Rod Lyall 21/08/23
Defending champions HCC eased their way into next Saturday’s Topklasse grand final on Sunday with a 104-run victory over Punjab Rotterdam at Het Zomercomplex, setting up a repeat of last year’s final encounter with ‘minor premiers’ Voorburg.
If their start, having put in by Sulaiman Tariq, was not entirely convincing, Tonny Staal, Ratha Alphonse and Boris Gorlee all back in the dug-out by the time 69 runs were on the board, the Lions were well served by Jonathan Vandiar, who responded to his opening role with an uncharacteristically restrained 65.
Vandiar did hit three sixes and four fours in his 102-ball innings, but he combined these moments of aggression when opportunity offered with periods of long watchfulness, and it was his knock which paved the way for HCC’s eventual total of 244.
Teun Kloppenburg chipped in with a breezy 30-ball 36 which included four sixes, and then Hidde Overdijk (34) and Patient Charumbira (31) combined to ensure that their side gave Punjab, who had collapsed against Voorburg on Saturday, a significant total to chase.
Spinners Muhammad Shafiq and Saqib Zulfiqar had done the early damage for Punjab, but it was Sohail Bhatti, although he was rather expensive, who was the most successful of the home side’s bowlers with four for 64, including the vital wicket of Vandiar.
The Rotterdammers had brought in Steph Myburgh to play his first game of the season, compensating for the loss of Shoaib Minhas, and he showed glimpses of his old touch as the chase began.
Overdijk and Daniel Crowley, however, bowled with greater effect than Punjab’s pace attack had been able to manage, and Henrico Venter claimed the wicket of Saqib Zulfiqar just when it seemed that the innings might gain some momentum.
Thereafter it was the left-arm spinners, Clayton Floyd and Daniel Doram, who called the tune: Sikander Zulfiqar laboured for a solid 42, but he received little support, and with Doram taking four for 14 in another outstanding spell and Crowley returning to finish with four for 40 Punjab were all out for a disappointing 140.
VRA Amsterdam and Excelsior ’20 Schiedam completed their campaigns with home victories over HBS Craeyenhout and relegated Salland, but with all the issues in the lower part of the table already settled these games had an end-of-term feel about them.
Interest in the Amsterdamse Bos centred on whether Tayo Walbrugh, who has enjoyed another outstanding season, could get the 20 he needed to achieve 1000 runs in the 50-over competition, but he fell just short, making 8 before he was caught off the bowling of Udit Nashier.
Skipper Wesley Barresi’s 62 was the highlight of an HBS total of 169, Tyler van Luin the most successful of the VRA bowlers with three for 20, and then Van Luin and Shirase Rasool knocked off the runs in double-quick time, VRA winning by ten wickets with half their overs to spare.
Rasool ended on 81 not out and Van Luin on 82, and VRA had gone undefeated through their six-match programme in the Relegation pool.
Excelsior were given a great start by Luuk Kroesen (56) and Michael Hart (48), who put on their side’s best opening stand of the season with 107, and then former captain and Dutch international Tom Heggelman, playing his last game for the side, held the middle order together with 46 as they reached 253 for seven.
Salland put up a strong fight in response, Fraser Bartholomew making 44 in his unaccustomed opening role and Sahir Naqash contributing a run-a-ball 55, but there were four golden ducks in the innings, and although Gijs van der Molen made 28 and Victor Lubbers, batting at nine, made an undefeated 23, their efforts were not enough, and the side were all out for 205, 48 runs short.
TKcricket 