Alexei Kervezee
Encyclopedia
Alexei Nicolaas Kervezee (born 11 September 1989) is a Namibia
n (previously South Africa
n)-born Dutch
cricketer
.
Kervezee rose rapidly and smartly through age-group cricket in the Netherlands, and in late July 2005, aged only 15, he made his first-class
debut for his national team against Scotland
in the Intercontinental Cup
. This game was badly affected by the weather and Kervezee did not get to bat, but the following month in the same competition he scored 46 not out
against Ireand
. He also played against Kenya
in March 2006.
In April 2006, Kervezee played his first List A matches, for Netherlands A against India A and Pakistan A
at Abu Dhabi
. The Netherlands A team were badly beaten in both games, but Kervezee's scores of 26 and 25 were among the highest in each Dutch innings. His bowling was singularly unsuccessful, however, with his four overs going for 39 runs.
On 4 July 2006 he made his One Day International debut against Sri Lanka
at Amstelveen
's VRA Ground. It was a chastening experience overall for the Dutch team as Sri Lanka piled up 443/9, a world record ODI score,
but in the Netherlands' reply Kervezee played well for 47, putting on 69 (the highest partnership of the innings) with Tim de Leede
. Two days later, against the same opponents, he made 18. Kervezee played several Under-17 and Under-19 matches over the following days, as well as one game against Italy
in the European Cricket Championship
, then in early August he returned to ODI action with small scores against Scotland and Ireland.
In late September, Worcestershire
announced that they had signed Kervezee to play county cricket
on a two-year contract. The county's chief executive Mark Newton called him "a very accomplished and exciting young talent", while Dutch bowling coach Ian Pont
claimed that the youngster's story had "shades of Graeme Hick
" about it. Kervezee himself said that he was "looking forward to learning from such great players and coaches".
Kervezee was given several opportunities in the second half of the 2009 season and made an impression with some assured displays. He scored his first half-century for the club on 30 June 2009 when he made 66 in the second innings of the game against Durham.
Kervezee has been a permanent fixture in the Worcestershire side throughout the 2010 season and has consistently impressed with the bat, scoring quickly and showing stroke-making abilities of the highest order. Having fallen one run short of his maiden first class century in the game against Leicestershire, he scored 130 in the following game against Derbyshire at Worcester (his parents had travelled from Rotterdam to watch him play). In the return fixture at Derby, he improved his highest innings total, hitting 155. He is only the fourth Dutch player to hit a first-class century in English cricket, following in the footsteps of Roland Lefebvre
, Bas Zuiderent and current Essex and Netherlands international Ryan ten Doeschate
.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n (previously South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n)-born Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
.
Kervezee rose rapidly and smartly through age-group cricket in the Netherlands, and in late July 2005, aged only 15, he made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for his national team against Scotland
Scottish cricket team
The Scotland national cricket team represents Scotland in the game of cricket. They compete in the Clydesdale Bank 40 as the Scottish Saltires...
in the Intercontinental Cup
2005 ICC Intercontinental Cup
The 2005 ICC Intercontinental Cup was the second edition of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, a cricket competition for 12 nations from Asia, Africa, North America and Europe. All the games were scheduled for three days and were designated first class....
. This game was badly affected by the weather and Kervezee did not get to bat, but the following month in the same competition he scored 46 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
against Ireand
Irish cricket team
The Ireland cricket team is the cricket team representing all of Ireland. Because of political difficulties, the Irish Cricket Union was not elected to the International Cricket Council until 1993, and qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2007. The Irish Cricket Union is the...
. He also played against Kenya
Kenyan cricket team
The Kenya national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Kenya in international cricket matches. They are considered one of the strongest of the associate member nations of the International Cricket Council, especially since reaching the semi-final of the 2003 Cricket World Cup...
in March 2006.
