Netherlands rollercoaster takes nosedive

	Netherlands tripped up badly after Stephan Myburgh had put them in a winning position © Getty Images  Enlarge
Related Links Features : Ahsan Malik raises the bar for Associates Report : Tahir spares South Africa embarrassment Players/Officials: Stephan Myburgh | Peter Borren | Beuran Hendricks Matches: Netherlands v South Africa at Chittagong Series/Tournaments: World T20 Teams: Netherlands | South Africa

Netherlands' World T20 rollercoaster ride continues. As they raced into a match-winning position against South Africa, the wind was rippling through their hair, the adrenaline building, 39 all out receding to vanishing point behind them. Then they clanked on to the rails of the Big Dipper and embarked on a rattling, juddering, gut-spinning plunge back towards the hard earth of reality.

Netherlands should have won the game, should have punished South Africa for fiddling with the team in a match they needed to be sure of taking the points from. After the platform built by the hero of Sylhet,Stephan Myburgh, Pretoria-born but anointed Netherlands' "master blaster", his team required less than a run-a-ball from the ninth over onwards. They should have been comfortable; they ought to have kept their heads. They lost nine for 59 in 10.5 overs. "Shoulda, woulda, coulda," as Beverly Knight once sang.

Approaching the line, at an ever slower pace, they froze - like the point on the ride where an unseen camera captures those buckled into the carriage, all silent screams and rictus grins. Imran Tahir wound a spidery web around the middle order but, as Peter Borren said afterwards, this was not spin bowling from a faraway star system.

A triumph of belief for Tahir

Imran Tahir never stopped believing. Not when he moved from Pakistan to South Africa and put a potential international career on hold with a qualification period. Not when he was picked for his adopted country but then prevented from playing because they thought he was prematurely eligible. Not when he was eventually legitimately selected but struggled to make an impact because he was surrounded by seamers who did early damage. Not when he was dropped after conceding Test cricket's worst figures of 0 for 260 and definitely not against the Netherlands on Thursday afternoon.

Before the match, most would have agreed with his convictions. On paper, South Africa against Netherlands is as much a mis-match as history has proven it to be. In the four ODIs they've played against each other, South Africa have won by massive margins, the smallest being 83 runs. The teams had never clashed in the shortest format but after the Dutch showing against Sri Lanka, it seemed South Africa would not have much to worry about.

But after they were restricted to a below-par total and Netherlands had raced to 63 for 1 in the Powerplay, needing only 83 off the last 14 overs, belief was exactly what was needed for South Africa. Luckily for them, Tahir had it.

Domingo blames 'poor thinking' for South Africa's troubles

	AB de Villiers has gone nine T20 innings for South Africa without crossing 30 © Getty Images  Enlarge
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So this is how South Africa do not want their batting line-up to operate. After the New Zealand game, in which they seemed to settle into their strategy of starting slowly, setting themselves up and then speeding up, South Africa took several steps backward against Netherlands. They started in a hurry, shuffled things around, were strangled and almost went up in smoke as a result.

The showing left Russell Domingo steaming. "Our thinking during the innings hasn't been where it needs to be," he said. "There were some poor dismissals and some poor thinking which set us back big time today."

Although Faf du Plessis said net run-rate would not enter South Africa's minds ahead of winning the match, it was evident that it had. Hashim Amla smashed more runs off Michael Swart's second over than he has done in any over in T20 cricket in the past. Whether he was motivated by criticism over his strike rate, the loss of his opening partner early (which is when he has scored the bulk of his runs in domestic T20), the team cause or simply the opportunity to do so is anyone's guess but Amla did what was required of him when the situation demanded it.

"In our domestic T20s, Hashim had the second best strike rate of all players in South Africa," Domingo said. "His strike rate for me is not a major concern. He is a quality player. He is always going to find the gaps and the boundaries when it's his day. So we are pretty happy with how he hit the ball today."

