World Cup: Scott Edwards propels Netherlands to 245/8 against SA
The Netherlands scored 245/8 against South Africa in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup encounter in Dharamsala. The Proteas pacers extracted swing and bounce in the overcast conditions. Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi shared four wickets. However, Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards turned the tide with a valiant knock. The match was down to 43 overs after rain delayed the start.
Netherlands rise from 112/6
Although the Netherlands openers survived initially, they lost Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, and Bas de Leede in quick succession thereafter. The Dutch suffered two more blows and were down to 112/6 (27). Although Edwards, Teja Nidamanuru, and Logan van Beek kept the Netherlands afloat, the partnerships perished. Van der Merwe (29) and Aryan Dutt (23*) then assisted Edwards as the Netherlands got past 240.
A captain's knock from Edwards
Edwards truly led the Netherlands from the front. He came to the middle when they were tottering on 82/5. He blocked one end as two more wickets fell before the 150-run mark. Edwards, who started cautiously, accelerated after the 30-over mark. He then smashed his 14th half-century in ODI cricket. The Dutch skipper smashed 78* off 69 balls (10 fours and 1 six).
Joint-most ODI fifty-plus scores for Netherlands
Edwards now has the joint-most fifty-plus scores for the Netherlands in ODI cricket (14). He equaled the record of Ryan ten Doeschate, who achieved this mark in 32 innings. Notably, Tom Cooper follows Edwards and ten Doeschate with 13 such scores.
Van der Merwe attains this feat
Coming in at number nine, Roelof van der Merwe played a scintillating cameo. He smashed a 19-ball 29 (3 fours and 1 six). Notably, van der Merwe is the first player to play for and against South Africa in ODI cricket.
Rabada completes 150 ODI wickets
Rabada took two wickets for 40 runs in eight overs, including a maiden. The right-arm seamer attained a special feat after dismissing Netherlands opener Vikramjit. Rabada became the ninth player to take 150 or more wickets for South Africa in ODI cricket. He touched this mark in his 95th appearance for the Proteas. The speedster required one wicket for this feat.
