ISLAMABAD: Despite losing five wickets for just 82 runs in 21 overs, Netherlands middle and lower order batters managed to drive their team to a compatible total of 245 runs against South Africa in the ICC World Cup match being played at Dharamsala, India, on Tuesday.
The South African pacers, including Rabada, Ngidi, and Jansen, managed to remove the top and middle order earlier; however, the skipper Scot Adward and the number nine batter Roelof van der Merwe quick runs took the Netherlands to a fighting total. Due to early rain the match was restricted to 43 overs per inning.
After winning the toss, the South African captain decided to field first. The Dutch batters took a cautious start to move forward with 3 runs per over. However, in the 7th over, Rabada dismissed Vikramjit Singh on just 2 runs, who faced 16 balls. In the next over, Jansen also managed to remove the other opener, Maz O’ Dowd, on 18 with a total score of 24. The Dutch lost their 3rd wicket on 40 in the 11th over when the inform Bas de Lead was bowled and dismissed by Rabada on 2.
The next batter to be dismissed was Colin Ackermann, who added 12 runs to the total. Till the 21st over, half of the Dutch team went to the pavilion as the side lost their 5th wicket on 82 when Sybrand Engelbrecht was caught by Jansen on the bowling of Ngidi.
In the middle of the inning, the skipper Scott Edwards (c)† and Teja Nidamanuru showed some resistance; however, reaching 112 in the 27th over, Teju was dismissed by Jansen on 20. Meanwhile, the skipper Edwards managed to push the innings towards a moderate total. When the score reached 140 in the 34th over, number 8th batter Logan van Beek was removed by Maharaj. He scored 10 runs while facing 27 balls. Van Beek was replaced by Roelof van der Merwe, who along with the skipper Scott Edwards added some quick, crucial runs to the total. Eerier, when the score was 82 for five, it was predicted that the Dutch would hardly manage to reach 150. However, Scot’s crucial partnerships in the middle and tail took them to a secure position. The Dutch batters managed to score 245 runs in 43 overs for the loss of 8 wickets.
From South Africa, Rabada, Ngidi, and Jansen took two wickets each, while Maharaj and Coetzee grabbed one wicket each.
Netherlands Squad
Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (c)†, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt and Paul van Meekeren
South Africa Team
Quinton de Kock †, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi and Gerald Coetzee