21st Match - Netherlands v South Africa Photo Gallery

Mar 27, 2014 Beuran Hendricks leaps after dismissing last man Timm van der Gugten © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Quinton de Kock appeals successfully for an lbw against Peter Borren © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Wesley Barresi plays a slog for a six © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Imran Tahir reacts after getting Peter Borren out © AFP
Mar 27, 2014 Stephan Myburgh powers the ball through the off side © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Imran Tahir celebrates Tom Cooper's wicket © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Lonwabo Tsotsobe reacts after being hit for a six by Stephan Myburgh © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Timm van der Gugten celebrates after getting JP Duminy out © AFP
Mar 27, 2014 Tom Cooper is ecstatic after dismissing Faf du Plessis © AFP		Mar 27, 2014 AB de Villiers plays a leg-side flick © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Faf du Plessis works the ball through the on side © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Ahsan Malik celebrates Hashim Amla's wicket © Getty Images
Mar 27, 2014 Hashim Amla scored 43 off 22 balls © Getty Images		Mar 27, 2014 Michael Swart dismissed Quinton de Kock for a duck © Getty Images

Tahir spares South Africa embarrassment

South Africa 145 for 9 (Amla 43, Malik 5-19) beat Netherlands 139 (Myburgh 51, Tahir 4-21) by 6 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

They did it at Lord's in the opening match of the World T20 five years ago. Then, Netherlands stunned England to announce the Associate threat in the shortest format. They did not look anywhere close to do doing it three days ago, when they were skittled out for the lowest total in T20 internationals, and Sri Lanka highlighted the gulf between cricket's haves and have-nots in the most brutal way. But Netherlands almost did it again today.

Netherlands were on course to cull another giant after they restricted South Africa to under 150 and got the asking rate down to less than five runs an over in the chase, but then imploded at the end. They did almost everything right: they took an early wicket, put the squeeze on South Africa with a selection of slower balls and got their own chase off to a flying start. South Africa had not lost to an Associate in their history and Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir held their nerve to ensure that did not change.

The Dutch crumbled from 80 for 1 to 139 all out - losing 9 for 59 - and handed South Africa the two points they needed to stay in contention for the semi-finals. With two defeats, Netherlands only have a slim chance of advancing but are taking their own victories from this tournament. In this match, the biggest one was Ahsan Malik's performance. The Rotterdam-born seamer recorded the best figures by an Associate bowler against a Full Member - 5 for 19.

A feast of cricket's guilty pleasures

	Bangladesh's presence in the Super 10 stage will make Dhaka the place to be during the tournament © AFP  Enlarge
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The first few days have established the atmosphere nicely, aided by Bangladesh's sashaying around their own party looking like a million dollars, but the hubbub is about to increase noticeably. The A-listers have arrived, hoovering up the remaining canapés, distracting the snappers and showing off their entourages. Only the bolshevism shown by Ireland looks like preventing the Super 10 stage from resembling a Full Members' club, as notions of equality and opportunity are replaced by the established batting order.

The World T20, in all its unpredictable, telegenic, effervescent glory, has established itself as a tournament that gives with both hands: the games come thick and fast, high in calorie content and E-numbers, but the weight is quickly shed. With a few vigorous blows a batsman is back in form, while bowlers can "leave it all on the field" during a maximum of four overs, safe in the knowledge that they are expected to get tonked anyway. Supporters gorge themselves on boundaries and ambient pop (sic), then go home, move on.

Neither is it just a warm-up for the forthcoming IPL. International rivalry has always been cricket's strongest conduit of support and the near certainty that the hosts will qualify for the Super 10 stage sets up Dhaka as the jumping-est joint in the country. Group 2, while forbiddingly tough, will allow Bangladesh the opportunity to have a fresh crack at snooty neighbours India and Pakistan, who will resume their own argument over the garden hedge in a hotly anticipated opening to the second round on Friday evening.

