Netherlands all-rounder Bas de Leede is eyeing a “massive opportunity” to edge England for a place in the Champions Trophy, insisting the pressure is all on Jos Buttler’s men.
While the 2019 champions have endured a miserable World Cup, sitting rock bottom in 10th place after seven games, the only associate nation at the competition have exceeded expectations with victory over Bangladesh and a famous upset of South Africa.
They meet in Pune on Wednesday with qualification for the next global 50-over tournament potentially on the line – something England would have taken for granted just weeks ago before their campaign crumbled.
Breaking into the Champions Trophy would be a striking achievement for the Dutch and one De Leede, who plays for Durham, believes is within their grasp if England succumb to the tension of their situation.
“As a title-defending team there is a huge pressure on you straight away, especially when you don’t get a great start, and I’m sure there is added pressure for them now on this game,” he told the PA news agency.
“For us it’s a privilege to be playing for a spot in the Champions Trophy, for them it’s an expectation to finish at least in the top eight.
“It’s a massive opportunity, 100 per cent. It’s in the back of our heads that if we do manage to win this game it would help enormously to qualify and that would be huge for Dutch cricket.
“Of course England are a dangerous side, they have such quality in the batting and bowling departments, but two wins in this campaign is pretty good for us and we feel as a group there is more out there for us.
“The proof is there in the South Africa game. To see what we have been practising come off against a team like that was great to see and gave us a lot of confidence as a team.”
De Leede, who has taken more wickets than any English bowler with 11 so far, is also embracing the chance to strike a blow against a system that frequently cuts out those who do not have full member status as ICC level.
The abandonment of the World Cup Super League format means the Netherlands no longer have mandatory games against the biggest names and will instead slip back into a structure that pits them against the likes of Namibia, Nepal, Scotland and Canada.
“Getting games against the bigger nations is very hard for us. It’s hard to get teams to play us so we’ve got to force them to, that’s the only way,” he said.
“If we did qualify for the Champions Trophy it would secure another seven games against the best teams. That how we keep progressing as a national team and it’s in our hands.
“We kind of felt like we were gate-crashing here so to come through would be massive.”
West Indies squad named for home two-match Test series against Bangladesh
Cricket West Indies on Friday unveiled the squad to represent the West Indies in their upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh scheduled for November 22 to December 4 in Antigua and Jamaica.
Led by Kraigg Brathwaite, the squad features an exciting mix of seasoned, in-form players and fresh, young talent.
Brathwaite is joined in the group of specialist batsmen by Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach and Alick Athanaze.
Justin Greaves, who scored over 400 runs in the ongoing CG United Super50 Cup, has also been included in the squad and could contribute with both bat and ball in an all-rounder role. Kevin Sinclair is the slow bowling all-rounder option selected. Jason Holder will miss the series as he continues rehabilitation for a shoulder injury.
Vice-captain Joshua Da Silva will continue in the role as wicket-keeper while the specialist bowlers selected include Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales and Jomel Warrican.
Prior to the Tests, Brathwaite will also lead a 13-man CWI Select Warm-Up match squad primarily consisting of players not selected for their regional CG United Super50 squads, allowing emerging talent to gain exposure ahead of the series.
That squad will take on Bangladesh in a two-day warm-up fixture at Coolidge in Antigua on November 17 and 18.
Full Test Squad:
CWI Select XI Warm-Up Match Squad:
Unbeatable Samson and Tilak lead India to victory in Johannesburg
Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma both hit unbeaten centuries – the latter recording his second in as many matches – as India eased to a 3-1 T20I series win over South Africa.
Leading 2-1 after Tilak's best-ever T20I knock of 107 not out led them to victory in Wednesday's third match, the tourists produced another magnificent batting display to wrap up the series in Johannesburg.
Samson and Abhishek Sharma put on a partnership of 73 to get the ball rolling after India captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to bat, but they really picked up the pace after the latter feathered Lutho Sipamla's ball through to Heinrich Klaasen for 36.
Tilak came in and smashed 120 runs off just 47 balls faced – including nine fours and 10 sixes – in a brilliant stand with Samson, who scored 109 off 56 deliveries.
South Africa's bowlers had no answer to the duo's big hitting, with the highlight of the innings coming when Tilak slogged 20 runs off four successive balls in the 14th over.
Finishing 283-1, India fell just 14 runs short of their record total in T20Is, a score of 297-6 versus Bangladesh set last month, and the Proteas' slim hopes of making it competitive were soon dashed.
Arshdeep Singh (3-20) dismissed Reeza Hendricks (0), Aiden Markram (8) and Klaasen (0) within the first three overs of their innings as the hosts were dropped to 10-4.
Varun Chakravarthy got in on the act with two wickets as India continued to rip through the South Africa batting order, Tristan Stubbs (43) top-scoring for the hosts as they fell 135 runs short of victory.
Data Debrief: Records fall for India pair
South Africa's bowlers were smashed around the Wanderers Stadium by Samson and Tilak, both of whom brought up notable milestones.
Samson became the first cricketer in T20I history to hit three centuries within a single year, having also scored tons against Bangladesh last month and South Africa eight days ago.
Tilak, meanwhile, managed a strike rate of 255.3, the highest ever recorded by an India player in a single T20I innings.
Obed McCoy replaces Matthew Forde for remainder of T20 series against England
Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy has been added to the 15-man squad for the West Indies Senior Men’s T20I squad as a replacement for medium-pacer Matthew Forde for the remainder of the five-match T20I series against England in Saint Lucia.
Forde, named Player of the Series in the One Day International leg of the tour, where the West Indies secured a series win, sustained a left thigh injury during training on Wednesday 13 November, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium. The 22-year-old Forde will continue to be monitored by the medical team as he works toward a full recovery.
As a result, McCoy, who was initially unavailable due to an injury sustained during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has now been cleared to return to play. The left-arm seamer, who has taken 49 wickets in 38 T20 Internationals for the West Indies, will join the squad on Friday 15 November, ahead of the back-to-back matches over the weekend to close out the Rivalry series.
West Indies T20I Squad:
Rovman Powell (Captain)
Roston Chase
Shimron Hetmyer
Terrance Hinds
Shai Hope
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Evin Lewis
Obed McCoy
Gudakesh Motie
Nicholas Pooran
Sherfane Rutherford
Romario Shepherd
Shamar Springer
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