Netherlands pile up 306 against Ireland

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KOLKATA: Ryan ten Doeschate cracked a second World Cup century as the Netherlands recovered from early setbacks to post a challenging 306 against Ireland in their Group B match of the World Cup here at the Eden Gardens on Friday.

The Dutch were struggling at 53-3 after being put in to bat, but the South Africa-born ten Doeschate helped his side record their highest total of the tournament with 106 in 108 balls, with one six and 13 fours.

Their previous highest total was 292-6 against England.

However, this was for the second time in the World Cup history that the Netherlands made 300 or more runs in a match after their 314-4 against Namibia in 2003.

Ten Doeschate, who also hammered 119 against England, became the third batsman to score two hundreds in this World Cup after South African AB de Villiers and India's Sachin Tendulkar.

Four batsmen were run out off successive balls in the last over, but the Netherlands were in a strong position at that stage.

Middle-order batsman ten Doeschate put on 121 runs for the fifth wicket with skipper Peter Borren, who scored an attractive 84 off 82 balls with 10 fours.

Ten Doeschate was also involved in another useful stand, putting on 60 for the fourth wicket with opener Wesley Barresi, who made a brisk 44 after overcoming a painful blow to the head.

Ireland, the most impressive of the non-Test-playing nations at the World Cup, were a bowler short when left-arm spinner George Dockrell dislocated his right shoulder while fielding off his own bowling in his fourth over.

The spinner went to hospital for a check-up but it was not immediately known whether he would take any further part in the match, said an International Cricket Council (ICC) official.

Both sides are out of contention for a place in the quarter-finals, with Ireland having earned just two points and the Netherlands none after five matches each before this game. This is the final match for both teams.

Barresi, who retired in the second over after being hit on the back of his head by a throw, played some attacking shots when he returned to bat after the fall of the third wicket.

He smashed the first six of the match when he pulled paceman Boyd Rankin over square-leg and then slog-swept spinner Paul Stirling over mid-wicket for another six.