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Netherlands all-rounder Logan van Beek has asserted that the Dutch team is keen to change the narrative around cricket in the country and stated that the players want them to be taken seriously. He made the statement while referring to a Dutch show in which jokes were cracked about cricket and the profession was compared to a 9-to-5 job because of how long it takes for a match to finish.
The Netherlands are currently featuring in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, having qualified for the mega event ahead of West Indies. They pulled off an upset over South Africa, defeating them by 38 runs in Dharamsala. The Dutch have competed in a couple of the other games, but have ended up on the wrong side of the result.
Van Beek is aware that miracles cannot be expected from the team that hardly plays a handful of international matches in a year. However, what he wants is for Netherlands cricket to be taken seriously and not as a joke.
He said ahead of the team’s World Cup clash 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 were clinical in their win over South Africa. They posted 245/8 in 43 overs in a rain-hit clash and then bowled out the Proteas for 207 in 42.5 overs. Van Beek starred with the ball, claiming 3/60 in 8.5 overs.
“See where New Zealand are right now” - Logan van Beek inspired by Kiwis’ rise
Van Beek, 33, plays domestic cricket in New Zealand and England. He is confident about Dutch players improving and getting more professional with exposure to such competitive environments.
Van Beek is also hopeful of more investment coming into Netherlands cricket for the betterment of the sport.
"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.
Praising New Zealand, the optimistic all-rounder concluded that the Netherlands too can be a lot more consistent in the years to come.
"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," he added.
Van Beek has featured in 28 ODIs and 23 T20Is, claiming 38 and 21 wickets respectively. He is also a handy batter down the order.
