Broadcast to a worldwide audience, the European Cricket Championship - ECC21 - is a month-long national team tournament including representative sides from England and the Netherlands. Featuring almost 100 games in September and October, 15 national teams will contest the inaugural 2021 edition. The competition will be intense for the European Cricket Championship crown at the picturesque Cartama Oval, Malaga, Spain.
Netherlands XI overcame a determined Austria side in the Group B Final of the Dream11 European Cricket Championship to qualify for Championship Week in early October. In a tense thriller, the talented men in Orange staved off a strong Austria side by a four run margin, after dominating the group stages with seven wins in eight games.
Batting first, Netherlands posted 126 despite a duck for their in-form batter Clayton Floyd. With 48 off 18 balls from Musa Ahmad, the other opener, NED XI cruised nicely to 126, also helped by a late burst by Olivier Elenbaas, who made 24 off five balls with four sixes. Elenbaas' late cameo proved to be decisive in a close game as Austria, powered by a 15-ball 32 from Zeeshan Goraya came within four runs of snatching the Group B title. Austria do have the massive consolation of qualifying for Championship Week in early October as Group B runners-up.
Earlier on a rain-marred finals day, Portugal went through to the second qualifier after beating Hungary in the eliminator. Netherlands XI had their qualifier 1 against Austriaabandoned, which took NED XI to the finals on account of their better position in the group table. Austria got through to the finals after beating much-improved Portugal in a close game in the second qualifier.
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