St John’s, Antigua – The dangerous Dutch side will undertake a cricketing invasion of the Caribbean in January. The West Indies Cricket Board today announced that Netherlands will join Canada and Sussex Sharks as the three overseas teams which will take part in the next Caribbean Twenty20.
The overseas trio will join seven regional sides in the ten team tournament to be played in Trinidad and Barbados from January 9th to the 22nd.
The seven Caribbean teams are: Barbados, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands.
The three overseas teams will try to wrestle the CT20 trophy away from reigning champions Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana – the only two teams to have won regional T20 titles since 2006 when the regional tournament was introduced.
"We’re delighted that the CT20 will continue to have an international flavour with Netherlands, Canada and Sussex Sharks," WICB Director of Cricket Tony Howard said.
"With Netherlands coming on board fans in that country are sure to be keen on following their exploits so we’re continuing to open up the CT20 to newer markets overseas," Howard added.
"We welcome Sussex who follow other county teams, Hampshire and Somerset, to have had a go in the CT20; and we continue our strong relationship with Canada who have always added North American delight to our Caribbean shores," Howard said.
Caribbean fans will be hopeful of seeing exciting all rounder Dutch Ryan Ten Doeschate’s power hitting. Ten Doeschate has been named ICC Associate Player of the Year for the third time in four years. He plays Twenty20 cricket around the world in the various leagues. He plays in the Indian Premier League for Kolkata Knight Riders.
With the likes of Ten Doeschate the Dutch have shown they can be giant killers. They famously beat now reigning World Twenty20 Champions England in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009.
In addition to Ten Doeschate, Netherlands has in their ranks Stephan Myburgh, the brother of Johann Myburgh who played for Hampshire in Caribbean Twenty20 2011.
Peter Borren who was a New Zealand Under 19 teammate of international batsmen Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder now captains the Dutch team.
Netherlands last played in the Caribbean in the Cricket World Cup 2007.
Richard Cox, CEO said, "Undoubtedly this is another significant move in our preparation for the international playing programme and we are delighted have secured a place in the Caribbean T20. I know the players will love the opportunity of playing against the likes of Trinidad and Tobago who have featured so well in the Champions Trophy in India – it will be a great experience for all concerned."
Canada returns to the tournament after participating in 2011, while Sussex Sharks will make their first appearance in the Caribbean.
Monty Panesar, Luke Wright, Matt Prior, Ed Joyce, Amjad Khan and captain Michael Yardy who have all played for England are in the Sussex Twenty20 line up.
They also have Pakistani fast bowlers Umar Gul and Naved-ul-Hasan along South Africa left arm pacer Wayne Parnell and former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent and former Zimbabwean batsman Murray Goodwin.
Sussex Cricket Chief Executive, Dave Brooks, said "We are very much looking forward to the CT20 in January as it offers our players the opportunity to play competitive cricket in different conditions around the world, and offers our coaching staff the chance to see show some of our younger players perform under pressure"
Sussex were quarter-finalists in the English and Wales Cricket Board Twenty20 tournament this year.
Regional Twenty20 Winners
Stanford Twenty20 2006 – Guyana
Stanford Twenty20 2008 – Trinidad & Tobago
Caribbean Twenty20 2010 – Guyana
Caribbean Twenty20 2011 – Trinidad & Tobago