Author: tkcricket

Rotterdam seal historic double

Rod Lyall 07/09/26

At the Zomercomplex on Sunday Rotterdam became the first team for fifteen years to complete the 50-over/T20 double, winning twice to finish three points clear of title-holders VRA.

The Amsterdammers had edged their way to the top of the table by Saturday evening, having won both their matches earlier in the day, but they knew that victory in either of their two games in hand would allow Rotterdam to leapfrog over them, while defeat for challengers Voorburg in the first of those games would assure Sikander Zulfiqar’s team of the title.

Voorburg, for their part, needed to beat Rotterdam, and then hope that Rotterdam would lose to HCC in the afternoon.

Their task was made all the more difficult by the fact that the ETPL had not only robbed them of four of their top six, but also deprived them of their Westvliet ground, so that their last two ‘home’ matches were played on the alien astroturf at De Diepput and the Zomercomplex.

There can be little doubt, however, that Rotterdam have been the dominant side all summer, and that this double victory was thoroughly deserved.

Aaditt Jain struck an early blow for Voorburg after Cedric de Lange had won the toss, removing Shoaib Minhas with the fourth delivery of the match, but a positive response from Musa Ahmad (34 from 29 balls) and Muhammad Gondal (28 from 16) saw Rotterdam to 60 for one by the end of the powerplay.

Michael Rippon came on immediately afterwards and had Gondal caught at deep square leg with his second delivery, and for a time the flow of boundaries was restricted.

But Abdul Rehman Niazi’s unbeaten, 31-ball 44, assisted by Sikander Zulfiqar with 27 and Burhan Niaz with 22 from 11 deliveries, enabled the home side to reach a very challenging 176 for six.

Any prospect of Voorburg matching that was effectively ended by Gondal, whose four-over spell conceded only 14 runs with the wicket of Waseem Mohsen; Gondal’s round-arm, slingy action has been causing batters problems all season, and here he ensured that the reply never really got going.

Mohsen’s 25 was in fact the top score, and although Don Glover, Tom de Leede and Rippon all contributed twenties, it was nowhere near enough, and with Tehzeeb Haider taking three for 32 and Ahmed Shafiq three for 31, Voorburg were eventually all out for 138.

The cup now safely in their hands, Rotterdam celebrated with an even more dominant effort against HCC, running up 209 for eight and then dismissing the Lions for 106.

Set up by Musa’s 36 and 31 from Gondal, the core of Rotterdam’s total was a 22-ball 49 from Sikander Zulfiqar, who hit five sixes; the damage might have been even worse without Clayton Floyd’s three for 36.

With a somewhat inverted batting order, HCC were never in the hunt, although Teun Kloppenburg hit an aggressive 45.

Tehzeeb Haider claimed the first three wickets at a cost of just 12, while Sulaiman Tariq finished things off with five for 35.

On Saturday, VRA had given themselves an outside chance of retaining their title with comfortable victories over already-relegated Sparta 1888 and then over long-time leaders Excelsior ‘20.

They began by dismissing Sparta for 107, Darsh Abhinay taking three for 27 and Shariz Ahmad two for 19, only Juandre Scheepers with 39 and Tim Ferguson with 28 showing any appreciable resistance.

Joost-Martijn Snoep removed both oeners when VRA replied, but Johan Smal held firm with a 26-ball 52 not out, and he and Teja Nidamanuru completed a seven-wicket victory with more than six overs to spare.

Batting first against Excelsior, VRA ran up 205 for eight, Smal hitting his second half-century of the day with 58, again needing only 26 deliveries, and sharing a third-wicket stand of 99 with Sam Casidy (56 from 28); Viraj Thakur chipped in with an unbeaten 43 to see his side past 200, while Jens Blankenstein and Gijs Kroesen picked up three wickets apiece.

To this Excelsior had no answer, Abhinay collecting another three-wicket haul and young seamer Shayan Moodley taking four for 24 as the Schiedammers were dismissed for 124, Joost Kroesen top-scoring with 33.

Hermes-DVS, meanwhile, were finishing off their campaign with a seven-wicket victory over Kampong Utrecht, dismissing them for 103 (Sahil Kothari three for 16) and knocking off the runs in 15.2 overs, largely thanks to a 78-run fourth-wicket partnership between Ash Ostling (44 not out) and Olivier Elenbaas (31 not out).

In the final match on Saturday, HCC dented Voorburg’s hopes of establishing an advantage over Rotterdam with a 33-run victory at De Diepput.

Victor Wiesmeier (35 from 18) and Clayton Floyd (32 from 23) set things up with a rapid third-wicket stand of 62 after Aaditt Jain had removed Kloppenburg and Boris Gorlee, and then Zac Worden (44 from 37) and Daniel Crowley (48 from 28) put on 98 for the fifith wcket to help their side reach 195 for seven.

Voorburg were 80 for one in the ninth over in reply, Cedric de Lange having made 35 and Waseem Mohsen 29, but thereafter scoreboard pressure weighed in, and although Rippon did his best with a 25-ball 39 not out, the innings closed on 162 for six.

It had been a disappointing second half of the campaign for Excelsior, but they finished on a comparative high at Thurlede on Sunday, beating Sparta by 84 runs.

An opening stand of 71 between Bibal Shah (39 from 23) and Tim Etman (30 from 21) was the foundation of their total of 161 for six, Umar Baker claiming three for 18 for Sparta, and then Karson Edward ripped through the visitors’ top order, taking three for 13 in three overs.

Only Deran Benta reached double figures, making 21 as Sparta limped to 77 for nine.

Sparta will be replaced in next season’s Topklasse T20 Cup by the winners of next Saturday’s Hoofdklasse play-off, which will be between neighbours and long-standing rivals Quick Haag and HBS Crayenhout.

