Netherlands, Scotland east through first play-off

 
Netherlands put on a dominating performance with bat and ball as they thrashed USAa by nine wickets in Lochlands at Arbroath in the first playoff match on Thursday (September 5).
Chasing a modest target of 92, Sterre Kalis and Denise van Deventer, Netherlands opening batters, got off to a solid start as they put on 52 runs inside 10 overs. For the third time in this tournament. Kalis got off to a promising start, collecting a run-a-ball 31, before being cleaned up by Akshata Rao.
Babette de Leede joined van Deventer and the duo polished off the remaining runs. The pair’s unbeaten 38-run partnership for the secon wicket took Netherlands home in 17.4 overs. Van Deventer top scored, with a 48-ball 38.
Earlier in the day, USA opted to bat first in the hope of putting some runs on the board. Erica Rendler, their most promising batter so far, was castled by Heather Siegers in the very first over. Sindhu Sriharsha then combined with Nadia Gruny in an attempt to resurrect the innings. The pair shared a 37-run stand.
However, as has been the case all through the tournament, they USA their way in the middle. The captain’s departure for 11 saw the start of a mini-collapse for her team. USA went on to lose three wickets for 22 runs. While the batters were consuming deliveries, they found the runs hard to come by.
Meanwhile, Gruny was camped at the other end— watching as her teammates threw away their wickets. 12 overs into the innings, she found an able ally in 14-year-old Lisa Ramjit.
The pair batted out the final eight overs, adding 32 runs along the way. Gruny herself brought up her maiden T20I fifty— the first ever for a USA batter— off 59 deliveries. Her unbeaten 58, that included six boundaries, guided USA to a total of 90 for 4 in 20 overs. Ramjit was unbeaten on 11. 
 
In the second play-off game in the day, Scotland handed Namibia a 10-wicket drubbing as Sarah Bryce and Lorna Jack completed the 68-run chase in just 8.4 overs.
Having elected to field Scotland pegged Namibia back at the very start of the innings. Kathryn Bryce started the procession of wickets, removing Kayla Green, caught and bowled, in the third over of the day.
The hosts kept picking up wickets at regular intervals as Namibia struggle to string together any partnerships of substance. Their highest partnership of the day was the 20-run stand for the third wicket between Yasmeen Khan and Petro Enright. Following that association, there was little for Namibia to cheer abour as they folded for 67 in 17.4 overs.
Katherine Fraser, the 14-year-old off-spinner, was particularly impressive, finishing with figures of two for 16 in her four overs, while Kathryn and Rachel Hawkins, too, collected two wickets each.
The hosts’ chase of 68 was a straight forward affair. Sarah took to her task immediately, crashing a boundary off the very first ball of the innings. The right hander shook off her indifferent form, collecting her runs at a rapid pace. She cantered to and unbeaten 37 off 30 balls striking five fours and a six, while Jack was somewhat playing in her shadow, unbeaten on 25 off 22 balls.
 
Brief Scores: 
United States of America 90/4 in 20 overs (Nadia Gruny 53*; Silver Siegers 2-10, Heather Siegers 2-24) lost to Netherlands 91/1 in 17.4 overs (Denise van Deventer 38*, Sterre Kalis 31) by nine wickets. PoM: Nadia Gruny.
Namibia 67 in 17.4 overs (Kathryn Bryce 2-6, Rachel Hawkins 2-9) lost to Scotland 68/0 in 8.4 overs (Sarah Bryce 37*, Lorna Jack 25*) by 10 wickets. PoM: Sarah Bryce