Maartje Alexander Köster (born 3 March 1975) is a former Dutch international cricketer whose career for the Dutch national side spanned from 1995 to 2007. A right-handed batsman, she played in 46 One Day International (ODI) matches, including at the 1997 and 2000 World Cups, and also represented the Netherlands in its inaugural Test match.
Born in Utrecht, Köster made her ODI debut for the Netherlands at the age of 20, playing two matches in the 1995 edition of the European Championship (hosted by Ireland).[1] At the 1997 World Cup in India, she played in all of her team's matches, but scored only 31 runs from four innings.[2] Köster remained a fixture in the Dutch team throughout the rest of the decade, and began to be used higher in the order, including on several occasions as an opening batsman.[1] During the Dutch tour of Sri Lanka in March 1999, she scored what was to be her only ODI half-century, making 58 not out from 89 balls coming in fifth in the batting order.[3]
At the 2000 World Cup in New Zealand, Köster featured in five of a possible seven matches, scoring 65 runs.[4] Against South Africa, she topscored with 36 from 85 balls, opening the batting with Caroline de Fouw.[5] Outside of the European Championship, Köster's next international tournament for the Netherlands was the 2003 IWCC Trophy, the qualifier for the 2005 World Cup. At that tournament, she scored 111 runs from five innings, but was dismissed only twice. Her consequent batting average of 55.50 was the second-best overall at the tournament, behind teammate Pauline te Beest.[6] In two matches, Köster was the topscorer for the Netherlands, making 40 not out against the West Indies and 49 against Pakistan.[7][8]
In July and August 2007, South Africa went on a tour of the Netherlands, playing three ODIs and a Test – the first (and so far only) Test match played by any Dutch team, men or women.[9] Selected in the Test squad, Köster scored 29 runs from 178 balls in the first innings, and added nine more runs in the second. Her match total of 38 runs was surpassed by only wicket-keeper Violet Wattenberg, who made 52.[10] In the ODI series, Köster played in only the first match, which was her last international game – she had been selected in the squad for the 2007 European Championship, but did not end up taking part.[1][11] She finished her career with 46 ODIs, behind only Pauline te Beest for the Netherlands, although that mark has since been equalled by Helmien Rambaldo and beaten by Carolien Salomons. As of October 2015, Köster is one of only five Dutchwomen to pass 500 runs in ODIs.[12]
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