Netherlands score 245/8 against South Africa

Dharamsala: Scott Edwards played a captain’s knock to lead the Netherlands’ remarkable recovery and take them to 245 for eight in a rain-hit game against South Africa in the World Cup here on Tuesday. Intermittent rain added an extra chill in the mountain air and reduced the game to 43-over a side contest.

South Africa expectedly opted to bowl amid the overcast sky and their bunch of formidable pacers including Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, got a lot out of the surface.

However, their death overs bowling left a lot to be desired as the Netherlands plundered 68 runs in the last five overs. The Netherlands were struggling at 140 for seven in the 34th over. Edwards (78 off 69) shared an entertaining 64-run partnership off 37 balls with Roelof van der Merwe (29 off 19) towards the end of the innings to take the team past 200.

South Africa’s pace attack is among the potent ones in the competition and the Dutch top-order found them too hot to handle. Aryan Dutt’s unbeaten 23 off nine balls also propped up the total.

Rabada struck in his very first ball of the match as Vikramjit Singh (2 off 16) could not control the pull shot off a delivery that hurried on to him. Vikramjit’s opening partner Max O’Dowd (18) departed six balls later as the tall left-arm pacer Jansen induced a faint edge off his bat with an angled away delivery.

Star all-rounder Bas de Leede (2) was trapped in front by Rabada, who got the ball to cut back sharply from length. The pacers also took a flurry of wickets in the middle overs before Edwards and former Proteas star Van der Merwe went on a counter offensive.

Edwards hit 10 boundaries in total and a six via a cracking pull shot off Rabada. Edwards also employed the sweep and reverse sweep against the long spinner Keshav Maharaj to good effect. Number 10 Dutt also joined the party smashed three sixes to provide the final flourish.

South Africa were also guilty of conceding 31 extras.

Brief Scores: Netherlands: 245/8 in 43 overs (Scott Edwards 78 not out; Marco Jansen 2/28).