The England A squad arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday with the twin aims of braving the local conditions and playing some quality cricket. With the World Cup getting underway next month and England’s senior team unsettled by one or two nagging injuries, the A-squad members who have been undergoing practice sessions at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur know full well that an impressive showing on this trip could lead to higher honours before the English season gets underway in April.Nevertheless, Michael Yardy, England A’s captain, was adamant that the sole focus for his team-mates was the current engagements. “Obviously I wanted to play in the World Cup,” said Yardy during a media conference in Mirpur. “But here I am in Bangladesh with the England A side, and I see this as an opportunity to play in a different country and different condition. I am quite happy with it”It’s true that in case of an injury someone can be called up from here to join the World Cup squad,” he added. “But remember this is not just about the World Cup. These players are eager to play in Tests and one-day internationals for England in future. So this tour is a learning experience for all of us. Hopefully when we will visit the subcontinent with the national team we will utilise this experience. First of all we came here to play some good cricket. Beside that we want to experience the condition, enjoy the country on and off the pitch.”Yardy is a familiar foe of the Bangladesh players, having cracked a massive 257 for Sussex at Hove, during a warm-up for the Test tour in 2005 at Hove. “Obviously I remember that innings,” he recalled. “That is my highest first-class score. That was my day. I have the experience of playing against Bangladesh while they were touring England a few seasons ago. That was a very talented squad which had some promising batsmen and quality spinners. I am sure that this time we are going to face another talented side.”Having already appeared for the England one-day side last year, Yardy is determined to win his way back to the main side. “On this tour I want to lead the team well and set an example by playing good cricket. Besides that I want to get back in the national squad as early as possible. For that I have to score some big runs on this tour.”The coach, Peter Moores, was confident that his side had the ingredients to do well. “We came here with a big and balanced squad. We have a very talented legspinner [Adil Rashid] and also have some players who have the experience of playing at the highest level like Matt Prior, Yardy and Stuart Broad. So we have got a nice mixed group. These boys are quite ready to show that they are capable of stepping into the next level and that is to play for the national team.”

Moores also defended the presence of only one specialist spinner in the squad. “We also have two part timers in Yardy [left-arm spin] and Alex Loudon [offspinner] who can also bat. So we’ve got quite a few options. We have the chance to field three spinners in a match. Besides that we have a good seam attack. Broad has just got back from Australia with the triumphant CB series team. Another pacer Graham Onions can bowl with some pace. We want to have a good time and hopefully identify some future England players and win some matches, obviously.”Moores added that his side would have their work cut out on a tricky tour. “We know about your passion for the game,” he told the local Bangladeshi journalists, “and we are very aware that this will not be an easy tour for us because it is very difficult to beat Bangladesh in their backyard. The conditions are obviously different from ours. The first part of any tour for the touring side is to get used to the conditions.”The team’s manager, Guy Jackson, who had toured Bangladesh last month to inspect the facilities, said they couldn’t have asked for more. “The facility is absolutely superb,” he said of the Mirpur stadium. “You have fantastic international stadiums and the indoor facilities are equally good. In terms of potential and facilities I think Bangladesh are a sleeping giant. Now we are looking forward to the challenge of playing good competitive cricket here.”England A kick off their tour with a three-day practice game against the BCB National Cricket Academy side at the Bangladesh Institute of Sports (BKSP), starting on Saturday. They return to Mirpur for the first of two four-day matches against Bangladesh A (Feb 22-25) and then travel to Bogra for the second four-dayer (Mar 1-4), followed by the first of three one-day matches (Mar. 7). They wrap up their tour with the remaining one-dayers against Bangladesh A at Mirpur on March 9 and 11.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A fine allround display from Scott Styris, and an unbeaten stand of 138 with Jacob Oram, handed New Zealand the bragging rights, but more importantly the points, from the main clash in Group C. England were twice well placed, but three key middle-order batsmen fell within six balls, then Styris steadied the Kiwis after their top three had gone against the new ball and victory came with nine overs to spare.New Zealand were badly hurt when England pipped them to the CB Series finals, but the World Cup often brings out their best. All their top qualities were on show; Stephen Fleming’s work in the field was outstanding, especially when he kept his nerve while Kevin Pietersen threatened to change gear, the bowling was varied and the experience of the deep batting order came to the fore.The chase began in dramatic style as James Anderson, who only made the match at the last minute with his broken finger, removed Lou Vincent in the opening over. It continued England’s mini-resurgence, started with the eighth-wicket stand between Paul Nixon and Liam Plunkett, which lifted their total over 200. When Plunkett added the scalp of Ross Taylor – courtesy of a blinding one-handed catch at first slip by Andrew Flintoff – and Fleming pulled a steepler to square leg the buzz was all with England.However, New Zealand are a confident one-day team after their Chappell-Hadlee whitewash especially on the batting front. Styris and Craig McMillan countered as though they were again chasing 300-plus. But it was a well-conceived plan, the batsmen were aware that run-scoring would be easier while the ball was hard so despite the early wickets the approach was still attack. The required rate was always under control and it forced Michael Vaughan to make something happen.He opted to hold back the final Powerplay and introduced Monty Panesar; McMillan couldn’t resist the challenge and picked out deep cover to end a stand of 53 in 10 overs. Styris, though, had settled into a comfortable rhythm, showing his best form since returning form injury during the CB Series. He was quick onto anything short and when the field went more defensive rotated the strike with ease. He offered one chance on 61 – and it was England’s last hope of getting back into the contest – when Pietersen shelled a catch at short cover.The century stand with Oram began with the game in the balance but slowly broke England’s spirits. Oram came out of his shell with a handsome six off Panesar and as the target grew closer he became more inventive with his strokeplay. His half-century, off 68 balls, continued his batting form from Australia and showed how he can adapt to be more than the brutal hitter that has previously been on show.

