The teams have played regularly against each other in T20 cricket.
Gerhard Erasmus, left, and Bjorn Fortuin, the captains of Namibia and South Africa, will meet in a first-ever ODI series, starting Wednesday. Picture: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
Both Namibia and South Africa will be looking to make a bit of a statement when they clash in the first-ever ODI series between them, starting with game one in Windhoek on Wednesday.
The teams will clash in two more matches over the coming days, also in Windhoek.
While the Proteas and Namibia have clashed on a few occasions in the T20 format, and most recently also competed in a tri-series featuring Zimbabwe, this will be the first 50-overs a side series between them.
Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus said they were looking forward to the different challenge a longer version than T20 cricket would give them.
“The battles are longer … the contests don’t go away as quickly as they do in T20 cricket, and there’s certainly more skill involved,” said Erasmus. “It’s very different to T20 cricket … there are more events happening in 300 balls, and that’s the challenge now for us.”
He added the Proteas would be a stiff test. “Ja, they’ve got high-quality players, and are strong in all the departments. But what a great and awesome challenge.”
He said the fact this was the first ODI series between the sides would make the next three matches “even more special”.
“It’ll be memorable. We’ve played our best T20 cricket against the Proteas over the years, for some reason they bring out the best in us, so hopefully we can continue that in this series. This is a big stepping stone for us, as an associate member, with that tag.”
The South African team will again be led by spinner Bjorn Fortuin, following his guiding of the Proteas to the tri-series title at the weekend.
He said he, too, was expecting a competitive series against the country’s neighbours, as it was in the tri-series and in other matches between South Africa and Namibia in the past.
“Namibia are always competitive against us in T20 cricket and I’m sure they will be in the ODIs,” said Fortuin.
“They’ve got some great skills and I’m sure some players will stand up for them. They are a team improving all the time and this will be a big series for them.”
Following this series, South Africa will come up against Australia in ODIs, T20s and Tests.
