Bertus de Jong 17/08/23
As the season approaches its decisive phase at both ends of the table, there’s two principle questions still to be settled. The first is Salland’s improbable, last-ditch bid for survival, which will require four games to go their way this weekend, and all in a very big way given their 590-run net run rate deficit with respect to Excelsior – the only other club in danger of relegation. The second, of course, is to crown a champion from among the four sides still in title contention; Voorburg, Punjab, Sparta and HCC.
The first task facing Salland is to bag two points and a substantial net run rate adjustment against HBS Craeyenhout, who they welcome to Deventer on Saturday. HBS did Salland a favour by thrashing Excelsior last week, but by the same token their from is intimidating. Tayo Walbrugh racked up yet another Topklasse century, Nic Adendorff a five-wicket haul, While Kyle Klein further burnished his all-round credentials. Conversely Salland have been on a losing streak, compounded by the German contingent’s shock series defeat at the hands of Guensey at het Schootsveld last week. Nonetheless it’s do or die for the Sallanders, while the Crows have little to play for in their last two outings.
At the same time Salland will have an eye on the Amsterdamse Bos, where they need hosts VRA to administer a drubbing to Excelsior if the net run rate gap is to be within the realms of the plausible by the final match. Such a thumping is not impossible, as Excelsior have been struggling with the occasionally faltering form of Lorenzo Ingram and general malaise in the rest of the team, while VRA seem to have benefitted from the total lack of pressure they’ve been under since securing safety. Vikram Singh has been in particularly fluent form, while the bowling attack had the Schiedammers on the ropes before the rain came when this fixture was first attempted a couple of weeks ago.
Win or lose the VRA will have another no-pressure game the following day when the welcome HBS for their season finale, who likewise have nothing riding on the game. Our principle hope and prediction for this match-up is that everyone will have fun.
At the same time we’ll either see either a decisive relegation showdown at Deventer or a top-flight swansong for Salland as they take on Excelsior in their final match of the season. Depending on results the previous day, there’s an outside chance that a thumping win for the hosts could see them pull off an extraordinary escape act and condemn Excelsior to relegation. Yet even if Saturday’s matches see three-figure or 30 over margins of victory for both Salland and VRA, the task facing the hosts on Sunday will be enormous, though even a remotely plausible window for Salland’s survival would put huge pressure on Excelsior.
At the other end of the table, Voorburg are rewarded for their near-total cominance this season with home advantage in the preliminary final against Punjab Rotterdam on Saturday. VCC have hardly set a foot wrong all summer, yet they will doubtless be reminded that the sole defeat they have suffered was at the hands of Punjab at Westvliet in their fifth match. Of the two main architects of that win, centurion Shoaib Minhas has since departed. But Saqib Zulfiqar has been in excellent all-round form, playing a crucial role with the bat in Punjab’s comfortable win over VOC last week. Conversely VCC looked uncharacteristically vincible as they struggled to a two-wicket win at Sparta, only a remarkable rearguard 8th-wicket stand between Mees van Vliet and Flip Boissevain getting them over the line. Though Musa Ahmad remains a reliable source of runs at the top of the order, while skipper and Netherlands hopeful Sybrand Engelbrecht has found some form for Netherlands A, the Voorburgers face their first genuine clutch game in some time, and won’t be happy it’s against Punjab.
At the same time Sparta 1888 and HCC will be at Bermweg battling for a place in Sunday’s Qualifier semi-final against whoever loses at Westvliet. Sparta’s showing against VCC and hard-fought win against ACC last week will have instilled a degree of self-belief in the unfancied Cappelle side, while HCC’s suprise defeat at the hands of ACC may have shaken the Lions’ self-confidence somewhat. Nonetheless HCC remain marginal favourites to claim a semi-final spot, with twin left-arm spin threats Daniel Doram and Clayton Floyd their chief asset, along with Hidde Overdijk’s fine form this season. The HCC top-order has blown hot and cold this season however, while Garnett Tarr has been a stalwart for the Spartans. Yet while skipper Martijn Snoep has stepped up admirably as a new ball partner for the evergreen Mudassar Bukhari, his side have struggled for penetration in the absence of Khalid Ahmadi and Ahsan Malik. A run to the top four is already an impressive achievement for a side that was batlling relegation last season, but even with home advantage they start as underdogs again on Saturday.
BdJ’s picks: PJB, HCC, VRA, HBS; VCC, SAL, VRA
RL’s picks: VCC, HCC, VRA, SAL; HCC, EXC, VRA
TKcricket 