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On April 2, 2022, Pieter Seelaar-led Netherlands achieved a rare feat which has been pulled off only thrice by Zimbabwe in the history of ODI cricket. The non-Test playing nation Netherlands reduced a regular Test-playing New Zealand for 32/5 in 9.4 overs. This is the fourth lowest total registered by a Test-playing nation against a non-Test-playing nation for the loss of five wickets.
Latham emulates Dev
Zimbabwe have achieved this feat thrice. Two of the three times, they reduced Afghanistan for 29/5 three years apart (2014 and 2017). However, the one batting collapse that entered history books was in 1983 World Cup when India were reduced to 17/5. While Kapil Dev rescued India with a 175-run knock, which was the highest ODI score by a batter at that point, Latham pulled off a similar feat with an unbeaten 140-run knock.
The epic collapse
Fred Klaassen and Logan van Beek were the architect of the monumental collapse. Martin Guptill was the first to fall in the fifth over. Van Beek joined the party with the wicket of Will Young. Nicholls, who was being cautious at the start, fell in the eighth over. Veteran Ross Taylor and Michael Bracewell got out after scoring just one run leaving the team in danger at Seddon Park, Hamilton. New Zealand lost five wickets in a matter of nine runs (in 26 deliveries).
Grandhomme, Bracewell provide support
Skipper Latham turned out to be the saviour for hosts New Zealand. He held on to one end nad shared crucial partnership with Colin de Grandhomme. The Kiwi all-rounder stayed in the middle till the 23rd over. Finally, Latham found a trustworthy partner in Doug Bracewell. The two shared a 90-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
With death overs approaching, Bracewell started accelerating as well but missed his second ODI fifty. He got out for a score of 41 off 51 deliveries. Sent ahead of Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi played the perfect job as he gave Latham strike for the next seven overs and pounced on the opportunity to score. Latham got to his century in the 44th over whereas Sodhi’s stay at the crease ended in the 46th over.
Latham finishes in style
In the last four overs, Latham took most of the strike to get some quick runs. Kyle Jamieson disappointed with a single-digit score as he became Van Beek's fourth victim of the day. In the last over, he hit two consecutive sixes followed by a boundary off Brandon Glover to take New Zealand to 264/9.
Dull run chase
The run chase did not get off to a spirited start as Netherlands both their openers Stephan Myburgh and Max ODowd early. Vikramjit Singh and Bas de Leede kept the Dutch in hunt with their 77-run partnership for the third wicket but all went downhill after they were dismissed.
The middle order could not get the chase back on track as Netherlands got all out in the 35th over for 146, losing the match by a big margin by 118 runs.
For New Zealand, Michael was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 21 runs. Jamieson, Sodhi picked up two wickets as well.
