Another disappointing batting display by The Netherlands saw them dismissed for 287 on the opening day of their Intercontinental Cup match against the United Arab Emirates in Sharjah on Thursday. The Emiratis survived two overs before the close, putting 10 on the board in the process.

Put into bat after the Emirates’ captain Saqib Ali won the toss, Dutch openers Alexei Kervezee and Bas Zuiderent got their side away to a great start with a stand of 79 before left-arm spinner Khurram Khan secured the breakthrough shortly before the lunch interval, trapping Kervezee leg-before for 44.

Ryan ten Doeschate never really settled, eventually coming down the pitch to Khurram and being stumped by Amjad Ali. Eric Szwarczynski soon followed, the first of five victims for Arshad Ali, and The Netherlands were 123 for three.

Zuiderent was still there, however, and he and Peter Borren now shared a 42-run partnership. But when Zuiderent had reached 77, made off 150 balls with eight fours and one six, he was caught by Fahad Alhashmi off the bowling of Mohammad Tauqir.

Daan van Bunge joined Borren, and they added 59 for the fifth wicket before Van Bunge was bowled by Arshad, who then dismissed Mudassar Bukhari with his next ball to reduce the Dutch to 224 for six.

Borren fell two runs later, his 56 coming from 84 balls with three fours and three sixes, and although Edgar Schiferli hit a defiant not-out 32 in the closing stages, the innings came to an end off the first ball of the 92nd over.

Arshad Ali’s five for 43 was fair reward for some finely controlled bowling, and there were two wickets for Khurram Khan and one each for Fahad Alhashmi, Shoaib Sarwar and Mohammad Tauqir.

This first day’s play leaves the match interestingly poised, with much depending on how the top Emirates batsmen deal with the Dutch attack in the pre-lunch session tomorrow.

‘We again had batsmen who got a good start and then weren’t able to go on with the job,’ Dutch captain Jeroen Smits said after the close. ‘We weren’t able to put together really big partnerships, and the Emirates bowlers maintained the pressure well.

‘But we’ll be aiming to do the same tomorrow, and looking to make sure of six first-innings points.’