Here’s the match report:
So, another day, another short-ish one-sided game. But this one comes stacked with romance and adventure, as Afghanistan claim a fourth scalp, and put themselves in the mix for the most unlikely of semi-final places. Admittedly, the odds are against them with matches against Australia and South Africa to come, but what a composed, intelligent, talented side they’ve been in this tournament, well captained, and bowling and batting with nous and skill. Which reflects well on their coach, Jonathan Trott, also.
It all sets up the weekend’s action beautifully, with tomorrow’s Pakistan v New Zealand set-to well worth setting an early alarm for if you’re in Europe. And that’s us done for the today – thanks for following and your thoughts on drugs, geopolitics, wooden spoons and cricket, pretty much my ideal conversations on a night out anyway. Have a good weekend. Bye.
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How they stand:
1 India P 7 NRR 2.10 Pts 14
2 South Africa P 7 NRR 2.29 Pts 12
3 Australia P 6 NRR 0.97 Pts 8
4 New Zealand P 7 NRR 0.48 Pts 8
5 Afghanistan P 7 NRR -0.33 Pts 8
6 Pakistan P 7 NRR -0.02 Pts 6
7 Sri Lanka P 7 NRR -1.16 Pts 4
8 Netherlands P 7 NRR -1.40 Pts 4
9 Bangladesh P 7 NRR -1.45 Pts 2
10 England P 6 NRR -1.65 Pts 2
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The captains speak. Hashmatullah Shahidi, still in pads, comes forward and dedicates the win first to his family, who he says are still in pain following the death of his mother three months ago, and his compatriots and its refugees. “A lot of refugee people are in struggle at the moment and we are with you in this tough time,” he says. He repeats the message to his fellow Afghans in his native Pashtun also.
As for the cricket, he’s as pleased with the execution of the run chase as with the bowlers. “We bowled well but the run chase is good because it’s the third time consecutively we’ve achieved a target. In this World Cup we are looking at the board and the targets and playing accordingly, looking at the game situation and achieving for our team.” As for player of the match Nabi, “he is a special player and whenever we need him he takes responsibility. We have a good team unity that we have built and we are 100% trying our best to make it to the semi-finals.
For the Dutch, Scott Edwards rues the runouts that derailed the Netherlands innings. “It’s definitely not ideal, we beat ourselves a little bit in that sense, we started well and set ourselves up for a good total but they’ve obviously got quality spinners in the mddle.'”
He explains his decision to bat first: “We went in having done well batting first, having been good at defending scores and we’d be well in the game even if there was dew around. Now our attention will probably return to [qualifying for] the Champions Trophy.”
The redoubtable Mohammad Nabi is player of the match. “I just focus on my line and length and my dot balls,” he says modestly of his old-school spin. “I always try to focus on line and length and variation. I stick to my plans and use my angles which is more valuable for me.” As for the secret of his longevity: “I’m still always working on my fitness, rehab, proper diets.” The rest of his team lap the stadium milking the acclaim of Afghanistan’s sizeable following in Lucknow.
Ali wrote a nice piece on Nabi earlier in the tournament:
This has been the third quickest win of the tournament in terms of balls remaining. Afghanistan are level on points with Australia and New Zealand! Just the small matter of upsetting Australia and/or South Africa to go.
Afghanistan beat Netherlands by seven wickets!
32.3 overs: Afghanistan 181-3 (Hashmatullah 56, Azmatullah 31); target 180. The Dutch bring the field in for Dutt’s ninth over, which he doesn’t get to finish as Hashmatullah advances and cracks him over wide long-on for four to seal another Afghanistan win – and another emphatic one at that. What a campaign this has been; the story of this World Cup.
Some more quick thoughts from V Krishnamoorthy on other matters: “The government and their policies reflecting on the teams is as difficult to parse as separating the art from the artist. If Fifa could manage a WC in Qatar and SA in a span of 12 years, Afghanistan plating in this WC is par for the course I guess.”
31st over: Afghanistan 176-3 (Hashmatullah 52, Azmatullah 30); target 180. Hashmatullah strokes Ackermann down the ground for one to bring up an efficient 50. More twos and ones take Afghanistan to within four of victory.
This is another reason why this tournament’s one-group format is so deadening. A team that can win four games should be able to progress to some sort of next stage, a quarter-final or a super-six. But in their desperation to protect the “Big Three” and milk the cash, cricket’s overlords have denied us that.
30th over: Afghanistan 170-3 (Hashmatullah 49, Azmatullah 28); target 180. Dutt has three overs left and Edwards reasons he might as well use some of them. His first ball is reviewed for a stumping after Azmat goes forward and grubs and misses outside off. His back foot is well behind the line but it’s not obviously grounded – until the zoom-in shows it is. Azmat plays the same shot next ball and finds the man at deep cover, running a single. It’s not a particularly threatening over and is rounded off when Azmatullah belts a freebie full toss to the long-off boundary for four. There is no competitive tension out there at all.