England had been on course to set a more demanding target as Pietersen and Paul Collingwood added 81 for the fourth wicket in 20 overs. The top three had departed for 52 – Vaughan again throwing away a solid start – but the middle order pair played sensibly. It wasn’t the blazing Pietersen on show, only once did he really unleash, against Jeetan Patel, but he’d worked out it was a grafting rather than glory situation. But in the blink of an eye the picture changed.Styris, whose medium-pace was ideal for the sluggish surface, made his first impression by removing Collingwood and Fleming, who sensed the moment, returned to Shane Bond. The effect was instant as Pietersen appeared to loose his bearings and chipped to long on, then three balls later Andrew Flintoff was deceived by an outstanding slower ball and picked out cover.Bond had again proven why he is one of the most effective one-day bowlers in the game, backing his captain’s move, and Styris wasn’t finished, either, as he removed Jamie Dalrymple to another thin edge. From 133 for 3, England had slumped to 138 for 7. However, the contrasting styles of Nixon and Plunkett provided a feisty stand of a run-a-ball 71.In the final reckoning, though, it was the damage done to the middle order that was the defining moment of the match. Both these teams entered the World Cup with fresh memories of impressive one-day triumphs but it’s New Zealand who have continued the momentum and opened their campaign in style.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

It was a delayed, stop-start affair that was reduced to 21 overs-a-side but will go down as one of the biggest moments in Bangladesh’s sporting history, a sweet seven-wicket triumph that surged them into the second stage of the World Cup. Their comfortable victory meant that India were well and truly ousted from the competition, leaving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to carry forward the Asian hopes from here on.It was a wet, gloomy affair at the Queen’s Park Oval but one that ended in a wave of Bangladeshi elation. They kept Bermuda down to 94, largely owing to Mashrafe Mortaza and Abdur Razzak, and then got home by seven wickets in conditions where the ball was moving around prodigiously. Chasing a meagre 96, Bangladesh were shaky at 37 for 3 but Mohammad Ashraful and Saqibul Hasan stitched together a 59-run stand to seal the issue.Defending a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 96, Bermuda needed something special from their bowlers, and Kevin Hurdle delivered it, though not with his extra-ridden opening overs. Saleem Mukuddem, recalled into the XI, struck with his first ball as Tamim Iqbal shimmied down the track and top-edged over point. Hurdle sprinted over from third man, ran towards deep point, dove and pulled off a stunner with both hands.Hurdle couldn’t transform that effort into a good bowling display; three no-balls and a six followed in his second over. At the other end, a spirited Mukuddem hustled in and got the ball to move both ways off the scrambled seam and forced the wicketkeeper to stand up to the stumps. Aftab Ahmed drove perilously close to a diving mid-off and inside-edged on more than one occasion before he played all around an incutter that struck him in front of off stump. Mukuddem was rewarded for his consistent movement off a great length with a third wicket when he forced a shaky Shahriar Nafees to edge to second slip in the last over of the Powerplays.Perhaps unsure of how to approach their run chase, Saqibul and Ashraful survived leg before shouts, balls whizzing over the top of the stumps, and dropped catches. Fortunately for their side, they held their nerves. The yells and whoops from their team-mates on the balcony was one for the photo album.

