Durham’s Openers Streak into the One-Day Cup Semis

Durham ended the group stage of the Royal London One-Day Cup in fine style, winning all three fixtures this week. The first proved decisive, as the two-wicket defeat of closest rivals Essex ensured they topped the group and therefore sail straight into the semi-finals. 

Alex Lees struck a fine unbeaten 126 in that match, while fellow opener Graham Clark’s run-a-ball 141 did the job against Hampshire. He is easily the tournament’s top scorer so far, with Lees right behind him. Dutch all-rounder Paul Meekeren and the evergreen Chris Rushworth starred with the ball. Essex didn’t have a bad week either. Batsmen at very different stages of their career ere in prolific mood. Sir Alastair Cook reached three figures in the tied match against Sussex while the 22 year-old from Whipps Cross, Feroze Khushi enjoyed successive knocks of 109 and 77. Ryan Ten Doeschate also rolled back the years, taking 4-34 against Sussex, eighteen years after his county debut. 

Lancashire completed the week with the third highest points tally but, following their void fixture with Covid-hit Derbyshire, Gloucestershire progress with a fractionally superior points per match figure. Their comprehensive defeat of bottom-side Kent was aided by an unbeaten third-wicket stand between Chris Dent and Graeme van Buuren. However, the highest partnership of the week was the 219 shared by Sussex pair Ben Brown and Tom Haines in the entertaining contest with Middlesex at Hove. Chasing a formidable 333, the visitors gave it everything at the end but they fell just three runs short. 

In Group 1, Somerset totally blew it, slipping from second to seventh thanks to three consecutive losses. I guess I won’t be heading for London to see them defend their title this year. They didn’t even play against any of the counties who did qualify for the knockouts. Glamorgan, Surrey and Yorkshire each ended up on ten points. The Welsh side topped the group, thanks largely to their demolition of Nottinghamshire who they bowled out for 73. Joe Cooke, Michael Hogan and James Weighell all look in good nick with the ball. If Nigel Selman could get more support amongst the top order, Glamorgan could be serious contenders. 

Surrey’s Ryan Patel and Tim David have certainly seized their opportunities in this competition. Both aggregated almost 200 runs this week, including a ton apiece. The most spectacular innings came from Singapore-qualified David, whose 70-ball 140 not out against Warwickshire included nine fours and eleven sixes! South African paceman Conor McKerr’s 3-43 at Derby advanced his wicket total to a tournament-leading sixteen. Yorkshire completed the ‘quarter-final’ line-up after edging Glamorgan by four runs a Cardiff on Thursday. 

They now meet a formidable-looking Essex while Surrey host Gloucestershire. The knockouts chase to a conclusion on Thursday when the first trophy of the domestic season will be decided. I think Essex will take some beating, but Surrey should be second-favourites. 

Team of the Week: Clark (Dur), Lees (Dur), Swindells (Lei +), R Patel (Sur), David (Sur), Khushi (Ess), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Van Meekeren (Dur), Mike (Lei), J Cooke (Gla), Rushworth (Dur)

Morkel and Trott ride to the front

Surrey ensured they remained at the top of the pile by beating Yorkshire at Scarborough, but they had to come from behind to do so. The home side enjoyed a 75-run first innings lead but after Morne Morkel (5-39) and Jade Dernbach (3-34) ripped through them on the third day, skipper Rory Burns led the charge to the target.

Neither Nottinghamshire nor Somerset could keep up with the leaders. At Trent Bridge, the Notts openers were in fine form. Chris Nash and Jake Libby each made centuries then, with Stuart Broad leading the attack, declared with the expectation of bowling Worcestershire out in just over a day. They failed. The England seamer had an ankle niggle and Joe Clarke had a point to prove. He was still there on 177 at the very end as the bottom side avoided defeat.

When Essex roared to 517-5, Somerset’s chance of winning shrank to almost zero. Ravi Bopara and the returning Ryan Ten Doeschate shared a 284-run partnership but in reply Somerset managed to accumulate more than 400. On the final afternoon, Essex set an ambitious target of 319 and credit to the visitors for seeming intent on accepting the challenge. However, when the top four fell cheaply, the shutters came down and Abell and Gregory dug in for the draw.

