Norfolk began their two-match visit to the Netherlands with a comfortable win over the Dutch A side in Rotterdam on Thursday, making 223 for eight and then bowling their opposition out for 139 in 35.2 overs.

Mainstay of the Norfolk innings was skipper Carl Rogers, who made a solid 66, batting for 127 minutes and facing 96 balls, with six boundaries.

He shared a second-wicket partnership of 89 with James Spelman before the latter was run out by a brilliant piece of fielding from Dutch A side captain Peter Borren. Spelman made 39 off 63 balls, hitting one four and one six.

The latter part of the innings was anchored by Jaik Mickleburgh, whose 49 came off 46 balls and included one four and one six.

Borren used ten bowlers, with the best spells coming from the new-ball pair of Maurits Jonkman and Somesh Kohli, from Geert Maarten Mol, and from 17-year-old Tim Gruijters, who took 2 for 18 in seven overs.

Jonkman also picked up two wickets at a cost of 36 runs, while Kohli did not take a wicket but bowled a purposeful spell of eight overs for 24. Mol produced a fine containing spell in the middle part of the Norfolk innings, and claimed Mickleburgh’s wicket when he came back at the death.

The Dutch batsmen began steadily, but their cause was not helped by two run outs, which followed the dismissal of Tom de Grooth, bowled by Ben Smart for 14.

Coming in at 35 for two, Borren played a genuine captain’s innings, but he was unable to find a partner who could stay with him long enough to build a significant partnership.

Things looked promising for the Netherlands when Atse Buurman hit two fours and two sixes in reaching 20, but then he edged George Walker to Rogers at slip, and the total had slipped to 100 for four.

No-one else reached double figures, and by the time Borren reached a well-deserved fifty with a splendid straight six off Chris Brown last man Kohli was at the other end and the cause was already lost. Borren went over the top again next ball and was caught by Mickleburgh to end the innings 85 runs shy of the target.

Borren’s 53 came off 57 balls and included four fours and two sixes.

The destroyer for Norfolk was Chris Brown with four for 28 off 8.2 overs, while spin partner Walker took two for 42 off seven.