Daijiworld Media Network - Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Jul 8: Former South African one-day international captain Johan Botha has been appointed as a consultant to the Netherlands men's cricket team ahead of its upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 fixtures against Namibia and Nepal later this month.
The tri-series matches will be played at Kampong in Utrecht from July 21, with Botha joining the Dutch squad immediately after stepping down from his positions as head coach of Australia's Queensland Bulls and Big Bash League side Brisbane Heat, despite having a year remaining on his contract.
The 44-year-old enjoyed a distinguished international career for South Africa, featuring in 78 One-Day Internationals and 40 Twenty20 Internationals. He also captained the Proteas in 10 ODI matches.
Expressing his enthusiasm about the new assignment, Botha said he was excited to work with the Netherlands squad during a significant phase of its World Cup qualification campaign. He added that he had closely followed the team's progress in recent years and looked forward to collaborating with the players, coaching staff and support personnel.
Welcoming the appointment, Sybrand Engelbrecht, a High Performance Board member of the Dutch Cricket Board, said Botha's vast coaching experience across several leading domestic and franchise competitions would be a valuable asset for the national side. He highlighted the former spinner's coaching roles in tournaments including the Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket, the Big Bash League and Queensland cricket.
Botha had been in charge of both the Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls for the past two seasons after succeeding Wade Seccombe in 2024. During his tenure, Queensland reached the Sheffield Shield final in his first season, while Brisbane Heat failed to qualify for the Big Bash League playoffs in both campaigns.
The Netherlands is expected to announce its squad for the League 2 series shortly after July 9. The team will begin its campaign against Nepal on July 23 before facing Namibia on July 25. The remaining fixtures will see the Dutch side meet Nepal again on July 29 and Namibia on July 31.