There were neither winners nor losers at Old Trafford either. Batsmen were in charge, and no fewer than five reached three figures. Lancashire’s current ‘keeper Dane Vilas top-scored with 134 but Hampshire opener Joe Weatherley showed admirable patience to survive the whole of day four to attain his maiden hundred.

Both Warwickshire and Kent each achieved their fifth victories of the season in Division Two. Ian Bell’s run of form was halted but his ex-England colleague Jonathan Trott racked up more than 200 in the leaders’ visit to Durham. Jeetan Patel’s nine wickets and Tim Ambrose’s ten catches did the rest. Meanwhile at Canterbury Kent flattened Middlesex by 342 runs. Grant Stewart’s 6-22 helped bowl out Malan’s men for 56 first time out, with Eskinazi the only one reaching double figures. Batting at ten, Stewart proceeded to crash a 74-ball century before Middlesex struggled again. When Tim Murtagh top-scores you know you have big problems!

Leicestershire advanced to third, defeating Derbyshire with thanks to Mohammad Abbas’ decisive 6-54, and Northamptonshire leapt from the bottom by putting Glamorgan to the sword. The Welsh, despite the best efforts of Usman Khawaja, are having a nightmare summer so far, so must hope Colin Ingram can resurrect some pride in the T20 Blast which starts next week. If not, 2018 will be a long, agonising road.   

Team of the Week: 

Nash (Not), Libby (Not), Clarke (Wor), Trott (War), Bopara (Ess), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Ambrose (War +), Patel (War), Podmore (Ken), Stewart (Ken), Mohammad Abbas (Lei)

Notts and Surrey Fire towards the Final

While the cream of the world’s one-day batsmen were struggling to accumulate scores of 300+ in the Champion Trophy, elsewhere in England those left behind were making hay while the sun shone on the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup.

The group stage runners-up and third placers met in the sort-of-quarter-finals at Taunton and Headingley. Somerset scored an impressive 405 but unfortunately for them, it w in pursuit of a stunning 429-9 racked up by Nottinghamshire, who had passed 400 twice in last year’s competition. Even without Hales, their batting in limited overs has enormous potential, and most delivered last week.

Brendon Taylor thrashed 154 in 97 balls, followed by a rapid 62 in the semi-final a few days later. Riki Wessels and Samit Patel knocked half-centuries but only Somerset’s reliable Dean Elgar managed a decent innings (91) in response. The late-order did their best with cameo hitting but were bowled out 24 runs and two overs short.

Surrey also claimed an away win by the same margin. That man Kumar Sangakkara passed three figures yet again in that beautifully fluent style that is his hallmark.

When it came to the semis, Surrey were even more emphatic. England discard Jason Roy rediscovered some form with 92 and wicketkeeper struck a second successive score of 86, ahead of the Sri Lankan legend’s 72-ball 73. In a week where county attack were being taken apart, all credit – albeit grudgingly! – to Gareth Batty, who took 5-40 as Worcestershire crumbled.

At Chelmsford, Alastair Cook achieved a third century in the competition this summer for Essex, and at more than a run a ball. His face may not fit the current template for power and aggression but often it’s mastery of the basic which can be so effective in the 50-over game, and Cook is undoubtedly a master batsman. His skipper Ryan Ten Doeschate also produced another of his 102 not outs  And yet it wasn’t enough. A brilliant partnership of 185 between Samit Patel, sweating in the sunshine, and the ebullient Steve Mullaney, took them to the brink of the huge 374 target before Mullaney was caught behind off Wagner on 111. Patel took his side over the finishing line six deliveries later.

It all sets up an enthralling final next month.

