Netherlands all-rounder Logan van Beek has expressed a strong desire for the Dutch cricket team to alter the perception of the sport in the country. He emphasized that the players are determined to be regarded with seriousness, citing a recent Dutch show in which cricket was the subject of jokes and likened to a typical 9-to-5 job due to the duration of matches.
The Netherlands are presently participating in the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India, having earned their place ahead of the West Indies. They caused a surprise by defeating South Africa with a 38-run victory in Dharamsala. Although they have taken part in a few other matches, the Dutch team has experienced unfavourable outcomes. Van Beek knows that the team doesn’t play many international matches, so he doesn’t expect amazing results.
However, he wants people to take Netherlands cricket seriously, not make fun of it. He said this before their World Cup match against Australia in Delhi on Wednesday.
“It’s the hot question at the moment – how do we ride this momentum and actually put structures in place in the Netherlands so that this run that we’re having can be sustainable. I watched a Dutch sports show this morning and they were talking about cricket and laughing about how it’s pretty similar to a 9-to-5 job because of how long it takes, and they were making a few other jokes.”
“I hope that after another couple of wins, they can almost stop joking about cricket in the Netherlands and they start talking seriously about how this is actually one of our best sports teams in the country. So that’s our aim: to inspire the next generation but also to change the narrative within Netherlands around [how] we’re actually one of the better Netherlands sporting outfits,” he added.
The Netherlands showed great precision in their victory against South Africa. They managed to score 245 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 43 overs in a rain-affected match. They dismissed the South African team for 207 runs in 42.5 overs. Van Beek was exceptional in the bowling department, taking 3 wickets for 60 runs in 8.5 overs.
“See where New Zealand are right now” – Logan van Beek is motivated by the New Zealand team’s ascent
At 33 years old, Van Beek participates in domestic cricket in both New Zealand and England. He believes that Dutch players will enhance their skills and professionalism by competing in such competitive settings. Additionally, he is optimistic that increased investment will flow into Dutch cricket to enhance the sport’s development.
“So, there’s the attention we’re getting through our performances – through the style we’re playing. Hopefully, there’s more investment into the game from a local point of view, but also international sponsors want to get behind the Netherlands team,” he stated.
Showing admiration for New Zealand, the hopeful all-rounder concluded by saying that the Netherlands has the potential to achieve greater consistency in the future. He stated:
“I look at how New Zealand were 20 years ago. Professional cricket actually started around 2000. And see where New Zealand are right now, and the way they play and the way they go about it. We’ve got in the Netherlands just as many players, and I can’t see why in the next five to ten years we can start being more consistent on the world stage.”
Van Beek has participated in 28 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 23 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), securing 38 wickets in ODIs and 21 wickets in T20Is. He also contributes as a useful lower-order batsman.
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