June 8th’s match between Netherlands and South Africa almost saw another upset as the latter clinched a narrow victory by four wickets while struggling with the bat.
A disastrous top-order collapse left Netherlands in tatters after they were put to bat first by South Africa. Openers failed to provide any resistance, perishing within the first 10 overs. South Africa’s disciplined bowling attack, spearheaded by Ottniel Baartman (11/4) and Marco Jansen (20/2), ripped through the Dutch batting order, reducing them to a precarious 32/4 in the first ball of the tenth over.
Only Sybrand Engelbrecht offered some fightback with a knock of 40 runs. Late support from Logan van Beek helped Netherlands inch past the 100-run mark, eventually posting a total of 103 runs for the loss of nine wickets.
South Africa’s chase of a modest target of 104 runs got off to a nightmare start. Their openers were dismissed early by the Netherlands bowlers, leaving them reeling at a precarious 3/3 by the middle of the 3rd over. The early dismissals sparked hope for a Dutch upset.
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However, a crucial partnership between Tristan Stubbs and David Miller rescued South Africa from the brink of defeat. The duo stitched together a 65-run stand, with Miller leading the charge and fighting back with a well-composed 59 runs off 51 deliveries. Their partnership stabilised the innings and put South Africa firmly in control.
While the Netherlands bowlers, particularly Vivian Kingma and Logan van Beek, impressed with two wickets individually, they were unable to sustain the pressure throughout the innings. South Africa eventually chased down the target with seven balls to spare, securing their second consecutive win of the tournament.
Last Updated on June 8, 2024