Team of the Week: Cook (Ess), Wessels (Not), Sangakkara (Sur), Patel (Not), B Taylor (Not), Mullaney (Not), Foakes (Sur +), Gregory (Som), Batty (Sur), Azeem Rafiq (Yor), Porter (Ess)

Tendo fires Essex to the Top

With kind weather and a conducive pitch, the Guildford crowds witnessed almost four full days of cricket. Unfortunately for the home fans, Essex came out on top and, buoyed by maximum points, now lead Division One by six points. Surrey made a solid enough start, thanks largely to Mark Stoneman’s 197. However, Essex skipper Ryan Ten Doeschate led a spirited response with an unbeaten168, then Tom Westley’s final day century finished things off.

Yorkshire also achieved their third Championship success of the summer at Taunton but by a mere three runs. I’m gutted that Somerset should lose yet again by such a narrow margin. Neither side managed 300 in an innings and it was Gary Ballance’s second innings 98 not out which proved to be the top individual score. While Ryan Sidebottom was reverse swinging the ball, and only one wicket left, Jamie Overton decided to attack the off-spin of Adam Lyth.  The first ball of the part-timer’s 18^th over went for six, the next for two leg-byes. Seeking a match-winning boundary, Overton just hol out to mid-wicket, dammit! Somerset’s young captain Tom Abell endured another miserable week with the bat. Surely a change is imminent, but the rest of the batting line-up is also struggling.

There were no three-figure scores at Southport either, and it was Lancashire’s bowlers who the upper hand over Middlesex. Stephen Parry was unused on the first morning but took 5-45 on the final morning. Special mention must go to Alex Davies. His runs have dried up but he made an impressive nine catches and a stumping.

Division Two is beginning to resemble a table of two halves. At the top, Nottinghamshire, Kent and Worcestershire each have four victories so far. However, none of them won this week. Indeed, the latter county contrived to lose at home to Glamorgan inside three days. Not wishing to downplay the significance of stand-in skipper Michael Hogan’s 5-38, the crucial passage of play was probably the Glammies’ recovery from 57-6 to 381 all out. It included a century stand for the ninth wicket between Andrew Salter and Lukas Carey.

At Bristol, Samit Patel struck a career-best 257 not out to put Nottinghamshire in the driving seat. However, Gloucestershire batted out the entire final day to salvage a draw. Northamptonshire also registered a fourth Championship success, this time against Derbyshire. It wasn’t all plain sailing, though. Rob Newton was back in form but after he was out for 108 in the second innings, his team collapsed farcically, the remaining eight wickets vanishing for just 52 runs. However, they had sufficient runs in the locker and Derbyshire aren’t exactly prolific scorers. Seamer Ben Sanderson did the rest. There was, however, personal success for the losers’ teenage seamer Conor McKerr. In only his second first-class fixture, the South African claimed a satisfactory ten-for!

At Grace Road, Jofra Archer chalked up another eleven scalps with his fast-medium pace as Leicestershire came a cropper against Sussex. Meanwhile, at Canterbury, Durham came within a whisker of celebrating a first win of the season. On the last afternoon, after skipper Sam Northeast was the eighth man out for 72, Kent’s last three men, Claydon, Coles and Yasir Shah managed to survive the last eighteen overs. Tough on Paul Collingwood who contributed another 171 runs to the north-easterners’ cause.

This week, its back to the Royal London Cup, starting with the two quarter-finals. I wonder whether Somerset’s ongoing woes will impact upon their chances of advancing to the semis. Notts are in form so I fancy they will progress. Yorkshire v Surrey is harder to call but, if pushed, I’d plump for the Londoners to advance to Friday’s decider.

Team of the Week: Stoneman (Sur), Newton (Nor), Northeast (Ken), Patel (Not), Collingwood (Dur), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Davies (Lan +), Archer (Sus), McKerr (Der), Sidebottom (Yor), Sanderson (Nor)

Somerset Make it a Three-Way Title Finale

At the start of the week, the County Championship looked like a two-horse race. A few days later, two became three. I would have put money on Yorkshire seaming their way to victory against Somerset at Headingley. However, it all went pear-shaped on the first day as the hosts were bowled out for 145. Despite Ryan Sidebottom’s 5-51, Somerset opened up a considerable first innings lead. The champions fared a bit better on day three but, with Root and Bairstow banned from participating, there was too little support for centurion Jake Lehmann. This time it was slow left-armer Jack Leach who did most of the damage, completing his fourth five-for in five matches. Incredibly Somerset are just one point behind Yorkshire with the final round of games to come.

