No jacket required
A Dutch supporter and former player loses his orange coat, but his team makes up for it with their biggest win ever
Ben Goedegebuur
06-Jun-2009
Going Dutch: the fans celebrate the win • Ben Goedegebuur
Why I picked this match
It's the first World Twenty20 game. It's Holland v England. It's played at Lord's. It's on a Friday evening. It's David v Goliath. It's a dream fixture. And it's a pretty good excuse to visit London with my Dutch friends.
It's the first World Twenty20 game. It's Holland v England. It's played at Lord's. It's on a Friday evening. It's David v Goliath. It's a dream fixture. And it's a pretty good excuse to visit London with my Dutch friends.
If there's any format in which the Dutch can cause an upset, it's Twenty20. Like the advertising campaign says: "Twenty20. It's anybody's game". I really like to believe that! And I'm in advertising! And guess what? WE'VE JUST WITNESSED THE BIGGEST DAY IN DUTCH CRICKET!
Key performer
I think the Dutch batsmen were really positive from the word go, and in particular Tom de Grooth wasn't shy of playing his shots on such a big occasion.
I think the Dutch batsmen were really positive from the word go, and in particular Tom de Grooth wasn't shy of playing his shots on such a big occasion.
One thing you'd have changed about the match
Well, I wouldn't want to change anything except for the drizzling weather. Maybe I would like to have given Darron Reekers a second life. He was looking very good from the start.
Well, I wouldn't want to change anything except for the drizzling weather. Maybe I would like to have given Darron Reekers a second life. He was looking very good from the start.
Face-off you relished
It was nice to see Dirk Nannes bowl for the Dutch team. He definitely brings some fire into the attack. And some off the English batsmen took a couple of blows.
It was nice to see Dirk Nannes bowl for the Dutch team. He definitely brings some fire into the attack. And some off the English batsmen took a couple of blows.
Wow moment
The way Peter Borren got off the mark, with a clean-sweep boundary through midwicket off Adil Rashid, was typical of the positive way the Dutch team played the game.
The way Peter Borren got off the mark, with a clean-sweep boundary through midwicket off Adil Rashid, was typical of the positive way the Dutch team played the game.
And of course, that final over was nail-biting stuff. And after Edgar Schiferli hit the winning runs, the biggest wow moment of all: Holland writing cricket history at Lord's.
Player watch
Every ball that was fielded by the Dutch was encouraged loudly by the Orange Supporters from the Mound Stand. The Dutch crowd was on Daan van Bunge's case a bit when he misfielded one, but he took it pretty well.
Every ball that was fielded by the Dutch was encouraged loudly by the Orange Supporters from the Mound Stand. The Dutch crowd was on Daan van Bunge's case a bit when he misfielded one, but he took it pretty well.
Shot of the day
de Grooth charging in on Stuart Broad and hitting him into the Members stand.
de Grooth charging in on Stuart Broad and hitting him into the Members stand.
Crowd meter
I thought the stands were pretty empty, but the Orange Army made up for that. It's pretty funny to sing chants you normally would only hear during an international football match. The Mound Stand was buzzing with Dutch support, and after the game the Dutch players came up to us to celebrate the win.
I thought the stands were pretty empty, but the Orange Army made up for that. It's pretty funny to sing chants you normally would only hear during an international football match. The Mound Stand was buzzing with Dutch support, and after the game the Dutch players came up to us to celebrate the win.
Fancy dress index
Well, I was attending the game with 14 friends and we were supposed to wear orange umpire jackets. But the bag with the outfits never made it to England and was reported missing at Heathrow airport. Well, you win some, you lose some, I guess. So I have to give credit to one gentleman I saw dressed in an orange suit. Real class.
Well, I was attending the game with 14 friends and we were supposed to wear orange umpire jackets. But the bag with the outfits never made it to England and was reported missing at Heathrow airport. Well, you win some, you lose some, I guess. So I have to give credit to one gentleman I saw dressed in an orange suit. Real class.
Entertainment
Word on the street was that the Rolling Stones were going to perform during the opening ceremony. I didn't see Mick Jagger or any other form of entertainment. But that was soon to be forgotten thanks to a fantastic display off Twenty20 cricket.
Word on the street was that the Rolling Stones were going to perform during the opening ceremony. I didn't see Mick Jagger or any other form of entertainment. But that was soon to be forgotten thanks to a fantastic display off Twenty20 cricket.
Banner of the day
"HOEKSEOUWE!" (which roughly translates to 'Hook 'em boy')
"HOEKSEOUWE!" (which roughly translates to 'Hook 'em boy')
Marks out of 10
10+
10+
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