Bas de Leede

Son of Netherlands great Tim de Leede and a seam-bowling all rounder in the mould of his father, Bas de Leede comes from a large cricketing family. His cousin Babette keeps wicket for Netherlands Women and his younger brother Stijn has played age-group cricket for the Dutch, but young Bastiaan was quickly seen as the most promising of the latest de Leede generation, earning him the tongue-in-cheek sobriquets “Prince of Voorburg” or “Future Captain of Holland” as he was coming up at Voorburg CC. Having skippered the Dutch through age-group competition, he followed his father into the senior side while still a teenager, making his First Class debut in the Netherlands’ final fixture of the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup and scoring an unbeaten half-century in the second innings.

It was some time before de Leede fulfilled his promise in white ball cricket, however. He would not pass fifty again for almost four years, while a persistent back injury limited his bowling. Yet eventually he would repay the faith shown by coach Ryan Campbell at the 2022 T20 World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe, where he was the Netherlands’ stand out all-round performer with 170 runs at an average of 56 and nine wickets at 9.00. At the T20 World Cup itself de Leede was instrumental in the Dutch securing a top-eight finish, claiming 13 scalps at the tournament – joint second on the table with Sam Curran and behind only Wanindu Hasaranga. His performances began to attract wider interest, Mumbai Indians signing him to their ILT20 franchise, and on Campbell’s departure from the Netherlands de Leede followed his former coach to Durham, having acquired pre-settled status in the UK during a stint at MCC Young Cricketers some years before.

The highlight of his career so far came some months later, back in Zimbabwe at the 50-over World Cup Qualifier where de Leede produced an all-time great ODI performance in a decisive group match against Scotland. With the Dutch two points behind and facing an improbable net run rate deficit, de Leede took 5-52 to help restrict the Scots to 277 before smashing 123 off 91 in the second innings, becoming only the 4th player to take five wickets and score a century in men’s ODIs and securing the Netherlands’ qualification for the World Cup.