Gareth Batty may have been called up for England but Leach is by far the most successful leftie in the Championship this summer. At Chester-le-Street neither Batty nor fellow potential Bangladesh tourist Ansari took any wickets as Durham sneaked a 21-run win over Surrey. Sam Curran did his best on the final few days, taking 7-58 then compiling an unbeaten 50 before Stoke and Onions applied the coup-de-gras.

Jason Roy aggregated more than 200 runs in the match but Durham’s Keaton Jennings stole the show with another double-century. He is by some margin the highest scorer in Division One and can add to his tally next week.

With Yorkshire stumbling, Middlesex must have seen the finishing line looming large at Old Trafford, but Lancashire showed some admirable fight. At 248-2 on day one, all was going the leaders’ way, then Jarvis and Kerrigan instigated a collapse. Haseeb Hameed is the talk of the town at the moment but he was dismissed for a duck, while his senior opening partner, 20 year-old Rob Jones carried his bat for 109. Unfortunately, too many hours’ play were lost to produce an exciting climax and a draw ensued.

The bonus points ensured that Middlesex remain on top by nine points. But we’re in for the best finish to the Championship in years. If Somerset beat relegated Nottinghamshire and the Yorkshire-Middlesex clash is drawn, there is a distinct possibility of Somerset’s late charge yielding that elusive first title. Too many ifs and buts, of course, but it keeps things interesting to the last.

In Division Two, Essex were surprisingly humbled at home by struggling Glamorgan. However, the six bonus points collected were sufficient to confirm them as champions. Chris Silverwood seems to have succeeded where others have failed in recent seasons. They have some decent young batsmen but in this game relied too much on captain Ryan Ten Doeschate, James Foster and Graham Napier. Special mention should go to the Welsh side’s Kiran Carlson. Following his embarrassing ‘pair’ last week, the Cardiff 18 year-old struck 119 to become Glamorgan’s youngest ever centurion. It was a very close conclusion but van Gugten and Hogan got the better of the Essex tail and Glamorgan won by eleven runs.

The margin of Worcestershire’s triumph over Sussex was identical at Hove. Nobody made three figures but two bowlers claimed ten wickets or more. Steve Magoffin’s 5-38 and 5-32 deserved to win the game, but Worcester’s new arrival from Barbados, Miguel Cummins snared 12 for 166, claiming the last four to fall.

Northamptonshire have enjoyed an impressive September but their victory over Gloucestershire came to late to challenge for promotion. Ben Duckett signed off with 78 and thoroughly deserves his chance with England. He’s been magnificent in 2016. However, it was Rob Newton and Alex Wakely who produced first innings hundreds which laid the foundation for their final success of the summer. Nevertheless, it took another impressive bowling performance from Ben Sanderson to deny Gloucester an improbable run chase. He took 8-73, taking his season’s first-class tally to 55 at an excellent average of 21.

The Derbyshire-Leicestershire fixture ended in a draw but, while Mark Cosgrove was at the crease, the visitors were in with a chance of knocking off the 347 required. However, when he fell victim to Callum Parkinson for 110, he brakes were applied and it took dogged defence by Jones and Sayer to avoid defeat and hand Derbyshire their first Championship success of the season. Now they must travel to Worcester in hope of ending their 2016 drought. Meanwhile Kent entertain Essex at Canterbury and should have enough points in the bank to join their Thames-side neighbours in the top tier next year.

