Robert Vermeulen 13/08/25
On the 9th of August 2025 the last rites of the 50 over Topklasse were served. VOC survived to fight another year and the Topklasse lost Excelsior ’20 and Sparta. Kampong are the champions. Apart from a few details, mostly surrounding the relegation, the cards were more or less dealt by mid-July. Now the T20 circus will form the fag end of the cricket season. Hurrah? Nah.
Whatever some people might say about the rising importance of T20 for Dutch cricket, the clubs see the 50 over competition as the most important competition. You are the national champion if you win your 50-over league. T20 is nice, but a bit of a side show. Nobody will shed a tear if the first team does not do well in the T20 league. Clubs will primarily invest in the 50-over competition; for glory or survival.
The way this year was structured was highly conducive to gaming the system as far as overseas players were concerned. Less scrupulous parties could fly in players on a tourist visa for a maximum of 90 days to play the first round on 27 April 2025 and leave after the 17th round on the 20 July 2025. They would only have missed one round. In this case that would only have had any relevance for the relegation and play off matches. The rest was already settled. Fly in (say) 4 players on a tourist visa, see to it that they make you champion or at least that you survive and off they go again after 90 days. No need for costly fees for permits, visa and other bothersome formalities. After July nothing really matters anyway. Needless to say that this is illegal as well.
The T20 Cup opens the door to European cricket — lots of fun — and possible cash that the Wise would invest in their youth development. I have the idea that not all clubs and players are that keen on the T20 part of the year. As the T20 has limited consequences for TK clubs for next season as relegation is slightly unlikely, you can just have some fun and see where and when the ship runs aground.
Personally I find all this very frustrating and, frankly, boring. The month of August has nothing to offer with any consequences other than the T20 Cup and junior matches (for those clubs who actually have juniors). No teams have to either fight for the championship or survival until September. No clubs have to hang on to their pro’s and show that they possess the debt of player resources that they can survive until September. Nothing of this. You will see some teams who enjoy T20 have some fun. The rest will just go through the motions slowly ambling towards the winter recess. I am for sure not entertained!!!
We will be best served to rethink this set up. The season should be relevant until September, for it is then that the strongest teams with supporting club structures show their mettle. Mix the T20 in during the season.
In September 2026 I really hope to be able to watch some nailbiters again with all of my fellow cricket lovers…. But not this year.
TKcricket 