Story ICC Four Day World League: Go Rachel Go

[Dutch]

First Round Round-Ups

Division Two

Fiji and Nepal played out a draw in a weather effected match in Katmandu. Ravoka's wonderful 163 n.o proving the backbone of a promising Fijian debut in the competition. Nepal proved worthy competitors and overal a draw is a fair result. MOM: V.Yabki, Fiji

Namibia who are no mugs on the international circuit out-played a stubborn Japanese side in Windhoek. but in the end the more experienced team pushed through and was largely untroubled in the second innings as Japan tired and looked absent of fresh ideas in a rather timid bowling display. MOM: B.Scholtz, Namibia.

A rain effected match in Hong Kong saw the local side play a Nigerian side that may not have the most talented side but brings bags full of enthusiasm. They look joyful to be playing in the competition and gave Hong Kong a run for their money but were happy to see the rain coming to their aid too. MOM: E. Nawaz, Hong Kong.

Oman kicked of their season with a confidence-building win over PNG in Muscat. PNG will see this season as an opportunity to get their toes wet in the water of international cricket. They lacked depth but hopefully can build on their experiences during the season. There is potential but it needs to be galvanized and sharpened and will be a road of hard knocks. Oman deservedly winning and will be tough to beat this season. MOM: A Lalcheta, Oman

 

[Dutch]

Pre-Match Interview With Dutch Captain Peter Borren

ICC World First Class League Division One, Round Two

United Arab Emirates versus The Netherlands, Sharjah Stadium

Dutch captain Peter Borren speaking on the line from Amsterdam with our cricket Correspondent John Peters:


Peter, thanks for taking the time to speak to us. How are things going? You have a had a few days to reflect on the Scotland match and will already be having one eye on the trip to the UAE for the game there.

Yeah, it's been a tough few days for the boys but we have had some good conversations with each other. We know we came up short and have talked about that with each other. That's the positive thing we can take from that defeat: we know we can do better and we know we are the ones who have to prove it. It is in our hands.

Where do you think the areas of improvement need to be?

Look we know that as a whole team, as a unit we have let each other down. I am not going to point fingers at individual players. The lads know we need to account for ourselves more, use our experience and pull together. Both in batting and bowling we need to be more sharp in our choices.

There were questions about the defensive nature of the cricket, of your fielding tactics? Valid?

As a captain the buck stops with me. I need to hold my hand up, I am the one making decisions out there. I don't think I was overly defensive. It was a slow scoring game and we hoped that by drying up the runs they would be forced into mistakes. You take decisions and try to stick with them. I felt it worked. It wasn't the most entertaining cricket I agree but sometimes you have to go down a certain road.

A light in the darkness perhaps Wesley Barresi?

Oh look, I mean Wessers is a proven player, real class. He lead from the front and showed us all what could have been with a little more guile. I am glad he is on our side and he is a real asset to the team.

Mark Rippon picked up a slight injury. Will he be fit for the trip to the Middle East?

It's touch and go at the moment to be honest. He sprained his right-hand in the field. We have already called up Steffan Mybergh as cover and we felt it would be good to have another left-hander in the team. We know we are going to be facing a lot of spin out there and some variation in the batting will be a positive.

Sounds like Rippon might have been dropped anyway?

No, no I wouldn't say that. Mark will be the first to admit that he has had a tough time lately with the bat and perhaps the injury will give him the time to come back stronger.

A must win game?

Well, it is a bit early for that don't you think? Look, we play to win and pride ourselves on being competitive. We have got off to a slow start and I am confident we will see a much more determined effort out there in the UAE. It is a long season and it's not won or lost on one game whatever you guys in the media may think.

Well, Peter thanks for the time and good luck and we will chat again soon.

Cheers, John take care......

 

[surendar]

I like those interview stuffs talking about injuries and all, it looks like actual story!! Hope both Dutch (s) can pull something off this match.

 

[Staresblank]

As far as I can see I have set things up properly but it looks as if the registration of the points is fecked: bit of a bugger actually as I either need to just ignore that or make my own tables which is time-consuming! Bugger: ideas????

I had the same problem when I set up my international 45 over league, where it was totally random if it decided to give bowling bonus points. Batting points were always correct though.

I haven't played custom leagues since v3 was released though. Has anyone else noticed when the bonus points mess up? I haven't checked to see if they are correct in career mode.

Great blog btw - keep it up.

 

[Dutch]

Dutch Charge At Sharjah As Batsman Finally Come To The Ball

UAE versus The Netherlands, Second Round ICC World First Class League

The Dutch finally proved they can do more with wood than just make clogs as a number of their batsmen came into the runs against the United Arab Emirates. On a typically hot and blustery day the UAE made steady inroads into the Dutch line-up with compact and tight spin bowling that left the Dutch tiltering as 5 wickets went down with just 118 on the board.

The Dutch captain won the toss and decided to bat: at lunch he must of been wondering whether he would regret that decision as only Ahmed held things together. Steffan Mybergh, called into the squad for the injured Mark Rippon, looked out of depth and scrambled around looking to adjust to the pace of the pitch but was undone by Punja's probing line that saw him pick up a couple of wickets.

Peter Borren played a real captains knock as he batted without restriction. Initially his partner Roelof van der Merwe played the quiet anchor role as Borren hit a run a ball fifty, his fifty coming off a typically fluid on-drive. But van der Merwe soon caught his captain up as the hundred plus partnership took impressive form.

The UAE will feel they are still in this if they can get one of these out but they will need to up their fielding game in particular that saw them give away needless runs. They will feel that luck wasnt on their side: having just moved the slips out only for Borren to nick one through the empty slip cordon.

