Yesterday, Netherlands beat Scotland in an ODI. With the World Cup going on in South Africa, not many people will have noticed. Just like the Intercontinental Cup-game played over the weekend has gone by largely unnoticed by Dutch sports fans.
If the KNCB and ICC want to broaden interest in cricket in the Netherlands, they will have to get the sport under the attention of the public. To do that, they need media coverage. And cricket will not get any coverage here when there is a World Cup football going on.
Last year, when Netherlands played the World Twenty20 and famously beat England in the opening game, cricket made the sports headlines. With not much else going on, cricket was an entertaining alternative and the surprise victory of our boys sparked more interest than ever.
Yesterday’s victory against Scotland is obviously not as sexy as beating England at the World Twenty20, but the latter would also not have gotten as much media coverage as it did, had there been a World Cup football to compete with.
The point is, planning international matches for the ‘lesser’ countries should include making sure there are no major sport events at the same time. It will not always be possible to avoid an overlap, but surely more effort could be made? Was there no way Scotland could have come over a week earlier?
Cricket’s governing bodies understand the role of the media perfectly, but seem to have missed the trick when planning these fixtures.
Ironically, there was an item yesterday on cricket in of the WC football tv-shows. Erik van Muiswinkel, a Dutch comedian and cricketer, visited the Wanderers for NOS’ Studio Sportzomer. I embedded it below. It is in Dutch, so for those of you who speak the beautiful language, enjoy:
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Dutch batsman Alexei Kervezee has a bright future according to many. Some even suggest he’ll develop into a good Test player.