Weather the winner on a frustrating weekend

Rod Lyall 31/08/26

The Dutch monsoon season decimated the penultimate weekend of the T20 Cup campaign, with only two of the scheduled seven matches reaching a conclusion, and three of the remaining five being abandoned without a ball bowled.

The resulting scatter of shared points leaves matters unresolved at both ends of the table, although it would require an extraordinary combination of events to see Sparta 1888 escape relegation, while the battle for the title has effectively been reduced to a head-to-head showdown between leaders Rotterdam and pursuers Voorburg, who will in fact meet in a virtual final on Sunday morning (weather permitting).

Long-time leaders Excelsior ‘20 still have a theoretical chance of stealing the Cup, but again it would require some almost-unimaginable reversals of form, especially since the Schiedammers have not won since the departure of overseas stars Riley Ayre and Jack Wood.

Their most recent defeat was at Thurlede on Saturday, when Voorburg restricted them to 127 for seven and went on to a six-wicket victory with four deliveries to spare.

Tim Etman’s 41 gave his side a solid start in difficult conditions, and then Joost Kroesen held the latter part of the Excelsior innings together with a 45-ball 50.

Waseem Mohsen responded with 52 from 43 deliveries for the visitors, and after Tom de Leede had chipped in with a useful 21, Michael Rippon and Nirav Kulkarni knocked off the remaining runs, timing their chase to near-perfection.

Facing Kampong in their second match of the day, Excelsior had reached 64 for four in nine overs, with Tim Etman unbeaten on 27, before the rain arrived and the match was abandoned.

Runs were much easier to come by at the Zomercomplex, where Hermes-DVS ran up 183 for four against Rotterdam, thanks in large measure to a record-breaking third-wicket stand of 130 between Ash Ostling (54) and Daniel Doyle-Calle, whose 95 not out came from 52 deliveries and included four fours and seven sixes.

Shoaib Minhas, however, replies with a 41-ball 85 for Rotterdam, and with Muhammad Gondal contributing 34 and the veteran Sherry Butt 32, the six-wicket victory came with two overs to spare.

No play was possible in the later game between Rotterdam and VRA, and at Sportpark Bermweg Sparta 1888 were on 41 for three after 9.5 overs when the players were driven from the field.

ETPL Previews | Belfast Wolves & Dublin Guardians

Bertus de Jong | 25-08-2026

So on then to the final instalment of out ETPL team previews, where it’s time to take a look at the two Irish sides; the Belfast Wolves and the Dublin Guardians. As primus inter pares among the three host boards, Ireland will have the privilege of hosting the back end of thee league phase and finals at Malahide, meaning the two Irish teams will enjoy the advantage of familiar conditions at the business end of the tournament. They’ll be looking to hit the ground running at Voorburg first though, and Westvliet isn’t entirely unfamiliar territory for much of the Irish contingent (nor even for half their overseas).

Belfast Wolves

The Belfast franchise, initially dubbed the Irish Wolves, are fronted by Australia all rounder Glenn Maxwell and backed by Rohan Lund’s Floodlight Capita. The Wolves played their cards fairly close to their chest in the lead-up to the tournament, only announcing their overseas signings late last month, along with head coach Kevin O’Brien. Besides co-owner/captain Maxwell, the full member overseas contingent comprises New Zealanders Devon Conway and Mark Chapman alongside England quick Chris Jordan and South Africa stalwart David Miller. O’Brien also brought in two of his Italian charges in Harry Manenti and Krishan Kalugamage, with former USA skipper Saurabh Netravalkar the third Associate signing.

Current Ireland T20 captain Lorcan Tucker was snapped up ahead of the draft along with Mark Adair and Gavin Hoey. The Belfast selectors then bagged left arm spinner Matt Humphreys as their first draft pick, followed by Netherlands seamer Fred Klaassen, home batters Tim Tector and Paul Stirling, teen Scotland quick Zainullah Ishan and finally recent Dutch debutant Alex Roy.

The Wolves prioritising Tector over his senior Ireland opening partner in Stirling at the draft might imply that the youngster could start ahead of the veteran, paired with Conway at the top of the order, though it would be a bold move to bench the former Ireland skipper even if his recent form has been poor. His successor, Tucker, will doubtless take the gloves and, barring all of the above starting, in all likelihood also his usual spot at three. Chapman, Miller and Manenti will likely be competing for the next two slots in the batting order, though the latter has the advantage of not taking up a full member overseas slot.

Maxwell himself will presumably play at six or seven, as has been his wont of late in both franchise and international cricket. Ross Adair has played a similar lower order punisher role for Ireland (most notably finishing top of the run-scoring tables on Ireland’s most recent series at Westvliet) and given the paucity of genuine bowling all-rounders in the side the Wolves will likely try to make room for both.

Of the remaining bowlers Jordan alone boasts significant batting pedigree at the top level, and his value both at eight and in the field make him a very probable starter. The Wolves eagerness to lock in slow southpaw Humphreys and leggie Hoey suggest that the pair are their first choice spin options, though O’Brien is also known to rate Kalugamage’s legspin highly, while Chapman is also a more useful left arm spin option.

The competition for spots will likely be fiercest among the remaining seamers, Klaassen arguably having the edge as he provides a left-arm option, while Netravalkar’s canny death bowling would come at the cost of an Associate overseas spot. Given the length of the competition both Roy and Ihsan will likely rotate in at some point, though it would be something of a surprise to see either take the field for game one.

Depending on how they balance selection, the Wolves may find themselves with a comparatively long tail (by franchise standards) though the explosive menace of the lower order arguably makes up for it. There’s plenty of depth in the spin section, though Maxwell himself is the sole frontline offie, meaning opposing left handers may pose a problem in the middle. The stable of quicks is plentiful and varied however, and Maxwell should have a tool handy for any job that crops up.

