Bavuma leads Proteas to thumping ODI win over Netherlands

The Proteas powered their way to a thumping eight wicket win over the Netherlands in their ODI clash at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Friday night to take a big step towards automatic qualification for the ODI World Cup later this year.

The win sees them move up to ninth place on the World Cup Super League standings, with the top eight earning automatic qualification, meaning they still have to win the final ODI against the Netherlands on Sunday and hope other results go their way to secure their place.

In the match a strong all-round bowling performance from the Proteas restricted the Netherlands to a low 189 all out, with captain Temba Bavuma then leading from the front as he stroked a superb unbeaten 90 off 79 balls (8×4, 1×6) to power his team to a massive win.

The captain shared in a superb unbeaten 102-run third wicket stand off just 69 balls with Aiden Markram, 51 off 39 balls (7×4, 1×6) to finish off a dominant performance from the hosts.

“It was a clinical performance. We obviously did well with the ball, bowling them out for less than 200 and then with the bat we backed our execution. So it was a good day,” said Bavuma after the match.

It was a slow start to the chase for the Proteas as Quinton de Kock (9) uncharacteristically struggled to get the ball away, before he tried to sweep spinner Aryan Dutt but only managed to get a top edge to Fred Klaasen backpedalling at backward square leg.

Rassie van der Dussen (31) joined Bavuma at the crease and they batted the Proteas into a position of dominance with a solid 70-run stand.

With him looking in good nick, Van Der Dussen threw his wicket away as he tried to pull a short ball from Klaasen, only to get a top edge to Musa Ahmed at midwicket, with the score 88/2.

This brought Markram to the crease and along with Bavuma they smashed the ball to all parts of the ground as they cruised home with a massive 20 overs to spare.

At the start of play the Proteas won the toss and chose to bowl, with a strong performance with the ball restricting the Netherlands to a well below par total.

Tabraiz Shamsi starred with the ball, picking up 3/25 in his 10 overs with some top bowling in the middle overs, but it was Sisanda Magala who made the early breakthroughs and finished with good figures of 3/37 to back him up well.

Only opener Vikramjit Singh, 45 off 53 balls (4×4; 3×6) and middle order batter Teja Nidamanuru, 48 off 71 (3×6) managed to defy the Proteas bowlers, with regular wickets throughout the innings proving their downfall after a solid 58-run opening stand.