The Netherlands won the first match of the tri-series in South Africa on Sunday, beating Canada by 17 runs in a game of fluctuating fortunes.

After being put in to bat by Canadian captain George Codrington, the Dutch batsmen got away to a good start, Bas Zuiderent and Eric Szwarczynski putting on a record 67 for the first wicket before Szwarczynski clipped Umar Bhatti to Osinde at mid-on when he was on 31, made off 37 balls.

Zuiderent and Ryan ten Doeschate added 70 for the second wicket, but then Zuiderent was run out by a direct throw from Sunil Dhaniram as they attempted a quick single. He had made 44.

Ten Doeschate was evidently in superb form, carrying on from his two centuries in Pretoria last week, but he was eventually trapped leg-before by Codrington, just one short of his fifty, made from just 41 balls with eight boundaries.

Codrington now operated in tandem with Dhaniram, and together the spinners put the brakes on the Dutch batsmen, pulling the scoring rate down from well over six to just over five, Dhaniram dismissing Daan van Bunge, Tim de Leede and Peter Borren in conceding just 34 runs from his ten-over spell.

At the other end, Alexei Kervezee was batting with great composure, and together with Borren and then skipper Luuk van Troost he managed to get the tempo increasing again.

But he was run out in a bizarre moment, attempting a second run from an overthrow, to fall on 49, made from 68 deliveries.

Of the Canadian seamers Umar Bhatti had the best figures, but apart from him, Codrington and Dhaniram, all the bowlers were expensive. The Netherlands, on the other hand, having seen 300-plus within their sights halfway through the innings, will have been a little disappointed to be held to 271 for eight.

But ten Doeschate rocked Canada in his second over by dismissing first Ashif Mulla and then Codrington, leaving the side reeling on 12 for two.

Sandeep Jyoti and Ashish Bagai set about restoring their team’s fortunes, putting on 64 before Jyoti was forced to leave the field with a muscle strain. Abdool Samad lasted just two balls before Borren trapped him leg before, and when Bagai clipped the same bowler to Daan van Bunge for 53, just after completing his first ODI half-century, Canada were 100 for four in the 23rd over.

Desmond Chumney and Don Maxwell now put together a 95-run partnership in 19 overs for the fifth wicket, but with Borren, de Leede and van Bunge all bowling steadily the required rate was gradually creeping up towards eight an over.

Both batsmen were severe on anything short or wide, but the pressure eventually told, Chumney finally being stumped by Jeroen Smits off van Bunge’s bowling when he had made 48 (off 61 balls), and Maxwell falling to the same combination less than three overs later.

Maxwell’s 59 from 69 balls was the top score of the day, but Canada were now 218 for six, needing 54 from six overs. Jyoti returned with Bagai as his runner, adding nine to his score before clipping van Troost to ten Doeschate at midwicket.

Dhaniram was showing admirable determination at the other end, but with ten Doeschate coming back to bowl the final overs from the University End, the task was simply too great. He skied van Troost to Kashif at fine leg in the penultimate over, and the Canadians finished 18 runs short.

Ryan ten Doeschate was named Man of the Match for his all-round performance.