Scots turn match round and defeat the Dutch
WCQ09 Super Eights match: Scotland, 216 for eight after 50 overs, defeated the Netherlands, 190 all out in 48.4 overs.
Never say die! This call to arms has become a constant companion to Scotland’s cricketers in recent years, and none more so than today at the Witswatersand University ground in Johannesburg.
In short, had Scotland lost, then their chances of making the top four of the World Cup Qualifier would have receded over the horizon almost beyond recall. As it is, the Scots are still in with a strong chance, although they have tricky encounters with Kenya, UAE and Afghanistan still ahead.
But, once again, Scotland’s players had to dig exceptionally deep to emerge from another shaky start against Peter Drinnen‘s Netherlands squad. Peter Steindl had made two changes, bringing in Qasim Sheikh for Navdeep Poonia and a second spinner, Majid Haq, for Calum MacLeod.
With skipper Ryan Watson dropping himself down the order to four, he then found himself more-or-less opening, after Kyle Coetzer and Sheikh departed from consecutive balls in the third over.
The bowler, Ed Schiferli, also then accounted for the next two Scots wickets, Watson and Colin Smith. And when Neil McCallum, having hooked a huge six, was caught behind off Peter Borren, the scoreboard looked distinctly unpromising at 59 for five in the 17th over.
Enter Jan Stander to steady the ship with Gavin Hamilton (pictured left), cautiously at first, but increasingly confident as the fours began to flow. In the 33rd over, Hamilton reached his second half-century of the tournament, though this one was far more assured and confident. But he was out two overs later, playing on, for 52 from 110 balls.
Then two more wickets fell in the following two overs, Wright stumped and Haq bowled third ball, to leave the Scots reeling at 120 for eight, with only 14 overs remaining.
Those were the last wickets to fall as Stander continued to drive the recovery, with a willing and able partner at his side, namely John Blain. Blain was content to harvest the singles, and finished unbeaten on 29, but when Stander reached his 50 from 81 balls in the 47th over, that was the signal for total release.
Three overs yielded 11 runs apiece, the final over by Ryan ten Doeschate went for 16. Scotland’s oldest extant cricketing record - the ninth wicket partnership - was shattered. The old record of 72 had been recorded before the current Scottish Cricket Union had been formed. The new undefeated record of 96 will surely also stand the test of time.
In the context of this match, though, it was absolutely crucial, as the Scots hiked their total to an unlikely 216 for eight, having been raised by 60 runs from the last five overs. This was defendable, but could the Scots bowlers defend it?
The answer soon became apparent as the Dutch, defeated only once before in the tournament, got a taste of their own medicine. In the third over, Blain got rid of both the dangerous big-hitter Reekers, yorked, and Szwarczynski, caught by Watson in the slips, from consecutive balls - curiously, both sides had lost their No 3 first ball!
At the other end, Dewald Nel then claimed the top prize wicket of Essex’s ten Doeschate, caught behind for just two before he apparently returns to Chelmsford for the start of the county season.
At 22 for three, the Dutch start was no less shaky than Scotland’s had been. Then, with the score on 55, another county pro, Kervezee, departed, caught by Smith (left) - his 200th catch for Scotland - off the bowling of Craig Wright, having made 36.
Another big hitter, Daan van Bunge, was next to go, Wright’s second victim caught at long on by the reliable Blain. But their third player with county experience, Bas Zuiderant, was still there and going strong. He and Borren took the score from 87 to 160, taking singles at first, then becoming bolder - perhaps too bold.
At 160 for five, with eight overs remaining, the asking rate was now sevens, but perfectly within reach still for the Dutch. Borren chose the big-hit route when Nel returned to bowl, and in stead found Blain again in place to thwart such ambitions.
With the run rate now climbing by the over, Nel also picked up Bukhari with a superb yorker, and Blain returned to remove Zuiderant, the top scorer with 67, beautifully caught by Watson on the long-on boundary.
The last two batsmen just didn’t know what hit them, Blain’s yorkers ending the game with eight balls to spare, 26 runs short, and posting the first five-wicket haul by a Scotland player in this competition, 5-45.
It was an amazing turnaround, for what remains a somewhat nervous Scottish camp, straining to put their below-par form behind them. Head coach Steindl was quick to praise the fielding performance, which he described as ‘having the discipline one expects from performing at this level’.
For the knots of Scottish supporters around the boundary, it was an inspiring performance. They crave more of the same in the next three matches.
Report by Mike Stanger Commentary | Photos | Video
Pictures by Ian Jacobs