Team of the Week: Jones (Lan), Jennings (Dur), Cosgrove (Lei), Roy (Sur), Madsen (Der), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Hosein (Der +), Kerrigan (Lan), Cummins (Wor), Magoffin (Sus), Sanderson (Nor)

Yorkshire Still on for the Treble

It’s amazing what a couple of wins can do. Suddenly, from the fringes of relegation, Somerset find themselves in second place in the County Championship having won a low-scoring fixture against Durham. I don’t know whether it was a deliberate ploy to negate the power of Durham’s seamers but Taunton’s traditional batter’s paradise was transformed into an extraordinary spin-friendly surface, and Jack Leach and Rolaf van der Merwe duly took advantage, nabbing fifteen wickets between them.

Runs were also hard to come by at Headingley, and again it was a spinner who outshone the rest. Yorkshire beat Warwickshire by only 39 runs, with Adil Rashid taking 7-61 in total, ably assisted by Jack Brooks and the evergreen Ryan Sidebottom. The 38 year-old returned after his dressing-room football injury (yes, really!) to take his 400th first-class wicket for his county.

The White Roses now sit fourteen points behind Middlesex with a game in hand. The London derby ended as a draw, with Jason Roy and George Bailey swapping centuries, and ‘keeper Ben Foakes contributing a couple of unbeaten 60s. However, the biggest individual score of the week by a mile was Will Smith’s 210 for Hampshire against Lancashire. They forced a follow-on but a draw was almost inevitable.

In Division Two, Kent moved within a point of leaders Essex after beating Worcestershire by ten wickets. It was a real team effort but credit to Sam Billings for taking seven catches in the first innings. Glamorgan remain bottom after being humbled by Northamptonshire. Nicholas Selman carried his bat for 122 in the first innings but he was one of many second innings flops as Ben Sanderson claimed a career-best 7-20.

Promoted to five, Ryan Ten Doeschate scored 83 and 109 for Essex in their draw with Sussex at Colchester. There were a couple of late-order centuries, too, thanks to Chris Jordan and Graham Napier, both of whom did well with the ball, too. Leicestershire also failed to overcome Derbyshire, but it was Ned Eckersley, batting at seven, who made three figures in each innings.

The week also featured the T20 Blast quarter-finals. Yorkshire remain in the hunt for the Treble after bowling Glamorgan out for 90, Rashid’s 4-26 he pick of the figures. David Willey’s 38-ball 79 almost won the match on its own. Northants also progressed against Middlesex, Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel took 4-20 to beat Essex while Mark Stoneman top-scored for Durham in their defeat of Gloucestershire.

Meanwhile, the Women’s T20 franchise competition hotted up. Nat Sciver and new England captain Heather Knight were in fine form, but Katherine Brunt’s hat-trick for the Yorkshire Diamonds against Lancashire was perhaps even more notable. She ended up with 3-6 in three overs.

Next week sees quarter-finals in the Royal London Cup as well as another round of Championship fixtures. The highlights could be the Roses match at Old Trafford, but the Middlesex-Durham clash at Lord’s could go a long way to decide the title. With so few games being won, anyone putting together two further victories could snatch the pennant. Maybe even Somerset!

Team of the Week: Smith (Ham), Selman (Gla), Sciver (Sur Stars), Bailey (Mid), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Billings (Ken +), Eckersley (Lei), Adil Rashid (Yor), Jordan (Sus), Leach (Som), Sanderson (Nor)

Dutch defend 100% record against England

While most eyes will presumably be focussing on the teams still competing for the trophy, I'll be interested in how a dispirited England will fare against near-neighbours the Netherlands in their dead rubber. The Dutch may never play Test matches but they have had a few memorable moments in limited-overs cricket, including a couple against England.

In the 50-over format, England enjoy a 3-0 record. Their first meeting took place at Peshawar in the 1996 World Cup. On that occasion, Mike Atherton's side suffered early jitters before Graeme Hick (104 not out) and Graeme Thorpe (89) powered England to 279-4. The opposition - featuring county players Roly Lefebvre, Bas Zuiderent and Pul-Jon Bakker - managed a respectable 230-6 in reply. They went on to lose all their group matches, including a hammering by the UAE, while England were knocked out in the quarters by eventual champions Sri Lanka.

