Nidamanaru, Edwards get Netherlands off the mark in Qualifiers

The Netherlands bounced back from an opening loss to Zimbabwe by reducing the United States to a third straight defeat in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. An all-round bowling effort followed by half-centuries from Teja Nidamanuru and Scott Edwards led them to a comfortable 5-wicket win on Thursday (June 22). 

The Dutch skipper, Scott Edwards won the toss and put USA in to bat. The seamers Logan Van Beek and Ryan Klein vindicated their captain’s call right away, dismissing USA’s top three within the first six overs. The stand-in skipper, Aaron Jones had another underwhelming outing with the bat. Batting for four, he was dismissed for 8, as Netherlands slipped to 46/4. 

For the second game in a row, the wicketkeeper batter Shayan Jahangir was the savior with the bat. After 100 not out in the previous game against Nepal, Jahangir scored 71 off 86 balls with five fours and two sixes. He found support in Gajanand Singh (33) and Jessy Singh (38). Jahangir added 86 runs for the eighth wicket with Jessy. 

Saurabh Netravalkar and Nosthush Kenjige added an unbeaten 31 runs for the 10th wicket, taking USA’s total to 211/8. In their previous game, USA were bowled out for 207 against Nepal. 

Klein (2/31) and Bas de Leede (2/37) picked two wickets each while each of the other four bowlers chipped in with a wicket. 

In response, Netherlands had a jittery phase when they lost three wickets for 20 runs. However, a 72-run stand between Edwards and Nidamanuru ushered them from 83/4 to 155/5. Nidamanuru scored 58 off 68 balls and Edwards was unbeaten on 67 from 60 deliveries. There were no sixes in Netherlands’ run chase but 21 fours. 

After 83 in the previous game against Zimbabwe, this was Edwards’ second ODI fifty in a row. He was adjudged the Player of the Match, having taken a catch behind the stumps as well. 

Nepal’s defeat against West Indies boosts Netherlands' chance of a Super Six qualification with this victory. Having lost three in a row, USA are all but out of the tournament. They have one Group Stage game left, against Zimbabwe