Levitt and Nidamanuru stand out in T20I win against Scotland
Published at 18 June, 2025The Netherlands took revenge for their T20I defeat against Scotland earlier this week in a remarkable but convincing way. In Glasgow, the score was 198-171. Michael Levitt excelled with a powerful 90; Teja Nidamanuru was the unlikely bowling hero with 3-30. The Dutch played without fast bowlers after Viv Kingma was injured.
There were four changes compared to the match against Nepal, of which Ryan Klein was the most notable. He returned from an injury and is not yet able to bowl.
All players played with black armbands in connection with the death of the beloved Scottish umpire and photographer David Potter.
The match was played on a different pitch than the previous games, which meant there was one long boundary and one of only 55 metres. Max O’Dowd and Michael Levitt provided an eventful opening. After the first Powerplay, the score was 61/2. O’Dowd made a quickfire 21 off ten balls, with five fours. His opening partner Levitt can also be destructive and today was his day. He made a powerful 90 off 57 balls with six fours and five sixes. He had a partnership of 75 runs with Scott Edwards (31) for the third wicket. Ryan Klein provided a productive final chord with 21 runs from nine balls. George Munsey took three catches for the Scots.
Scotland innings
Viv Kingma opened the bowling, but lasted only three balls before a hamstring injury seemed to play up. Michael Levitt finished Kingma’s over and Saqib Zulfiqar came on as substitute fielder.
A brilliant fielding action by Michael Levitt led to the run out of Mark Watt. Kingma’s departure meant that the Netherlands had no fast seamers as Van Meekeren was sidelined as a precaution and Kyle Klein and Ben Fletcher were also out of the team. Levitt and Singh were the medium pacers and besides spinners Doram, Van der Merwe and Dutt, Teja Nidamanuru also had to get to work. That worked out well, because the part-time offspinner (3-30!) claimed the top wickets of Munsey, Berrington and McMullen. Dutt caught Munsey at deep square; a potentially crucial catch. Later on Noah Croes took three catches in the outfield.
After fifteen overs (142/5) Scotland were still reasonably on course. Cross and Leask tried to accelerate, but when Cross hit a ball from Van der Merwe into the hands of Vikram, that was a momentum shift.
Michael Leask was the last danger man and he showed it. Aryan Dutt (economical and effective with 1-25) back in the attack meant 164/7. Leask (46 off 23) was dismissed when Van der Merwe pushed one through and O’Dowd took a simple catch at long on. Van der Merwe and Dutt kept it dry in the final overs, giving the Dutch a fine and logically spinner-dominated victory. Michael Levitt was named Player of the Match for his fantastic 90.
Photo credit: Cricket Scotland / Ian Jacobs
