SA vs NED | Twitter in shock as Dutch pull of upset for the ages with 38-run bashing of Proteas

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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The Netherlands pulled off their first-ever ODI win against high-flying South Africa in Dharamsala on Tuesday to open their World Cup account. Down on their knees at one stage, the Dutch fought back valiantly to put up 245/8 before the bowlers wreaked havoc and tumbled out the Proteas for 207.

South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first considering the overcast conditions at hand before the heavens opened to curtail the game down to a 43-over affair.  The side's new ball bowlers continued their excellent form to put the Dutch batters under pressure and despite putting up a strong fight in the first six overs, they eventually buckled. By the end of the nine-over powerplay, they had been whittled down to 28/2 which soon became 112/6 as wickets fell at regular intervals. Under threat of being wrapped up for an underwhelming total, skipper Scott Edwards led the comeback from the front with an unbeaten 78 featuring 10 boundaries and a maximum. Exhibiting brilliant running between the wickets, he was well aided by a 19-ball 29 from former Proteas Roelof van der Werme and a final 23-run flourish from Aryan Dutt at a strike rate of 250-plus to put up 245/8 on the board.

In response, the Netherlands' spinner showed exemplary discipline with the new ball even as the opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma raced to an opening stand of 36. However, thereon the African contingent lost the next four wickets in the space of 21 balls to be left reeling at 44/4. Heinrich Klassen and David Miller attempted to stabilize the innings with a well-paced partnership of 45 before the former succumbed to a loose shot after a run-a-ball 28. Marco Jansen did not last long either but Miller soldiered on at one end, singlehandedly keeping his team in the fixture and bringing them to within 100 runs of the target with the required run rate a little under eight and a half. However, once his bails were sent flying by Logan van Beek in the 31st over for seven short of a half-century, the tie was effectively sealed. They officially confirmed the famous win in the last over by ending a 10th wicket stand of 41, as van Beek earned his third dismissal and sent the Dutch fans into delirium. Roelof emerged as the pick of the bowlers, stifling the opposition by conceding just 34 in his nine overs and scalping the crucial wickets of Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen.

True!

1st of many

Historic

Big day

Absolutely

Buzzing

Proper win

Outstanding

BCCI always helps

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