 In the opening match of the T20 World Cup 2009 against England , De Grooth was man of the match as he smashed 49 off 30 balls which included 6 fours and 1 six, and he was instrumental in a shock victory for the Dutch.The Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (Royal Dutch Cricket Board) awarded central contract to three players in January 2010.The board had never before given its players contracts and was a step towards making the team professional, so that players could spend more time honing their skills without having to balance another job.