Following a commanding victory for Ireland in the opener of the ongoing 3-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series against the Netherlands, the Dutch find themselves in a must-win scenario leading up to the second T20I. The game is scheduled for the 16th of August, 2023, at 5:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) at the VRA Ground, Amstelveen.
With a win in the 1st T20I, Ireland further solidified its dominance over the Netherlands, extending its lead to 13-1 in T20Is. Ireland’s early breakthroughs reduced the Netherlands to 4 for 18, but crucial contributions from Robine Rijke (38) and Phebe Molkenboer (23*) helped the team to post a respectable total of 92 runs. Arlene Kelly stood out for Ireland with a five-wicket haul. In response, Ireland’s opening pair of Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis remained unbeaten, scoring 49 and 43 respectively, guiding the team to a thumping win in the series opener in 13.1 overs.
Squads:
Netherlands – Heather Siegers (C), Robine Rijke, Hannah Landheer, Phebe Molkenboer, Eva Lynch, Iris Zwilling, Babette de Leede (wk), Caroline de Lange, Frederique Overdijk, Isabel van der Woning, Mikkie Zwilling, Merel Dekeling, Carlijn van Koolwijk, Fenna Vermeire
Ireland – Laura Delany (C), Ava Canning, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Jane Maguire, Aimee Maguire, Cara Murray, Orla Prendergast, Freya Sargent, Rebecca Stokell
Players to watch out:
Babette de Leede
The 23-year-old keeper-batter, in 37 T20I batting innings, has scored 450 runs and notched up a personal best of 62*. Leede didn’t perform at her best during the Tri-Series against Thailand and Scotland in July; however, she is a highly promising batter, and expect her to bounce back delivering a match-winning knock in this series.
Frederique Overdijk
The 22-year-old pace all-rounder, in 21 T20I appearances, has scalped 18 wickets and registered an incredible best of 7/3, while also proving to be handy with the bat. Overdijk performed exceptionally well in the Tri-Series last month and can be relied upon to make significant contributions with both the ball and the bat in the series.
Amy Hunter
The 17-year-old keeper-batter in 19 T20I outings has scored 331 runs, with a highest score of 49*. During Ireland’s recent series against West Indies, Amy registered scores of 15, 33, and 44 across the 3-match T20I series and has started off brilliantly in the ongoing Netherlands series by registering a new best of 49* in the series opener.
Orla Prendergast
The 21-year-old pace all-rounder has played in 38 T20Is, scoring 635 runs, including a highest score of 75*, and also claiming 22 wickets. Orla had a challenging series against the Windies; nevertheless, during the ODI series against Australia, she gained confidence scoring a fine 71 and delivering economical spells. Orla continued her good form into the opener, finishing with an economical spell of 1/17 (3).
Pitch:
The center wicket at the VRA Ground heavily favors the pacers, creating ideal conditions for bowling, evident from the average score of 110. However, batters who settled in and find their rhythm can accumulate runs effectively as the ball comes off the bat nicely.
Weather:
With the temperature forecasted to be in the early 20s (°C) and a partly cloudy overhead, it will be a good day to be at the VRA Ground, Amstelveen. Moreover, the chances of rain and light winds are expected to blow throughout the day with a humidity of 67%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Babette de Leede, Amy Hunter, Gaby Lewis, Heather Siegers, Rebecca Stokell, Frederique Overdijk, Laura Delany, Orla Prendergast, Robine Rijke, Arlene Kelly, Cara Murray
Match details:
Date – August 16, 2023
Time – 5:30 PM IST
Venue – VRA Cricket Ground, Amstelveen
Broadcast – All games of the series will be live-streamed on the European Cricket Network (ECN) YouTube channel.