29th over: Afghanistan 163-3 (Hashmatullah 48, Azmatullah 22); target 180. Ackermann continues, finds a little bit of (playable) turn, yields three singles, Afghanistan edge closer to victory No 4.
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28th over: Afghanistan 160-3 (Hashmatullah 47, Azmatullah 20); target 180. Afghanistan are within an over or two of big hits from sealing this now, but have been continuing to work it around cautiously instead – until Azmatullah sends a lovely straight drive past the bowler Van Beekeren for four, holding the pose and everything, and Hashmatullah clouts for more over mid-on. Only 20 needed.
27th over: Afghanistan 149-3 (Hashmatullah 42, Azmatullah 14); target 180. English county stalwart Colin Ackermann gets his first bowl of the innings and Afghanistan almost engineer a self-inflicted run-out when Hashmatullah sets off rashly but Azmatullah at the non-striker’s end thinks quickly and decisively and sends him back pronto. A tidy over goes for three singles.
26th over: Afghanistan 146-3 (Hashmatullah 41, Azmatullah 12); target 180. Van Meekeren’s back and still running in hard. He restricts the batters to four singles.
No sooner had I raised the prospect of not bothering watching tournament no-marks England than Geoff Wignall makes us talk about them again: “Nothing to do with this match, but re the announcement that Stokes will have knee surgery once England’s WC ends, why wait for the last knockings?
“I know they still have the faint possibility of finishing in the top 8, but with Brook ready to step in and given Stokes’s performances so far what really is the point? Better surely to have a longer rehab before the test series.”
Yes, England should turn to youth now, except “youth” is in markedly short supply in the squad.
25th over: Afghanistan 142-3 (Hashmatullah 39, Azmatullah 10); target 180. Zulfiqar tosses one up and Hashmatullah drives neatly for one, and then Azmatullah cashes in on a short-ish ball outside off stump to thwack it emphatically in front of square on the offside for four. A shot of a man with an improved NRR on his mind.
All this is making tomorrow’s Pakistan v New Zealand perhaps the most important so far. Might be worth swerving England v Australia for?
24th over: Afghanistan 136-3 (Hashmatullah 38, Azmatullah 5); target 180. Azmat works Van Beek away on the legside for a well-run two before three singles and a wide keep the scoreboard ticking over. A failed upper cut then has Van Beek half-appealing for a catch behind. But no one else is having any of it.
23rd over: Afghanistan 130-3 (Hashmatullah 37, Azmatullah 1); target 180. Hashmatullah’s in supreme touch and creams another cover drive to the boundary. Another single ensues, before Rahmat unexpectedly perishes, caught and bowled. The Dutch need this to spark a total collapse, or they’re done for.
Wicket! Rahmat c & b Zalfiqar 52, Afghanistan 129-3
Just as Afghanistan looked imperturbable, Rahmat dollies up a return catch, ending a fine innings.
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22nd over: Afghanistan 124-2 (Rahmat 52, Hashmatullah 32); target 180. Van Beek continues and is economical in an over milked for just two singles. Amid the deserved and understandable pleasure so many are gaining from Afghanistan’s feats in this tournament, lest we forget some uncomfortable backdrops:
And an email arrives asking: “Why are Afghanistan even in this tournament? I’m old enough to remember sporting boycotts of apartheid South Africa, and the current Afghan government seems at least as objectionable. Do we just not care any more? (Obviously no reflection on the Afghan players).”
Indeed. Though the politics of this World Cup have been grubby all-round really. Look at how I4, with England’s big game tomorrow taking place in a stadium named after someone accused of all manner of human rights abuses. Sportswashing rules OK.
21st over: Afghanistan 122-2 (Rahmat 51, Hashmatullah 31); target 180. A curious no-ball as Zulfiqar oversteps, but replays show that the ball had left his hand at that point and he was bowling off his back foot. One for the Laws Of The Game boffins there. The free hit is thumped down the ground for four by Hashmatullah, who deftly off-glances against the spin for four more next ball. The runs are flowing freely, and the horns are tooting among the Afghanistan fans in the stadium at Lucknow – 49 needed from 29 overs.
20th over: Afghanistan 109-2 (Rahmat 50, Hashmatullah 20); target 180. Van Beek returns to the attack as the Netherlands seek to up the pace, but shorter balls are met with confident pulls, fuller ones with comfortable drives, as the twos and ones continue, until Rahmat brings up his half-century with a lovely drive for four. He’s played immaculately.
“I wonder if the clever creators of stage hit The Play That Goes Wrong, are already writing a sequel based on England’s World Cup Campaign, called The Powerplay That Goes Wrong,” pitches Kim Thonger.
19th over: Afghanistan 101-2 (Rahmat 45, Hashmatullah 17); target 180. A rare quasi-chance is offered up as Rahmat slightly slices a square cut at catchable height behind square – but it runs away for four and brings up the 100. Other than that, all continues to be steady, accomplished, sober run accumulation – a sobriety currently absent from the OBO inbox.
