Thailand again too strong despite Zwilling’s five-for

Thailand’s Women completed the third win of their ODI series against the Netherlands at the Royal Chiang Mai Golf on Thursday, winning by 99 runs and extending their run of victories over the Dutch to nine matches.

The foundations of the Thai total of 227 were half-centuries by Natthakan Chantham and Naruemol Chaiwai, who shared a third-wicket stand of 79 in exactly 20 overs, and an aggressive 38 from Rosenanee Kanoh.

But on the plus side for Heather Siegers’s team they bowled with much greater control in the first half of the innings, not conceding a single wide until the 25^th over, and Iris Zwilling became only the third Dutch woman to claim five wickets in an ODI, her figures of five for 25 second only to Cheraldine Oudolf’s five for 20 against Sri Lanka at Kandy in 1997.

Zwilling’s initial spell of 6 – 2 – 14 – 2, removing Somnarin Tippoch and Nannapat Koncharoenkai, was an outstanding effort, and she then came back at the end to take three wickets in two overs as Thailand collapsed from 217 for five to 227 all out.

She was well supported early on by Frédérique Overdijk, but it was Hannah Landheer who finally broke the stand between Chantham and Chaiwai and who twice claimed two wickets in an over, finishing with four for 43.

Chantham had again batted with great composure, her 56 coming from 86 deliveries and including six fours and a six before she was well caught down the leg side by keeper Babette de Leede, while Chaiwai went on to make 65, her highest international score, from 102 balls before she was bowled by Landheer.

She was followed four deliveries later by Kanoh, who had hit seven boundaries in her 33-ball 38, ensuring that Thailand posted a challenging total for the Dutch to chase.

De Leede and Sterre Kalis again began promisingly but the accuracy of the Thai bowling continued to put the batters under pressure, and after striking five fours in her innings of 30 De Leede tried to hit Onnicha Kamchomphu over the top and was caught by Chantham at mid-on.

Kalis continued in tandem with Robine Rijke, but when she too went aerial and was caught by Kamchomphu off Tippoch’s bowling, and Rijke and Overdijk followed in the next two overs, the Dutch were on 74 for four and Thailand were in control.

Thereafter only Siegers was able to take on the bowling, her 32 coming at almost a run a ball and including three fours and a six, but Chaiwai was again able to rotate her spinners effectively and wickets fell at regular intervals.

Suleeporn Laomi and Tippoch were again the pick of an excellent attack, taking four for 26 and three for 15 respectively as the Netherlands were dismissed for 128 in 38.3 overs.

Dutch coach Shane Deitz paid tribute after the game to Zwilling’s effort with the ball, but acknowledged that Thailand had batted really well in difficult conditions, with a soft pitch and heavy cloud cover.

‘We bowled and fielded well at times,’ he said, ‘but we offered them a four ball too frequently, which released the pressure we had previously built up.

‘Again a few silly shots and good tight bowling were our undoing. If we put all the elements of the game together we will be on the right side of the result as our skill level is good – we just need to bring all aspects of the game together.’

The final match of the ODI series will be played on Saturday, followed by four T20 Internationals next week.

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