Netherlands have confirmed a 15-player party for their maiden appearance at a Women’s T20 World Cup, sticking with the group that came through February’s qualifying event and the forthcoming tri-series in Scotland. The only tweaks are the returns of wicketkeeper-batter Rosalie Lawrence and seam-bowling all-rounder Lara Leemhuis, both unused during the qualifier but now judged ready for the main stage.
Head coach Neil MacRae set out the thinking in straightforward terms. “The Netherlands have selected a World Cup Squad which blends youth and experience in a squad which has performed consistently well during ICC World Cup Qualifying Tournaments and the ICC Emerging Nations Tournament in the past 12 months,” he said, adding that captain Babette de Leede will steer the side through “an exciting group and the opportunity to compete with the top ICC nations.”
De Leede, 23 and already a central figure with bat and gloves, did not hide her excitement. “We are super excited for our first ever appearance in the ICC T20 World Cup. It will be a great opportunity to compete with the best teams in the world, and to show the talent that we have in the Netherlands on the big stage. We hope to make the Dutch cricket community proud, and to inspire young girls in the Netherlands.”
The Dutch, an Associate member since 1966, earned their place by finishing in the top four of the global qualifier alongside Bangladesh, Ireland and Scotland. That same trio will provide the warm-up opposition in a tri-series at Dumfries from 28 May to 4 June – handy match practice given that Bangladesh and Scotland share World Cup Group 1 with the Netherlands, India, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. The Dutch open against Bangladesh at Edgbaston on 14 June, two days after the tournament begins.
Sterre Kalis gives the line-up extra know-how. Fresh from three fifties in four One-Day Cup innings for Yorkshire, the 24-year-old believes the breakthrough can energise the sport at home. “It’s massive for us,” she told the Powerplay podcast. “Our first ever T20 World Cup, for an Associate Nation like the Netherlands where cricket is probably not the biggest sport in our country, it’s huge and makes it even more special… I hope that inspires a lot of girls and maybe even boys watching us as well and hopefully that grows the sport in the Netherlands.”
Analysis
Experience and promise mingle across the squad. De Leede, Kalis and the Siegers sisters supply runs and calm heads, while Leemhuis, Frederique Overdijk and Iris Zwilling form a seam trio capable of exploiting early-season English pitches. Spin falls mainly to leg-spinner Caroline de Lange, whose economy has tightened over the past year.
The question is depth. Several players double up as bowlers and fielders, but against the full-member heavyweights the Dutch batting will need at least one substantial partnership every outing. The tri-series should answer whether the order can regularly clear 140 – a par score in current women’s T20 internationals – and whether the seamers can hold their nerve at the death.
Even so, simply crossing the white line at Edgbaston will mark another milestone for Dutch cricket. Success, for now, may be measured less by wins than by competitive displays, a few headline performances and the number of young players tuning in back home.
Squad: Babette de Leede (capt), Caroline de Lange, Frederique Overdijk, Hannah Landheer, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, Isabel van der Woning, Lara Leemhuis, Myrthe van den Raad, Phebe Molkenboer, Robine Rijke, Rosalie Lawrence (wk), Sanya Khurana, Silver Siegers, Sterre Kalis