“Speaking of nice, Mr Nice, Howard Marks himself, the world’s biggest ever Cannabis (but nothing else) dealer was a big cricket fan, check out his autobiog.” adds Jeremy Boyce.
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18th over: Afghanistan 95-2 (Rahmat 40, Hashmatullah 16); target 180. This is the point in the Dutch innings where they began to collapse. These two batters aren’t being silly though, dealing earnestly in ones and twos off the accurate Dutt
V Krishnamoorthy is developing quite the rare herb-related bromance with Jeremy Boyce in the old inbox: “Thank Jeremy for being my partner in crime for all the defence. Taking it a bit further, maybe the wooden spoon being contemplated can be converted into a wooden pipe filled with .......” The views expressed are not necessarily those of … etc
17th over: Afghanistan 89-2 (Rahmat 36, Hashmatullah 14); target 180. Van der Merwe finds some sharp turn into the left-handed Hashmatullah but his defensive late cut averts the danger before adding two with a front-footed push past backward point. He’s playing the spin well. A couple more singles complete the over.
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16th over: Afghanistan 85-2 (Rahmat 35, Hashmatullah 11); target 180. More astute batting brings Rahmat four with a reverse-sweep off the returning Dutt, well targeted wide of third man.
“Hey Tom ! Chill out maaaan!” pipes up Danny from Withnail and I Jeremy Boyce, from 1968. “Cricket and cannabis have a long-standing connection. Think back, to a time when the only Test playing nations was pretty much a Marijuana World Tour taking in some of the finest cannabis-producing countries in the world : India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, even Aus and New Zealand had a reputation for “gardening”. Curiously, the only place it was difficult was...England. And if I’m not mistaken, cricket legends Sir Ian and Prince Viv enjoyed an occasional toke with their pints of scrumpy ?” Very much so – read more below:
15th over: Afghanistan 80-2 (Rahmat 31, Hashmatullah 10); target 180. Van der Merwe tosses one up a bit more and Rahmat drives it via a fielder-deflection for one as the milking of singles continues. Which is pleasing enough for Afghanistan. Even more pleasing is the low full toss that Rahmat sweeps expertly for four to an unguarded backward-square boundary. Afghanistan need exactly 100 more.
14th over: Afghanistan 73-2 (Rahmat 26, Hashmatullah 8); target 180. Rahmat is strong square on the offside and he cracks another cut in that area but only finds a fielder and picks up just the one. Afghanistan meandering along here, hoping to take the sting and tension out of the situation, which is all they need to do.
Fancy a quiz?
13th over: Afghanistan 71-2 (Rahmat 25, Hashmatullah 8); target 180. Van der Merwe is respectfully worked for four singles as Afghanistan endeavour to shun risk, and as I type that they run an iffy single but survive it.
“It would be nice if an actual wooden spoon were presented to Jos Buttler,” says John Starbuck. “We could have a TV special named after it, with filmed arrivals and celebrations at Heathrow , followed by specials from all the players on ‘what this honour means to me’. The possibilities can be extended to improbable lengths.”
The six-a-side football fanzine tournament I’ve been involved in since the 90s presents an actual wooden spoon each year. At one point we had a souped-up engraved version but it probably got lost in a pub.
12th over: Afghanistan 66-2 (Rahmat 22, Hashmatullah 6); target 180. Van Meekeren is very interested in an lbw appeal after rapping Hashmatullah’s pads possibly just outside leg, but it’s a no-ball anyway. The free hit is wasted though, Hashmatullah only managing to grub a full toss straight back at the bowler. The Afghanistan captain more than atones by pulling the next delivery in front of square with textbook precision and power for four.
“I’m not sure how, but Krishnamoorthy V’s correct analysis of your smoking possibilities left out the fact that the match is actually being played in a country that has long been on the Rizzla Map Of World Destinations,” puffs Jeremy Boyce. They’re not my smoking possibilities, I’m powered by nothing stronger than coffee from the fine Portuguese caff round the corner. Anyway, it’s not big and it’s not clever, kids. And stay off the Triple Sub.
11th over: Afghanistan 60-2 (Rahmat 22, Hashmatullah 2); target 180. Another bowling change and this one works straight away, the left-armer Van der Merwe bowling the dangerous Zadran. Big breakthrough. The captain Hashmatullah comes in and gets off the mark with a single straight away. Rahmat adds two more and they continue to rotate the strike.
Wicket! Zadran b Van Der Merwe 20
Van De Merwe strikes with his first ball, as Zadran tries to be too expansive and inside-edges a drive onto the stumps.
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10th over: Afghanistan 55-1 (Zadran 20, Rahmat 19); target 180. A change for the final over of the powerplay, Paul van Meekeren coming on. Zadran pulls his first ball square for one before Rahmat gets properly lucky, inside-edging a fine delivery to the vacated fine leg boundary. But if that was a lucky four, the next two aren’t – one is flayed through the covers with élan, the other punched through the same area with even more confidence. He’s a classy player.