Blue tarps and yellow tarp were both used by the groundstaff in a game that started roughly two-and-a-half-hours late due to rain and was held up four times, but Bangladesh’s decision to bowl first was justified. Mortaza wasted little time with the new ball under overcast conditions – Steven Outerbridge went for an injudicious pull in the first over but only found Mohammad Rafique at fine leg. After just three overs, however, the players and umpires were forced back into the hut as a massive rain shower lashed across the Queen’s Park Oval.The rain relented somewhat, the match was brought down to 35 overs, the groundstaff did a commendable job, and Mortaza needed just one delivery to take his second wicket. Syed Rasel wasn’t about to be left out, and picked up David Hemp with some help from Aftab Ahmed at backward point. But that the good old rain refused to go away for long and for the second time the players and umpires went inside with Bermuda on 17 for three after 7.4 overs.On resumption, Bashar introduced spin in the form of Razzak. The ball had to be wiped every few seconds, and the lack of turn did Bermuda, even in slippery conditions, created doubt in the batsmen’s’ minds. Captain Irvine Romaine adopted a stand-and-defend-or-swish approach, which worked for two thumped boundaries down the ground off Razzak, but when the bowler fired in one at 100kmhs, Romaine was a dead duck in front of middle stump.A fourth interruption curtailed the game to 21 overs, forcing Bermuda to go for broke. Dean Minors was let off at deep square leg off Saqibul’s slow left-arm spin, but two balls later Pitcher was smartly taken by Bashar, who ran backwards at sweeper cover and took the catch as he tumbled over. Lionel Cann took two fours and a six off three Aftab deliveries, was stumped off Saqibul, Rafique removed Tucker, Minors hit a big six in his 25-ball 23, and Bermuda set Bangladesh a Duckworth-Lewis revised 96 to get at just over four-and-a-half runs an over. Many in India would have stayed up late to hope Bermuda pull this one off, but would have to go to sleep disappointed.

Ireland are now the tenth-best one-day team in the world, according to the latest ICC ODI rankings announced on Sunday. They are now ranked above Zimbabwe, who have won only one of their last 19 ODIs, and Kenya.Ireland became eligible for inclusion in the rankings courtesy of their World Cup wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh. Under the ICC’s rules, an Associate has to beat two Full Member countries – as well as meeting other criteria – to be included.Australia’s streamroller ride in the World Cup means that they remain at the top of the pile, ahead of South Africa, who briefly usurped them on the eve of the competition.ICC ODI Championship

22 Apr 2007

Stuart MacGill believes it is “naïve” to think sport and politics do not mix as Australia wait to make a decision on whether to tour Zimbabwe in September. MacGill refused to go on Australia’s last trip there in 2004 and said the situation had “deteriorated enormously” since.The one-day side is due to arrive in Zimbabwe after the Twenty20 world championships in South Africa and the Australian government has expressed its concerns about touring. However, Cricket Australia can only avoid a $2m ICC fine if the decision to abandon the trip is based on security concerns.”It’s naive to think that sport and politics don’t mix,” MacGill said in The Australian. “You have to look at things from all angles and make your own mind up about the sorts of things that are important to you and that you have a bigger part to play in the world community than just on the sporting field.”MacGill, who is a Test-only player, is not in a position to boycott the tour and is unsure whether any of his team-mates are considering it. “I don’t know and I’m careful not to discuss it with anyone because I’d hate to think I’m making their mind up for them,” he told the paper. “I’m not an activist, I’m not making a stand, it’s just something that I didn’t feel comfortable doing.”MacGill made his choice in 2004 after speaking to Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe batsman. “On an individual level, there was a lot to feel uncomfortable about travelling as a sporting team over there and so I decided I couldn’t go,” he said. “If anything, it has deteriorated enormously.”The paper reported Cricket Australia was likely to send a delegation to Zimbabwe in August. “We don’t have our heads in the sand … but we have very strict obligations under the ICC’s future tours program,” Peter Young, the Cricket Australia spokesman, said.

