Dutch cane SA in Dharamsala

Logan van Beek of The Netherlands (third from left) celebrates with teammates after dismissing SA’s top scorer David Miller (right) for 43 at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala, yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

After a great start to the tournament, South Africa succumbed to the lesser-fancied Netherlands by 38 runs in a rain-hit game at Dharamsala on Tuesday night.

Chasing 246 for victory, SA couldn't get any momentum going as they lost four wickets for just 44 runs, which included captain Temba Bavuma (16), Quinton de Kock (20), Aiden Markram (1) and Rassie van der Dussen (4). With four batsmen back in the hut for so little, it was always going to be an uphill battle.

Matters got worse when they lost Heinrich Klaasen for 28. Top-scorer David Miller (43), who was South Africa's last hope, followed soon after.

On Sunday, Afghanistan stunned defending champions England in New Delhi.

Earlier, Scott Edwards played a captain's knock to lead the Netherlands' remarkable recovery and take them to 245 for eight in a rain-hit game against South Africa in the World Cup here on Tuesday.

Intermittent rain added an extra chill in the mountain air and reduced the game to a 43-overs-a-side contest.

South Africa expectedly opted to bowl amid the overcast sky and their bunch of formidable pacers including Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, got a lot out of the surface. However, their death overs bowling left a lot to be desired as the Netherlands plundered 68 runs in the last five overs. The Netherlands were struggling at 140 for seven in the 34th over. Edwards (78 off 69) shared an entertaining 64-run partnership off 37 balls with Roelof van der Merwe (29 off 19) towards the end of the innings to take the team past 200. South Africa's pace attack is among the potent ones in the competition and the Dutch top-order found them too hot to handle. Aryan Dutt's unbeaten 23 off nine balls also propped up the total.

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Rabada struck in his very first ball of the match as Vikramjit Singh (2 off 16) could not control the pull shot off a delivery that hurried on to him.

Vikramjit's opening partner Max O'Dowd (18) departed six balls later as the tall left-arm pacer Jansen induced a faint edge off his bat with an angled away delivery. Star all-rounder Bas de Leede (2) was trapped in front by Rabada.

Brief scores
The Netherlands 245-8 in 43 overs (S Edwards 78'; M Jansen 2-27, K Rabada 2-56, L Ngidi 2-57) beat South Africa 207 all out in 42.5 overs (D Miller 43, K Maharaj 40; L van Beek 3-60, R van der Merwe 2-34, B de Leede 2-36, P van Meekeren 2-40) by 38 runs

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