Andy Flower top-scored with 71 (Getty Images).
DUTCH COURAGE IN VAIN
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Holland fought hard as they chased Zimbabwe's total of 301 but in the end had
to yield to the home side, going down by 99 runs in their World Cup group A
clash.
However they did have the satisfaction of passing 200 for the first time in
the tournament and avoiding being bowled out.
Their opening batsmen, Feiko Kloppenburg and Edgar Schiferli, have not had
much success in the tournament, but they were prepared to take on the bowlers.
Heath Streak finally broke through with a yorker to hit the leg stump of
Schiferli, who was backing away to attempt another attacking shot. The opener
had hit 22 off 27 balls, and the opening pair had put on 41 runs, Holland's best
start of the tournament.
Holland never regained their momentum however. Kloppenburg retreated into his
shell before making a half-hearted attempt to hit Douglas Hondo over the field
and holing out to mid-off for 19.
Daan van Bunge joined Sussex professional Bas Zuiderent at the crease and
drove a couple of classic orthodox boundaries, but the scoring rate slowed.
Zuiderent hit Brian Murphy for a big six, giving hope of better things, but in
the following over paid the penalty for attempting a rash single and was run
out.
There was another good partnership of 42 between van Bunge and the aggressive
Luuk van Troost, but when they were dismissed in quick succession it appeared
that the match was slowly subsiding with a whimper.
Hendrik-Jan Mol and Roland Lefebvre had other ideas, though, as they shared a
brisk partnership of 42 for the eighth wicket, and the tail did their bit to
take the team past 200.
Earlier Zimbabwe had finished well to run up a total of 301 for eight.
Four of the top batsmen laid a firm foundation only to fall in the twenties
and thirties, but as usual Andy Flower provided the backbone with a sturdy 71.
Later, powerful hitting from Andy Blignaut with 58 and Streak with 44 ensured
Zimbabwe passed 300, as they had done against Namibia.
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