The Netherlands batting line-up crumbled, but Timm van der Gugten’s 49 helped them post a fighting total of 195. Craig Young and Joshua Little picked up three wickets each for Ireland. The Ireland batters didn’t get going either, and it was only Paul Stirling and Simi Singh who contributed big. However, Ireland collapsed from 178/6 to 194/9 to lose by one run.
The Netherlands finally made their debut in this ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, and it looked like it was worth the wait as they ended a 14-year jinx against Ireland to take a 1-0 lead in this three-match ODI series. It was a humdinger of a game as it swayed from one end to the other constantly. The Netherlands held their nerve to record a one-run win in a low-scoring thriller.
Both batting line-ups failed big time, and it was a game that was dominated by the bowlers. Bowling attacks from both sides were excellent as less than 400 runs were scored across both innings despite the full 100 overs being bowled.
The Netherlands won the toss and opted to bat first. The openers got off to a decent start, and both openers Stephan Myburgh and Max O’Dowd got solid starts. Craig Young got Ireland’s first breakthrough before a magnificent spell from Joshua Little turned the tide. In his first two overs, he picked up three wickets while Simi Singh got O’Dowd’s important wicket to peg the Netherlands back. From 32/0, the hosts were reeling at 53/5.
Bas de Leede and Saqib Zulfiqar got 20s but couldn’t kick on, and at 102/7, things looked bleak for the Netherlands. A sub-150 score seemed to be on the cards, but a 53-ball 49 from Timm van der Gugten lifted them to 195 in their 50 overs.
In reply, Ireland didn’t have a great start either. Fred Klaassen and Logan van Beek bowled excellent new-ball spells, and they had Ireland in trouble at 11/3 in the third over. Paul Stirling watched all the drama unfold at the other end. He tried to resurrect the innings alongside George Dockrell. They batted for 10.1 overs but could add just 32 runs before Brandon Glover knocked over Dockrell. Lorcan Tucker didn’t last long either, as Ireland were reduced to 69/5.
Stirling kept going from one end and scored a stoic 69. He had Simi Singh for company and they added 66 runs for the sixth wicket before van der Gugten got the prized scalp of Stirling to break open the game once again. But despite that wicket Ireland were going well and needed 28 runs off the last seven overs. That’s when the hara-kiri started.
Just nine runs came off the next three overs before the Netherlands skipper Seelaar picked up two wickets and conceded just two runs in the 47th over. The 48th and 49th over saw just five runs overall, which left 12 runs in the bank for the last over, which was bowled by van Beek. Simi Singh, who was batting on 44, was run out on the first legal delivery of the over. Joshua Little hit a boundary of the third ball. With three runs to win of the final delivery, Little missed the scoop, and Ireland lost by a run.
Ireland’s sixth loss in this ODI Super League while the Netherlands got off to a winning start.
Brief Scores
Netherlands 195 (van der Gugten 49, Little 3/32, Young 3/34) beat Ireland 194/9 (Stirling 69, Simi Singh 45, Seelaar 3/27, van Beek 2/44) by one run
