The Cricket Association of Thailand (CAT) are hosts to the Netherlands for a 4-match white-ball series across both, One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) formats. The series got underway on the 20th of November with the 1st of 4 ODI’s and the tour will have its 4th and final T20I game played on the 3rd of December, 2022.
The Netherlands along with other associate nations, including Thailand earned ODI status from the International Cricket Council (ICC) mid this year in May. While the Netherlands played their historic first series against Ireland in August, Thailand’s wait to get a first-hand taste of the format now has come to an and has done so in an unbelievable fashion.
Thailand was put into bat first and had opener, Nattakan Chantam, hang in doing just enough while, opener, Sornnarin Tippoch (8), Nannapat Koncharoenkai (14), skipper, Naruemol Chaiwai (20), Suleeporn Laomi (12) Chanida Sutthiruang (24) and Rosenan Kanoh (18) departed for starts. Nattakan’s gritty knock got her edge past a century on the team’s maiden ODI outing and shortly after was dismissed on 102(135) with 226/7 on board. Handy runs from tailenders helped Thailand close out on a highly competitive 243/9 at the end of 50 overs.
In the Maiden ODI International for Thailand,
Natthakan Chantham scored her Maiden ODI Century on home soil, making it even more historic. #CricketTwitter #THAvNED pic.twitter.com/IrtRx18RJP
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 20, 2022
The Netherlands in reply had a good 47-run stand, but couldn’t build on it as a downhill from there saw Sterre Kalis (12) followed by Robine Rijke (1) and Babette de Leede (33) in no time and a team lose their top 3 with 54 on board. After a 21-run stand, Jolien van when departed on 12, was followed by Iris Zwilling as she walked back on a golden duck. Post a 24-run stand, the side again lost two wickets on the same score (99) with Frederique Overdijk and Heather Siegers departed on respective scores of 5 and 28. The side lost their 8th with Gwen Bloemen departing on 3 and late runs from Eva Lynch and Caroline de Lange pushed the team’s total before being bowled out on 134.
Thailand with the ball had Onnicha Kamchomphu bag the most (3) wickets and had Suleeporn Laomi and Thipatcha Putthawong bag a couple of wickets each, while Nattaya Boochatham struck 1.
Nattakan Chantam’s gritty century (102) was simply an extended play of her T20I innings and her fine knock helped Thailand on their ODI debut bag a 100-run win.
Thailand is no stranger to the ODI format as the side during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in 2021 did play four 50-over games in Harare, Zimbabwe and went on to win 3 of those before the tournament went on to be canceled due to rising Covid-19 concerns.
In that tournament too, Nattakan Chantam had notched up consistent scores with a couple of scores of 48 and 37.