9th over: Afghanistan 42-1 (Zadran 19, Rahmat 7); target 180. A productive over for the Afghans. Zadran nudges Dutt off his pads for his first run for a bit. The spinner then comes round the wicket at Rahmat, who picks him well for a flicked single to midwicket, before Zadran unfurls a well-struck square drive for four more.
8th over: Afghanistan 35-1 (Zadran 13, Rahmat 6); target 180. The Dutch bowlers have got on top this last 15 minutes and this will be a test of Afghanistan’s smarts. Rahmat shows some of those by easing a well-timed straight drive down the ground for four that’s all about the timing and technique. It’s the only scoring shot of Van Beek’s over
7th over: Afghanistan 31-1 (Zadran 13, Rahmat 2); target 180. Dutt keeps Zadran restrained with a nice tight line until the latter manages to work a single to deep square leg off his hips
“Hi Tom.” How’s it going Simon McMahon? “What’s the best result here from an England perspective? You know, as they plot their (circuitous) route to the semi-finals..?” Given that coaches and technical staff on loads more wages than me are just shrugging their shoulders in response to that question, I don’t feel able to offer anything better. But they need to be keeping an eye on this game, as they could be facing off with the Dutch for the wooden spoon.
6th over: Afghanistan 29-1 (Zadran 12, Rahmat 1); target 180. The Netherlands strike, courtesy of a canny review from Edwards to overturn a wide. No one else even appealed but the keeper was right. Rahmat Shah is off the mark straight away with a single. One more ensues from a fine over.
“When I saw there were 4 runouts in the morning innings, I wanted to ask ‘what are you guys smoking ?’” writes our Stereotyping Correspondent Krishnamoorthy V, “Then I saw which two teams are playing and kept quiet.”
Wicket! Gurbaz c Edwards b Van Beek 10, Afghanistan 27-1
6th over: Afghanistan 27-0 (Gurbaz 10, Zadran 12); target 180. Van Beek appeals for a caught behind against Gurbaz, strangled down the legside. The umpire does take hands from pockets, but only to signal wide. The Dutch captain Scott Edwards reviews – and is vindicated. It’s a wicket – a vital one – not a run.
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5th over: Afghanistan 27-0 (Gurbaz 10, Zadran 12); target 180. This pair are batting sensibly so far, respecting the good balls, seeking to hit the hittable ones. Dutt concedes a wide when floating one down leg but might be encouraged by how it bamboozled Zadran a tad. Zadran follows up by stepping forward and thumping a straight drive beyond mid-off for four.
4th over: Afghanistan 22-0 (Gurbaz 10, Zadran 8); target 180. A lovely controlled chip over midwicket brings Gurbaz four off Van Beek. Both these batters are strong on the legside, working a couple more singles in that direction. There’s a sense they want to open their shoulders already, NRR being a calculation. That they’re thinking seriously about the semi-finals in itself shows how far Afghanistan have come.
3rd over: Afghanistan 16-0 (Gurbaz 6, Zadran 7); target 180. Mark Nicholas on Sky comms assures us that the World Cup has become “much more the talk of the town” in India than it was in the early stages of the tournament. I should hope so too, though a World Cup shouldn’t have to wait so long to come alive. This format’s a passion-killer. Dutt finds the right good-length area to keep the batters honest, and has a big appeal for lbw when he jags one in sharply to Zadran’s pads but it was outside the line and they rightly decline to review.
2nd over: Afghanistan 13-0 (Gurbaz 6, Zadran 5); target 180. Seam from the other end as Logan van Beek is introduced to the attack. Two dot balls and a wide preface an edged but well-run two to third man. Van Beek finds some movement but the opening pair look equal to it
Some stat-refinement from Rod Lyall: “May I just point out that Wikipedia let down Luke down a bit re. Roelof van der Merwe’s career trajectory? You need to add: 2014 ACC (Amsterdam) That was his first involvement in Dutch cricket …”
Let the record stand.
1st over: Afghanistan 9-0 (Gurbaz 6, Zadran 2); target 180. We have some spin with the new ball, in the modern T20 style, as Aryan Dutt again opens. An attacking wicket-seeking field is set, with two short midwickets, though Gurbaz is still off the mark straight away with a nurdle in that direction. It’s followed by a legside wide. Dutt will be encouraged by signs of drift, and Afghanistan will be by the eager running that brings four singles off the opening over that is rounded off with a crunching square cut for four from Gurbaz.
Mpumelelo Mbangwa’s mid-match pitch inspection detects no dew as yet and a dusty surface. It won’t be easy for Afghanistan, but they have one of the most in-form top fives in the tournament. The players are heading back out.
