the space of a couple of overs so that was probably our downfall.
“Curtis played absolutely exceptionally but we left him with too much to do.”
In the continued absence of Mark Adair for disciplinary reasons, Ireland again leaked runs in the death overs of the Namibia innings — 104 coming from the final nine — as Jan Frylinck top-scored for the home side with 126.