The Dutch have come back strongly from their recent defeat to Scotland, with inspirational captain Borren leading them forward. They will hope they can get up to 350 from here and put scoreboard pressure on the UAE.

Borren and van der Merwe reflect on a job well done: not finished yet they would hope......

 

[Dutch]

End of Day One UAE versus The Netherlands ICC First Class League Round Two Match, Sharjar Stadium

Yodhin Punja took a career best of 5 for 65 after the Dutch capitulated after tea on the first day of an up and down day for them. Peter Borren and Roeloff van der Merwe had lead them towards tea and hoping to push on to 350.

But wickets tumbled after tea as the UAE and Punja in particular once again found their groove after a difficult mid-session in which they let the Dutch in the back door after having them on the ropes after the morning session.

The rather premature ending of the Dutch innings came as a blessing in disguise as it meant that the UAE had a tricky 10 or 11 overs to negotiate before the close.

Malik bowled a dipping outswinger that outdid UAE opener Sreekumar for pace and left Cooper an easy catch in the covers.

With runs on the board you have to say the Dutch have got their noses in front. They will be happy that a number of batsmen got som runs and their score may prove to be above par on a tricky wicket.

 

[Dutch]

ICC World First Class League Division One Round Two Match; UAE v The Netherlands, Day Two Lunch


Mohammad Kaleem and Mohammad Usman lead a healthy UAE comeback as they forged a useful partnership at lunch.

Bukhari picked up both the wickets of Haider and Anwar: Haider flaying at an outswinging good length ball, taking a thick edge to third-slip where Doram made no mistakes.

A few balls later Anwar thin edged a jaffa of a ball to wicketkeeper Barresi and the UAE were 56 for 3. Kaleem remained calm despite the chaos around him and although Usman took a long time to find his feet they put a good partnership together.

There is plenty of cricket still to come and both sides will feel this game is still theirs for the taking.


At lunch then the UAE 122 for 3, trailing by 163 runs in the first innings:

 

[Dutch]

UAE seek parity as Dutch toil in Sharjar heat: Tea, Day Two UAE v Netherlands Division Two Round Two ICC World First Class League

 

[Dutch]

UAE Establish Lead As Dutch Left Looking For Answers: End Of Day Two UAE versus The Netherlands, Round Two Division One ICC World League First Class

The UAE, lead by Mohammad Kaleem's and Mohammad Usman's wonderful century partnership formed the backbone for the UAE first innings batting effort.

The first part of the day saw the Dutch make some inroads into the batting line-up of the UAE but Kaleem and Usman steadied the ship and slowly edged the UAE towards the Dutch first innings of 285.

Shahzad and Javed also made useful contributions as an increasingly blunt looking Dutch attack looked for a way into knocking over the middle order and tail. The UAE bats deep and have always prided themselves on being able to dig in in tricky situations. The raucous home support at a packed Sharjar giving them an extra player.

Shahzad would have thought his luck might have been in as he successfully overturned a dodgy looking LBW decision. All credit to van der Gugten who had him two balls later to a rising delivery that took the thinnest of outside edges.

The new ball proved to be a much needed crowbar for the Dutch. Before that part-time spinner Doram took a couple of important wickets included the dangerously poised Mushtaq.

Doram's performance will once again have highlighted regular spinner van der Merwe who was once again expensive and largely ineffective as he strayed too much down leg.

UAE captain Amjad Javed will be satisfied with his team's performance and will hope to add to the overnight score and build as much of a first innings lead as possible.

The Dutch will want to get the last three wickets out of the way as quickly as possible so that they can build a second innings lead that will give them something to bowl at. With two days to go there is plenty of time for all possible results but with some uncertain weather expected on the fourth afternoon the Dutch will be keen to still try and grab the points as they look for their first win.

Both the Netherlands and the UAE were seen to be front runners in this league at the start of the season. The tussle between them has shown that they are evenly matched and have given the partisan crowd some good and competitive cricket. All in all an entertaining day of competitive cricket for both bat and ball and the sell out attendance will have pleased the ICC no end.

 

[Dutch]

UAE Establish Lead: 74 runs ahead: UAE versus The Netherlands, Round Two Division One ICC World League First Class

First innings: The Netherlands 285 ao, UAE 359 ao

The UAE took a healthy lead as they closed their first innings 74 runs ahead of The Netherlands shortly before lunch on the third day. Javed, Raza and Naveed frustrated the Dutch as they looked for the bad ball to play away.

They didn't have too long to look as the Dutch once again went searching for the wickets instead of playing the patient game. Bukhari was the pick of the bowlers finishing on 4 for 79.

The Dutch will come out after the slightly early lunch to begin their second innings. They will need to push the pace a little to give them the chance of setting the UAE a target with enough time to take 10 wickets.

 

[Dutch]

Match Highlights Reel: Netherlands Bowling, UAE Batting (music copyright Dutch 2017)

 

[Deleted member 46200]

I did mention incorporating bonus points I feel we'll have to see if there would be any value in these as the top teams start to separate from the lower performing ones. Say after three games.

 

[Dutch]

I did mention incorporating bonus points I feel we'll have to see if there would be any value in these as the top teams start to separate from the lower performing ones. Say after three games.

I have set up bonus points for both bowling and batting in the game but they are not calculating properly as yet.....

 

[Deleted member 46200]

I have set up bonus points for both bowling and batting in the game but they are not calculating properly as yet.....

I see, would be good to see what the separation is like in the ladder after a Few games. Did you list the points structure if so which page on the thread, thanks.

 

[Dutch]

I see, would be good to see what the separation is like in the ladder after a Few games. Did you list the points structure if so which page on the thread, thanks.

Nah I will do a write up after all the second round matches and see what is happening: in the meantime some Dutch batting of sorts......