Dutch double

Holland 314 for 4 (van Noortwijk 134*, Kloppenburg 121) beat Namibia 250 (Raja 4-42, Kloppenburg 4-42) by 64 runs
Scorecard

Feiko Kloppenburg and Klaas van Noortwijk put the Orange back into Free State with a superb second-wicket partnership of 228, as Holland overpowered Namibia by 64 runs in the minnow-World Cup final at Bloemfontein. Set 315 to win, Namibia gave it their all and were not out of the hunt until Kloppenburg - with the ball this time - and Adeel Raja turned the screw in the final 20 overs. Both men picked up four wickets, as Namibia's last seven wickets tumbled for 41 runs.

It was a magnificent allround performance from Kloppenburg, as Holland sealed their first ever victory in a one-day international. Secure and well-paced, he dispatched Namibia's Burger-van attack like a batch of dodgy kebab-meat before a health and safety inspection. On 65, and en route to Holland's maiden century in senior international cricket, Kloppenburg beat van Noortwijk's own Dutch batting record, as set against England at Peshawar in the 1996 World Cup. But by the close, van Noortwijk had opened his shoulders and reclaimed the record for himself - and more than doubled it in the process.

Kloppenburg's was an innings of two distinct moods - although he developed a fine line in leg-side sixes, he was content to drop anchor while van Noortwijk scampered and slashed, largely through the covers and backward-point region. At first they ticked along at no more than four runs per over, as Namibia's bowlers betrayed their nerves by sending down a spate of wides and no-balls, but they eased through the gears as the partnership progressed.

Both men stuttered, however, as their centuries approached, and on a better day, Namibia's fielders might have had both run out for 99 as they each dropped the ball into the off-side and careered off for suicidal singles. The very ball after van Noortwijk's hundred, however, Kloppenburg was finally caught behind for 121 (253 for 2), aiming a tired swing at a Gerrie Snyman slower ball.

The last time these two teams met, in the ICC Trophy final at Toronto, Holland snuck to a thrilling two-wicket victory off the last ball, and Namibia had been gunning for revenge, on the biggest stage of all. They launched their reply with a beefy brace of 41s from Jan-Berrie Burger and Morne Karg, and Danie Keulder and Gavin Murgatroyd added an even-time 92 for the third wicket to keep them in the hunt.

But Kloppenburg returned to bowl Keulder for 52 (179 for 3), and when Murgatroyd fell 30 runs later, the writing was on the wall. Namibia had no option but to look for the big hits, and Raja spun through the lower order. The only interruption to Holland's victory march was a five-minute delay when the sprinklers decided to turn themselves on.

Holland had been dealt a blow shortly before the start with the withdrawal of their captain Roland Lefebvre. He picked up a hamstring injury against Zimbabwe last week, and was unable to recover in time for what was meant to be his international swansong. "It's disappointing not to retire on the field but I'm not fit enough to play," said Lefebvre, 40, who played more than 160 games for Holland in a 20-year career. "It's about time I said my goodbyes and left it up to the youngsters."