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MUTARE EXPRESS . . . Tendai Chatara starred with the ball, taking five wickets, as Zimbabwe hammered Netherlands yesterday in the first of their three-match series in that country

TENDAI Chatara starred with the ball, with a five-wicket haul as the Chevrons eased to a six-wicket win over the Netherlands in Amstelveen to get their three-match tour underway in impressive fashion yesterday.

The hosts could not handle the quality of the visitors pacers with Chris Mpofu also taking three wickets. The Netherlands were considered a tougher opponent for the Chevrons, in their conditions, but were skittled out for just 142 in under 38 overs.

At one point, Chatara and Mpofu had reduced the hosts to 40-8 but, as they have always done on many occasions, the Zimbabweans let their foot off the pedal and the hosts took full advantage.

Chatara took his third List A five-wicket haul.

An unbeaten 64 from Logan van Beek saved the hosts some blushes but still, Zimbabwe got to their target with 19.4 overs to spare as Craig Ervine top-scored with 44.

Netherlands openers Wesley Barresi and Stephan Myburgh were the first to go, falling in Chatara’s second and third overs respectively.

The score was 22 for 2 then but four overs and six runs later, Chatara struck again, this time twice in two balls to send back both Michael Rippon and Roelof van der for ducks.

When Mpofu took out Ben Cooper for 6, Netherlands had lost five batsmen inside 10 overs, and had to wait till the ninth-wicket pair for some semblance of a partnership.

Van Beek combined with No. 10 Timm van der Gugten (34) to put on 86 runs to delay the inevitable and remained unbeaten on 64 off 83 balls with six fours and one six.

It was Zimbabwe’s second straight victory on this European tour after beating Scotland on Saturday.

The Dutch had set this game as the highlight of their cricketing summer.

Zimbabwe’s tour is the first time the Dutch welcome a full member side to their shores in some four years, the last being a one-off ODI against South Africa in 2013.

Though these three matches will not be full ODIs — the Dutch having forfeited their ODI status at the last World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand, it will nonetheless be the first multi-match one day series in the country against full member opposition in over a decade.

Zimbabwe’s willingness to risk taking on Associate sides of late has won them many friends.

The Dutch had been riding high, a surprise home defeat at the hands of Nepal last year the only blemish on their otherwise undefeated campaign in the World Cricket League Championship.

The series is the first full bilaterals between the countries, the two sides having met previously only in ICC competition, the most recent encounters being a last-ball five-wicket win for Zimbabwe at the 2014 World T20 and a more convincing 99 run win at the 2003 World Cup.

A couple of the Zimbabweans will nonetheless be familiar with the ground, Craig Ervine and Sean Williams having played in the Zimbabwe XI that toured in 2010.

The tour included a fifty over affair — played according to the Dutch fashion with a red ball and in whites – ahead of their Intercontinental Cup match the following week.

The Netherlands have something of a reputation for staging upsets against full members, this Zimbabwe team though was unlikely to fall into the trap of underestimating their opponents, especially after their loss to Scotland.

For Zimbabwe the series offers a chance to regain some confidence and build some much needed momentum ahead of the Sri-Lanka tour. The second match is on tomorrow.