14 August, 2024
The Canada senior men’s ODI team is in need of a bounceback performance after stumbling to consecutive defeats to hosts the Netherlands and rivals U.S.A in ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup League 2 action.
Batting first against the Netherlands on Sunday, Canada could only muster up 194 all out, which the Dutch chased down with five wickets to spare. On Tuesday, the U.S. piled up 304/4 batting first before hanging on for a 14-run victory.
Having won the first four matches of the league going up against the U.A.E. and Scotland, Canada is still well positioned in second place in the eight-team league. Scotland is in first place with a lead of just one point and having played one extra match.
Canada will return to league action on Saturday against hosts Netherlands in Rotterdam at 5:00 a.m. EST. Below are five takeaways from the first two matches:
Netherlands vs. Canada Aug. 11 scorecard
Canada vs. USA Aug. 13 scorecard
THAKER CONTINUES TO EXCEL
Harsh Thaker made a name for himself with back-to-back hundreds the last time Canada were in action in the ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup League 2.
With a patient 35 against the Netherlands with his side in trouble and a sumptuous run-a-ball 77 against the U.S., Thaker carried over his good form while also helping keep his side in the hunt in both games.
Particularly against the U.S., his effort in helping make a game of chasing 305 after Canada was on the brink at 140/7 after 27.1 overs was astounding and showcased the fighting spirit and leadership he brings to the table when representing his country.
Through six innings, Thaker is the top scorer in the league with 346 runs at an average of 115.33 and strike rate of 77.75.
BIN ZAFAR THE STANDOUT BOWLER
Saad Bin Zafar has proven plenty effective through the first two matches, conceding just 84 runs in 20 overs while taking four wickets. In typical fashion, all four wickets have either been bowled or L.B.W.
His consistency is hugely valuable to any side, and the new skipper Kirton knows the former captain is someone he can throw the ball to and know exactly what to expect. Through six matches in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, Bin Zafar has taken nine wickets at an economy rate of 4.29.
Bin Zafar is Canada’s second-leading wicket-taker in the league behind Dilon Heyliger’s 11. Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus is the overall leader with 14 wickets but that’s come in eight innings.
MOVVA, JOHNSON, HEYLIGER CONTRIBUTING WITH BAT
Beyond Thaker, Canada have had three half-centuries through the first two matches of this tour, the first coming courtesy of Shreyas Movva’s battling 65 off 90 against the Netherlands. Aaron Johnson’s 55 off 41 with seven fours and four sixes gave Canada the necessary platform in a big chase against the U.S.A. while Dilon Heyliger’s rearguard 56 off 65 resurrected the possibility of victory when there was none.
Movva’s innings was desperately needed as he walked out to the crease with his team tottering at 51/4 after 15.2 overs. Always a busy player, Movva assessed the conditions and match situation perfectly to bat all the way to the 49th over. It’s just a pity there weren’t enough contributions from the other end.
Chasing a big score, it’s no secret that Canada needed a big contribution from Johnson. He hit trademark sixes down the ground and rarely looked bothered. Considering how at ease he looked, Johnson would likely be disappointed he didn’t turn his half-century into a bigger innings that likely could’ve been the difference.
Heyliger has always carried batting potential and it was fantastic to see the manner in which he applied himself and fought till the very end. Usually coming in at the backend of the innings and required to score quickly, the talented all-rounder had managed just 35 runs total in six prior ODI innings. His 56 was by far a career-high ODI score but now the challenge lies in seeing if he can make this type of contribution more consistently.
NEW BALL WICKETS LACKING
Through the opening two ODIs of this tour of the Netherlands, Canada has been lacking early breakthroughs. Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd put on 77 runs in 15.4 overs for the first wicket in the Netherlands’ win on Sunday while Steven Taylor and Smit Patel added 75 for the first wicket in 13.5 overs for the U.S. on Tuesday.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the new ball efforts is that some good, early discipline has been undone by some wayward bowling to let batters off the hook. Against the Netherlands, Kaleem Sana and Jeremy Gordon combined to allow just 14 runs off the first six overs before Levitt and O’Dowd broke the shackles with 28 runs off the next four overs.
Against the U.S., Canada allowed just four runs off the first 2.5 overs before Sana bowled a wide down the legside that went for four, a no ball, and then a bouncer that was comfortably pulled for six. It allowed the American openers to exhale just that little bit and they rode that momentum beyond the PowerPlay.
FIGHTING SPIRIT A BIG POSITIVE TO BUILD ON
While Canada had moments where the match situation looked hopeless, there was no quit evident amongst the players.
There was no better example of this than when the U.S. looked on the verge of a huge victory after posting 304/4 batting first and having Canada on the ropes at 140/7. Thaker and Heyliger put on the third-highest partnership for the eighth wicket in ODI history to bring their nation back into the contest and give the U.S. a proper scare.
Forty runs were needed off the final 18 balls but the first ball of the 48th over brought the downfall of Heyliger and put the remainder of the chase beyond Canada. Even though Canada lost the match, the duo’s efforts ensured that the net run rate remained positive and the good work that was done in winning the first four matches of this league did not come undone.
Falling short by 14 runs, there should be plenty of belief that big chases are possible if challenged to do so again.
Going back to the first match, when the Netherlands were cruising at 155/1 in pursuit of 195, the bowlers were able to pull things back and apply a bit of pressure by reducing the Dutch to 185/5. Even earlier when batting first, 51/4 could have ended in complete disaster but Movva batted well alongside Thaker and Bin Zafar to battle the side close to 200.
If there can be some better execution in those passages of play where Canada has fallen short thus far, the two remaining matches of this phase of League 2 should certainly be winnable.
