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Netherlands stun high-flying South Africa

cricket17 October 2023 17:40| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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South Africa slumped to a demoralising and dispiriting 38-run defeat to the Netherlands – again – in their World Cup group match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Tuesday to put a major dent in their hopes of a first title.

The Netherlands rallied from a desperate 140-7 to post 245-8 in a match reduced by rain to 43-overs per side and then reduced South Africa to 44-4 before dismissing them for 207 to secure their first win of the tournament and register serious questions – again – about the Proteas’ temperament.

It was a stunning result for the Dutch who eliminated the high-flying Proteas from the last T20 World Cup a year ago with an equally shocking and unexpected victory by 13-runs in Adelaide.

Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards scored a highly skillful, unbeaten 78 from 69 balls (10x4, 1x6) and added 64 for the eighth wicket with Roelof van der Merwe who belted 29 from only 19 balls with three fours and a six to transform a struggling target into a competitive one – and a winning one, as it proved.

Van der Merwe, one of three SA-born players in the Dutch team, then played a crucial role with the ball claiming 2-34 in nine overs bowling Temba Bavuma (16) with a straight ‘arm ball’ and Rassie van der Dussen (4) who reverse-swept him straight to backward point.

Quinton de Kock (20) ‘tickled’ a leg-side delivery from offspinner Colin Ackermann into ‘keeper Edwards’ gloves and Aiden Markram (1) was bowled by the excellent seamer Paul van Meekeren (2-40).

Heinrich Klaasen (28) and David Miller (43) promised a revival before Klaasen heaved seamer Logan van Beek (3-60) straight to deep square leg and Miller, feeling the pressure of a mounting run-rate, missed a slog against the same man and was bowled.

Keshav Maharaj bashed 40 from 37 balls to narrow the margin of victory but it was no consolation on a miserable night for South Africa who were on a high after opening victories by 102-runs against Sri Lanka and 134-runs against Australia.

It was a stunning conclusion to a match the Proteas appeared to be bossing when the Dutch slumped to 112-6 and 140-7.

The Proteas’ bowlers dominated initially in helpful conditions but then tried to ‘bully’ the lower order rather than use the conditions and bowl sensibly.

Number 10 batsman, Aryan Dutt (23* from nine balls) smashed three sixes off attempted bouncers from Kagiso Rabada (2-56) and Gerald Coetzee (1-57) to transform the innings, and he knew exactly what the bowlers would deliver.

SA HAVE DEEP WOUNDS TO LICK

Rain delayed the start of the match by two hours reducing it to 43-overs per side and there was plenty of seam movement and bounce to encourage the fast bowlers with Rabada and Marco Jansen (2-27) initially very much to the fore but the final quarter of the innings witnessed a collapse of bowling discipline as the seamers bowled too short and paid a heavy price.

Earlier, Rabada rushed opener Vikramjit Singh (2) into a top-edged hook which Klaasen caught on the run from slip and fellow opener Max O’Dowd (18) edged a straightforward catch to De Kock off Jansen.

Bas de Leede (2) was trapped lbw by Rabada and the Netherlands slipped to 50-4 when Colin Ackermann, another of the South Africans in the side, was bowled off an inside edge by Coetzee for 13.

Former Western Province and SA under-19 batsman Sybrand Engelbrecht pulled a short ball from Lungi Ngidi straight to Jansen on the deep square leg boundary to depart for 19 before Teja Nidamanuru (20) was trapped plumb lbw by Jansen.

But Edwards led the fightback with a hooked six against Rabada and Van der Merwe slashed a Coetzee short ball over third for another maximum as the Proteas’ pace attack insisted on targeting the body rather than the stumps.

Victory for South Africa would have moved them to the top of the log ahead of India and New Zealand on net run-rate.

Instead, the Netherlands were left to celebrate their first victory after two defeats.

The Proteas have deep wounds to lick before their next match against defending champions England in Mumbai on Saturday.

SOUTH AFRICA:Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wkt), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

NETHERLANDS:Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (captain/wkt), Sybrand Engelbrecht, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren.

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