NETHERLANDS VS. IRELAND: IRE’S TOUR OF NED 2021, 2nd ODI | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Hosts Netherlands take on Ireland in the second ODI of the 3-match series at the Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd in Utrecht on Friday. It is part of the ICC ODI Super League.
It was just the kind of a start this series needed as the hosts managed to steal a 1-run thriller against a strong Irish side. They held their nerves and defended a small total successfully, registering their first win against Ireland in more than 13 years.
Captain Seelaar will be proud of the way his team went about defending the small total. However, he will be worried about the form of his batsmen as no one in the top order could play a big innings. O’Dowd and Myburgh got decent starts but were dismissed quickly. The middle order of Ben Cooper, Seelaar and Scott Edwards crumbled, leaving the team in big trouble. If not for van Beek and van der Gugten's rear-guard action, they would not have any significant total to defend. Logan van Beek also did extremely well with the new ball, along with the spin of Seelaar. The bowling attack will look to continue this form in the crucial second game too.
Balbirnie will want to avoid the tag of being the first Irish captain to lose a series against the Netherlands. The batting was in shambles and the skipper will want his experienced players to stand up to the challenge. Paul Stirling did well but Porterfield failed on his comeback. The middle order fell like a pack of cards and will need Balbirnie, Dockrell and Harry Tector to score runs here. Simi Singh played a great knock in the last game and will look to make useful contributions down the order. Craig Young was on the money with the ball alongside Josh Little, rattling the batsmen. Good spells from Andy McBrine and Simi Singh ensured that the hosts struggled during their time with the bat.
As the series now moves onto the second game, Ireland will be under pressure to perform. They have enjoyed a great record against the Netherlands and will look to take inspiration from those wins. On the other hand, Netherlands will look to seal the series with a second consecutive win here. So expect another exciting close game between these two evenly matched sides on Friday.
Match Details
- Match: Netherlands vs. Ireland, 2nd ODI
- Venue: Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd, Utrecht
- Date & Time: June 4, 2021, at 2:00 PM IST/10:30 AM Local
Probable Playing XI
Netherlands
Stephan Myburgh, Max O'Dowd, Ben Cooper, Pieter Seelaar (C), Scott Edwards (WK), Logan van Beek, Bas de Leede, Saqib Zulfiqar, Timm van der Gugten, Brandon Glover, Fred Klaassen
Ireland
William Porterfield, Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (C), Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Lorcan Tucker (WK), Simi Singh, Andy McBrine, Brain McCarthy, Craig Young, Josh Little
Weather and Pitch Report
Utrecht is expected to have mostly sunny conditions on the day of the match. There might be few rain interruptions during the game. The temperature will be around 24 degrees.
After the first match, it can be said the surface here is a sporting wicket and batsmen have to mix caution with aggression during their innings. Run scoring will not be easy. Fast bowlers will get good bounce and movement off this track and spinners will be able to take advantage of the slowness in the track.
The conditions are expected to be good for batting early on since the pitch will get slower as the game progresses. The captain that wins the toss is expected to opt to bat first. A target of 220-230 can be a competitive one.
Top Fantasy Picks
Netherlands
- Max O'Dowd gave a decent start to the innings and made 23 off 25 balls before getting out. His wicket was the turning point of the match as the team struggled to score and kept losing wickets throughout the rest of the innings. He will look to stay longer and play a big inning here.
- Pieter Seelaar was out without scoring playing just 2 balls in the first ODI, leaving his team in a dire situation. However, he made up for that with the ball, picking up crucial wickets in the final overs and helping his team to a win. He took 3 for 27 in his 9-over spell.
- Logan van Beek was impressive with both bat and ball in the first match. He made a patient and crucial 29 runs off 48 balls with the bat, before taking the all important wickets of Porterfield and opposition captain Balbirnie with the ball. He finished with 2 for 44 in his 10 overs.
Ireland
- Paul Stirling continued his good run with the bat in the last match, making the only half century in the match. He scored 69 runs off 112 balls, which included 8 boundaries. He held the Ireland innings on his own and counter-attacked the opposition bowlers well.
- Simi Singh's efforts with both bat and ball meant Ireland got so close at the end of the first ODI. He bowled tight lines, giving away just 28 runs in his 10 overs, including 3 maiden overs, and picking up a wicket. He was run out for a well-made 45 in the final over while trying to win the game.
- Josh Little’s 3-wicket burst in the middle overs meant the hosts were behind the game and struggled to put up a good score on the board in the first innings. He dismissed Ben Cooper, Seelaar and Scott Edwards in a span of just 10 deliveries.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: S Edwards
- Batsmen: M O'Dowd, A Balbirnie, P Stirling
- All-rounders: P Seelaar, S Singh, A McBrine
- Bowlers: L van Beek, T van der Gugten, C Young, J Little
- Captain: A McBrine/S Singh
- Vice Captain: L van Beek/P Seelaar
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can make your match prediction and play fantasy cricket matches. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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