Canada shock Netherlands

Harvir Baidwan celebrates dismissing Ryan ten Doeschate for just four

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Canada stunned the Netherlands to move within touching distance of a place at next year's ICC World Twenty20 in England.

After bowling out their opponents for just 97, Canada almost fluffed their lines when they lost a series of wickets before tripping over the finishing line with just three ball remaining.

Karun Jethi cracked the winning runs but the winning side owe much to Sunil Dhaniram whose entertaining 26 ended some stubborn Dutch resistance.

The Netherlands, who beat Kenya this morning, made the worst start possible against Canada when Darron Reekers fell caught and bowled off the third ball of the game to the lively Henry Osinde.

But it would get worse for the batting side, much worse.

After surviving two dropped catches in the third over, Dutch luck finally ran out when Eric Scwarczynski carved Osinde down to third man where Harvir Baidwan took an excellent catch tumbling forward. Tom de Grooth followed in similar fashion, hooking to Osinde on the boundary to leave his side 46 for three.

Daan van Bunge was guilty of an ugly shot in the ninth over and was consequently caught in the covers, followed soon after by star player Ryan ten Doeschate whose loose cut was trousered by John Davison at backward point.

With the Essex man gone, the Netherlands looked in serious bother at 60 for five but further disaster lurked as they lost three wickets for just five runs.

Two of those fell to Baidwin, a 21-year-old who until the start of play had only taken one wicket in three appearances for Canada. Showing the virtues of bowling full and straight, he finished with 4-19 from four overs.

Netherlands were eventually dismissed for 97 and for that they owed much to Peter Borren who finished unbeaten on 37 which included four boundaries.

Mudassar Bukhari is run out as the Netherlands collapse

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Canada's reply began in sparkling fashion with Davison swatting Mudassar Bukhari for consecutive sixes in the second over, the first maximum landing desperately close to a group of kids playing Kwik Cricket.

The veteran batsman stunned West Indies when he took 111 off them at the 2003 World Cup, but there would be no repeat of those heroics as he edged to Reekers at first slip off Edgar Schiferli for 19.

Fellow opener Geoff Barnett chugged along, content to anchor the innings to its conclusion. He broke free of his shackles with a straight drive off Geert Mol which soared high over long-off despite the batsman not extending on his follow through. It was an exquisite shot, arguably the best of the three games so far.

Abdool Samad hit a couple of boundaries before he eventually fell to Pieter Seeler, caught by Schiferli at long-off for 18. Canada then lost their third wicket with 58 on the board when Schiferli, who had a hand in all three dismissals, ran out Ashish Bagai for just one.

Netherlands, fielding with renewed purpose, sensed a reversal of fortunes when Barnett holed out to leave Canada 61 for four, still needing 37 to win from seven overs.

But Canada's batsmen kept their cool, only just, to triumph.

There was some good news for the Netherlands who, by virtue of a positive run-rate, have qualified for the semi-finals.