Belfast Wolves squad: Glenn Maxwell (c)[OS-AUS], Devon Conway [OS-NZ], Mark Chapman [OS-NZ], David Miller [OS-SA], Chris Jordan [OS-ENG], Harry Manenti [AP-ITA], Krishan Kalugamage [AP-ITA], Saurhab Netravalkar [AP-USA], Lorcan Tucker (wk)[IRE], Gavin Hoey [IRE], Matthew Humphreys [IRE], Fred Klaassen [NED], Tim Tector [IRE], Paul Stirling [IRE], Zainullah Ihsan [SCO], Alex Roy [NED]

Dublin Guardians

The final* franchise sale was also the one to make the most waves around the world, with news that Ravi Ashwin and Rahul Dravid (previous linked to one of the Scottish franchises) would be co-owners of the Dublin Guardians. Ashwin himself will captain the side, while Vikram Rathour takes up the reins as coach (ably assisted by Ed Joyce). Much like Belfast, Dublin held off on announcing overseas signings until fairly late in the day, with James Vince, Chris Wood, Daryl Mitchell and Vijay Shankar announced just a few weeks out. The Guardians have also signed up a total of four Associate overseas, picking up Americans Sanjay Krishnamurti and Harmeet Singh along with former UAE skipper Waseem Khan and the Greece-affiliated (though as yet uncapped) Peter Hatzoglou.

Josh Little and vice-captain-designate Harry Tector were signed ahead of the draft, and gloveman Ben Cailitz bagged first up in the draft to cover keeping duties. The next picks went on George Dockrell, Matthew Hollard and Craig Young, followed by Dutch deputy keeper Noah Croes and finally Scotland’s Chris Greaves.

Vince and Waseem are the opening pair apparent, assuming the latter isn’t called away to the ACC Premier Cup on national duty. Mitchell has also opened in the past, but he’s been coming in down the order of late and a hip strain picked up in the West Indies last month leaves his initial fitness in doubt. Vice captain Tector is assured of a spot in the top four regardless, and with Cailitz likely taking the gloves the Candian-Irish keeper can probably be pencilled in at five or six. There’s certainly a strong case for also including Croes in the XI however, the Voorburg skipper’s form and local knowledge already militating in his favour, as does his near-faultless slip fielding. If all six play that would likely crowd out Krishnamurthi, though the American could fill most any top order role should any of the above sit out (or drop out).

Shankar has been playing as a lower order pinch hitter it the LPL, a role that will likely fall to George Dockrell in this side, especially given the lack of an equivalent impact sub rule in the competition. Harmeet Singh is another left arm spin option with an excellent (if limited) record at Westvliet, bagging 3 for 8 in 4 in his last visit to Voorburg. Legspinner Hatzoglou has a still stronger local pedigree though, having played for Voorburg on several occasions and contributing heavily with bat and ball. That probably puts him ahead of Greaves for the wrist-spin slot (if there is one) for the Dutch leg of the competition at least.

Shankar’s chief value remains his role as the sole proven seam all-rounder in the side, even if he hasn’t bowled much at elite level this year. The Guardians’ stable of seamers is not to be sniffed at, but playing all of Wood, Hollard, Little and Young would leave the Guardians with an alarmingly long tail. Wood looks all but indispensable, especially at the death given Little’s dubious form since returning from injury. Playing both Wood and Shankar would push out a full member overseas bat however, leaving the top order looking somewhat underpowered and untested at elite level.

All told, for a travelling team the Guardians boast a remarkable amount of local pedigree for the Voorburg leg, a solid battery of local seamers and a selection of spinners that can all contribute contribute down the order. Nonetheless their selection dilemmas are arguably more acute than those of any of their rivals, and getting enough staying power with the bat and firepower with the ball into the same eleven looks a problem positively Gordian in its complexity.

Dublin Guardians squad: Ravichandaran Ashwin (c)[OS-IND], James Vince [OS-ENG], Chris Wood [OS-ENG], Vijay Shankar [OS-IND], Daryl Mitchell [OS-NZ], Muhammad Waseem [AP-UAE], Peter Hatzoglou [OS-HEL], Sanjay Krishnamurthi [AP-USA], Harmeet Singh [AP-USA], Harry Tector (vc)[IRE], Josh Little [IRE], Ben Cailitz [IRE], George Dockrell [IRE], Matthew Hollard [IRE], Craig Young [IRE], Noah Croes [NED], Chris Greaves [SCO]

*barring Edinburgh of course, which has since been de-sold.

Previous ETPL Previews: Amsterdam Flames & Rotterdam Dockers, Edinburgh Castle Rockers & Glasgow Cosmic

ETPL Previews | Edinburgh Castle Rockers & Glasgow Cosmic

Bertus de Jong | 24-08-2026

Though Europe’s newest franchise league is formally co-hosted by the Irish, Dutch and Scottish boards, in the case of Scotland the title of host is purely honorary, at least for the first edition. The Two Scottish franchises – dubbed the Edinburgh Castle Rockers and (eventually) Glasgow Cosmic – will be playing all their matches on foreign soil, first at Voorburg in the Netherlands and then at Malahide across the Irish Sea. Both Franchises have had some notable changes in the backroom and the boardroom ahead of the League, and a few late changes to the squads too. At press time there’s still room on the Glasgow roster for some surprise late additions, but with just two days to go before the first ball is bowled, here’s how the two travelling Scottish outfits are shaping up…

Edinburgh Castle Rockers

Arguably the most notable late shake-up in the League played out at the Edinburgh franchise, after the ownership group led by veteran Sports executive Rachel Wiseman backed out just weeks ahead of the tournament, and the team reverted to central ownership. The League organisers were always prepared to go ahead with five of six sold, but one imagines the late withdrawal won’t have been exactly welcomed. Trevor Bayliss was also a late appointment as head coach, announced as replacement for James Foster only yesterday, but the on field leadership group has stayed constant despite the changes in the back room.

