Erasmus' 156 not out helps Namibia defeat Ireland

Namibia 321-6 (50 overs): Erasmus 156* (125), Frylinck 76 (90); Hoey 3-53

Ireland 290 (47.3 overs): Stirling 77 (71); Brassell 4-52

Namibia win by 31 runs, five-game series tied 1-1

Scorecard

An unbeaten 156 from Gerhard Erasmus helped Namibia level their five-game one-day international series against Ireland at one win apiece.

The Namibia captain twice took the game away from the tourists in Windhoek as his side won by 31 runs.

First, a career-best effort with the bat helped set an imposing total of 321. The 31-year-old then took the final two wickets of the game as Ireland's tail threatened to complete an unlikely chase.

Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and, having put the hosts into bat, saw his bowling attack struggle, especially in the death overs.

Again without leading seamer Mark Adair, Byron McDonough took a wicket with the first ball of his spell but ended up with 1-71. Curtis Campher's 10 overs were also costly as he finished with 1-74.

Spinner Gavin Hoey was the pick of the bunch as he matched his trio of wickets from Wednesday's victory, this time returning figures of 3-53.

As they set about chasing 322, Stirling's uptick in form continued with a second half-century of the series, with a knock of 77 from 71 deliveries.

However, his wicket, leg before off the bowling of Jack Brassell, ended a spell where three batters were dismissed for the addition of just six runs.

Brassell led the way for the Namibia bowlers, also accounting for Lorcan Tucker, George Dockrell and Campher as he finished with 4-52.

A ninth-wicket stand of 58 from Hoey and Jai Moondra briefly brought Ireland within sight, but when the latter was out for 20, caught and bowled by Erasmus, any hopes of victory were quickly dashed.

The series resumes on Tuesday with match three in Windhoek as Ireland continue their preparations for next year's World Cup qualifiers.