The Dutch will be able to call on first-hand knowledge of their opponents as all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate (Essex) and batsman Alexei Kervezee (Worcestershire) are both currently playing for English county clubs. They also have Australia-born Tom Cooper, who plays first-class cricket for South Australia, in their squad.
Published: Feb 19, 2011, 08:44 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 19, 2011, 08:44 PM (IST)
Netherlands would be looking for inspiration from all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate at the World Cup
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Nagpur: Feb 19, 2011
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The Netherlands are intent on proving international cricket chiefs wrong when they begin their World Cup campaign against England on Tuesday. And they are unlikely to need much of a team talk after International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat on Friday reiterated the ICC’s intention to cut the number of teams at the 2015 World Cup from 14 to 10.
Such a move would effectively limit participation to Test-playing nations and rule out associate or second-tier countries such as the Netherlands and Ireland from playing in future World Cups. “Our players are always motivated but those comments were disappointing,” Netherlands team manager Ed van Nierop told AFP.
“I can’t see what it does for the global element of the competition by going back down to 10 teams. I guess the proposals for the Twenty20 are a bit of a bonus but the World Cup is still the premier ICC tournament.”
Lorgat softened the World Cup blow by saying the World Twenty20 would be expanded to 16 nations from the current 12.
The Dutch made their mark at the World Twenty20, stunning England in the opening match of the 2009 edition. There are several survivors in the Netherlands squad who featured in that thrilling last-ball win at Lord’s and van Nierop said the Dutch were targeting another upset.
The Dutch will be able to call on first-hand knowledge of their opponents as all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate (Essex) and batsman Alexei Kervezee (Worcestershire) are both currently playing for English county clubs. They also have Australia-born Tom Cooper, who plays first-class cricket for South Australia, in their squad. Ten Doeschate was born in South Africa, with the Netherlands squad containing several players who were born overseas.
“Our selectors do look at Dutch passport-holders in Test-playing countries,” said van Nierop. “But it’s a balance and we do try to get them involved in the Dutch cricket set-up as much as possible beforehand.”
Rather than have a net session on Saturday, the Dutch opted to play a practice match against a local Nagpur club side. “We are just coming out of our (European) winter and we haven’t played that much cricket lately so we thought it was important to get some more middle practice,” van Nierop said.
The Netherlands have had a concern over captain Peter Borren but he is expected to face England despite a stomach injury. “We had a bit of a scare with our captain, Peter Borren,” van Nierop said. “He had an abdominal strain but we think he’ll be fine for England.”
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© AFP