New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner will lead the side on the field, while his compatriot Trent Boult also stays on board. There’s been a few switch-ups elsewhere in the overseas section however, with Shadhab Khan opting for a CPL stint after running into visa difficulties, while putative Rocker Liam Livingstone has somehow wound up at the rival Glasgow franchise. England pair Laurie Evans and Tom Curran come in as replacements, with Australia quick Andrew Tye rounding out the full member section.

The Associate and local pre-signed group has also seen some shake-ups, with the USA’s Rushil Ugarkar replacing the Emirates’ Khuzaima bin Tanveer, while Tom Bruce also withdrew owing to domestic commitments in New Zealand. US keeper-bat Dries Gous will be available however, having ducked out of the CPL early, with Sean Solia of Samoa and JJ Smuts (now affiliated to Italy) completing the four-man Associate contingent.

Scotland stalwarts Brandon McMullen and Mark Watt were locked in ahead of the local draft, though the Rockers notably spent two early draft picks on Irishmen, snapping up Gareth Delaney and Ross Adair in the first two rounds. Jack Jarvis, Safyaan Sharif, Finlay McCreath and Oliver Jones round out the roster, the latter a late replacement for Charlie Tear, who will remain with Sussex.

The early pick of Adair suggests the Irishman is a safe bet to take on of the opening slots, with Gous likely to take the second slot along with the gloves. Solia is another option at the top, and Evans habitually opens for Surrey, though the latter is in lacklustre form and may face less competition down the order, where he comes in for Birmingham Phoenix. Pushing Gous down a rung would also disturb McMullen from his accustomed slot at number three, where the all-rounder has been prolific for Scotland. That said, Santner may well be tempted to push himself up the order, as he did to great effect when last he captained a side at Voorburg, making a personal best 77* against the Netherlands, and doing so would alleviate the lack of other left handers in the top four.

Smuts, Solia and Evans are the other overseas top order options, though there will likely be room for two of the three at most, with Finlay McCreath the local option. Tom Curran could find himself in competition with Delaney for the finisher role, though there could be room for both at six and seven if Evans sits out. With at least two and potentially all of Santner, Watt and Smuts likely to start, the Rockers won’t be short of slow left armers, though notably late arrival Ollie Jones is the only dedicated right arm finger-spinning option, and with Shahdab Khan pulling out the Rockers are currently devoid of any wrist spin.

One would expect Boult and Tye both to start if fit and available, at least early in the competition when Westvliet is expected to favour the seamers. Ugarkar’s chances of a place in the eleven may be dictated by selections up the order, as the American will be competing with locals Jarvis and Sharif for the third seamer slot, with the latter bringing the benefit of experience and the former a potential middle order stop-gap with the bat.

In sum the Edinburgh squad is arguably the most unconventional in the league in terms of balance. Going for big name bowlers over top order bats could well pay off big at the top of the programme at Voorburg, though the southpaw-dominated slow section could prove somewhat one-dimensional if and when spin comes into play at the back end of each leg. The associate/local top order looks solid enough however, and the lower middle order potentially explosive. One can expect some dramatic see-saw performances from the Rockers both match to match and across the tournament, though they’ll have to find their rhythm quickly if they’re to prove title contenders.

Edinburgh Castle Rockers squad: Mitchell Santner (c)[OS-NZ], Trent Boult [OS-NZ], Tom Curran [OS-ENG], Laurie Evans [OS-ENG], Andrew Tye [OS-AUS], Andries Gous (wk)[AP-USA], Rushil Ugarkar [AP-USA], Sean Solia [AP-SAM], JJ Smuts [AP-ITA], Mark Watt [SCO], Brandon McMullen [SCO], Ross Adair [IRE], Gareth Delaney [IRE], Safyaan Sharif [SCO], Finlay McCreath [SCO], Jack Jarvis [SCO], Oliver Jones [SCO]

Glasgow Cosmic

Glasgow Cosmic, briefly known as the Glasgow Mugafians, have already have a remarkably storied history for a side yet to play a match. Backed by Indian AI-assisted entertainment conglomerate the Mugafi Group, the team was initially named for its owners’ mountain namesake before being rechristened “Cosmic” presumably in honour of Chris Gayle, the soi-disant Universe Boss, who has since parted ways with the franchise. The Cosmic kept the name and welcomed former Australia opener Matthew Hayden as coach/co-owner/frontman for the franchise.

Unique among the six sides in designating a local skipper, George Munsey will captain the Cosmic, taking the armband ahead of established Scotland skipper Richie Berrington, who was the Glaswegians’ second Scottish pre-signing. The overseas contingent has seen a remarkable turnover since the early announcements of Finn Allen, Kamindu Mendis, Josh Phillipe, Gerhad Erasmus, Duan Jansen – all since withdrawn – with the latter two set to face off at Windhoek for the upcoming Namibia-South Africa series. In their place come Proteas pair Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi (both given the above series off), along with Englishmen Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone and late announcement Jimmy Neesham, while USA’s Ali Khan and newest Portugal captain Moises Henriques make up the Associate overseas detachment.

Scotland spearhead Brad Currie was their first pick in the draft, swiftly followed by keeper Matt Cross. Dutch quick Paul van Meekeren was the only non-scot picked up in the local draft, followed by spinners Michael Leask and Oliver Davidson, and finally Chris McBride, the latter later replaced by Liam Naylor. With no further signings announced thus far, the Cosmic thus currently have a rather streamlined roster of just fifteen.

