It's elementary for Dutch at World Cup

BASSETERRE/ST KITTS: Not many World Cup teams can boast a link to Sherlock Holmes. The Dutch can and they'll need all the sleuth's deductive skills if they are to successfully unravel the talents of world number one South Africa in their opening World Cup clash here on Friday.

Holmes's creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was an avid cricketer and was part of the first team to tour the Netherlands in 1891.

It must have been a worthwile experience for the writer as he went on to play 10 matches for MCC, eight of them at Lord's. He only took one wicket in his career but it was memorable - dismissing WG Grace for 110.

The first club in the Netherlands was formed in Utrecht by students from both The Netherlands and the Cape Colony in 1856.

Despite those historic social and political links with South Africa, the Dutch, who conceded a world record of 443-9 last year in a mauling by Sri Lanka, will find it hard going to stop the South Africans. But they are determined to give it a go.

"We'll be out to prove that we belong," said captain Luke van Troost. "We will be playing for our pride. Our first priority will be to beat Scotland, but we also want to do well against Australia and South Africa."