ICC/CricketEurope

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In Group B today, the Dutch swept aside Jersey by 89 runs at Grainville, the host nation producing a poor batting performance to be skittled for 61, a total of which nearly two-thirds came from the extras column.

Chasing 151 to win, the Channel Islanders batsmen failed to cope when confronted with an accurate – but by no means terrifying – Dutch attack. Not one batsman reached double figures and the best contribution (8) came from no.9 Will Southall.

Key men Daniel Kearns and Aiden McGuire both fell without scoring to Mattheus Prenen (5-3-2-2), and when no one further down the order came up with the goods, the innings folded. This was a scenario scarcely imaginable twenty-four hours ago, in light of yesterday’s confident display with the bat against Scotland.

Usman Yousaf was the most successful Dutch bowler, returning the exceptional figures of three-for-five from six overs, while leg-spinner James Gruijters bowled with unrelenting accuracy to concede only seven runs during his full spell.

Also catching the eye on the bowling card, Sebastian Braat and Philip van Meekeren both accounted for a couple of Jersey’s batsmen, with the latter adding to these successes with a run out in the field.

On reflection, that Jersey were chasing 150 is probably a fair reflection of how the match’s first innings panned out. On one hand, the Channel Islanders were far too generous with extras, gifting the Dutch a remarkable tally of 42 wides, while on the other the Netherlands threw away the enviable platform of 124 for 3: they scored fewer than thirty during the last ten, losing all of their seven remaining wickets in the process. Indeed, the Dutch camp at half-time may have felt somewhat disappointed with its batting: no batsman made more than 27, Prenen preceding his admirable bowling display by top-scoring.

Alex Cooke and captain McGuire starred with the ball for Jersey: the former got through his new ball spell leaking only eleven runs and came back strongly to pick up three wickets at the death, while the latter instigated the Dutch collapse by removing the well-set Sebastian Braat.

McGuire also took an excellent return catch, over his shoulder running towards the boundary, and this was the highlight of a fielding performance which was nigh-on unblemished. 151 to win at half-time was no bad place to be, but the next couple of hours would dramatically undo this good work.

Jersey now face the difficult task of picking themselves up in time for tomorrow’s basement battle with Denmark, while the Dutch will take heart from this clinical bowling effort in advance tomorrow’s clash with Guernsey.