Bangladesh rattled by misfiring players

	Mahmudullah has played three T20 innings in 2014 and collected only 12 runs © AFP  Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Nasir Hossain | Mahmudullah | Sohag Gazi |Shamsur Rahman | Mominul Haque | Ziaur Rahman Series/Tournaments: World T20 Teams: Bangladesh

Bangladesh made four changes heading into their opening Super 10 tie with West Indies and none of them clicked, and the painful defeat to West Indies underlined confusion among the management as to what their best XI is.

The biggest casualty on Tuesday was Nasir Hossain, who has played across formats continuously since making his debut in August 2011. The stretch is both a tribute to his ability and fitness, but he hasn't scored an international fifty since last May. The drop in form came into sharp relief when the specialist finisher struggled during run chases in the recent limited-overs series against Sri Lanka.

On the surface, it looks the right call. Nasir probably needs a break from cricket, as was reflected in the amount of catches he has dropped this year, especially considering he is one of their best fielders. But if flagging performance was the reason for his ouster, then Mahmudullah's retention is puzzling, even to casual fans of Bangladesh. He averages just four in T20s and 11 overall in 2014.

He was picked as an offspinner, when Bangladesh had already recalled the specialist Sohag Gazi. If Bangladesh wanted to get the better of the opposition's left-handers, West Indies only had three. Two of whom were No.9 Sunil Narine and No.11 Krishmar Santokie.

Bleak times for the Bangladesh fan

BANGLADESH V WEST INDIES, WORLD T20, GROUP 2, 

Tamim's catch was the only bright spot in the day for the Bangladesh fans © Getty Images

RELATED LINKS Matches: Bangladesh v West Indies at Dhaka Series/Tournaments: World T20 Teams: Bangladesh | West Indies

Choice of game
Bangladesh v West Indies, the first game of the host team, my team, in the World Twenty 20 Super 10s. It is a fact that Bangladesh are going through a rough patch, possibly one of the worst patches of their cricketing history so far. The have disappointed before, they might disappoint again. But at the end of the day, Bangladesh is my country. How can I not put my belief in them?

Key performer
Before the match, a thunderstorm was expected, as was a Gayle Storm. Neither arrived. Chris Gayle looked happy playing dot balls and rotating the strike, while his opening partner took charge of the run rate. Dwayne Smith scored four successive boundaries in one of Sohag Gazi's overs, two successive fours in another. He seemed to enjoy the spin bowling as he took 11 off Sabbir Rahman's over. Mahmudullah finally managed to take his wicket, but not before he too was hit for a six and a four. Smith finished with 72 off 43 balls.

It is also worth mentioning that even though Chris Gayle ended up scoring a run-a-ball 48 runs, when Smith was dismissed he had only scored 19 runs off 28 deliveries. From then on he went on to hit two more sixes and three fours to maintain the run rate above eight.

One thing you'd have changed
Multiple catches were dropped, boundaries were not saved, wickets were thrown away. I also thought the right bowling changes were not made in the first innings; Shakib could have been brought on earlier to try to break the partnership; Ziaur Rahman, who took one wicket and produced two other chances in the single over he bowled, was only brought on at the back end of the innings.

Wow moment
Everything except for a stunner of a catch that Tamim Iqbal took went wrong for Bangladesh. He took a one-handed catch, flying to his right to send back Dwayne Bravo for a duck. Not that it made much of a difference in the context of the game, but his effort was excellent.

Shot of the day
A flat six that Smith hit off Al-Amin Hossain to deep square leg.

Crowd meter
As you'd expect for a World T20 game in a cricket-crazy nation, the stands were packed. The supporters manage to put the past in the past and find it worth their while to come back their team every single time. Or perhaps it is just the pleasure of watching a World T20 game live? Maybe the spectators arrive in numbers simply to dance in the aisles, spend time with friends and sing the national anthem altogether.