Seven years later, in South Africa, England triumphed easily. A 20 year-old Jimmy Anderson took 4-25, then half-centuries by Nick Knight and Michael Vaughan steered the favourites to a six-wicket victory. Andrew Flintoff suffered the embarrassment of falling second ball to van Bunge for nought, but by then the game was practically over.

The most memorable ODI encounter between the nations came at Nagpur three years ago. Zuiderent was still there for the Dutch, fifteen years after the first, but it was Ryan Ten Doeschate who really shook England to the core. His 110-ball innings of 119 scared the hell out of Andrew Strauss' team and Anderson and Broad conceded 137 runs between them. All six England batsmen made decent contributions but it was Kevin Pietersen. of all people, whose slow scoring threatened to cost England the match. In the end, Ravi Bopara and Paul Collingwood had to thrash some boundaries to close the run chase with only eight balls to spare. Ireland went even further a few weeks later by actually beating England, but it was the latter who qualified for the knockout stage. Just as in 1996, Sri Lanka proved far too good on the day. The Dutch? That gallant effort against England was balanced by some humbling defeats at the hands of South Africa and the West Indies and once more they finished winless.

But let's get back to Twenty20 cricket. Here, the Netherlands have a 100% record against England! OK, it's based on just one fixture but it's a statistic the Dutch will be keen to maintain tomorrow. They have deserved their spot in the global limelight, achieved partly as a result of that tremendous onslaught on the Irish bowlers a few weeks ago. Of course, 20-over cricket is much more likely to yield a surprise; one six blitz and a few tight overs can decide a game. Alternatively, two sides can struggle to impose themselves and it goes down to nerve and luck in the final over. It was the latter situation on 5th June 2009 when T20 World Cup hosts England opened the tournament at Lord's expecting an easy ride against the Netherlands.

Jeroen Smits won the toss and put England in to bat. It all looked straightforward as Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright shared a first-wicket century partnership against an attack featuring Aussie-born debutant Dirk Nannes. Already in his 30s, Nannes was just starting his international career which was soon jettisoned in favour of one of the most successful T20 specialist spells of any fast bowler. However, he managed no wickets and leaked 30 runs in his four overs.

England racked up 162-5, awkward but by no means impossible to overcome. Alex Kervezee skied a catch to Broad in the first over but, slowly but surely, the Dutch advanced. Wickets fell at intervals, three to Anderson, and Ryan Sidebottom was just as economical. Nevertheless, when Tim de Grooth was dismissed for 49 in 30 balls, his side needed just 47 in seven overs. That brought in Ten Doeschate and he and Peter Borren kept the scoreboard ticking over for more overs. However, the Netherlands still needed seven from the last six balls. By then Tendo had been joined by bowler Edgar Schiferli. Stuart Broad was the bowler and, while he succeded in preventing any match-winning boundaries, he contrived to mess up a run-out chance and drop a difficult caugt-and-bowled. Schiferli faced the last delivery needing two to win. He got bat to ball and ran. Broad picked up in his follow-through and shied at the stumps and missed. The ball whizzed past 'keeper James Foster and the batsmen ran an overthrow to win in the most dramatic of fashions.

England certainly won't want a repeat, but if the future does prove to be orange, Ashley Giles, Broad and co will have faces of scarlet. The turbulent trials in Australia were bad enough but humiliation in Bangladesh will cap a forgettable winter for England.

Batty Batty gets what he deserved

Some fascinating Friends Life T20 Cup quarter-finals were somewhat overshadowed by the appalling behaviour of Surrey captain Gareth Batty. In the first match against Somerset, the veteran spinner bowled Peter Trego then, as the batsman headed back to the boundary, Batty clearly barged Trego and you didn't need lip-reading lessons to see that his accompanying comments were not of the 'bad luck, old chap' variety.

Surrey skippers haven't exactly covered themselves with glory in the past couple of years but it was at least refreshingly decisive of the ECB to punish Batty within a week and ban him from Finals Day. His county will naturally contest the punishment but he really has no defence against the allegations and no amount of silicon on his reputation should cause a reversal of the original decision on referral. That Surrey outplayed Somerset to qualify will be forgotten. Hey, if Surrey take their complaint all the way and lose, could they be thrown out of the competition to be replaced by Somerset? We might actually won this time!

