Netherlands tops Group A after win over Namibia
Published at 18 October, 2022In a considerably warmer Geelong than during the first match, a disciplined Dutch team defeated Namibia. Namibia made only 121 runs. After a quickfire start by Singh and O'Dowd, the Netherlands made the runchase unnecessarily close. Bas de Leede and Tim Pringle reached the target in the final over. The Netherlands is now the only unbeaten team in Group A.
With Van der Gugten in for Van Beek, the Dutch fielded first, having lost the toss. Namibia started with lefthander Michael Van Lingen and 19-year-old righthander Divan La Cock. La Cock got a tempting wide from Pringle. He accepted the invitation, but Bas de Leede did not have to move a yard at long off: 4/1.
Van Lingen went after Ackermann with two fours, but made exactly the same mistake: 30/2. Loftie-Eaton's innings lasted two balls. In the same over by Van Meekeren, Baard appeared to be lbw, but the review showed a thin inside edge. Halfway through the innings the score was 56/3.
The fourth wicket fell in the twelfth over. In an attempt to accelerate, Baard (19) holed out to deep mid wicket Klaassen off Van der Merwe. Frylinck and Erasmus made frantic attempts to accelerate, but the Dutch bowling was tight and their fielding great. Both batsmen were dismissed in the nineteenth over.
Namibia reached 121/6. The Netherlands used seven (outstanding) bowlers, of whom Bas de Leede (2-18) was the most successful.
Netherlands innings
Just like in the first game, Vikram Singh started with two fours that demonstrated his class. He seemed to hit a third boundary, which, however, fell dead in the outfield like a golf ball. Now it was just a single instead of a three.
Still, the Netherlands had a dream start (36/0 after four overs) when Vikram Singh (39) attacked Ben Shikongo with two perfectly timed sixes over mid wicket. Singh's cover drive for four in the following was of unprecedented beauty. However, 'one shot too many' meant his demise, caught on the mid wicket boundary: 59/1 in the ninth over. After ten overs it was 68/1.
Thanks to the quickfire opening, the Netherlands had to make less than a run a ball. But preferably quickly, because the net runrate may soon become important. However, O'Dowd (35) took too much risk and was run out by Erasmus: 92/2.
De Leede and Cooper wanted to get the job done quickly, but Cooper found the fielder on the square leg boundary: 101/3. After the quick departure of Ackermann and Edwards, it was above all important to get the victory in the first place. With Van der Merwe injured it was obvious that Tim Pringle would come in next. With six runs needed from the final over Bas de Leede hit Wiese's first ball for four over the top. Together with Pringle (8 not out), Player of the Match De Leede (30 not out) guided the Dutch team to its second victory.
With four points from two matches, the Netherlands tops Group A. A good result against Sri Lanka on Thursday is very important. If Sri Lanka should beat both UAE and the Netherlands, and Namibia would beat UAE, three teams would have four points. In that case, the net runrate determines who advances to the Super Twelve.
@t20worldcup #t20worldcup
photo credit ICC / Getty Images