Overall
The entire experience of this match was disappointing and frustrating. From the word go things were going wrong for Bangladesh. Mashrafe Mortaza started the match with five wides. That negativity lasted for the entire duration of the match for Bangladesh. By the end of it, I had given up hope. From the way they have been performing I don't see Bangladesh winning any match in the near future. Unless, by some miracle all their issues are addressed and the team as we knew it makes a comeback.

No extra spin for Sri Lanka

England v Sri Lanka, World T20, Group 1, Chittagong

	Mind your feet: Lasith Malinga's yorkers will be targeting England's batsmen © AFP  Enlarge
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Sri Lanka will resist the temptation the bolster their spin attack against England even though the opposition have a poor record against the turning ball. The conditions in Chittagong, which has offered help for quicker bowlers, will persuade Dinesh Chandimal to persist with the balance of attack that dispatched Netherlands for 39 and overcame South Africa.

That does not mean Sri Lanka will be short of spin options as Chandimal has Ajantha Mendis, Sachithra Senanayake and Tillakaratne Dilshan to call on, but the two others in the squad, the experienced Rangana Herath and legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna, will remain on the bench despite England's frailties against most forms of spin.

"These wickets are totally different to Dhaka," Chandimal said. "There was a lot of grass on the pitch in the last four or five games and there is a little bit of seam for the fast bowlers so we cannot go with more than two [specialist] spinners in these conditions."

"All the players in the squad are fit but we have not yet taken a decision on the final eleven. We need to assess the conditions tomorrow night and then decide on our best 11."

Chandimal picked Lasith Malinga and his trademark selection of yorkers and slower balls as the key weapon against England but retained respect for what Stuart Broad's team can offer even though they have only won one of their seven T20Is this year.

Bopara intent on clearing the ropes

England v Sri Lanka, World T20, Group 1, Chittagong

	Six against Malinga? Not for Ravi Bopara © Getty Images  Enlarge
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England go into their second match of the Super 10s in a position where defeat could effectively spell the end of their World T20 campaign after little more than a week in Bangladesh. They face Sri Lanka, ranked No. 1 in the format and on the back of two wins from two; England, meanwhile, have won two of their last eight T20s. The good news is that Ravi Bopara has been dreaming of hitting sixes.

Bopara may eventually command a place in the order higher than his current station at No.6 - it would likely have been seven had Joe Root not suffered a broken thumb in the Caribbean - but he has gamely adapted to the role of a gun-slinging six-shooter coming in below Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler. He knows that the pressure to start clearing the ropes is almost immediate, even against as fiendish a late-innings bowler as Lasith Malinga.

"Obviously you have to hit sixes in T20 cricket to push the run-rates up. I can only speak for myself but I do need to practise hitting the balls over the ropes," he said. "I'm going to face roughly between 10-20 balls, at most, batting at number six, so I really need to be ready to hit a six after my third or fourth ball."

What about needing to hit a six off the first ball? Off Malinga? Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka's captain, almost creased up at the idea, saying he had never seen it done. "I can't hit a six against Malinga," he said.

Bopara has only been dismissed by Malinga twice in 13 encounters, both on England's tour of Sri Lanka in 2007, although that is not necessarily proof of mastery. Just hitting Malinga is what some batsmen dream of - ask Netherlands - and Bopara said that his match strategy may involve resorting to something a little smarter.

Can England disrupt Sri Lanka's mojo?

England v Sri Lanka, World T20, Group 1, Chittagong

Match facts

Thursday, March 27, 2014
Start time 1930 local (1330 GMT)

	Can Stuart Broad and Ashley Giles come up with a plan to overcome Sri Lanka? © Getty Images  Enlarge
Related Links Matches: England v Sri Lanka at Chittagong Series/Tournaments: World T20 Teams: England | Sri Lanka

Big Picture

A tense win sealed by Lasith Malinga, one merciless defeat of a weaker side, and significant contributions from various places in the XI; Sri Lanka's World T20 campaign so far bears the hallmarks of so many recent sprints to the knockout phase of a world event. In each of those tournaments, the result against England has prefigured their eventual destination. When they have won the England match, as they did in two World Cups, and two World T20s since 2007, they have played the final. If they defeat them again on Tuesday, they will take a significant step towards the semi-finals.

