July 6, 2023, was a big day in Dutch Cricket history. Scott Edward’s team had defeated Scotland in Bulawayo and their next destination was India – to play the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. They were back in the ODI World Cup after 12 years with a bigger goal; reaching the semis. The next four months were crucial as unlike the other 9 teams, who were competing in bilateral series or multination events, the Netherlands trained at home under the watchful eyes of head coach Ryan Cook.
The son of former South African cricketer Jimmy Cook put his heart and soul in constituting a team of 15 who not only should win games but also hearts. And that’s how Sybrand Engelbrecht landed in the World Cup-bound Netherlands team.
A former Protea who came to the limelight in the Under-19 World Cup 2008 with a Superman catch against Papua New Guinea but could never make it to the national side. Cook was aware of Engelbrecht’s calibre and so do the cricket fans now, especially after so much has been spoken and written about his journey to Dutch Cricket during the World Cup which is no less than a Blockbuster Bollywood Movie.
At the age of 35, cricketers are in the fag end of their careers. But for Engelbrecht, it was just the beginning. On October 9, he was handed his ODI debut against New Zealand and there was no looking back since then as he ended up being the highest scorer for the Netherlands, 300 runs in 8 matches.
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In an exclusive chat with News18 CricketNext, Engelbrecht recalled his debut against the Black Caps, terming it full of excitement.
“It was predominantly excitement. I don’t think it was vindication or proving that I was good enough for, I don’t think it was any of that,” Engelbrecht told CriketNext.
“I was extremely fortunate up until the age of 28 to play cricket professionally. Then I moved into a career in business. So, those were the decisions that I made. To have the opportunity to first of all be in and amongst the team at a World Cup was firstly a massive bonus and then to play and contribute as much as I can, was fantastic as well.
“So it was, it was just excitement, the game against New Zealand. To be out there to compete, just to have a lot of fun, with a good bunch of guys. That was overwhelming. And obviously, to make an international debut is any young cricketer’s dream and to be able to do that in India is something that I’ll cherish forever,” he added.
A Successful and Emotional Campaign
Personal achievement aside, The Netherlands had a memorable campaign with wins over South Africa and Bangladesh, and being the underdogs wherever they travelled the crowd was firmly behind them. For the entire team, including the coaching staff, the experience of India and the fans must have been overwhelming, but in the same breath, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And that emotion was very well captured in a video put out by the ICC on their social handles after the Netherlands’ last league game against India in Bengaluru. Touching upon that video, Engelbrecht talked about the emotions every player of the team was going through.
“It was emotional for all of us because we poured our hearts and souls into the campaign and to end the way that it did against India in Bangalore. With a packed house and putting up somewhat of a fight against probably the strongest team in the world is something that we’ll look back on fondly. It was extremely special, a massive blessing and we’ll always be grateful for the entire campaign and that’s why it was quite emotional for all of us.
We’ve grown extremely close as a team. More often than not, the guy spoke as a family. So it’s not just teammates, but we really grew extremely close. So to share it with a bunch of friends and have as much fun as we did was fantastic,” he said.
Defeating South Africa was amazing
Usually, an associate nation participating in the World Cup is looked upon as a not-so-strong side while fans presume the outcome is foregone if a Test-playing nation is on the other side. The same was the case when the Dutch squared off against South Africa in Dharamsala. The Proteas lost the game by 38 runs in what was a rain-curtailed affair and The Netherlands had suddenly become the buzz word in the tournament.
Engelbrecht, who’s originally South African, believes that defeating the Proteas wasn’t more or less special but it’s all about putting the best foot forward against a quality opposition.
“Yes, I’m from South Africa originally and I played for the U-19 side. But for us, at that moment, was a game of cricket against world-class cricketers, and we were able to come out on top on that day, and that’s where the joy really lay. It wasn’t beating South Africa or beating Bangladesh,” he said.
Nothing much has changed in the Netherlands
Outplaying Test playing nations is no less an achievement for an associate nation, especially when it has to compete in the qualifiers to make it to the main event. The victories against South Africa and Bangladesh did encourage the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB) but still, the game of cricket has a tough way ahead.
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Cricket’s relation with the Netherlands dates back to the 19th century when it was considered a major sport in the country. But over the years, many other sports have surpassed the gentlemen’s game, especially football. In fact, there are people in the country who are completely unaware of cricket.
There wasn’t any special reception from players when they returned from the World Cup. However, an optimistic Sybrand believes that the scenario may change in the future when the team is better enough to inspire the younger generation.
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“To be brutally honest, it’s as if nothing’s changed. It’s been pretty quiet,” he said.
“There was no big reception when we got to the airport or anything like that. But hopefully, in time, as the team continues to put good performances forward, we can start generating more energy around Dutch cricket.
“That’s the hope for us; as a unit is to try and inspire the next generation of cricketers, and to make cricket a better-known sport in the Netherlands because the reality is, it’s such a small sport. A lot of people don’t even know what cricket is here.
“So that in 5 or 10 years’ time when the team does arrive at the airport, that there’s maybe a couple of people there,” he added.
‘Fantastic to win games in front of family’
Sybrand’s mother Dina Taljaard travelled all the way from South Africa to see her son play in the World Cup. A former gymnast, who was denied an opportunity to compete at the 1968 Olympics due to apartheid policy, was delighted over her son’s selection in the team. So, she flew down from Johannesburg to India, taking along her daughter and grandchildren.
“My mom, my sister, her two little ones; they were in Dharamsala and in Lucknow. To have them there was extremely special because it was a special event in our lives as a team and in my life as an individual, and to be able to share it with them, is something that will cherish for a very long time,” Engelbrecht said.
What does the future hold for Sybrand Engelbrecht?
While most of the players are back to their bases after the World Cup, shifting their focus to the forthcoming tours or series. But Engelbrecht was back in the office to resume his career with Fairtree. The right-hand batter is soon to be a father again as he and his wife are expecting their second child. With responsibilities on his shoulders and a career ahead of him, he wishes to be very calculative about his cricketing future.
“I’m not sure. I will definitely try my utmost best to play as much cricket as I can, bearing in mind that I’ve got a full-time career that I need to look after,” Engelbrecht said.
“Our second child is about to be born. Physically, I still feel really good. I feel fit. I feel as if I can contribute to the environment or to any environment. It’s just about how we find a balance between being on tours and playing and also holding up my full-time job. Because the reality is there are other responsibilities, that I have. So, we will take it almost kind of 3 to 6 months at a time.”
“Hopefully gear up for T20 World Cup and thereafter kind of see where cricket takes us,” he concluded.
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