SULEEPORN SPINS THAILAND TO SUCCESS IN THE FIRST T20I AGAINST NETHERLANDS

Thailand women have made a winning start to the T20I series against Netherlands as they claimed a comfortable victory by ten wickets with eight balls to spare. Openers Nannapat Khoncaeronkai (44*) and Natthakan Chantham (41*) saw them home although Netherlands dropped four catches and still extended the match to the 19th over. Thailand gave a much better performance in the field and Onnicha Kamchompu and Suleeporn Laomi both took three wickets.

After winning the oneday series 4-0 to move into eighth place in the Women’s ODI rankings Thailand were looking for similar success in the four-match T20I series against Netherlands who won the toss and chose to bat first.

Thailand spinners have been very successful in the ODI series and the pattern was the same in the first T20I although Chanida Sutthiruang and Phannita Maya both bowled their medium pace in the first half of the innings. Left-arm spinner Thipatcha Putthawong took a wicket with her first ball and took her second wicket in the 20th over.

But Onnicha Kamchomphu and Suleeporn Laomi both claimed three wickets each as Netherlands were not able to break free against any of the spinners. Onnicha took 3 for 18 and Suleeporn 3 for 14 and only Robine Rijke made a significant contribution with 33 from 40 balls. She hit one six as Rosenanee Kanoh dropped a catch at long-on but it was the only blemish in another good fielding exhibition. Netherlands finished on 89 for 8 in their 20 overs with only 2 fours and a six in their innings.

Thailand needed 90 to win and Netherlands started the innings by dropping Nannapat Khonchaeronkai before she had scored and after a slow start Natthakan Chantham hit a six and a four to get the chase moving. Another three catches went down but the Thailand openers were able to find the boundary regularly and the result never looked in doubt.

Nannapat brought the scores level with a boundary and Natthakan hit the winning run in the 19th over. Nannapat finished just ahead on 44 from 62 balls with 4 fours and Natthakan was unbeaten on 41 from 51 balls with a six and 3 fours. An opening stand of 90 was impressive but there was no doubt that Suleeporn Laomi deserved the player of the match award for her figures of 3 for 14. She had taken 10 wickets in the four ODIs and again she took wickets towards the end of the innings.

Thailand’s regular recipe for success had worked once again.