Chris Gayle, the West Indian opener, has been passed fit for the third Test against England, which starts on Thursday at Old Trafford. Gayle had damaged a rib muscle while fielding against MCC on the first day of their three-day tour match at the Racecourse Ground. Gayle took no further part in that match and there were question-marks over his availability for the third Test.Gayle’s recovery is good news for a West Indian team which has been plagued by fitness worries on this tour. Ramnaresh Sarwan has already been ruled out of the rest of the series with a shoulder injury, Shivnarine Chanderpaul sat out of the second Test because of a knee problem, while fast bowler Ravi Rampaul hurt his groin while bowling against MCC and will miss the third Test.Gayle has been in patchy form on the tour so far, with scores of 30, 47 not out, 11 and 13 in his four Test innings. In his five previous Tests in England, Gayle averaged more than 44, with four 50-plus scores in nine innings. West Indies won’t mind him replicating that form through the rest of this series.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

A magnificent 128 from Paul Collingwood, together with three late wickets from England’s bowlers, has put them in control of the fourth Test against West Indies at Chester-le-Street.What made the day all the more depressing for West Indies – apart from going to stumps on 83 for 3 – was their haplessness with the ball in the afternoon session, throwing away the advantage their bowlers had engineered in the morning. England were still trailing by 85 at lunch, with both Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell back in the pavilion, and the West Indies had bowled beautifully. It was they who went to lunch the happier of the two sides, and by some distance too. Beyond Prior lay very little.And then the match turned. Whatever the dinner ladies served for lunch clearly upset the bowlers’ control, and Daren Ganga’s captaincy, as a mishmash of dreadful bowling, sloppy fielding and thoughtless cricket punctured West Indies’ advantage. Quite what Ganga was thinking when he tried Marlon Samuels for five overs is anyone’s guess, but the standard of bowling was embarrassingly mediocre. So Collingwood exploited it, nudging runs all around the wicket and placing the ball into the gaps at will, accelerating at ease. It was a Sunday afternoon knockabout, not Test cricket at its most taxing. West Indies’ wheels hadn’t so much fallen off, as rolled down the hill into the water.After bringing up an 85-ball fifty, Collingwood opened his shoulders – perhaps influenced by the natural aggressor, Prior, at the other end – driving with authority through the covers. He was notably quick to pull anything a fraction too short – a sure sign that he’s in form – and, when the new ball finally arrived, he smote it all over the ground.Fidel Edwards, who had earlier bowled beautifully with the old ball, was entrusted with the task of breaking through but, by now, Collingwood was in no mood to be contained. A beautiful clip off his pads was followed by a fierce pull to the square-leg boundary, prompting Collingwood to yelp and roar his delight in making his fifth Test hundred. It was his first at Chester-le-Street, his home ground and his second fifty came from just 64 balls. Often considered one of Test cricket’s more dogged batsmen, how appropriate that he should have accelerated so impressively – on a day when Michael Vaughan stepped down as England’s one-day captain.

Oddly, Prior played second fiddle to Collingwood – a revealing fact in itself – but nevertheless brought up his 50 from 85 balls with a remarkable flick over midwicket. He too took advantage of the bowling as West Indies practically gave up the ghost. Even the captain, Ganga, stood with his hands in his pockets, his shoulders slumped. All he needed to complete the act of surrender was a large white handkerchief.Prior’s exuberance finally cost him when he tried to pull Edwards over midwicket – Devon Smith diving forward at deep square-leg to take a fine catch. It ended a superb stand of 169 – the first time in 23 years that England had put on more than 150 for the seventh wicket. But by now the damage had been done; between lunch and tea England added 139 for the loss of just one wicket. It was a startling transformation.Ryan Sidebottom chivvied his way to an entertaining 26 to give England a sizeable lead of 113 and, rather inevitably, Matthew Hoggard struck in the second over to trap Smith in front for a duck. Chris Gayle, with half an eye to the one-day series, was in ebullient mood, carving Hoggard and Steve Harmison off the back foot to bring up a fine and characteristically entertaining fifty.Once Runako Morton was bowled by Monty Panesar, leaving West Indies still trailing by 30, the match turnaround was complete. All of a sudden, England are scenting an unlikely victory.