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Thanks greatly, Luke. Greetings everyone. India has long been seen as the place to go to watch spin-dominant bowling attacks, but Afghanistan have been perhaps this tournament’s leading spin-showcasing side. And we saw it again just now, on a track that’s far from a raging Bunsen. Noor and Nabi excelled again, all with a vital underpinning by the ever-canny Rashid Khan, who remains one of the most watchable cricketers in the modern game. The Netherlands contributed to their own problems, mind, with some needless run-outs, but they’re not out of this. They skittled another Asian side, Bangladesh, emphatically when bowling second the other day, and have done what most have failed to do in taming South Africa’s rampant batting lineup. So don’t go anywhere.
Tom Davies is now on hand to guide you through Afghanistan’s run chase, as they try to keep their semi-final hopes alive with a fourth victory of the tournament. Bye for now.
Mohammad Nabi (3-28) has a chat after Netherlands set Afghanistan 180 to win: “The first 10 overs was not good, the line and length … when Rashid [Khan] came back [from his spell of the field], we discussed: 10 overs gone, just bowl in the right areas and they will do mistakes … When the pressure comes on the batsmen, that’s when they will do mistakes, and we took our opportunities with four run outs there.”
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Wicket! Van Meekeren lbw b Nabi 4, Netherlands 179 all out (46.3 overs)
It’s over! Nabi snatches the final wicket and deserves his figures of 28-3. How the Dutch will rue that run-out for the opening batsman Max O’Dowd, who was smacking it everywhere, but fell for 42 to a stunning piece of work by Azmat Omarzai. It was a direct hit from behind square after a magnificent effort to sprint to the ball and swoop on it with the batsmen coming back for two. After that is was mostly downhill for the Netherlands, although Sybrand Engelbrecht’s 58 was a bright spot, along with Colin Ackermann’s 29.
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46th over: Netherlands 178-9 (Van Meekeren 4, Dutt 9)
Just the wide off the over. Van Meekeren tries to smash the final ball through the offside but misses it. Ikram shouts for a catch behind the stumps but no one else is interested, including the umpire. Van Meekeren throws his head back in frustration. Four to go.
45th over: Netherlands 177-9 (Van Meekeren 4, Dutt 9)
A couple of attempted lusty blows head skywards during this over from Nabi, his ninth, but both fall safe. Netherlands can add four runs to the total. That’s ruined his figures, his economy rate has ballooned to 3.00.
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44th over: Netherlands 173-9 (Van Meekeren 2, Dutt 7)
Afghanistan are well ahead of schedule with their over rate. They have been rocketing through them and no mistake, with help from their impressive array of spinners.
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43rd over: Netherlands 172-9 (Van Meekeren 2, Dutt 6)
Three off the latest over from Ur Rahman. Seven overs remaining for the Netherlands to try and edge that total northwards. (Presuming they can nurse this final wicket to the finish line.)
Mohammad Nabi, with 2-23 from 8 overs and an economy rate of 2.87, is the pick of the Afghan bowlers.
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42nd over: Netherlands 169-9 (Van Meekeren 0, Dutt 5)
One run for the Dutch, and one wicket for Noor. The sun will soon be setting behind the smog in Lucknow, and the sun is setting on this Netherlands innings, too.
See that? Poetry, that is.
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Wicket! Van der Merwe ct Ibrahim Zadran b Noor 11, Netherlands 169-9
Van der Merwe skies one, high and handsome looking to hit over the leg side, and Ibrahim Zadran stays cool to snaffle a well-judged catch.
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41st over: Netherlands 168-8 (Van der Merwe 11, Dutt 5)
Just a single for Van der Merwe. So that’s one added to the score. And one more over gone, too. Yep, I’m definitely getting the hang of this now.
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40th over: Netherlands 167-8 (Van der Merwe 10, Dutt 5)
It’s all go. Well, that an exaggeration. But I’m not very good at maths so trying to keep up with the basic additions to the batsmen’s totals and indeed the over count. Can the Netherlands at least bat out their allotted 50 overs?
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39th over: Netherlands 164-8 (Van der Merwe 9, Dutt 4)
Dutt looks to be caught plumb lbw off Ur Rahman but umpire Menon isn’t interested. And Afghanistan have no reviews left after senselessly throwing two of them away earlier. Two off the over – a single for Dutt, and a wide.
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38th over: Netherlands 162-8 (Van der Merwe 9, Dutt 3)
The statisticians tell us that this is the first time in a men’s ODI that four of a side’s top five have been run out. But Dirk Nannes, in the commentary box, thinks one of them (Edwards) was a stumping. I agree.
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37th over: Netherlands 158-8 (Van der Merwe 6, Dutt 2)
The Dutch edge further towards respectability with four off the over from Rashid Khan.
36th over: Netherlands 154-8 (Van der Merwe 3, Dutt 1)
Van der Merwe survives being given out lbw when he reviews, and the ball is shown to be missing leg stump. Still, the Dutch are struggling to bat out their overs here. Van der Merwe was arguably responsible for running out Engelbrecht, who was going along nicely, while Engelbrecht ran out Ackermann, who was also looking good for his 29. Ackermann could not bring himself to look at his teammate Engelbrecht as he trudged off. There will be tension at the dinner table in the Netherlands’ team hotel this evening.