The competition's top scorers Craig Kieswetter and Michael Carberry were again in the runs, with the latter's century proving just enough to advance champions Hampshire into the semis where the cricketing world ought to cheer them against Surrey. The opener's 66-ball 100 not out took Hants above the 200 mark and Lancashire fell just one run short.

The other two semi-final places are filled by other second division sides. Cameron White's rapid half-century and Lee Daggett's miserly bowling helped Northamptonshire to a comfortable victory over Durham. Wantage Road rarely enjoys a large crowd so it was encouraging that one of the unfancied Midlands counties progressing to the big stage.

Nottinghamshire had looked ominously good in the group stages, their side awash with T20 specialist batsmen and some useful bowlers. Nevertheless, Ryan Ten Doeschate's 82 off 44 balls spoiled the recent good figures of Patel and White before the home team collapsed in reply. David Hussey did his best but a four-wicket over from Shaun Tait wiped out his support and their chances of taking the trophy. Essex needed that fillip, too. Could be an interesting finale at Edgbaston.

Dutch too Much for the Counties

The Netherlands are hardly new to cricket. Their first national association was formed in 1886, predating even the West Indies. They've enjoyed ICC Associate membership since 1966, been amongst the 'best of the rest' in recent one-day and T20 tournaments and regulars in the English domestic limited-over competitions for two decades.

On the major international stage it's not surprising they have made little impact but their one success against a Test playing nation came in the World T20s in 2009, when they beat England at Lord's off the last ball. Of course they came close to pulling off an even greater upset in the 50-over World Cup two years later thanks to a wonderful century by Ryan Ten Doeschate, easily the best batsman to have represented the Netherlands. He has the most runs, wickets and probably the biggest bank balance of any man still representing the country.

Other Dutch passport holders include Dirk Nannes. Although born in Australia, Nannes did play for the land of his forefathers in that groundbreaking victory over England. However, Australia snapped him up soon afterwards and he continued to make his mark as a superb T20 fast bowler, a reputation which has made him a top-earner in the IPL and other franchise tournaments but a has-been at international level.

Paul-Jon Bakker became the first Dutch-born player to represent an English county back in the 1980s, and I remember seeing Roland Lefebvre and Adrian Van Troost playing for Somerset in the early '90s. Lefebvre could be a mean bowler in one-dayers, while Van Troost was just mean. A 6 ft 7 giant, he could extract awkward bounce, but he wasn't the tightest of bowlers. However, he conjures up find memories from the Somerset faithful. As well as Tendo and Nannes, Alexei Kervezee and Bas Zuiderent were also in the England-beating T20 side. The former was actually born in what is now Namibia and remains a useful Worcestershire batsman. Zuiderent scored a few centuries for Sussex a decade ago.

None of the aforementioned cricketers have been playing for the Netherlands in the 2012 Pro40 tournament, so it is some surprise that they lead Group A with four wins out of five. Perhaps it should not be a shock given the ICC Associate experience of the likes of Tom Cooper (born in Oz), skipper Peter Borren (New Zealand), Mudassar Bukhari (Pakistan) and Pietar Seelar (home-grown!), the national side should give counties a good game.

So far this summer they have beaten Gloucestershire ,Worcestershire, Lancashire and Essex, losing only to Middlesex. SA-born Stephan Myburgh is currently the competition's highest run scorer, with 255 and three half-centuries so far. Whether they maintain early season form and reach the knockout stage is doubtful. However, I welcome their inclusion in the premier domestic one-day tournament. They do more than make up the numbers, which possibly does apply to Scotland and the Unicorns, and it gives their players a chance to compete regularly against top players in between ICC tournaments. Apart from Cooper's stints for South Australia, they don't have other professional contracts, so this kind of experience is very important. Ireland and Afghanistan may have pipped them to the forthcoming World T20 Cup but I hope to see a Dutch team featuring Tendo and Kervezee on the biggest stage in the future.