In all 24 players have been named, including six – Logan van Beek (Canterbury), Tom Cooper (South Australia), Paul van Meekeren (Somerset), Michael Rippon (Otago), Timm van der Gugten (Glamorgan) and Roelof van der Merwe (Somerset) – who will be based outside the Netherlands and therefore will not be training with the rest of the squad.
Of the remaining 18, one of the most striking names is that of VRA batsman Eric Szwarczynski, who has not played for the national side since the World Cricket League Division 2 tournament in Namibia in January 2015.
He had an outstanding Topklasse season last year, making more runs than anyone with 736 at an average of 46.00, and his international record of 3055 runs across all formats, including two hundreds and 20 half-centuries, testifies to his potential value to a Dutch top order which has not always impressed with its solidity.
There are few other surprises among the more established players, but the most interesting feature of the list is the inclusion of five young players who have yet to make their debut for the full side.
Sikander Zulfiqar is joined by his brother Saqib, who is currently captain of the A team, despite his having had a fairly modest season with ACC last year.
Also included are two members of Excelsior ‘20’s championship-winning side, openers Roel Verhagen (Topklasse Player of the Year after making 544 runs at 32.00) and Tim Etman.
HCC’s Hidde Overdijk, whose bowling against Belgium on Saturday was impressive, could have a bright future as an allrounder, and the uncapped quintet is completed by VRA’s 24-year-old New Zealand-born left-arm seamer Fred Klaassen.
Klaassen’s first season in the Netherlands last year was disrupted by injury, but his five for 24 against VOC in the final match of the campaign demonstrated his potential, and he adds another dimension to a pace and seam department which, with Van Meekeren, Van der Gugten, Vivian Kingma, Shane Snater, Gunning, Overdijk and Sikander Zulfiqar, not forgetting the interventions of skipper Peter Borren, has developed into one of the strongest in Associates cricket.
The full Dutch-based squad is:
Wesley Barresi (Quick Haag), Peter Borren, Ben Cooper (both VRA), Tim Etman (Excelsior ‘20), Quirijn Gunning (VRA), Ahsan Malik Jamil (VOC), Viv Kingma (Voorburg), Fred Klaassen (VRA), Stephan Myburgh (Hermes-DVS), Max O’Dowd (VOC), Hidde Overdijk (HCC), Pieter Seelaar (VOC), Shane Snater (Rood en Wit), Eric Szwarczynski (VRA), Roel Verhagen (Excelsior ’20), Tobias Visée (HBS), Saqib Zulfiqar and Sikander Zulfiqar (both ACC).