Four-wicket van der Merwe leads Netherlands to victory
The Netherlands completed a comfortable 57-run victory over Papua New Guinea in their Group A clash at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 at Old Hararians Club.
Defending a relatively modest 216, the Dutch then ran through the PNG batting line-up with experienced left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe taking 4/46.
PNG skipper Assad Vala was the only top six batsman to offer meaningful resistance to the Dutch bowling effort, compiling a 58-ball 44 punctuated by five boundaries.
Netherlands have registered their first win of #CWCQ! @Roela52's 4/46 helps dismiss PNG for 159 at Old Hararians, Netherlands win by 57 runs! #PNGvNED scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/PNJKfvrBv5 pic.twitter.com/UQIsuXGlxx
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 10, 2018
But following the third wicket of Sese Bau – who was lbw to the left-arm spin of Roelof van der Merwe – PNG lost seven wickets for just 91 runs, with wicket-keeper Kiplin Doriga the second-top-scorer with a well-made 32 not out before he ran out of partners.
Though van der Merwe was clearly the standout bowler for the Netherlands the rest of the wickets were shared around between Fred Klaasen (2/25), Pieter Seelaar (1/24), Timm van der Gugten (1/20) and Shane Snater (2/35) in a professional all-round display.
Earlier, Norman Vanua, Mahuru Dai, Alei Nao and Charles Amini picked up two wickets apiece as PNG kept the Dutchmen to a potentially manageable 216/8.
It could have been worse for the Netherlands had it not been for a battling 53 not out in 65 balls from Sikandar Zulfiqar from No.7, which went a long way in lifting the team from 98/5 and past 200.
CWCQ: Teammates congratulate Sikander Zulfiqar on his 53*
The innings started well enough for the Netherlands after they were put in, with Scott Edwards (27) and Ben Cooper (26), the openers, 57 for the first wicket in just over 13 overs.
Once they were separated, though, with Amini trapping Edwards lbw, four more wickets fell in a hurry. Cooper was out caught and bowled by Dai, Amini sent Ryan ten Doeschate back cheaply, Nao had Bas de Leede caught behind, and Peter Borren, the Netherlands captain, became Vanua’s first victim.
Roelof van der Merwe and Zulfiqar, however, steadied the ship with a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket, van der Merwe contributing 38 in 41 balls, with five fours, before falling to Dai.
Zulfiqar carried on and batted till the end, hitting three fours and a six along the way, while Pieter Seelar (23 in 18 balls) and Timm van der Gugten (13 in 9 balls) lent him good support in the end overs.