Australia have backed their World Cup-winning squad to repeat the job at the Twenty20 World Championship, with Brett Lee the only addition to the outfit that was successful in the Caribbean. Lee missed the World Cup with a serious ankle injury but has been named in Australia’s 15-man group that will compete in South Africa in September.Lee replaces Glenn McGrath, who retired after the trip to the West Indies, while Shaun Tait has also been chosen as he recovers from elbow surgery. Australia opted not to pluck any Twenty20 specialists from state cricket or test any untried talent in South Africa.”We looked at the performances of some of the top domestic Twenty20 players, but ultimately we felt that the World Cup-winning side would adapt well and deserved the opportunity to prove that they can perform to the highest standards in both shorter forms of the game,” Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said. “It’s fantastic to have Brett Lee back, fully fit and resuming his spot in the Australian side. He’s back to training and raring to go.”The same players make up Australia’s 14-man squad to tour India straight after the World Championship, although Brad Haddin was not included for that trip. Australia’s seven-match ODI series with India begins at Bangalore on September 29, five days after the Twenty20 final.Several players who must have come close to breaking into the Twenty20 side, including Cameron White, Luke Ronchi and Adam Voges, will have their own taste of overseas action in September on Australia A’s tour of Pakistan. Voges will captain the group of 14, with White as his deputy.Phil Jaques and Chris Rogers will make the trip, which might serve as an audition for Australia’s vacant Test opener position. As expected, the outstanding performers from Australia’s domestic season in 2006-07 were rewarded, including three players in their 30s. Two of those older members, David Hussey and Ashley Noffke, are yet to make their debuts for Australia.Stuart MacGill’s presence confirms that at 36 he is still prominent in the selectors’ plans, although his fellow spinners Dan Cullen and Cullen Bailey were chosen as well. There was also a focus on allrounders, with James Hopes and Andrew McDonald recognised for their dominance at state level.Twenty20 World Championship squad Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Brad Hodge, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait.Squad to tour India Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Brad Hodge, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait.Australia A squad Phil Jaques, Chris Rogers, David Hussey, Adam Voges (capt), Cameron White, Luke Ronchi (wk), James Hopes, Andrew McDonald, Ashley Noffke, Cullen Bailey, Dan Cullen, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger, Stuart MacGill.

