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Blair Tickner's four-wicket haul sets up New Zealand's nervy 16-run win over Netherlands

image-l6ffau54Tickner was the hero of the night for New Zealand


Riding on a fantastic spell from Blair Tickner and Ben Sears, New Zealand steamrolled Netherlands by 16 runs in the first T20I of the two-match series on Thursday at The Hague. 

The fast bowling duo of Blair Tickner and Ben Sears ran riot with the ball and produced a destructive bowling display as the Scott Edwards-led side skittled out for 132 with three balls to spare. 


Bas de Leede's spirited half-century knock went in vain

image-l6ffcb7lBas De Leede gave his all scoring 66 runs for his side

Chasing a 149-run target, Netherlands lost their openers Stephan Myburgh (5) and Max O'Dowd (2) courtesy Tickner with just 13 runs on the scoreboard. 

The right-hander batter Bas de Leede then showed nerves of steel and played a sensible knock of 66 runs to stabilize the innings after early hiccups and keep his team alive in the chase. 

The 22-year-old stood firm at one end and played almost the whole innings with very slight help from the other end. The inability of the Dutch batters to score runs with the blade could be comprehended by the fact that none of them, except skipper Scott Edwards, could manage to breach the 11-run mark. 

De Leede kept stealing boundaries at regular intervals from one end to keep a check on the scoreboard. Edwards also played a quick knock of 16-ball 20 but he, too, couldn't hang around long on the crease. 

On bowling terms, apart from Blair Tickner and Ben Sears, the spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi grabbed a wicket each. 


Netherlands' disciplined bowling brought Kiwis to knees

image-l6ffelwaThe Dutch bowlers seemed in control throughout the innings

Earlier, a disciplined bowling performance from the Netherlands restricted the Black Caps, who came into this game after racking back-to-back 200s – at a moderate 148/7 at the end of the first inning. 

Martin Guptill was head and shoulders above the rest when it came to batting. His 36-ball 45 was the only silver lining in an otherwise listless batting line-up of New Zealand. 

While Fin Allen (8) and Dane Cleaver (2) couldn't even manage to touch the two-digit figures, Daryl Mitchell (14-ball 15) and Glenn Phillips (14-ball 14) scored run-a-ball to keep the scoreboard ticking.  

However, a couple of breezy cameos from James Neesham and Ish Sodhi at the back end helped the visitors reach a decent total of 148. 

While Neesham pushed the accelerator button and played a sensational and quick knock of 17-ball 32, Ish Sodhi tonked a few towards the end to score 19 off 10 deliveries. 

The right-arm quick Logan van Beek and left-arm orthodox spinner Shariz Ahmed, who bagged two wickets apiece, were the pick of the bowlers for the Dutch side. 

The duo was well aided by Clayton Floyd, Tim Pringle and Ryan Klein with a wicket to contribute for each.  


Brief Score 

New Zealand: 148/7 (20 Overs) 

Martin Guptill 45 (36), James Neesham 32 (17)
Logan van Beek 2-35 (4), Shariz Ahmed 2-15 (3) 

Netherlands: 132/10 (19.3 Overs) 

Bas de Leede 66 (53), Scott Edwards 20 (16)
Blair Tickner 4-27 (3.3), Ben Sears 3-22 (4) 

New Zealand won by 16 runs


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