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35th over: Netherlands 152-8 (Van der Merwe 2, Dutt 0)
Four of the Netherlands top five have been run out, although personally I’d call one of them a stumping.
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Wicket! Engelbrecht run out 58, Netherlands 152-8
Oh no! Oh no! NOT AGAIN! This is so silly.
It’s a fourth run out of the innings after a mix-up between the half-centurion Engelbrecht and his batting partner Van der Merwe. Well, I say a mix-up, they take on a run that probably isn’t there after Van der Merwe clips the ball to leg side, to mid-wicket. There is a bit of hesitation by both of them, and Engelbrecht has to go after some sharp work by Nabi who picks up and throws in one smooth movement. Stupid from the Netherlands batters! So silly! Not clever!
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Courtesy of Wikipedia, here’s Roelof van der Merwe’s “career path”.
Ah, modern cricket!
2006/07–2013/14 Northerns
2007/08–2014/15 Titans
2009–2010 Royal Challengers Bangalore
2011–2013 Delhi Daredevils
2011 Somerset
2011/12 Brisbane Heat
2014 St Lucia Zouks
2016-present Somerset
2019 Tshwane Spartans
2021 London Spirit
2022 Northern Superchargers
2022/23 Sunrisers Eastern Cape
2023 Welsh Fire
2023 Barbados Royals
34th over: Netherlands 151-7 (Engelbrecht 57, Van der Merwe 2)
Engelbrecht adds a few more, Van der Merwe contributes a single, and that’s drinks.
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33rd over: Netherlands 146-7 (Engelbrecht 53, Van der Merwe 1)
Three off the latest over. The Netherlands faithful will be praying Engelbrecht can stay there and guide them home.
“Fortunately for the Dutch, spectacular late-order recoveries is what they do,” emails Andrew Cosgrove. “For example, against Sri Lanka they were worse off than here (71/5, 91/6) and still posted 262. Let’s hope it’s a close game, at any rate.”
32nd over: Netherlands 143-7 (Engelbrecht 51, Van der Merwe 0)
Engelbrecht rocks back and slams a short, wide ball from Noor for four through cover. The bowler overcompensates and darts one down the leg side, which is helped on its way by Engelbrecht, and that’s his half-century. A really impressive, resolute innings when his teammates were crumbling around him. Unless of course you blame him for running out Ackermann. But even then, well batted!
Another Netherlands batsman is run out! This time it's Colin Ackermann, who leaves the crease on 29 runs 😮 pic.twitter.com/dN0CloexC5
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 3, 2023
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Wicket! Van Beek b Nabi st Ikram 2, Netherlands 134-7
An absolutely delightful extra-cover drive by Engelbrecht off the second ball of the 31st over, using his feet superbly and angling his bat to guide time the ball through the off side. It races across the fast outfield for four …
Van Beek is inspired to try similar off the last ball of the over, but misses it and is promptly stumped, and out for a couple.
31st over: Netherlands 134-7
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30th over: Netherlands 129-6 (Engelbrecht 37, Van Beek 2)
Three off the next over, as well, featuring an expansive reverse sweep by Engelbrecht off the last ball, that earns him a single and allows him to keep the strike. The run rate is 4.3.
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29th over: Netherlands 126-6 (Engelbrecht 35, Van Beek 1)
Three off the over. Engelbrecht is fighting his corner here and giving his team a desperately needed foothold in the innings. It’s not easy, either, with Noor and his buddies mixing up their pace and flight and keeping the batsmen guessing.
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28th over: Netherlands 123-6 (Engelbrecht 32, Van Beek 1)
Engelbrecht looks to go through the offside, not once but twice, and flashes an edge for four down behind the keeper, and is then dropped at first slip, although it was a very sharp chance. Eight off the over from Noor, anyway, which is better albeit on the extremely streaky side for the Dutch.
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27th over: Netherlands 115-6 (Engelbrecht 26, Van Beek 1)
This run rate needs looking at.
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26th over: Netherlands 113-6 (Engelbrecht 25, Van Beek 0)
It’s going to take a spectacular Dutch recovery to post a total that will cause many problems for Afghanistan, you’d have thought.
Wicket! Zulfiqar b Noor c Ikram 2, Netherlands 113-6
Zulfiqar goes for a big yahoo through the offside but can only top edge to the keeper. The Dutch were 92-2, but this has been a pretty spectacular collapse since then … and they will reflect ruefully on the run out for O’Dowd, who was trucking along happily and seeing the ball incredibly well. He was dominating, pretty much, but then a run out cost him a big score.
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25th over: Netherlands 112-5 (Engelbrecht 24, Zulfiqar 2)
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Afghanistan have to play Australia (Tuesday) and then South Africa (next Friday), so it’s a demanding week ahead. If they can win today they are still in with a shout.
The Netherlands have to play England next Wednesday and then India next Sunday. Tough! Well, the second one will be.