Julian Hunte affirms that he has “hit the road running” as the fifth president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) since he gave up the vice-presidency nine years ago to become St.Lucia’s ambassador to the United Nations.West Indies cricket itself has done a lot of running in the interim but it has been mostly backwards and, as the organisation responsible for its administration, the WICB is seen as the brake that continues to hold it back.In his acceptance speech at the WICB’s AGM in Port-of-Spain last weekend, Hunte accurately identified the basic problem. “The WICB brand has diminished in value and is in desperate need of redefinition and revitalisation,” he said.Whatever the reasons that have led to the freefall from supreme world leaders 20 years ago to increasing insignificance – and they are myriad and well-documented – the bottom line is that the “brand”, as Hunte puts it, has lost its once inimitable appeal. The reality is that no one wants a loser. Until West Indies start winning again (the latest count is 19 losses in the last 23 Tests), they will continue to be regarded as one of the game’s also-rans.During the current English season comments on television, radio and the press have pointedly contrasted the intriguing, competitiveness of the series against India with the preceding drab, one-sidedness of that against West Indies. In Australia two years ago, West Indies were posted for the first time to Hobart for one of the three Tests and missed out on either Melbourne or Sydney, certainties on the previous 12 tours of the country. One of the recent Tests in England was at Chester-le-Street, a new venue that had previously hosted only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The Oval, a must on previous visits, was allocated two Twenty20 Internationals instead.Hentie van Wyk, treasurer of Cricket South Africa, announced last week that he expects a loss over the coming year “because of the teams that will be visiting South Africa”. “Our money comes largely from the sale of television rights, and we can’t charge as much for these rights when we have low profile teams visiting us,” he explained.Those teams for the 2007-08 season are New Zealand and West Indies.As an ICC official put it to me last week, on the issue of the sizeable revenue once made from overseas tours, “the reason why the West Indies were able to profit so handsomely from them was because they were a bankable team, boards wanted them to tour and were happy to pay a premium for them to do so, the same is not now true”.Vic Wakeling, of Sky Television which has renegotiated its contract for the global sale of broadcasting rights for West Indies cricket, has made the obvious point that the team’s faltering performances affect its marketability.So the first task for Hunte and his board is to address what his predecessor, Ken Gordon, called “a tragedy of unfilled potential” and move to better ready the team for the assignments immediately ahead. More humiliation in the Test series in South Africa next December and January and at home against Sri Lanka and Australia next March through June would be too much to take.The promised establishment by October of six Academies to fully develop the most promising players (the hub at UWI’s Cave Hill campus in Barbados with five spokes in Guyana, Jamaica, the Leewards, Trinidad and Tobago and the Windwards), the new and made-over facilities through the World Cup and the WICB’s improved financial status raise hope for long-term prospects.The governance committee headed by PJ Patterson, the retired Jamaica prime minister, has already put down some relevant guidelines for the future – even if Hunte was at pains last weekend to state that he “definitely” did not share the view that the WICB had outlived its usefulness. But it is the present that should be the new president’s priority for it is here that the WICB is again dragging its feet.More than three months after Bennett King’s resignation and a month prior to the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa, a new head coach hasn’t been named – nor, for that matter, an assistant. And no decision has been taken on the need for fielding and bowling coaches. Judging by the WICB website, which advises “sorry, there are no vacancies at this time”, either there are no changes or, if there are, these positions have been already been filled. It would be helpful to know which.

In the meantime, Ramnaresh Sarwan has recommended a camp to prepare for the Twenty20, one tournament that the West Indies have as good a chance as any of winning. It seems a no-brainer but it hasn’t been followed up by the WICB. The obligatory squad of 30 has been named, from whom the final 15 will be chosen, and it would be beneficial to get them together for practice, training and some competitive, internal matches for a couple of weeks leading up to the event.Five or six such contests would surely bring crowds, say, to Kensington and create a little revenue. There is a gap of almost three months between the end of the Twenty20 and West Indies’ return to South Africa for three Tests and five ODIs. It is time that best spent getting players ready, physically and mentally as much as technically, through another camp for a challenging tour.An October start to the Carib Beer and KFC Cup competitions that had been hinted some months back by Tony Howard, the WICB’s cricket operations manager, would add a competitive edge to preparations. Yet Chetram Singh, head of the Guyana board and a WICB director since Peter Short was president, told VOB Radio last week that even he didn’t know what the dates were. It is such an absence of simple planning that has become a hallmark of WICB’s operations.The new president has a lot on his plate but the simple things first require his attention. The enhanced value of the West Indies name depends on it.

ScorecardNetherlands brushed aside Bermuda with ease in the second one-day international at Rotterdam to sweep the series 2-0. Netherlands bowled Bermuda out for 115 in 43.4 overs and needed only 19.3 overs to knock off the target with eight wickets in hand.Bermuda had lost the first ODI against Netherlands by 172 runs and started the second on the wrong foot after they lost the toss. They were soon struggling at 55 for 4, having lost their top order inside 15 overs. Netherlands, led by Maurits Jonkman who took 3 for 23, chipped away and ensured that Bermuda did not build a partnership of greater than 20. Ryan ten Doeschate bowled a tight spell that yielded 2 for 16 off ten overs.Bermuda needed quick early wickets to have a chance of bowling out Netherlands but Tom de Grooth and Alexei Kervezee dashed those hopes by adding 59 for the first wicket in 9.4 overs. de Grooth fell for 31 off 23 balls but Kervezee remained unbeaten on 50 off 59 balls as Netherlands cruised to victory.