Netherlands 157-6 (20 overs): 

Sterre Kalis 87* (60), Heather Siegers 18 (12); Rachel Slater 3-24

Scotland 150-5 (20 overs): 

Kathryn Bryce 42 (40), Katherine Fraser 41 (29); Caroline de Lange 2-27

Netherlands win by 7 runs

The Netherlands won the toss and opted to bat first, Phebe Molkenboer was absent due to illness so it was Iris Zwilling who returned to open the batting for the Dutch. Heather Siegers got off to an attacking start scoring fifteen in the second over of the innings, with one six two fours and a single off a dropped catch.

Rachel Slater drew first blood, trapping Zwilling 5 (9) into attempting a big shot which failed to clear the inner circle and was caught by Megan McColl. Heather who looked unstoppable fell a few balls later, Kathryn Bryce will have to thank her sister as the wicket was owed to the excellence of Sarah Bryce who caught Heather 18 (12) outside the crease and whipped the bails off showing her prowess behind the stumps.

Skipper Babette de Leede, managed to stick around the crease and kept the scoreboard ticking with 18 (21) putting up a 49 run partnership with Sterre Kalis before finding Darcey Carter in the field and cutting her stay short, Robin Rijke attempted a reverse sweep and threw away her wicket without scoring a single run mounting the pressure to Scotland.

Rachel Slater was the pick of the bowlers with 3-24, as she struck twice in the 18th over dismissing Frederique Overdijk and Sanya Khurana for a duck in the span of three balls.

The innings belonged to Kalis, who played one of the best knocks her career at such a crucial stage, scoring 87* from 60 balls which amounted for over half the runs for the entire team, despite losing partners at the other end, she sent the ball all over the park with 62 runs coming just from her 14 fours and one six. An absolute masterclass with a range of exquisite shots to carry the Netherlands to 157-6 at the end of 20 overs. 

This was her second successive fifty plus score against Scotland with the last one coming during the Emerging Nations Trophy when the Netherlands got the better of them.

Scotland were struck early in the second innings with Carter who has had a sublime time with the bat in the last three two months was dismissed on the last ball of the second over by Heather with the catch falling to Zwilling leaving Scotland at 7-1.

After Carter’s dismissal Katherine Fraser took charge and attacked the best opposition wicket-taker in Zwilling, leaving her with no wickets and 30 runs conceded in her first three overs before Fraser fell just short when attempting to clear the boundary in Caroline de Lange’s second over with Zwilling showing safe hands once again.

The Bryce sisters controlled the tempo over the next seven overs putting up a 50 run stand until captain Kathryn was caught out of the crease by her counterpart with De Leede stumping her in what would be De Lange’s second crucial wicket. Silver Siegers picked up the second Bryce sister shortly after as Sarah attempted to force a big shot to prevent the run rate from climbing.

Netherlands continued to leak runs with the ball beating the keeper on two occasions following the wicket including 4 byes in Zwilling’s final over with the game looking to be within touching distance for Scotland, Zwilling picked up the massive wicket of McColl who was striking at 10 (4) which left the equation at 11 required of the final over.

Heather was handed the ball and she handled the pressure perfectly conceding only three runs, making no mistake as the batters at the crease struggled to score handing the result of the thriller in favour of the Netherlands by seven runs, who now find themselves with maximum points in the “group of death” after two games and will fancy their chances of making it to the super six. Scotland will aim to bounce back after starting their campaign with this narrow defeat.