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24th over: Netherlands 110-5 Engelbrecht 23, Zulfiqar 2
Noor comes into the attack. Engelbrecht attempts to sweep the third ball of the over, a full toss, which looks to be angling down the leg side but he misses it. There’s an appeal for lbw, and indeed a review, which looks optimistic at best … the players stand and stare expectantly at the big screen while the third umpire gets his house in order. Ball tracking shows the ball is missing leg stump by a distance. What a bizarre review – and now Afghanistan have none left. “But he’s bowling a googly!” one of the Afghanistan players pipes up. Strangely, the decision remains not out.
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23rd over: Netherlands 108-5 (Engelbrecht 22, Zulfiqar 1)
At this rate Afghanistan are going to stay in with a shout of the semi-finals. The Netherlands aren’t completely out of it, either, but need a win today.
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22nd over: Netherlands 102-5 (Engelbrecht 18, Zulfiqar 1)
21st over: Netherlands 97-5 (Engelbrecht 13, Zulfiqar 0)
A wicket maiden from Nabi. The Netherlands are at sixes and sevens, or a similarly shambolic pair of numbers.
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Wicket! De Leede 3 c Ikram b Nabi, Netherlands 97-5
Whoops. That’s a soft dismissal, De Leede looking to run Nabi behind square, but succeeding only in feathering a catch to the keeper. That’s three wickets for five runs for rampant Afghanistan now.
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20th over: Netherlands 97-4
The run rate is 4.85. Bas De Leede and Engelbrecht need to pile on a few runs here.
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England's Stokes set for knee surgery
Ben Stokes will undergo knee surgery immediately after England’s failed World Cup campaign with the hope of returning to all-rounder status for next year’s Test tour of India.
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Wicket! Edwards run out 0, Netherlands 92-4
This is a horrible bit of batting. Fresh to the crease, Edwards immediately opts to sweep against Nabi, but misses the ball completely and Ikram Ali Khil whips the bails off when the batsman, inexplicably, wanders out of his ground. This innings is now at risk of full-blown collapse after a sloppy start from Afghanistan.
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Wicket! Ackermann run out 29, Netherlands 92-3
Oh dear! Another run out for the Netherlands, this time when Engelbrecht comes down the pitch and drives to mid-off and call his partner through for a run. Ackermann sets off but Rashid Khan spots that he’s slow out of the blocks. Khan’s throw is excellent the umpire does not need the assistance of a replay to give it out. What a hammer blow for the Dutch! They’ve thrown two wickets away with run outs.
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18th over: Netherlands 91-2 (Ackermann 28, Engelbrecht 12)
Three off Rashid Khan’s latest over. It’s not what you’d call a capacity crowd in Lucknow, but the fans that are there are making plenty of noise.
17th over: Netherlands 88-2 (Ackermann 26, Engelbrecht 11)
Engelbrecht cashes in with one boundary, driving Nabi straight, but that’s the extent of the damage from Afghanistan’s point of view in that over.
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16th over: Netherlands 84-2 (Ackermann 26, Engelbrecht 7)
Rashid Khan comes into the attack for Afghanistan. Three runs come from his opening over as he searches for his optimal line and length. And now the players will take a drink. It’s 31C in Lucknow so hydration is the name of the game.
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15th over: Netherlands 81-2
The pace has gone out of the innings for now following O’Dowd’s run out. Another good over for Afghanistan, just three coming off it. But the Netherlands have a platform to build a big score, if they can keep building those partnerships …
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14th over: Netherlands 78-2 (Ackermann 24, Engelbrecht 3)
A tidy over from Nabi, just the one off it.
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13th over: Netherlands 77-2 (Ackermann 24, Engelbrecht 2)
An interesting lbw review, shall we say, comes from Afghanistan and Azmat Omarzai on the first ball of the over … Engelbrecht is out of his crease and moving across to the off side … it hits him outside of the line and that’s not out, and a review lost. A silly review if you ask me.
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12th over: Netherlands 74-2 (Ackermann 23, Engelbrecht 1)
Can the Netherlands build another partnership after that undignified end to O’Dowd’s innings?
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Wicket! O'Dowd run out 42, Netherlands 73-2
Oh no! He was batting so well! A direct hit from Azmat Omarzai sees O’Dowd short of his ground as he takes on a second run after a sweep behind square leg, and dives desperately for the line! He’ll be furious with that … but perhaps the flash of brilliance that Afghanistan needed to break that partnership. That’s a shame for the neutral, O’Dowd was batting beautifully. But he’s gone. Magnificent from Azmat Omarzai who covered a lot of ground to get to the ball and swooped on it.
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Mohammad Nabi comes into the attack for Afghanistan.
Our cricket correspondent, Ali Martin, reports that Ben Stokes will have knee surgery following this tournament:
Ben Stokes to undergo knee surgery after this “crap” (his word) World Cup - hopes to be fit for the India tour that starts in late January
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) November 3, 2023
11th over: Netherlands 72-1 (O’Dowd 41, Ackermann 23)
Azmat Omarzai is brought into the attack. He pitches the first ball up, and O’Dowd meets the ball with the full face of the blade, a delightful straight-batted punch back down the ground for four. Welcome to the match. Azmat Omarzai steadies the ship after that, and concedes another couple of singles only.
