Doeschate runs amok on English bowling

If anyone ever thought that Netherlands' victory over England in ICC World T20 match was a fluke, then the Dutchmen might just have forced you to eat your own words. In their first match of the 2011 ODI World Cup, they have literally toyed with the much-vaunted English bowling attack and posted a mammoth total of 293.

Ryan Doeschate played the innings of his lifetime to ensure that Netherlands do not go down as easy-money to English bowlers. His maiden century(119 of 110 balls) was a lesson demonstrating the virtue of patience in batting.

Netherlands, who won the toss and elected to bat first, started of in a positive fashion and went at nearly six an over, before Alexei Kervezee fell to a short-delivery from Tim Bresnan, He had scored 16 of 25 balls. His opening partner, also failed to convert the impressive start and was stumped by Matt Prior of Graeme Swann. He hit six boundaries in his 29 runs of 25 balls.

Cooper and Doeschate then steadied the innings. They played spin and pace with equal ease. Strauss, it seemed was missing the services of a second-spinner on the slow track. He brought Kevin Pietersen into the attack but the move failed as Pietersen was taken for 19 runs in his two overs.

But just as things were looking ominous for the Dutch, did Collingwood strike to remove the well-set Cooper. he had him caught by Anderson with the personal score of 47.

Bas Zuiderent failed to recreate his magical innings of 1996 and failed to the crafty guile of Graeme Swann with his personal score reading 1 of 10 balls. Back in 1996, he had scored a brilliant half-century against the same opposition.

Ryan Doeschate remained the fulcrum around which the Dutch batting line-up revolved.

With six wickets in hand, and the well-settled pair of Doeschate and Grooth at crease, Netherlands opted for the batting powerplay in the 43rd over. Grooth who had until then played beautifully, fell to a Broad yorker in the fifth ball of the batting powerplay's first over.

But then there was no stopping for Doeschate, as he brought up his maiden ODI century before eventually falling to Broad.

Broad and Swann took a couple of wickets each, while Bresnan and Collingwood claimed one each.

English fielding was worse to say the least. First Anderson and Pietersen ran together to miss a catch that could have easily been taken either of them. Then in the final over of the match, Graeme Swann dropped a sitter of Anderson's bowling.

If the Dutch bowlers can match up to the efforts of their batting colleagues, then we may very well have the first upset of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.