Netherlands' chance to move into ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 contention
The International Cricket Council today announced the squads for the final fixtures of the fifth round of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Championship and ICC Intercontinental Cup, to be played in Namibia.
Namibia will host the Netherlands at Wanderers, Windhoek, in the four-day first-class Intercontinental Cup clash from 11 April, while the crucial WCL Championship 50-over encounter will take place on 16 and 18 April at the same venue.
A 2-0 victory for the Netherlands in the WCL Championship would see the Dutch take second position in the Championship, with only two rounds remaining in the seven round competition. With two direct qualification positions available through the WCL Championship to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the Netherlands can move into real contention for the ICC's flagship event.
Meanwhile, Namibia must win both matches to keep its slender hopes alive for a top-two finish.
The first three fixtures of the fifth round were played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in March. Following these matches, Ireland extended its lead in both competitions with a clean sweep over the host, the UAE. With one less fixture played than the other six teams, the Netherlands is currently in fourth position in the WCL Championship, and seventh in the Intercontinental Cup. Namibia currently sits in seventh position in the WCL Championship and fourth in the Intercontinental Cup.
The top two sides from the WCL Championship will qualify automatically for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
The final two positions in the ICC's flagship event will then be determined at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will be staged in New Zealand in 2014.
The competition remains wide open for that crucial second position, with only one point separating Scotland, Afghanistan, Netherlands, Kenya and the UAE.
POINTS TABLES
Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship (after three fixtures of the fifth round):
| Teams | P | W | L | Tie | N/R | Points | NRR |
| Ireland | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 1.040 |
| Scotland | 10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | -0.018 |
| Afghanistan | 10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | -0.313 |
| Netherlands | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.643 |
| Kenya | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.006 |
| UAE | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -0.249 |
| Namibia | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.375 |
| Canada | 10 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -0.710 |
ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-2013 (after three fixtures of the fifth round):
| Teams | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | Aban | Pts |
| Ireland | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 76 |
| Afghanistan | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 64 |
| Scotland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 46 |
| Namibia | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 |
| Kenya | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 42 |
| United Arab Emirates | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 |
| Netherlands | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 30 |
| Canada | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
ICC Pepsi WCL Championship
Namibia (from) ? Sarel Burger (captain), Stephan Baard, Jason Davidson, Hendrik Geldenhuys, Louis Klazinga, Xander Pitchers, Bernard Scholtz, Nicolaas Scholtz, JJ Smit, Louis Van Der Westhuizen, Raymond van Schoor, Christoffel Viljoen, Craig Williams and Helao Ya France
Netherlands (from) ? Peter Borren (captain), Wesley Barresi, Mudassar Bukhari, Daan van Bunge, Tom Cooper, Tom de Grooth, Tim Gruijters, Timm van der Gugten, Ahsan Malik, Paul van Meekeren, Stephan Myburgh, Michael Rippon, Pieter Seelaar and Michael Swart
ICC Intercontinental Cup
Namibia (from) ? Sarel Burger (captain), Stephan Baard, Jason Davidson, Louis Klazinga, Mika Mutumbe, Xander Pitchers, Bernard Scholtz, Nicolaas Scholtz, Raymond van Schoor, JJ Smit, Louis Van Der Westhuizen, Christoffel Viljoen, Craig Williams and Helao Ya France
Netherlands (from) ? Peter Borren (captain), Wesley Barresi, Mudassar Bukhari, Daan van Bunge, Tom Cooper, Tom de Grooth, Tim Gruijters, Timm van der Gugten, Ahsan Malik, Paul van Meekeren, Stephan Myburgh, Michael Rippon, Pieter Seelaar and Michael Swart
Forthcoming matches: Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship
16 Apr - First one-dayer, Namibia v Netherlands, Wanderers, Windhoek (Umpires: Shaun George and Wynand Louw; Match referee: Dev Govindjee)
18 Apr - Second one-dayer, Namibia v Netherlands, Wanderers, Windhoek (Umpires: Shaun George and Wynand Louw; Match referee: Dev Govindjee)
Forthcoming matches: ICC Intercontinental Cup
11-14 Apr - Namibia v Netherlands, Wanderers, Windhoek (Umpires: Shaun George and Wynand Louw; Match referee: Dev Govindjee - remote)
An up-to-date points table of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship can be found by clicking here.
An up-to-date points table plus all the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-2013 results in the competition will be available here.