Cricket: Mitchell Santner leads Black Caps to sweep of Netherlands

The Black Caps swept aside Netherlands after also beating Ireland. Photosport

An unbeaten century partnership between Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell led New Zealand to an eight-wicket win over the Netherlands and Twenty20 series sweep on Friday.

Santner scored a career-best 77 not out and Mitchell 51 not out in propelling New Zealand to 149-2 in reply to the Netherlands' 147-4. They won with six overs to spare.

The Black Caps won the first T20 by 16 runs on Thursday and were even more convincing.

Santner came to the crease in the second over when Martin Guptill was bowled on 2, and his first shot was to hit Tim Pringle over the long on fence.

Finn Allen fell in the next over on 13, and Mitchell joined Santner. They combined for 123 runs in 65 balls, of which only 15 weren't scored from.

Santner reached his first T20 fifty in 29 balls. He was dropped on 43 and 56.

Mitchell took all of the strike in the 14th over, rushing from 33 with two sixes, a two, and a match-winning boundary to notch his second T20 fifty.

The Dutch chose to bat first and Bas de Leede followed his 66 on Thursday with another team-best 53 not out from 48 balls.

New Zealand completed a European tour that began in late May and moved through England, Ireland and Scotland. They aren't finished touring, though. They go to West Indies for three T20s and three ODIs from next Wednesday.