In April 2006, Kervezee played his first List A matches, for Netherlands A against India A and Pakistan A
Pakistan A cricket team
The Pakistan A cricket team is a national cricket team representing Pakistan. It is the 'second-tier' of international Pakistan cricket, below the full Pakistan national cricket team. Matches played by Pakistan A are not considered to be Test matches or One Day Internationals, instead receiving...
at Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Stadium
Sheikh Zayed Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is currently used mostly for football matches but can also stage athletics. It is named after the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and first president of the UAE. The construction of the...
. The Netherlands A team were badly beaten in both games, but Kervezee's scores of 26 and 25 were among the highest in each Dutch innings. His bowling was singularly unsuccessful, however, with his four overs going for 39 runs.
On 4 July 2006 he made his One Day International debut against Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
at Amstelveen
Amstelveen
' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
's VRA Ground. It was a chastening experience overall for the Dutch team as Sri Lanka piled up 443/9, a world record ODI score,
but in the Netherlands' reply Kervezee played well for 47, putting on 69 (the highest partnership of the innings) with Tim de Leede
Tim de Leede
Timotheus Bernardus Maria de Leede is a former Dutch cricketer.Most often batting in the middle order and bowling in the middle overs, De Leede is a capable cricketer, even at ODI level, where he leads the Netherlands for games played, wickets taken, and has a pair of half centuries, an unbeaten...
. Two days later, against the same opponents, he made 18. Kervezee played several Under-17 and Under-19 matches over the following days, as well as one game against Italy
Italian cricket team
The Italy national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Italy in international cricket matches. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1995, having previously been an affiliate member since 1984...
in the European Cricket Championship
European Cricket Championship
The European Cricket Championship is a group of various tournaments in which national cricket sides throughout Europe compete. The tournament is designed to encourage and develop the best players in countries where cricket is not a major sport and Europe's only Test cricket playing country,...
, then in early August he returned to ODI action with small scores against Scotland and Ireland.
In late September, Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
announced that they had signed Kervezee to play county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
on a two-year contract. The county's chief executive Mark Newton called him "a very accomplished and exciting young talent", while Dutch bowling coach Ian Pont
Ian Pont
Ian Leslie Pont is an English former cricketer. Known for a powerful throw and a brief foray into the world of baseball, Pont mainly played for Essex during his career, as did his brother Keith Pont....
claimed that the youngster's story had "shades of Graeme Hick
Graeme Hick
Graeme Ashley Hick MBE is a Zimbabwean-born cricketer who played 65 Test matches and 120 One Day Internationals for England. He played county cricket for Worcestershire for his entire English domestic career, a period of well over twenty years, and in 2008 he surpassed Graham Gooch's record for...
" about it. Kervezee himself said that he was "looking forward to learning from such great players and coaches".
Kervezee was given several opportunities in the second half of the 2009 season and made an impression with some assured displays. He scored his first half-century for the club on 30 June 2009 when he made 66 in the second innings of the game against Durham.
Kervezee has been a permanent fixture in the Worcestershire side throughout the 2010 season and has consistently impressed with the bat, scoring quickly and showing stroke-making abilities of the highest order. Having fallen one run short of his maiden first class century in the game against Leicestershire, he scored 130 in the following game against Derbyshire at Worcester (his parents had travelled from Rotterdam to watch him play). In the return fixture at Derby, he improved his highest innings total, hitting 155. He is only the fourth Dutch player to hit a first-class century in English cricket, following in the footsteps of Roland Lefebvre
Roland Lefebvre
Roland Philippe Lefebvre is the most successful cricketer that the Netherlands has produced, and one of the very few players from outside the Test-playing nations to achieve a significant career in the professional game....
, Bas Zuiderent and current Essex and Netherlands international Ryan ten Doeschate
Ryan ten Doeschate
Ryan Neil ten Doeschate is a South African-born cricketer who plays internationally for the Netherlands due to his Dutch ancestry. He has played cricket for Essex since 2003....
.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...