The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (CWC23) finally brought some action to the fans, despite the ongoing rain interruptions, as Australia faced off against Netherlands in a gripping warm-up encounter. Unfortunately, this promising clash was cut short by the persistent rain, resulting in no result.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat, looking to make the most of their opportunity in the match. However, the hopes of a full-fledged contest were dashed as persistent rain played spoilsport, leading to the unfortunate abandonment of the game.
After the disappointing washout of yesterday’s match between South Africa and Afghanistan, cricket enthusiasts in Thiruvananthapuram were eager to witness some action. Despite the weather challenges, a 23-over-a-side game managed to get underway.
Australia, having gained recent experience in Indian conditions through three previous matches, decided to shake things up by experimenting with their batting order.
In a surprising move, Steve Smith partnered with Josh Inglis as openers. However, Inglis’ promising innings was cut short by an exceptional in-swing delivery from Logan van Beek.
Smith, on the other hand, launched an aggressive assault on the Dutch bowlers, amassing a scintillating 55 off 42 balls, featuring four boundaries and three towering sixes.
Australia faced a minor setback when they lost Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell in quick succession to the spin duo of Roelof van der Merwe and Shariz Ahmad.
Mitchell Starc, coming in at No.6 after Smith’s departure, showcased his prowess with an unbeaten 24 off 22 balls. However, skipper Pat Cummins at No.7 couldn’t replicate the same heroics.
Cameron Green provided the much-needed momentum with a brisk 26-ball 34, propelling Australia to a total of 166/7 in their allotted 23 overs.
In response, Netherlands encountered a nightmare of a start as they were swept away by Mitchell Starc’s fiery spell, which included a remarkable hat-trick.
Starc’s three near-identical in-swinging deliveries left three Dutch batsmen dismissed for golden ducks. Max O’Dowd was the first to fall, trapped in front of the stumps, followed by the timber-rattling of Wesley Barresi and Bas de Leede.
The early loss of wickets proved insurmountable for the Netherlands as Mitchell Marsh dismissed Vikramjit Singh shortly thereafter. Colin Ackermann and Scott Edwards were the only batsmen to reach double-digit scores, preventing further collapse.
However, just as a result seemed within reach for one of the teams, the rain returned during the 14th over, forcing the match to be abandoned with Netherlands at 84/6.
The Dutch team will remain in Thiruvananthapuram as they gear up for their second warm-up match against India on Tuesday, 3 October. Meanwhile, Australia will head to Hyderabad to face Pakistan on the same day, promising more exciting cricket action ahead.
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