Michael Levitt century helps the Dutch defeat Namibia

KATHMANDU: Opener Michael Levitt scored an aggressive century as the Netherlands defeated Namibia by 59 runs two record its second win in as many matches of the Nepal Tri-Nation T20I Series at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Netherlands scored a mammoth 247 runs for the loss of five wickets, helped by a 62-ball 135 from Levitt. Levitt, playing his second T20 international, got his century in 49 balls. The right-handed batter, playing only his second T20I, clubbed 10 towering sixes and 11 fours. He had scored 50 runs in his debut match against Nepal. He received support from Sybrand Engelbrecht after fellow opener Max O’Dowd fell cheaply, scoring five runs off six balls. Engelbrecht scored 75 from 40 balls. Tija Nidamanuru scored 18 off just three balls before he ran himself out.

Ruben Trumplemann took two wickets for Namibia, while Ben Shikongo and Jay Frylinck took one wicket each.

Chasing 248 runs to secure its second victory in the tri-series, Namibia folded for 188 runs. Jan Frylinck and Zane Green scored 42 runs each for Namibia, while JP Kotze scored 26, JJ Smit and Ruben Trumplemann scored 19 each, and Jan Nico Lotie-Eaton scored 11 runs.

Timm van der Gugten took two wickets for the Netherlands, while Vivian Kingma, Fred Klaassen, Aryan Dutt, Sybrand Engelbrecht, and Roelof van der Merwe claimed a wicket each.

Namibia meets Nepal in the fourth match of the tri-series on Thursday.