Yorkshire v Holland: Composed Rudolph ensures Yorkshire continue unbeaten run to sink Dutch

HOLLAND may be famous for "Total Football" but it is Yorkshire who are playing "Total Cricket".

A four-wicket win against the Netherlands made it four victories out of four in the Clydesdale Bank 40 League.

This was not the cakewalk some had envisaged but a competitive contest beneath sunny skies.

The Dutch made a respectable 200-8 after being put in before Yorkshire crept home with three balls remaining to make it nine matches unbeaten since the start of the season, Jacques Rudolph leading the way with an undefeated 83.

Steve Patterson was Yorkshire's most successful bowler, following his career-best 6-32 against Derbyshire the previous week, with 3-34 from eight overs.

The 26-year-old seamer is growing in stature and he again showed excellent control of line and length.

Patterson was well supported by Tino Best, who returned 3-43 and roared in as though his life depended on it.

All theatrics and testosterone, the 28-year-old pace bowler hit the stumps three times and even fell over at one point with the force of one of his numerous lbw appeals being turned down by umpire Barry Dudleston.

After the bowlers had done their work, Andrew Gale and Rudolph put on 81 for the first wicket to follow their previous stands in this year's tournament of 233, 61 and 19.

Gale was stumped for 38 but Rudolph was peerless as Yorkshire saw off spirited opponents.

From 174-3, the home team slipped to 189-6 to raise mild concern but Rudolph kept his head during an innings that comprised 100 balls, winning the match with the last of his seven boundaries – a rasping four through mid-wicket.

Before a crowd of around 2,000, Yorkshire made a flying start as they reduced Holland to 25-2.

Nick Statham played on to Best in the third over as he tried to work through the covers before Patterson won an lbw verdict against Eric Szwarczynski.

The presence of Szwarczynski – along with one or two others in the Dutch line-up – ensured that Canon Max Wigley, Yorkshire's chaplain, earned his crust as a temporary stand-in on the public address system.

Szwarczynski was not born in Holland, his South African roots emphasising the cosmopolitan nature of the visitors' side.

Mudassar Bukhari and Mohammad Kashif were born in Pakistan, Michael Dighton and Tom Cooper in Australia, while Peter Borren hails from New Zealand in what might better have been branded a Rest of the World XI.

After their twin early setback, the Netherlands rallied through Dighton, who is playing as an overseas player.

The idea of a country fielding an overseas player seems preposterous if thoroughly predictable in these days of madcap regulations, but Dighton helped make a game of it with a fluent innings that combined polished defence with powerful stroke play.

The right-hander announced himself with three fours in an over off Best and then launched Patterson for a towering six into the white seats of the Trueman Enclosure.

But Dighton lacked support as no-one displayed the necessary staying power to keep him company for long.

Bas Zuiderent, Borren and Cooper all reached double figures but Yorkshire captured wickets at regular intervals to prevent the Dutch posting a really challenging total.

Dighton made 62 from 64 balls before having his leg-stump knocked back by Best, who wheeled away towards the cover boundary like a man possessed.

Bukhari gave the innings late impetus with an unbeaten 49 from 40 balls.

Gale and Rudolph looked largely untroubled in reply before Gale was lured out of his ground by off-spinner Kashif, wicketkeeper Buurman doing the rest.

Adam Lyth played some handsome strokes before being bowled by Mark Jonkman, while there was a useful knock from Joe Sayers, who was playing instead of Anthony McGrath, who had a knee injury.

Although it all got a little too close for comfort at the end, Yorkshire's victory was hardly in doubt.

The table-toppers do not play again in this competition for just over two months – another example of county cricket's muddled fixture list.

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Jacques Rudolph

The South African showed his class and composure to steer Yorkshire home with three balls remaining with an unbeaten 83, made from 100 balls and including seven fours.