'Amateurism of the highest order' - Netherlands team fume after being forced to train on cricket pitch at Women's World Cup

• Netherlands training on cricket field
• Jonker worried about players
• Dutch side start World Cup against Portugal

WHAT HAPPENED? Netherlands are based in New Zealand for the Women's World Cup but have not been given the ideal facilities to prepare for their campaign, having been forced to train at the Bay Oval in Tauranga. The coach has hit out at the World Cup over the issue, saying the organisation has been amateurish.

WHAT THEY SAID: "When we arrived here on Wednesday, I thought: ‘What is this now? I will not train on this. We have raised concerns about the cricket pitch previously, we were promised things and now we are very disappointed and angry. We are not satisfied," Jonker at a press conference.

"We want to play a good first match against Portugal here, we want to have a top preparation, a top tournament and we also consider ourselves a top team. This does not fit. This fits with amateurism of the highest order."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) expressed its concern to FIFA ahead of the tournament and was told that the field would be changed by the time the team arrive in New Zealand. However, the necessary changes have not been made and Jonker is concerned his players could be injured in training.

"If you fall on it with your knee or your shoulder, you could have a problem. If you sprint from the grass to that pitch, that is also not good for muscles and tendons that are already under tension," he added. "With other exercises we can train around that pitch, but 11 against 11 doesn’t work."

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR NETHERLANDS? Jonker's team will kick off their World Cup campaign with a game against Portugal on Sunday.