Netherlands beat Scotland to reach Cricket World Cup on net run rate

Bas de Leede was the hero for Netherlands, taking the game away from Scotland with powerful hittingImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Bas de Leede was the hero for Netherlands, taking the game away from Scotland with powerful hitting

ICC World Cup Qualifier - Super Six, Bulawayo

Scotland 277-9 (50 overs): McMullen 106, Berrington 64, Mackintosh 38*; De Leede 5-52

Netherlands 278-6 (42.5 overs): De Leede 123, Singh 40; Leask 2-42

Netherlands win by four wickets

Scotland missed out on a World Cup place on net run rate after losing to a Bas de Leede-inspired Netherlands.

Brandon McMullen hit 106 as Scotland posted 277-9, with De Leede taking five wickets.

The Dutch had to surpass that total in 44 overs to leapfrog Scotland and did so with seven balls to spare, De Leede smashing his way to 123 in Bulawayo.

De Leede is just the fourth player to score a century and grab five wickets in the same men's ODI.

Unbeaten Sri Lanka topped the standings in the 10-nation qualifier event in Zimbabwe.

Scotland and the Dutch both lost twice in seven outings, but it is the latter who took the last remaining spot for the tournament in India later this year, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2011.

Scotland 'hurting' after going so close

Interviewed immediately after the match, Scotland captain Richie Berrington said coming up short in the final game was "really tough to take".

The skipper, who reached 64 and shared a 137-run partnership with McMullen, added: "The guys will certainly be hurting right now.

"I'm extremely proud of the guys for the fight we showed throughout this tournament. Unfortunately, today wasn't quite enough and we also have to give credit to their guys, the way they played.

"I think we probably, just maybe, weren't as disciplined as we have been."

Scotland, who enjoyed wins over Test sides Zimbabwe, West Indies and Ireland at the qualifier, lost Matthew Cross in the first over after being put into bat.

But the impressive McMullen, along with Christopher McBride (32) and Berrington, pushed the score beyond 200 before he was caught behind in the 38th over.

There were no late fireworks in the innings though as wickets tumbled regularly in the final 10 overs.

Netherlands 'go to T20 mode'

Dutch openers Vikramjit Singh (40) and Max O'Dowd (20) put on 65 before Michael Leask made the breakthrough, trapping both lbw.

Momentum swung towards Scotland at 108-4 in the 24th over, but De Leede had other ideas as he hit the accelerator and cracked seven fours and five sixes to post his 123 in 92 balls.

The Netherlands hero had support from skipper Scott Edwards (25) and Saqib Zulfiqar (33*) and could afford a smile when run out with his team just two shy of the score they needed.

In a brief pitchside interview, player of the match De Leede: said: "Maxy and Vikram set the platform for the rest of us to finish it. The rate was 10 to 11 runs per over, so we had to go to the T20 mode, try to get as many runs as we could and see where it would take us.

"It's amazing, I can't describe the feeling, it's going to be one big party tonight."

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