England face a far bleaker reality. They had lost five of six T20s this year, before the rain ruined them against New Zealand. The bowling appears short on penetration, and in the warm-up against India, the batting appeared frail against high-quality spin. Before England can consider a place in the knockouts, they must first overcome inertia.

The key for England may be to sound a charge early in their innings, to force an inexperienced Sri Lanka captain to alter his bowling plans. If they prevent Angelo Mathews from delivering cheap overs with the new ball, or avoid being shackled by Nuwan Kulasekara's swing, they may have Malinga in the attack sooner than Sri Lanka prefer, which in turn creates an opportunity at the death. Ajantha Mendis has not been at his best in the tournament, despite a good haul against clueless Netherlands batsmen, and his overs may be another chance for England to reclaim the kind of fearless cricket that won them the 2010 title.

Netherlands keen to reverse fortunes

Netherlands v South Africa, World T20, Group 1, Chittagong

	Peter Borren hopes to put Netherlands' clobbering at the hands of Sri Lanka behind them © AFP  Enlarge
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"Try again, fail again, fail better." That, as Samuel Beckett put it, may be the best Netherlands can hope for against South Africa, as they attempt to pick up the pieces from their opening Super 10 fixture. Peter Borren, the Netherlands captain, spoke of a difficult night for his players after the humiliation of being dismissed for 39 by Sri Lanka, the lowest score in T20 internationals, but restated the team's goal of bringing down one of the bigger teams before they depart.

"That is the motivation, we've got three more games, it's Twenty20, why couldn't we beat a Full Member?" he said. "We've done it before and this is a talented squad. There's probably a few people who doubt that, hopefully we can prove them wrong."

Sri Lanka ruthlessly squeezed their orange-clad opponents into submission during an innings that Borren said felt like a nightmare. Having made historyagainst Ireland in Sylhet, Netherlands did so in more ignominious circumstances back in Chittagong, where their tournament seemed to be going off track during the warm-up matches. Borren's team has had some ups and downs in recent months and he at least knows that the players know how to respond to adversity.

SA's chance to boost net run rate

Netherlands v SA, World T20, Group 1, Chittagong

Match facts

March 27, 2014, Chittagong
Start time 1530 (0930GMT)

	South Africa's mystery man could be too hot to handle for Netherlands © AFP  Enlarge
Related Links Matches: Netherlands v South Africa at Chittagong Series/Tournaments: World T20 Teams: Netherlands | South Africa

Big picture

This is the game South Africa have been waiting for. After tense finishes against two of the big guns in the group, they will see Netherlands as an opportunity to get through comfortably.

Faf du Plessis was respectful of Netherlands and even harked back to when they beat England at Lord's in 2009 but the truth is that the match against Sri Lanka cannot be ignored. Netherlands were made to look like the outsiders they are, an Associate among Test teams, and that kind of humiliation won't sit easily with any team.

That also means the only way for Netherlands is up. They know how much is on the line for them as far as reputation is concerned. It was them, ahead of Test-playing Zimbabwe and Associate darlings Ireland, who made it this far. To limp out in the manner they did against Sri Lanka would be a disservice to both those teams and themselves. Peter Borren said as much when the Dutch made it into the main draw and its time for them to justify that coup.

Qualification for the semi-finals will not be on Dutch minds but it will be etched into South African ones. The next two matches are must win for South Africa and even then, it could come down to net run-rate. They will want to win big against Netherlands to bolster theirs and to show they are serious contenders for a title that seems just out of their grasp at the moment.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first) South Africa WLLLLW
Netherlands LWLWW