Cricket World Cup 2023: Netherlands captain Scott Edwards grew up in Victoria

Scott Edwards grew up in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and still lives in the Victorian capital for half the year. But the Dutch captain struggled to break through the Australian cricket system, writes DANIEL CHERNY.

When Australia plays its World Cup match against the Netherlands in Delhi on Wednesday, there will be two Victorians taking to the field. One is Glenn Maxwell.

The other is the Dutch captain.

Scott Edwards grew up in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, still lives in the Victorian capital for half the year and three seasons ago won the Jack Ryder Medal as the best player in Premier Cricket after a stellar campaign for Richmond.

He played for Victoria’s second XI in early 2022, but by dint of his grandmother being born and raised in the Netherlands, it is as a wicketkeeper, lower order crafter and skipper of the only non-Test playing nation in the World Cup that he is best-known.

From just 42 one-day internationals, Edwards had 14 half-centuries, including the unbeaten 78 from 69 balls that set up his side’s shock win over South Africa in Dharamsala last week.

It is hardly as though Edwards has just been beating up on the minnow either. All bar two of his 50s in ODIs have come against Test-playing nations.

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards is a Victorian. Picture: Noah Seelam/AFP

Combined with his leadership and glovework, Edwards’ assets are pretty appealing at face value.

And yet the 27-year-old has never had a state or Big Bash League contract.

And until recent years, he’s never really been that close either. Victorian mainstay Sam Harper, who has won both the BBL and Sheffield Shield, was the biggest roadblock.

“I was in Sammy Harper‘s year growing up so he’s obviously done extremely well for himself,” Edwards told this masthead.

“But that was probably a reason I never really made any of the state underage sides. Yeah, and then I think, you know, a lot of my development’s probably come in the last few years being exposed to international cricket and that sort of thing. So it's a little bit of a different journey to playing professional cricket to most I suppose. In those younger years … he was always far ahead on the radar than I was.”

Edwards’ manager, Greg Size of Deliver Sports Management, wonders whether Edwards’ unorthodox journey has been a hindrance.

“We’ve had some frustrations the last couple of years trying to find a spot for Scott in Australian domestic cricket and the BBL, even though he can play as a local,” Size said.

“He isn’t a classical-looking batter, but his stats over the last two to three years of international cricket are outstanding.

“I hope that the people making these calls don’t just regard it all as too hard because he hasn’t come through traditional pathways, or plays in a slightly different manner. Runs don’t lie. Added to the fact that he’s a world-class wicketkeeper, and Scott presents a very attractive option.”

Edwards with the country captains prior to the tournament. Picture: Punit Paranjpe/AFP

That Australian cricket can only have 66 players featuring in any one men’s state round also makes life more difficult for a late-bloomer like Edwards.

“I guess the fact that there isn’t great flexibility in the Australian contracting system, together with restricted opportunities make it hard. We’ve got the same number of teams in the Sheffield Shield since Tasmania came in in 1978. Our population has doubled since then. Hopefully Scott’s recent exploits keep him at the forefront of people’s minds, and we can find him a home on the Australian domestic scene soon, or on the world T20 circuit.”

Edwards doesn’t have to look far for inspiration that opportunities abound in the current cricket landscape.

Young gun Bas de Leede is among those in the Dutch squad to have had a taste of the global short-form riches, having been on the books of The Hundred’s Northern Superchargers.

“I think we always sort of speak about how we are a very sort of tight knit group and sort of pride ourselves on playing as a team and enjoying each other's success,” Edwards said

“And I think something that obviously comes from that is, you know, opportunities to present themselves. You know, we had had reasonable success in Australia in the T20 World Cup (last year) through winning games and playing well as a team and then from that, you know, four or five players got opportunities in franchise cricket sides.”

Edwards is hoping to get a job from his starring role at the World Cup. Picture: Noah Seelam/AFP

Any jobs to come from starring on the world stage would be a bonus though. While the win over the Proteas was momentous, one victory is not enough. The Netherlands want to be in the semi-final mix. To keep that dream alive, a win against the five-time world champions is vital. However for Edwards, it is just another World Cup game.

“We’re probably one win behind where we’d like to be at this stage,” Edwards said.

“(It’s) just pretty much another day for me to be honest. I mean, I haven't really played with or against any of these guys. So it doesn’t hold any sentimental value to me.”

Originally published as Cricket World Cup 2023: Netherlands captain Scott Edwards grew up in Victoria