As it stands, barring last-minute signings or very left-field line-ups, the Cosmic’s default and only plausible opening pair looks certain to be Munsey and Roy (though it’s worth observing here that two very capable openers in erstwhile Ireland skipper Balbirnie and Voorburg prodigy de Lange are still available, having both been overlooked in the draft). The number three spot is a trickier question, as the Cosmic have something of a surfeit of fours and fives but few bats that have played much at first drop of late. Berrington and Cross have both played the role for Scotland in the past though, while Henriques hit his maiden T20I ton from three for Portugal just days ago.

Should Livingstone play ahead of Neesham or Maharaj then one imagines one of Berrington or Henriques will sit out, but at least early on in the tournament the former looks the most likely of the full member overseas to be left on the bench, with Maharaj and Leask offering left/right slow bowling options while Neesham takes the role of number six and fourth seamer. Switching Maharaj out for Davidson would free up a full member slot for Livingstone, which would diversify the spin options and add depth to the batting, but it’s likely that the Glaswegians will opt to field a full pace battery for the first match at least.

There are a wealth of options when it comes to quicks, with Ngidi a banker to take the spearhead role, supported by some combination of Currie, Khan or van Meekeren. That’s unquestionably an enviable seam roster, but a potentially brittle one. Van Meekeren has only just come back from a stress fracture, while Currie and Khan have both had injury troubles in the past, and the need for rotation alone suggests Naylor will likely get a look-in at some point.

If the Cosmic’s battery of glass cannons can keep firing it will likely prove a potent weapon, while there’s enough flexibility in numerically modest roster to adapt to potentially changing conditions even without any further additions. The lack of cover for openers Roy and Munsey is a potential concern given the tournament’s fairly gruelling schedule, and it may take some time before they hit on the best combination for the rest of the top five. The lower order has plenty of firepower, even if the tail may start a slot earlier than for some of their rivals. There’s plenty of explosive elements in the Cosmic line-up, but given the limited and potentially fragile roster, an eventual implosion cannot yet be ruled out.

Glasgow Cosmic squad: George Munsey (c)[SCO], Jason Roy [OS-ENG], Liam Livingstone [OS-ENG], James Neesham [OS-NZ], Lungi Ndisdi [OS-SA], Keshav Maharag [OS-SA], Moises Henriques [AP-POR], Ali Khan [AP-USA], Brad Currie [SCO], Matthew Cross [SCO], Paul van Meekeren [NED], Michael Leask [SCO], Oliver Davidson [SCO], Liam Naylor [SCO]

Previous ETPL previews: Amsterdam Flames and Rotterdam Dockers

Rotterdam go top as Sparta face the drop

Rod Lyall 24/08/26

The T20 Cup was hit by a double whammy this weekend: a drought-breaking week of rain had left grounds somewhere between damp and sodden, and the impending start of the ETPL had differentially deprived sides of their leading players.

Climate change and franchise cricket, two scourges of the modern world.

The toll of the first was mainly felt at Maarschalkerweerd on Saturday, when both Kampong’s matches, against VRA and HCC were abandoned without a ball being bowled.

In the circumstances, Kampong might perhaps have been forgiven for taking two points from the day as something of a reprieve, but for their opponents, with championship and relegation-avoiding ambitions respectively, a point each would have been a disappointing return from the visit to Utrecht.

The two top sides, however, were able to get only the field at the Zomercomplex, and in a low-scoring match Rotterdam secured a six-wicket victory over Excelsior ‘20, displacing them at the top of the table and greatly improving their chances of pulling off a double title win.

Put in to bat, Excelsior struggled initially against Muhammad Gondal and Tehzeeb Haider, reaching just 28 for two by the end of the powerplay, and although Roel Verhagen batted throughout the innings for an unbeaten 41, it took him 56 balls to do it, and his only real support came from twenties from Stan van Troost and Joost Kroesen.

110 for six never seemed likely to be enough, and with Gondal contributing a 37-ball 42 and Abdul Rehman Niazi 34 not out, Rotterdam reached their target with 11 balls to spare.

Apart from Sikander Zulfiqar’s side, the main beneficiaries of the weekend were Hermes-DVS, whose victories over Voorburg and Sparta 1888 at the Boudewijn Hoek Oval on Saturday carried them away from the relegation zone and into a comparatively secure postion mid-table.

Against a Voorburg side deprived of most of its top order and with national women’s captain Babette de Leede behind the stumps, Hermes ran up the highest total of the weekend, their 171 for five owing much to Daniel Doyle Calle’s 54 and a 21-ball 48 not out from skipper Sebastiaan Braat.

Olivier Elenbaas then removed standin captain Cedric de Lange in the second over of Voorburg’s reply, and by the halfway mark the visitors were effectively out of the game at 55 for three.

Tom de Leede, younger brother of the absent Bas, made a fighting 46, but the innings closed on 137 for eight, still 34 runs in arrears.

Runs were harder to come by in the second match, but Ash Ostling’s 54 and Nick Statham’s 26 saw Hermes to 131 for eight, but although Khalid Ahmadi produced his characteristic fireworks, smacking five sixes in his 40-ball 54, Sparta could only manage 111 for nine in reply, Hermes not only taking four much-needed points from the day but also considerably improving their net run rate.

Sparta’s woes continued at the Bermweg on Sunday, as after restricting Voorburg to 130 for eight, they were dismissed for 111 to remain anchored at the foot of the table.

Tom de Leede continued his good form with the bat, contributing 29, but it was Michael Rippon who top-scored with 41, and after Umar Baker had kicked off Sparta’s reply with a solid 30, Rippon grabbed the vital wicket of the dangerous Ahmadi, setting up Voorburg’s 19-run victory.

Sparta’s plight was made worse by events at De Diepput, where HCC gave themselves a three-point margin over the Capelle side by beating VRA by a thumping 55 runs.

