All-rounder Bas de Leede demanded the Netherlands be afforded “bigger nation” status after defeating Bangladesh by 87 runs at the World Cup in Kolkata on Saturday.
Captain Scott Edwards led from the front as the Netherlands bounced back from a record World Cup defeat by Australia.
The Dutch, the only non-Test playing country at the tournament, now have two huge wins at this World Cup after also upsetting South Africa by 38 runs in Dharamsala.
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“We want to try and get the International Cricket Council’s attention to start looking at us as a potentially bigger nation in the coming years,” said de Leede.
It also means England now sits on the bottom of the World Cup points table with a 1-4 record and the competition’s worst net run rate — and England next plays India and Australia.
The Netherlands, as was the case against South Africa, were indebted to wicketkeeper-batsman Edwards, whose innings top-score of 68 led a recovery from 63-4 to 229 all out.
The Tigers, chasing a seemingly modest target of 230, collapsed to 70-6 before being eventually dismissed for 142 with more than seven overs remaining, with fast bowler Paul van Meekeren grabbing 4-23.
“I think obviously every win we get is going to be big for us and for cricket in the Netherlands,” said de Leede.
“We want to inspire young kids to take up the game back home.”
Saturday’s win was the Netherlands’ fourth at 50-over World Cups after defeating Namibia in 2003 and Scotland in 2007.
Asked how the Netherlands will celebrate the latest win, de Leede replied: “Nothing too crazy. Some of us will have a beer in the change room.
“We’ll sing a team song and apparently there’s a rugby game on tonight so, I think most of the guys will be watching that.”
As for Bangladesh, they suffered a fifth defeat in six World Cup games.
Edwards held a simple chance after Liton miscued a reverse sweep off spinner Aryan Dutt before taking another catch when Tanzid Hasan edged Logan van Beek.
Van Meekeren then had Shakib, trying to cut a lifting ball that was too close to him caught behind for just five.
The Tigers were all but beaten at 70-6 when Mushfiqur was bowled for one by a fine van Meekeren delivery that jagged back.
Fellow veteran Mahmudullah, fresh from a hundred against South Africa, only managed 20 before he was well caught by Dutt off Bas de Leede.
Van Meekeren ended the match when he had Taskin Ahmed caught in the deep.
For all they had plenty of support at Eden Gardens in what is a Bengali-speaking region of India, they were “sloppy” in the field according to Tigers captain Shakib Al Hasan and even worse with the bat.
“We have been poor with the bat all tournament and this is as bad as it gets,” said star all-rounder Shakib, appearing in his fifth World Cup Bangladesh lost both their openers on 19.
The Netherlands were struggling at 4-2 following the loss of openers Vikramkjit Singh and Max O’Dowd after Edwards won the toss.
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But Wesley Barresi, 39, in his first match of the tournament, made a run-a-ball 41 before he was caught off a mistimed drive.
Edwards, who made 78 not out against South Africa, then overcame a faltering start to post a 78-ball fifty.
The Netherlands now have four points in six games but their slim chances of squeezing into the semi-finals will depend on other results.
“I think it (semi-final spot) depends how other teams do, how big our chances are for the semi-final. But for us the goal is to keep winning as many games as we can.
“I think there’s a couple of games where we haven’t played to our best, but then again today we did and if we can do that again for the next three games, who knows where we will finish.”
Edwards added: “We spoke at the start of the tournament about giving ourselves a chance at the semis. That looks tricky, but that’ll remain our goal.”
The Netherlands will face Afghanistan (November 3 in Lucknow), defending champions England (Pune on November 8) and hosts India (November 12 in Bengaluru).
— AFP