With nothing but pride to play for Netherlands, and all to play for the Irish, the burden of pressure seemed to play on the Irish, who were missing several first team players to county duty, early on in proceedings. After being put in on a lively, seamer-friendly pitch, the opening bowling partners of Jonkman and Westdijk caused plenty of problems for Poynter and Carroll. It was the latter of the two who rode his luck, being dropped in the slips twice and caught behind off a no ball. It seemed the Dutch would rue these missed opportunities, but it was Berend Westdijk, who finally got the first wicket, with a ball which nipped through bat and bat to knock over Carroll?s leg stump. Like buses, it was with the consecutive ball, Poynter fell in the next over to Jonkman, driving to skipper Borren in the covers as the Irish struggled at 12 for 2. Thinus Fourie tried to stage a counter-attack but he was undone by another good length delivery from Westdijk, edging to a sprawling Baressi behind the stumps to leave the Irish wobbling at 31 for 3. It could have been worse if Cusack hadn?t been dropped twice in Nijman?s first over. Cusack and White appeared to be constructing a recovery, but Nijman grabbed a deserved wicket as deceived White with a full ball that failed to swing which went through the gate to knock back his middle stump. The only resistance came from Cusack, but when he edged Borren to Szwarczynski at second slip, at 76-5, Ireland were in a desperate situation. This only got worse when Nijman bowled the batsman Botha with the perfect delivery, an in-swinger on a good length that curved in to hit the top of off stump. Ireland were limping to lunch, and in the penultimate over before the break, Cooper tempted an edge out of McCallan which was caught behind. Netherlands were in a dominant position with Ireland at 94-7 at lunch after an enthralling, and perhaps, a surprising session of cricket.
Things didn?t improve after lunch for the Irish, as Jonkman knocked over Connell?s leg stump with the fourth ball after the interval. Greg Thompson did help push the score past 100, but his skipper, Johnston was bowled by an excellent yorker from Jonkman, leaving them 108-9 and on the brink. Greg Thompson was the only the third batsman to reach double figures but the innings closed when he edged Jonkman to Statham at slip to give him his fourth wicket with Ireland skittled out for 109. The Dutch reply was patient but not without any blips. After, pulling Botha for six, Statham misjudged a ball from West and left alone a ball which swung in to knock the top of off-stump, Netherlands 15 for 1. Then, Ireland seemed to be finding a way back into the match when West knocked over Zuiderant?s off peg, to leave them 25 for 2. However, any Irish fightback was extinguished by Szwarczynski and the arrival of a more aggressive Cooper. With patience to punish any bad balls, the pair put on an unbeaten 64 before tea, wearing away any pressure, with Cooper nearing his half century, and the Dutch in control at 89-2.
But the Irish fought back immediately after the tea break, Thompson?s leg spin caught an advancing Szwarczynski lbw advancing down the pitch to a full straight delivery, and with the next ball, Barresi was lbw too in almost carven copy style. Cooper pushed the total into triple figures, and his own score past fifty, with a huge six over mid on. However, the South Australian?s seemingly destined course to triple figures was halted by a dubious lbw decision form Thompson, as it appeared to miss leg stump. The Irish didn?t care as they had claimed the crucial wicket leaving the Dutch 105 for 5. Netherlands edged past the Irish total, but the skipper Borren edged a drive to Carroll at first slip off Botha, and Thompson forced a similar edge from van Bunge to provide more catching practice for Carroll, after he was dropped by the wicket keeper two balls before. Netherlands seven down with only a slender lead of 10. The lead hadn?t grown much more when Buurman was somewhat unfortunate to get out to Botha as he bottom edged a pull shot which rolled off his body and onto his stumps, the Dutch collapsing to 127 for 8. Nijman and Westdijk both put up some resistance, putting on 24 for the ninth wicket; to increase the lead tentatively, put the introduction led him knocking over the off stump for the third time in the day to dismiss Westdijk with the score on 151. Nijman then launched an assault on the Irish bowling, smashing five fours and two sixes, racing to his half century off 37 balls. His cameo was ended by West for his fourth wicket, caught lbw, but not before he had singlehandedly rocketed the score up to 189, a now very useful lead of 80. It was a tough small batting for the Irish openers to bat out, which wasn?t devoid of any casualties, as Poynter was bowled by a perfect outswinger from Jonkman, leaving them one down and still 65 runs adrift. Carroll and Cusack closed out a tough period to close on 24 for 1, to end an extraordinary day where 21 wickets fell and where Netherlands were on top.
(41.5 overs) (Nijman 54 (46), Cooper 53 (66), West 4-39, Thompson 4-40, Botha 2-44)
. Netherlands is one of a good team, which din't get enough opportunities to play against test playing teams. I'm sure they're gonna do it once they start playing few tournaments against countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan & West Indies.
