Brief scores: Jersey 160-7 (Zak Tribe 39, Brennan 32*, Klein 3/43, De Leede 2-23) lost to the Netherlands 161-3 in 19.3 overs (O’Dowd 62, Lion-Cachet 50, Edwards 41*, Perchard 2-26) by seven wickets
Half centuries from Max O’Dowd and Zach Lion-Cachet before a 24-ball 41 from Scott Edwards helped the Netherlands get across the line in a tight finish over Jersey with seven wickets to spare.
Chasing 161, the Dutch top order fired to complete the highest successful chase at Voorburg to kickstart the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier.
Having inserted Jersey to bat first, the Dutch opted for a deeper batting line-up and the spin of Daniel Doram over Paul van Meekeren.
Jersey recovered from being 49 for 4 inside the six-over powerplay to post a competitive 160 for 7, with contributions from Zak Tribe (39 off 33), Jonty Jenner (27 off 13), and Charlie Brennan, who scored an unbeaten 32 off 28 after being dropped on 17.
Bas de Leede was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2-23 off his four overs, digging the ball into a hybrid pitch offering variable bounce, while Kyle Klein returned with three wickets albeit conceding 43 runs. He erred by bowling too full at times and found rewards for pulling his length back.
O’Dowd, ZLC star
Given the opportunity to bat at No. 3, Lion-Cachet produced a match-winning half century, his first in T20Is, having come in as early as the first over after Michael Levitt’s dismissal. It helped that he was familiar with Jersey’s bowlers having opened the batting in Thursday’s nine-wicket warm-up win and producing a 49-ball 53.
His 43-ball 50 on Saturday came at a similar pace in a 101-run partnership with O’Dowd and helped set a platform for Edwards’ knock.
“I’m really enjoying the challenge of facing different bowlers in different conditions all the time. It’s about adjusting and playing my style of cricket,” Lion-Cachet told Dutch News after the game.
“There’s been a couple of games where it hasn’t gone my way but I want to continue to make that number three spot my own.”
“I’ve worked a lot with Grant Flower (former Zimbabwe International and batting coach) over the last couple of years at Sussex, and we’ve done a lot of work against left arm spin as well.
“With the Dutch, it’s been about trying to evolve and add new shots to my game, but continuing with the basics, playing strong shots down the ground and hitting the ball hard on the floor into gaps, I think that’s been something that I’ve had a lot of success with.”
Tempo
Jersey would have believed they were still in the game at the end of the 15th over despite the Dutch being only two down in the chase but with a mounting required run-rate of 10.40 an over.
The shift in tempo came soon in the 16th over when O’Dowd, who was dropped on 46, lofted leg-spinner Ben Ward for a six, bringing up his 16th T20I half-century in the process, and milking 14 off the over.
Edwards accelerated further by manipulating the field, regularly sweeping the spinners, and smartly running between the wickets, bringing down the equation to a gettable 13 off the final two overs.
His shot of the day came off the penultimate delivery of the match, a lofted backfoot punch over extra cover for four off Ward before a brace sealed the win with three balls to spare.
The Netherlands are back in action on Tuesday against a strong Scotland side at 4pm CEST. Entry to the matches at Voorburg Cricket Club is free and can be live-streamed on ICC.tv.