NED vs WI

That's it from me, Rajarshi, and my co-commentators Pratyush and then Sooryanarayanan, as we bid adieu for the day. The Netherlands will take on the West Indies in 48 hours' time, and we will be bringing all the action to you. Cricketing action starts with the ECS from tomorrow, from 12:30 PM IST. Till then, goodbye, and take care!

Nicholas Pooran (West Indies Captain): Lovely win - happy we got 10 points. First time in Amsterdam and I think they were competitive. I thought they batted well in the Powerplay. Well played to them as well - to get to 245 was a good score. I felt we took a long time to adjust to the conditions but well done to the guys, we came back really well. Pulling back the game in the middle-overs - we felt that 240 was really good and the opening partnership of 100+ was fantastic. That's something we've been working on as a team - to build more partnerships. Hopey was brilliant, as was Brooks. Hope didn't leave it to anybody at the end - him and King finished it off well. We're here to win, have some fun and enjoy. We're happy to be getting the opportunity to play cricket here but we're here for one reason and that's to win. Hopefully we continue to win and get better as a team.

Pieter Seelaar (Netherlands Captain): I think 245 wasn't the worst effect. But the opening partnership between Brooks and Hope was very good. We were wondering where to get that wicket and Logan gave us that. I think we picked up momentum but after that we weren't able to exert constant pressure. To be honest I think that little drizzle helped the wicket since it was a little dry before that. They're high quality players and they showed it today - maybe we were a bit on the back foot waiting for them to make a mistake, which they didn't. At times, just that constant pressure I talked about, building on those dots (will help). Vikram Singh at the start looked very comfortable and aggressive which was great to watch. Teja on debut played a fantastic knock. But if we want to win we have to post a lot more. Losing 5 overs...not saying that was a factor. But having 5 overs of the back end and having the guys set would have helped. It was good but not exceptional. With the bowling we bowled some loose balls and gave too much width.

Shai Hope (Player of the Match): Most definitely (satisfied). Really happy to have got over the line. The main part was to get the team over the line and I open the batting so I guess that's how it works (anchoring). Just batting - any opportunity I get, I try to stay as long as I can. In a place like this I don't think you expect to cramp up (grins) but it happens. I didn't know that (laughs when told he's joined elite company on the list of hundreds for West Indies) but as I said I just love batting. Hopefully we continue like this for the rest of the series.

Match summary:

Netherlands 240/7 (45 Overs)
Teja Nidamanuru 58*(51), Akeal Hosein 2/29 (9 overs)

(Target: 247 in 45 Overs as per DLS method)
West Indies 249/3 (43.1 Overs)
Shai Hope 119*(130), Logan van Beek 2/49 (8 overs)

West Indies win by 7 wickets with 11 balls to spare.

A calculated, level-headed run-chase has been completed with success by the West Indies in this first of the three One Day Internationals. The tone was set by the two West Indies openers, Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks. The duo looked in complete control as the Netherlands bowlers, Logan van Beek and Vivian Kingma ran in first up. There was a bit of movement early on, but not enough to threaten the openers. Kingma strayed down leg far too often, and the runs kept coming. Not the boundaries, though, for the outfield had turned heavy from all the rain, but the batsmen ran very well between the wickets; we saw more threes than usual. An opening partnership of 100 was brought up, Brooks got his fifty, and the Netherlands desperately needed a moment of magic to open things up. 

That came in the form of a marvellous return catch from van Beek in his second spell, which was immediately succeeded by Nkrumah Bonner being trapped in front. Netherlands' hopes were brightened after Nicholas Pooran swung across the line to Aryan Dutt and had his woodwork re-arranged. The West Indies desperately needed another strong partnership to seal things, and they had just that. Brandon King walked in and smartly played second fiddle to Shai Hope, who battled cramps in conditions that were unlikely for the same and brought up a scintillating hundred. 

Hope and Brooks kept bringing the equation down, and then King decided to have some fun and hit a few over the carpet and some over the ropes. He brought up his fifty, and soon afterwards, Shai Hope, fittingly, hit the winning runs to give his side a crucial 10 points and Nicholas Pooran a maiden ODI win as captain!

43.1 Ryan Klein to Shai Hope, FOUR! Poetic end as Hope seals it in style! Length delivery that angles away well outside off, Hope drives with hard hands as he throws them into the shot. Off the splice but the ball flies along the vacant backward point region en route to the ropes to bring the curtains down on the series opener. An absolute clinic put up by the visitors - West Indies beat Netherlands by 7 wickets to go 1-0 up in the series!

42.6 Aryan Dutt to Brandon King, OOH! Backs away to open up the off-side as he sits low to power this length delivery. He nearly drags it onto his stumps off the inside edge though as it just trickles past them.

42.4 Aryan Dutt to Brandon King, SIX! SWEET! Dances down the track to the pitch of this length delivery otuside off and mousses it with a handsome swing wayyyyy over long off. Out of the ground but the ball has been retrieved by a gentleman beyond the trees!

42.3 Aryan Dutt to Brandon King, arm ball on a short length outside off, King uses his strong bottom hand for a jab to short mid-wicket but he can't thread him on either side.

42.2 Aryan Dutt to Shai Hope, drifting into a good length on middle and leg, Hope hangs back for a nudge square on the leg-side for a single into the deep.

42.1 Aryan Dutt to Brandon King, sliding into a good length on off stump, King hangs back and punches it down towards long on as he jogs a run.

Fifty came up for Brandon King that over! His role in this run-chase has been one of utmost importance, Hope needed a partner to stay in the middle after the fall of the West Indies skipper. King provided him with just that, and he has been reaping his rewards in the last few overs by tonking the Dutch bowling to all parts.

41.6 Bas de Leede to Brandon King, length delivery outside off, King powers it as he lines him up before it drops shy of mid-off, whose fumble allows a run to be taken.

41.4 Bas de Leede to Brandon King, FIFTY FOR KING! A King-sized innings and he receives a standing ovation from the dugout! Pitched up at the stumps, clipped through mid-wicket for a brace into the deep and what a knock this has been post the dismissal of skipper Pooran.