It was a sudden death encounter for The Netherlands and Kenya at Abu Dhabi on Thursday, and it was the Dutch who survived and went through to the Super Four with a commanding performance with both bat and ball, winning by seven wickets.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, The Netherlands struck a vital early blow when Steve Tikolo smacked Mudassar Bukhari’s second ball to Bas Zuiderent at backward point, and Bukhari struck again in his next over, Alex Obanda pulling a short ball high to Alexei Kervezee at deep square leg.

With both openers back in the pavilion Kenya were forced to consolidate, Collins Obuya combining solid defence with some big shots against Bukhari, but when Pieter Seelaar came on in the seventh over he swung the game decisively in The Netherlands’ favour, removing Maurice Ouma with his first ball, brilliantly stumped by Atse Buurman, Obuya in his next, and then Rakep Patel and Tony Suji in his third.

That made Kenya 67 for six, with Obuya’s 21-ball 33 the only significant score; Seelaar at this point had four for 13 from three overs.

Jimmy Kamande now took over in partnership with Nehemiah Odhiambo, but with Peter Borren producing a fine spell, conceding just 16 runs from his four overs, and Mohammad Kashif also bowling well, they were largely restricted to keeping the board ticking over with ones and twos.

It was Kashif who removed Odhiambo in the 17th over and Kamande in his next, and then Bukhari came back to dismiss Shem Ngoche and Lameck Onyango and Kenya were all out for 130.

Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski gave the Dutch another great start with an opening partnership of 72 in 10.4 overs before Kervezee, having hit 33 from 26 deliveries with two fours and two sixes, was caught by Collins Obuya off Ngoche.

Szwarczynski went on to make a fine 45 before he fell to Lameck Onyango, who then accounted for Bas Zuiderent as well when the Dutch batsman had made 23; Zuiderent really middled an on drive, and Nehemiah Odhiambo sustained an injury to his left hand taking a very sharp catch.

But by this time The Netherlands were within four runs of victory, and Ryan ten Doeschate finished it off two balls later to end on 21 not out. It had been a solid all-round effort by the Dutch, but that defeat by the UAE may yet come back to haunt them as they take on Afghanistan and Ireland in the Super Four stage.