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Rashid Khan went off with a niggle of some sort, I believe to his thigh. He’s back on now, and he calls in his teammates for a pep talk after this somewhat shambolic start with the ball (the early wicket for Ur Rahman notwithstanding).
10th over: Netherlands 66-1 (O’Dowd 40, Ackermann 18)
Fazal Farooqi bangs one in outside off stump. O’Dowd throws everything at it – if you’re going to flash, flash hard – and the ball flies down to fine third man for four. There are some concerned faces around the field for Afghanistan. Fazal then serves up a wide, then another rank, short delivery that O’Dowd slaps down to fine leg for another boundary. “This is nonsense now,” says Mark Nicholas on commentary. “He needs to be taken out of the attack.”
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9th over: Netherlands 57-1 (O’Dowd 32, Ackermann 18)
This partnership has raced to 54. O’Dowd cashes in again with a very decent looking drive through the offside.
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8th over: Netherlands 51-1 (O’Dowd 28, Ackermann 17)
That’ll do. O’Dowd edges one past point for four, then batters another boundary through the off side. That’s 50 up, along with a wide outside off stump. And O’Dowd has his highest score of the tournament thus far.
7th over: Netherlands 42-1 (O’Dowd 20, Ackermann 17)
Ackerman nails a sweep for four on the penultimate ball of the over and this is all going swimmingly for the Netherlands.
6th over: Netherlands 36-1 (Ackermann 11, O’Dowd 20)
O’Dowd is timing it beautifully. He cracks the second ball of the over through point for four, then the fourth down to third man for another boundary. This could get away from Afghanistan after an ideal start …
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5th over: Netherlands 28-1 (Ackermann 11, O’Dowd 12)
O’Dowd slaps one through extra cover, a slightly awkward looking shot but they all count, and then smoothly rocks back to divert another boundary down to fine leg, beating the fielder. That’s 11 off the over in all and this is a good recovery from the Dutch after the early wicket.
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4th over: Netherlands 17-1. (Ackermann 10, O’Dowd 6)
A four comes off the first ball of the over, Farooqi straying down leg and Ackermann clipping it nicely for a boundary down to fine leg. All dots apart from that.
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3rd over: Netherlands 13-1. (Ackermann 6, O’Dowd 6)
Ackermann picks up three with an edge off a very wide ball down leg side. O’Dowd was lucky not to be pinned lbw, too. It looked plumb but there was a thick inside edge on to his pad first.
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2nd over: Netherlands 9-1. (Ackermann 1, O’Dowd 6)
Max O’Dowd, with his flowing locks, strokes the first boundary of the innings straight down the ground. A fine stroke off the seamers of Fazal Farooqi. O’Dowd picks up a single down to fine leg, too.
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Wicket! Barresi lbw b Ur Rahman 1
1st over: Netherlands 3-1. (Ackermann 0, O’Dowd 1)
An ideal start for Afghanistan. Mujeeb Ur Rahman nearly gets through Wesley Barresi’s defence with the first ball of the innings, a googly that he fails to read … there are a couple of singles and a wide down the leg side before Barresi is trapped lbw by Ur Rahman, a ball that nips back a touch, and is probably hitting leg stump. I think I might have fancied a review there, and Barresi clearly thinks about one, but decides against it and eventually he walks off. The hawkeye replay confirms it is indeed clipping leg stump.
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And they’re off! It’s Ur Rahman’s wrist spinners to begin for Afghanistan.
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Teams
Netherlands won the toss and will bat. The teams are as follows:
Netherlands: Barresi, O’Dowd, Ackermann, Engelbrecht, Edwards, De Leede, Zulfiqar, Van Beek, Van der Merwe, Dutt, Van Meekeren
Afghanistan: Gurbaz, Zadran, Shahidi, Shah, Omarzai, Ali Khil, Nabi, Khan, Ur Rahman, Ahmad, Farooqi
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The teams are out, and it’s time for the anthems.
Preamble
I’ll be honest, I haven’t been fortunate enough to watch much of this tournament so far. But I hear Afghanistan have been doing great things, and am very much looking forward to watching them play today as they try to stay in the hunt for a semi-final spot.
You might be forgiven for thinking that a relatively inauspicious cricketing nation such as the Netherlands would be propping up the 10-team round-robin standings, but that dubious honour is, of course, England’s.
Along with Afghanistan, the Dutch have been doing great things themselves, most notably their stunning victory against South Africa last month. They’ve also beaten Bangladesh (who are second-bottom) and are in with a mathematical chance of progress themselves. Today’s encounter in Lucknow could be a cracker, although Google’s win probability widget gives a 76% chance of an Afghanistan success.
Let’s hope cricket is the winner. We begin at 8.30am UK time.
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