Netherlands demand ‘bigger nation’ status

KOLKATA: All-rounder Bas de Leede demanded the Netherlands be afforded “bigger nation” status after defeating Bangladesh by 87 runs at the World Cup in Kolkata on Saturday.

The Dutch, the only non-Test playing country at the tournament, now have two huge wins at this World Cup after also upsetting South Africa by 38 runs in Dharamsala. “We want to try and get the International Cricket Council´s attention to start looking at us as a potentially bigger nation in the coming years,” said de Leede.

Skipper Scott Edwards starred on Saturday with a top score of 68 in his team´s 229 in 50 overs. Fast bowler Paul van Meekeren then grabbed 4-23 to send Bangladesh crashing to 142 all out in 42.2 overs.

“I think obviously every win we get is going to be big for us and for cricket in the Netherlands,” said de Leede. “We want to inspire young kids to take up the game back home.”

Saturday´s win was the Netherlands´ fourth at 50-over World Cups -- they defeated Namibia in 2003 and Scotland in 2007.

Asked how the Netherlands will celebrate the latest win, de Leede replied: “Nothing too crazy. Some of us will have a beer in the change room.

“We´ll sing a team song and apparently there´s a rugby game on tonight so, I think most of the guys will be watching that,” he said in reference to the Rugby World Cup final in Paris.

The Netherlands now have four points in six games but their slim chances of squeezing into the semi-finals will depend on other results.

“I think it (semi-final spot) depends how other teams do, how big our chances are for the semi-final. But for us the goal is to keep winning as many games as we can.

“I think there´s a couple of games where we haven´t played to our best, but then again today we did and if we can do that again for the next three games, who knows where we will finish.”

The Netherlands will face Afghanistan (November 3 in Lucknow), defending champions England (Pune on November 8) and hosts India (November 12 in Bengaluru).