West Indies defeats Netherlands

Kemar Roach claimed a hat-trick in the World Cup yesterday, as West Indies crushed the Netherlands in Delhi.{{more}}

This victory lifted the spirit of the Windies who had suffered a defeat against South Africa in its opening game.

He became the sixth bowler to claim a World Cup hat-trick.

Roach’s whippet pace and low trajectory overwhelmed Netherlands who, set 331 for victory, were left to regret their captain’s decision to field first. Roach finished the game in style, trapping Pieter Seelaar and Bernard Loots lbw, before splattering Berend Westdijk’s middle stump to seal a 215-run victory.

Roach operated consistently around the 90 mph mark and was happy to aim full at the stumps – a tactic shunned by England’s bowlers against the same opposition – and the Netherlands’ batsmen were not up for a fight.

Though Roach took six, the crucial, crushing blow was landed by towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

This was an important match for the West Indies who, coming into it, looked in danger of being drawn into a qualification dogfight in Group B. If they are to beat Bangladesh to the quarters they need their big guns to fire and they would have been relieved that Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard found their form before Roach’s heroics.