Netherlands overpowered Scotland in a heist as they made it to the ICC Cricket World Cup after 12 long years owing to an all-round special by Bas de Leede.
In an impressive display, the Netherlands overcame Scotland and Zimbabwe to secure a spot in the ICC Cricket World Cup after a lengthy 12-year absence. They achieved this feat by successfully pursuing a target of 278 runs in a mere 42.5 overs, comfortably winning the match by 4 wickets. The credit for their victory rests primarily on the shoulders of one man: Bas de Leede, who delivered a performance of a lifetime in this crucial must-win encounter.
De Leede’s exceptional bowling performance, where he claimed 5 wickets for 52 runs, laid the groundwork for the Dutch team’s success. Despite a strong start by the Netherlands, the opposition seemed poised to set an imposing total with an outstanding century from Brandon McMullen and a spirited 64 runs contributed by Scotland’s captain, Richie Berrington. However, de Leede’s timely breakthroughs prevented Scotland from gaining an insurmountable advantage and kept the game within reach for his team.
During the Netherlands’ batting innings, they found themselves in a precarious situation at 108/4. It was then that de Leede displayed his batting prowess, smashing a remarkable 123 runs off just 92 balls. His outstanding innings not only guided his team to victory but also enabled them to surpass Scotland’s net run rate requirement of completing the chase in 44 overs. De Leede’s heroics ensured that the Netherlands reached their target well ahead of schedule, encountering minimal difficulties along the way.
De Leede’s exceptional display catapulted him into an exclusive club of cricketers who have accomplished the remarkable feat of scoring a century and capturing five wickets in the same One Day International (ODI) match. He became only the fifth player in ODI history to achieve this remarkable milestone. The legendary Sir Vivian Richards was the trailblazer, being the first cricketer to accomplish this extraordinary feat. The previous player to achieve this distinction was Amelia Kerr, a prominent member of New Zealand’s women’s cricket team. Kerr etched her name in history books with an astonishing unbeaten score of 232 runs against Ireland in a high-scoring encounter in 2018.
Players to score a century and take five wickets in the same ODI match:
1. Vivian Richards – 119, 5/41 (WI vs NZ, 1987)
2. Paul Collingwood – 112*, 6/31 (ENG vs BAN, 2005)
3. Rohan Mustafa – 109, 5/25 (UAE vs PNG, 2017)
4. Amelia Kerr – 232*, 5/17 (NZ-W vs IRE-W, 2018)
5. Bas de Leede – 123, 5/52 (NED vs SCO, 2023)
The Netherlands will now face Sri Lanka in the final of the World Cup qualifiers on Sunday, July 9 and will hope to avenge the Super Six defeat in a game that they should have won.
