Punjab advance to grand final – but only just

Rod Lyall 02/09/24

An outstanding century by opener Shoaib Minhas was the foundation of Punjab-Ghausia’s thrilling one-wicket victory over VRA Amsterdam at the Zomercomplex on Sunday, taking his side into the grand final in a fortnight’s time.

VRA, though, fought all the way, and they will get a second chance to reach the grand final when they take on defending champions Voorburg in the Amsterdamse Bos next week.

The Amsterdammers had set Punjab a substantial target, their total of 265 built on contrasting knocks from captain Johan Smal (86) and Shariz Ahmad (83).

The pair had shared a key fifth-wicket stand of 129 after Sulaiman Tariq (three for 59) and Khurram Shahzad had combined to reduce VRA to 76 for four, and after Smal departed it was left to Shariz to hold the tail together, adding another 60 in a succession of invaluable partnerships.

When Punjab replied Minhas, scoring at a run a ball, was able to ensure that his side kept pace with the required rate, but his problem was that he kept losing partners at the other end.

Punjab’s most substantial partnership was that for the second wicket between Minhas and Musa Ahmad (30), which added 81, but with pacemen Ben Fletcher and Elijah Eales, supported by left-arm spinner Clayton Floyd, chipping away, the issue remained in doubt.

18 were still needed when Minhas, sent back looking for a single that was never there, was run out for 106, made from 107 deliveries with nine fours and three sixes, and the deficit was still seven when Fletcher struck again to claim the ninth wicket and bring last man Tariq to the crease.

Crucially, though, that wicket came from the final ball of his over, and Fawad Shinwari was able to find the two boundaries which gave Punjab the narrowest of victories.

At De Diepput, meanwhile, Voorburg, with three of their internationals back in the side, kept their title defence alive and ended HCC’s hopes with a convincing 49-run victory.

Their total of 241 was built on a solid 44 from Cedric de Lange, batting at three in order to make room for Michael Levitt, and an aggressive 67 from Ryan Klein, made from just 53 balls with six fours and three sixes.

Philippe Boissevain contributed a useful 38, while Hidde Overdijk was the mosgt successful of HCC’s bowlers with three for 51.

When Tonny Staal, batting with uncharacteristic restraint, and Boris Gorlee were together at the crease it looked as if the Lions might be in with a chance, but Voorburg’s attack made scoring difficult, and HCC gradually fell behind the required rate.

Jed Wiggins top-scored with 58, but once Mees van Vliet had returned to remove him Philippe Boissevain ran through the lower order taking four for 27 – including an outstanding one-handed return catch to dismiss Yash Patel – and HCC were all out for 192.

In the final round of Relegation Pool matches ACC made short work of ten-man Excelsior ’20, bowling them out for just 88, 60 of which came from Derek Mitchell (29) and Lorenzo Ingram (31), no-one else reaching double figures in an abject batting display.

Sahil Kothari had a field day, claiming five for 21, and ACC needed only 14.3 overs to knock off the runs, Shreyas Potdar making an unbeaten 34 to complete a third successive victory which would have been unthinkable a month ago.

There was more of a contest at the Hazelaarweg, where Sparta 1888 managed to defend a total of 200 against VOC Rotterdam and win by nine runs.

Riley Mudford (52) and Juandre Scheepers (67) were responsible for the lion’s share of Sparta’s runs, Roman Harhangi cleaning up the tail to finish with five for 33, Asief Hoseinbaks again chipping in with three for 32.

Ryan Schierhout and Pieter Recordon gave VOC a great start with an opening stand of 95, but once they had both been dismissed for 43 the Bloodhounds again suffered a middle-order collapse, slumping from 99 for two to 141 for eight.

Francois Fourie was still there, however, and he and Jelte Schoonheim added 46 for the ninth wicket, raising hopes of a remarkable recovery.

In the end, though, Manminder Singh removed Fourie, again for 43, and last man Hoseinbaks to finish with three for 22 and see Sparta home.

In the Hoofdklasse, Quick Haag pulled off a shock, subjecting leaders Kampong Utrecht to only their second 50-over defeat of the season and marching into the grand final.

Scott Edwards contributed 82 to Kampong’s modest total of 155, Damien van den Berg making 35, but with skipper Jeroen Brand taking three for 21 Quick kept firm control of the innings.

Then Daan Vierling guided his side to an eight-wicket victory with an unbeaten 80, and Kampong will need to weather a do-or-die preliminary final against Salland next week.

The Deventer side, fourth on the table, sprang another surprise on Sunday, bundling Bloemendaal out for83 and racing to a four-wicket victory with more than 33 overs to spare.

Venkat Ganesan needed only three bowlers to complete Salland’s rout of the Bloemendaal batting, Sahir Malikzai taking four for 29 and Reinder Lubbers and Akhil Gopinath picking up three for 28 and three for 24 respectively.

Salland were cruising at 70 for one in reply, but then former international Mangesh Panchal produced a remarkable spell, claiming five for 11, including one triple-wicket maiden, as Ganesan’s side slumped to 79 for six.

It came too late, however, as Saqibullah Usmanzai hit the winning boundary to keep alive Salland’s hopes of making a quick return to the Topklasse.