Holland see off Kent in Rotterdam

Cricket365
July 18, 2011

Holland claimed their third win of the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign against Kent on Sunday thanks to a thrilling innings from captain Peter Borren.

Borren, who came in at seven with his side in a spot of bother at 111 for five, cleared the ropes six times as he smashed a 33-ball 71 to push the Dutch to a respectable 206 for eight in a game reduced to 37 overs due to inclement weather in Rotterdam .

Opener Eric Szwarczynski (43) and Tom Cooper (38) shared a 75-run second wicket partnership after David Balcome dismissed Michael Swart for a second-ball duck. The departure of Szwarczynski triggered a mini-collapse as the Dutch lost their next five wickets for 42 runs.

Skipper Borren took it upon himself to get his side out of trouble and he first found a willing partner Mudassar Bukhari (14) and then last man Tom Heggelman stayed long enough at the crease to watch his skipper take them past 200.

Part-time spinner Joe Denly pick up three for 42 and Darren Stevens claimed two for 51 for Kent.

The visitors appeared to be cruising to victory after Denly (46), Sam Northeast (21) and Martin van Jaarsveld (61) helped them to 143 for three, but the momentum quickly swung the other way when captain van Jaarsveld was bowled by Bukhari.

They lost their last seven wickets for just 22 runs to go down by 40 runs after a Duckworth-Lewis revision. Debutants Sam Billings and Chris Piesley went for nine and four respectively while the likes Balcombe and James Tredwell didn't fare much better.

Holland's opening bowling pair of Bukhari and Shane Mott shared five wickets with the latter claiming the best figures of three for 27.

The win takes Holland to seven points from seven games but they remain in fourth place in Group A while Kent are second from bottom on four points.