A win would have given the Amsterdammers a share of the lead with Rotterdam and Excelsior, but they were set back by Josh Brown’s 72 not out, made from 48 deliveries, which saw his side to 163 for six, Hidde Overdijk icing the cake with back-to-back sixes after coming to the crease in the final over.

VRA began their reply brightly enough, reaching 52 for three by the end of the powerplay, but immediately afterwards Casper Snoeck removed Shariz Ahmad (23) and Johan Smal (21) in the space of three deliveries, and thereafter the challenge fell away, Teun Leijer eventually claiming three for 6 in 10 deliveries to clean up the innings on 108.

Next weekend’s potentially-decisive schedule, which sees Rotterdam taking on Hermes-DVS and VRA while Excelsior face Voorburg and Kampong, with Sparta at home to HCC in a last-ditch attempt to avoid relegation, will be competing with two double-headers in the ETPL, as the stiff winds of cricket’s climate change finally reach the Netherlands.

No doubt we should all be grateful.

ETPL Previews | Amsterdam Flames & Rotterdam Dockers

Bertus de Jong | 23-08-2026

After seven years of trying, and a switch of commercial partners, franchise cricket is finally coming to the European continent. The collaborative efforts of the KNCB, Cricket Ireland and Cricket Scotland never did manage to get the Euro T20 Slam off the ground, but with ICC sanction confirmed just last week (for the first season at least) it’s successor, the European T20 Premier League, looks all but certain to get underway at Voorburg on Wednesday, bringing world class talent to these shores in numbers not seen since the days of the late, lamented ODI Super League. While Cricket Ireland is the senior partner in the troika, and the only board with an ownership stake in the parent company Rules X, nonetheless the League falls under the category of Dutch domestic cricket (albeit in an unfamiliar form) and as such we here at Tkcricket will be following with interest.

For it’s first edition the competition will play out across just two venues, with a little over half of the double round robin league phase hosted at VCC’s Westvliet ground before the action moves to Malahide outside of Dublin for the back end of the league phase and finals. The six teams – two each from the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland – will each face one another twice across the league phase, with the top finishing team progressing directly to the final while the second and third-placed teams contest a qualifying semi-final. There’s been plenty written elsewhere on the implications, upside potential, as well as the financial and administrative challenges facing the League. With the first ball just days away though and the squads (more or less) finalised, it’s an opportune time to turn our attention to on-field matters and take a look at how the six sides line up. First up then, the two Dutch sides…

Amsterdam Flames

The Amsterdam Franchise, dubbed the Flames, are backed by former Australian international Steve Waugh along with his compatriot and famed field hockey player Jamie Dwyer together with former KPMG executive Tim Thomas.

Former Netherlands head coach Ryan Cook will take the reins, but otherwise the side has a distinctly Australian flavour, with Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh and Tim David among the first pre-signed overseas players announced. Joining them are New Zealand spin all-rounder Michael Bracewell, along with English quicks David Payne and Richard Gleeson. Former India test captain Ajinkya Rahane was a late addition, snapped up almost the instant he announced his Indian retirement, leaving the Flames with fully seven fully member overseas on the books – the maximum permitted in the squad and three more than can be fielded in any given match.

Netherlands captain-at-the-time Scott Edwards and his successor Bas de Leede were also picked up as pre-signings. At the local player draft (covering players from the three sanctioning boards) the Flames went for Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher first up, followed by Kyle Klein, Tim Pringle, Aryan Dutt, Jordan Neill and finally Max O’Dowd. The Flames’ Associate player picks saw Italy’s Ali Hassan and Canada’s Yuvraj Samra join the squad along with Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee, though the latter has since withdrawn owing to international duty at the ACC Premier Cup, with uncapped keeper-bat David Rushmere brought in as replacement.

Marsh and Smith are both expected to arrive a day late, missing the Flames’ first match on Wednesday against the Rotterdam Dockers, meaning the side will be without their skipper for the opener with the armband likely to fall to Edwards, de Leede or Rahane. Marsh’s absence will also trim down the Flames’ options at the top of the order, Rahane will likely take one slot for the first game at least, with Samra and O’Dowd the only habitual international openers available for match one. Samra’s value as a left hander and impressive recent form will probably make him the preferred choice to partner him until Marsh arrives, though O’Dowd or just possibly Rushmere may have a chance to stake a claim in the tournament curtain-raiser.

Barring the Flames opting for an insurance opener, in Smith’s absence de Leede is the natural choice at three, first drop being his accustomed position in the shorter format. The remainder of the top order may be dictated by conditions; Edwards can be safely pencilled in as first choice keeper, and will likely play a floating role targetting spin. David and Campher may be contending for the number five slot, though there’s a good chance both play in the first game.

That would leave the Flames with just two full member overseas slots for Wednesday’s match, meaning one of Bracewell, Gleeson or Payne will sit out. Bracewell’s inclusion would strengthen the batting as well as offering an offspin option, and given recent seam-friendly conditions at Voorburg would likely see fellow offspinner Dutt initially left on the bench. In the absence of any frontline leggies in the squad, left-arm finger-spinner Pringle is sole slow option taking the ball away from right handers and thus a fairly safe bet to feature consistently throughout the competition. All-rounders de Leede and Campher do both provide additional seam-up options thus potentially affording space for a third spinner, but the former has been used only sparingly by the Dutch since coming back from injury, and conditions early in the tournament are unlikely to warrant three frontline spinners.

The Amsterdam seam section offers options aplenty, and it’s make-up will likely rotate regularly, dictated in part by selections up the order. Payne and Gleeson would be an enviable left-right pace combination, but the pair may find themselves competing for a single overseas slot as often as not. Gleeson’s recent form in the Hundred and PSL probably give him a slight edge there, with Hassan offering an alternate left arm seam option if and when Payne sits out. Assuming Gleeson does start right armers Klein and Neill will likely be in competition for the final seamer’s slot, and judging by the Flames’ swiftness to snap him up in the draft one can infer the former would be first choice.

