Netherlands dictating terms against Bermuda after Panchal's maiden five-wicket haul

Wrist spinner Mangesh Panchal secured his first five-wicket haul and openers Alexei Kervezee and Tom de Grooth featured in an unbroken century partnership as the Netherlands dictated terms against Bermuda on the opening day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen on Monday.

Panchal, who produced heroics against Canada in June when he earned the Netherlands victory from the jaws of defeat, returned figures of 11-2-34-5 as Bermuda, put into bat, was bowled out for 183.

Panchal, playing his third first-class match, was well supported by the pace duo of Mudassar Bukhari and Edgar Schiferli who took two wickets each, conceding 29 and 33 runs respectively, as Bermuda's innings folded in 59 overs.

The only bright spot for the visiting side was the battling unbeaten 103 from captain Irving Romaine, but it was about the only positive he and his side could take from a chastening day.

Bermuda's struggles with the bat were put into context when the Netherlands' openers took their places in the middle as Kervezee and de Grooth made hay.

The duo took their side to 152-0 at the close of play with Kervezee, contracted to English county Worcestershire, undefeated on 69 and de Grooth, who missed a maiden century by two runs against Scotland earlier this month, on 79.

Kervezee's 124-ball knock included eight fours and two sixes while de Grooth clubbed seven fours and a six in his 98-ball innings.

Earlier in the day, the Netherlands did everything right as Jeroen Smits won the toss, opted to bowl first, and Bukhari and Schiferli justified that decision by reducing Bermuda to 32-3 before Panchal got into action and produced a spell that showed good control and variations.

Just about the only player to cope with the Netherlands' varied attack was Romaine whose magnificent innings lifted Bermuda from 135-9 to 183.

Romaine's innings was a mixture of caution and aggression. While his first 59 runs came off 96 balls with nine fours, he scored his last 44 runs from only 26 deliveries with five fours and two sixes as he dominated the 48-run last wicket partnership with Ryan Steede that consumed just 36 balls.

For the 35-year-old, it was a second career century in his eighth first-class match.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now ICC's premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members' cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams which do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006/07 event.