Netherlands thrash Bangladesh by 87 runs
Netherlands batter Scott Edwards raises his bat after his half century
Kolkata : Netherlands pacers Paul van Meekeren and Bas de Leede struck with a vengeance to thrash Bangladesh by 87 runs and cause another upset in the World Cup here on Saturday.
Bangladesh's chances of making it to the semifinals are effectively over after suffering their fifth consecutive loss in six games. The Dutch, who had defeated South Africa by 38 runs in Dharamsala, did so again as they fought tenaciously to demolish Bangladesh for 142 runs in 42.2 overs after setting them a 230-run target for victory. Van Meekeren had figures of 4/23, while de Leede took two wickets for 25 runs. Earlier, Netherlands batted very slowly to manage 229 all out. Skipper Scott Edwards made a laboured 89-ball 68, while top-order batter Wesley Barresi scored 41.
Desperate to revive their fortunes after four successive losses, Bangladesh made smart bowling changes and their attack looked incisive. But complacency in fielding ensured that the Dutchmen lasted the distance after losing half of the side for 107 runs inside 27 overs. Edwards got three lifelines as he was dropped twice on duck and once on 12 when his edge flew past the three-man slip cordon. He top scored for the Dutch with an 89-ball 68. With Sybrand Engelbrecht (35), Edwards added 78 runs for the sixth wicket before Mustafizur Rahman ended the Dutch skipper's chancy innings. Lower-order batter Sybrand Engelbrecht contributed 35 off 61 deliveries.
Brief scores: Netherlands 229 all out in 50 overs (Wesley Barresi 41, Scott Edwards 68, Sybrand Engelbrecht 35; Mustafizur Rahman 2/36, Shoriful Islam 2/51, Taskin Ahmed 2/43, Mahedi Hasan 2/40). Bangladesh: 142 in 42.2 overs (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 35; Paul van Meekeren 4/23, Bas de Leede 2/25).