All told the Amsterdam franchise has assembled a versatile squad that arguably boasts more star power than any of their rivals, though the surfeit of full member overseas will leave them with some tricky selection quandaries when Marsh and Smith arrive. The batting arguably looks a tad top-heavy for the first match, especially if Bracewell misses out, while thereafter the two late-coming overseas bats could crowd out some of the first choice bowling options. Expect plenty of chopping and changing throughout the tournament as the Flames look to find their most incendiary formula.

Amsterdam Flames Squad: Mitch Marsh (c) [OS-AUS], Steve Smith [OS-AUS], Tim David [OS-AUS], Ajinkya Rahane [OS-IND], Michael Bracewell [OS-NZ], Richard Gleeson [OS-ENG], David Payne [OS-ENG], Yuvraj Samra [AP- CAN], Ali Hassan [AP – ITA], Scott Edwards (c, wk) [NED], Max O’Dowd [NED, Bas de Leede [NED], Curtis Campher [IRE], Tim Pringle [NED], Aryan Dutt [NED], Kyle Klein [NED], Jordan Neill [IRE], David Rushmere (wk) [NED].

Edit: late-breaking news suggests Mitchell Marsh has pulled out of the league altogether, Edwards is expected to captain.

______________________________________________

Rotterdam Dockers

Backed by South African trio Jonty Rhodes, Faf du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen, later joined by Indian actor/entrepreneur John Abraham, the aptly-named Rotterdam Dockers have a strongly South African flavour on and off the field. Klaasen and du Plessis will both feature in the side, the latter taking the captain’s armband. Fellow South Africa international Anrich Nortje was swiftly announced as a pre-signed player, while Adrian Birrell has been brought on as head coach.

Keeper-bat Donovan Ferriera was another early South African signing, though he has since been replaced by Australian gloveman Ben McDermott. Welsh bat Aneurin Donald rounds out the full member overseas contingent, likewise a late replacement after Mitch Owen withdrew. Netherlands stalwarts Logan van Beek and Roelof van der Merwe were also signed up ahead of the draft, while Italy’s Ben Manenti and Namibia’s David Wiese are the Dockers’ Associate picks, meaning the Rotterdammers boast a total of five current or former Proteas on the roster. USA all-rounder Shubham Ranjane and Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane also got picked up as Associate players, though the latter has since been called up to the Nepal ACC Premier Cup squad, his replacement as yet unannounced.

The Dockers likewise looked to Ireland for their first pick in the local players draft, with Jai Moondra’s impressive first outing against India earning him a first round call-up. Michael Levitt, Ryan Klein, Jasper Davidson, Saqib Zulfiqar and Vikram Singh rounded out the roster, with the one remaining slot in the squad also likely to be filled by a lucky local.

One would expect du Plessis and Klaasen to look to maximise their investment with bat in hand, and barring injury it would be a surprise if either missed many games. Du Plessis has been opening the batting in franchise cricket of late, though the question of who partners him at the top of the order is a tough one. Singh has recently edged ahead of Levitt in the Dutch pecking order (though both have slipped behind the bafflingly overlooked Voorburg CC opener Cedric de Lange) yet Levitt was the earlier draft pick, suggesting he’s the current incumbent for the Dockers. The absence of other left handers in the top order does weigh in favour of Singh however, and the Netherlands have not been shy of disturbing him from his preferred opening position. If Klaasen bats at his preferred four or five that would make Donald the natural pick at first drop, though McDermott has been filling that role to good effect for Colombo in the Lanka Premier League of late. With Nortje, de Plessis and Klaasen all likely starters, there will probably only be room for one of the two, potentially leaving room for Singh in the top order.

Ranjane’s recent exploits in Major League (under du Plessis’ captaincy) make him a safer bet to start though, while Ben Manenti’s menace with bat and ball makes the off-spinning all-rounder tough to ignore. Picking both would force the veteran David Wiese onto the bench however, as the league mandates a minimum five locals in the eleven. Ryan Klein theoretically offers a like-for-like replacement for Manenti, though the sometime offie has recently returned to bowling seam-up in club cricket. Unconventional legspin all-rounder Saqib Zulfiqar is probably more likely to feature as a surprise starter, his unmatched form with the bat in the Topklasse making a strong case for inclusion. Slow southpaw van der Merwe was the pre-signed spin pick though, and the strength of the Dockers’ top order arguably makes Zulfiqar’s added value with the bat somewhat redundant.

The seam section selections are rather more straightforward, with the pre-signed van Beek and first draft pick Moondra likely to feature alongside Nortje. A particularly impressive showing in the nets might see Davidson push one of the above out of the starting XI, but unless conditions are judged to warrant four specialist quicks on would expect the Dockers to rely on pace all-rounders Ranjane, Wiese or Singh as fourth seam-up options.

The Rotterdam outfit’s chief strength is undoubtedly their enviable top-order options and potential batting depth, coupled with the wicket-taking threat of the seam attack. Opting for three Associate overseas (four prior to Lamichhane’s withdrawal) does somewhat limit the their flexibility however, as they’re constrained by the mandatory selection of five locally affiliated players, though calling up another local to replace Lamichhane could alleviate that somewhat. The lower order finisher/backstop role is perhaps the last gap to fill, and may guide any last-minute pick. Though the Dockers’ selection conundrums are a tad trickier than some, if they can fit the pieces together there are few obvious weaknesses in the squad and potential match-winners aplenty.

