Netherlands ended their ICC World Twenty20 2014 campaign on a high note as they humiliated England by 45 runs in their last Super 10 Group 1 game at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Monday. The Dutch syndrome continued to haunt the Englishmen, who were defeated by the same opponents at Lord’s in the opening game of the ICC World T20 in 2009.
In a low-scoring affair, England appeared to have the upper hand at the half-way stage as they restricted the Dutch to 133-5 before some excellent bowling by pace duo Mudassar Bukhari and Logan van Beek bundled them out for a mere 88 runs in 17.4 overs scripted the memorable win.
Man-of-the-match Bukhari picked up 3- 12 while Beek captured 3-9 to create the perfect platform for the Oranges to go into wild celebrations at the expense of England’s misery.
England’s batting looked below-standard after Netherlands had posted 133-5 as English skipper Stuart Broad sent the opposition in to bat on a wicket that had something for the seamers.
Broad’s decision proved to be spot on as the English captain, Chris Jordan and Ravi Bopara received able support from the wicket.
Broad scalped 3-24, Bopara took 1-15 in his four overs while Jordan grabbed 1-13 in his three overs that prevented the Dutch from registering any imposing target.
Opener Stephan Myburgh (39) and one-down Wesley Barresi added 50 runs for the second wicket to provide the Dutch a strong foundation before Myburgh was left to rue his luck as he hoisted a Bopara full-toss from the leg-stump straight to the hands of the stationed fielder at deep-backward square.
Barresi, who was lucky on two occasions, courtesy some sloppy English fielding, made 48.
Tom Cooper was soon out for eight but remained one of the features of the Dutch side in a tournament where he scored 231 runs from seven games at an average of 57.75.
In reply, England’s batting looked horrible from the beginning as they neither had any purpose nor any plan of avoiding an embarrassment at the hands of the ICC associate member.
The Dutch scented victory after they removed in-form opener Alex Hales (12) and Eoin Morgan (six) in quick succession while the rest of the batsmen were unable to handle the pressure.
Netherlands hold on to their nerves to confine England to 45-5 in the half-way stage of their chase and went on to finish their business in a clinical manner as the Dutch bowlers bowled in tight areas without giving the batsmen any width to hit.
They were ably supported by the fieldsmen as they hardly gave away anything. Broad’s men eventually succumbed to the pressure and duly perished trying to maintain an ever-mounting required run-rate on a slow, two-paced pitch.
BRIEF SCORES
Netherlands 133-5 in 20 overs (W Barresi 48, SJ Myburgh 39; S Briad 3-24) v England 88 in 17.4 overs (R Bopara 18, C Jordan 14; M Bukhari 3-12).
Result: Netherlands won by 45 runs. Man of the match: M Bukhari (NED)
-With New Age input
