Holland beats England, T20 WC 2009

It's 13 years now since I have loved the Dutch cricket team: since the time I first saw a bespectacled Bas Zuiderent playing like a bookworm quietly settles in his corner and reads, just getting sucked in the book, the trees, the atmosphere, a Roland Lefevbre, one of the most economical bowlers in one day cricket and one of the best on view in that World Cup, since that time I fell in love with the Dutch team. And they were different from other amateurs: they quietly, wearily but sweetly went about their task as if a teacher gave them a very tough homework and instead of asking another student or cheating or finding out how others did it, they just are plodding along being within themselves, that one day their hard work will bring them out with colors. And it has!

Hats off for a remarkable, deserving victory, their first significant in the highest arena, to the Netherlands; it might be over England, a poor limited-overs specialist, and might be in T20, a great leveller, but nothing can take away from that they won because of their hunger to win. It could lead to recognition for some players, could make the players and the country cricket board more cash rich, and most importantly it could lead to Holland being finally accepted into the English county structure.