Rotterdam Dockers squad: Faf du Plessis (c) [OS-SA], Heinrich Klaasen [OS-SA], Anrich Nortje [OS-SA], Aneurin Donald [OS-ENG], Ben McDermott [OS-AUS], Shubham Ranjane [AP-USA] Ben Manenti [AP-ITA], David Wiese [AP-NAM], Roelof van der Merwe [NED], Logan van Beek [NED], Jai Moondra [IRE], Ryan Klein [NED], Jasper Davidson [SCO], Saqib Zulfiqar [NED], Vikram Singh [NED]

Table tightens as Sparta shock Kampong

Rod Lyall 17/08/26

Wins at the lower end of the table and defeats among the leaders compressed the table as the second half of the T20 Cup got under way, with at least three teams now locked in a relegation battle and three points separating four sides at the top.

With overseas Jack Wood and Riley Ayre having departed and their replacement, Connor Blaxall-Hill, barely off the plane from Australia, Excelsior ’20 had a tough weekend, dismissed for 109 by HCC at De Diepput before the game was rained off, and then losing to Hermes-DVS in Sunday’s Schiedam derby.

Hidde Overdijk was the destroyer for HCC, taking four for 21, and only Roel Verhagen’s 35 enabled Excelsior to make it into three figures.

Karson Edward grabbed an early wicket when the Lions began their chase, but then a series of interruptions, which saw the target cut to 90 from 15 overs and later to 54 from eight, ended with the home side on 20 for one from 17 deliveries, the sides taking a point apiece.

It was Excelsior’s only point from the weekend, as Hermes-DVS ran up 170 for six against them at the Boudewijn Hoek Oval on Sunday after powering to 75 for two within the first six overs; Aryan Dutt then top-scored with a 35-ball 43, Edward claiming three for 36 for the visitors.

Verhagen again anchored the Excelsior innings with a 58-ball 66, but Hermes were able to keep the scoring rate below what was required, and they were already sure of the points before a flurry of wickets in the last two overs left Verhagen’s team on 138 for seven.

It was Hermes’ second victory of the weekend, since an unbeaten 75 (from 44 deliveries) by David Rushmere and 48 from Ash Ostling had seen them to a five-wicket win against HCC at De Diepput on Saturday.

Put in to bat, HCC had managed 143 for nine in somewhat unusual circumstances, Mark Wolfe having retired at the end of the fifteenth over of their innings, after making 6 from 16 deliveries.

Since he was able to keep wicket in the Hermes reply, taking two catches, this appeared to have been a tactical retirement, and if so, it was only partially successful since his replacement, Yash Patel, managed only a single six before departing.

Earlier, Boris Gorlee had given his side a good start with 45 from just 19 deliveries, hitting three fours and four sixes, but once he had gone the Lions’ innings faded, Olivier Elenbaas collecting four for 35.

Their single point from the weekend leaves HCC among the endangered, level on points with Hermes and Sparta, although with a greatly superior net run rate.

Sparta 1888, in fact, pulled off the most spectacular result of the weekend, Ruve Louw’s unbeaten, 70-ball 114, which included 14 fours and four sixes, dominating his side’s total of 177 for six against Kampong at the Bermweg, the next highest scores being 14 apiece from Umar Baker and Khalid Ahmadi.

Ahmadi then joined forces with Johne Jacob to reduce Kampong to 39 for six within the powerplay, Max O’Dowd, Pierre Jacod, Lorenzo ingram and Alex Roy all falling to Ahmadi, who claimed four for 9 in his first three overs.

With Jacob removing Damien van den Berg and Scott Edwards at the other end, Kampong’s theoretically strong top order was reduced to ruins, and although Vikram Chaturvedi (37) and Ajinkya More (27) were able to restore some respectability to proceedings, the side was all out for 128 with ten deliveries remaining.

It was a remarkable turnaround for Kampong, who on Saturday had caused an upset of their own, winning a rain-affected match against Rotterdam at the Zomercomplex, O’Dowd’s 41-ball 101, with six fours and nine sixes, as dominant in their innings as Louw’s would be the next day.

That 101 represented nearly 70% of Kampong’s total of 146 for five, only Edwards of the other batters, with 21, contributing at all significantly.

Ingram and Amit Das then cut through the Rotterdam top order as the weather threatened, Ingram claiming three for 20 and Das two for 25 as the batters’ attempt to get ahead of the DLS run rate badly misfired.

Rain stopped play at 45 for five after 3.4 overs, and although there was a brief resumption, the match was finally abandoned after the minimum five overs with the home side on 56 for six, giving Kampong a 25-run DLS victory.

But Rotterdam kept their title hopes alive in the afternoon game at the Zomercomplex, securing a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Sparta, who were dismissed for 102 in 19.3 overs.

Shoaib Minhas (55 not out from 25 deliveries) and Muhammad Gondal (36 not out from 31) then needed just 9.3 overs to knock off the runs after the early loss of Musa Ahmad, adding 102 in an unbroken second-wicket stand.

Michael Levitt’s return to form for Voorburg continued against VRA in the Amsterdamse Bos on Saturday, as he and Cedric de Lange shared an opening partnership of 87 in 11.5 overs before De Lange was bowled by Johan Smal for 38.

Levitt and Bas de Leede then added a further 68, and although Vikram Singh claimed three wickets in the 19th over, Levitt remained not out on 76, made from 57 deliveries, and the innings closed on 170 for five.

Singh gave his side a promising start with a 24-ball 34, but with Tom de Leede claiming three for 29 and Ryan Klein, operating off his long run, removing Singh, the required rate began to climb, and although Sam Cassidy made 40 before falling to Tom de Leede, the innings closed on 141 for seven.

Next weekend’s schedule features a top-of-the-table clash between Excelsior and Rotterdam at Thurlede, and a vital meeting betwen relegation-threatened Hermes and Sparta at the Boudewijn Hoek Oval, both on Saturday afternoon.

.