tkcricket

Preview Round 9

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong 18/07/2024

And so we enter the finishing straight of the first 50-over race, with the finishing positions all but decided. There’s still a lot to play for, however: there’s an outside possibility that a couple of runners might squeeze past their rivals, while this is, after all, just the preliminary event, and with points earned now carried forward into Phase Two, itself a handicap race, every advantage gained this weekend could turn out to be worth its weight in gold come the end of August. Let’s look further at the runners and riders.

Saturday

RL: Of the two sides still hoping against hope to squeeze into the top six, VOC Rotterdam have the slightly less arduous escape route. But Saturday’s assignment is nevertheless tough: a visit to De Diepput to take on HCC. Here we have a match-up between two of the more powerful batteries of overseas players, with the Lions’ Conor McInerney, Jed Wiggins and Adam Leonard facing the Bloodhounds’ Ryan Schierhout, Taylor Bettelheim, Jock McKenzie and Jason van der Meulen. That the latter are currently outside the top six and their hosts’ position within it not entirely secure is evidence both that the big guns have not quite made the overwhelming impression the clubs might have hoped, but also that their local players haven’t been able to contribute enough. On both counts this game, therefore, is something of a last-chance saloon, especially for a VOC outfit which will know that defeat here would definitively mean a place in the relegation pool for the rest of the season.

BdJ: Of the catch-up matches scheduled for Saturday this does indeed look the most likely to be decisive given that state of the table and Sunday’s fixture list. HCC lead VOC by two points as it stands but there’s little to separate them on net run rate, and while VOC will be fairly confident of picking up two points against ACC in their final match, HCC hacve a date with defending champions Voorburg on Sunday. A win for VOC would thus make them firm favourites to leapfrog HCC into the top six. The Boodhounds have relied almost entirely on McKenzie, Schierhout and Bettelheim for runs this season, with the rest of the batting card averaging in the low teens at best. Three bats is often enough to win a typical Topklasse game of course, and HCC have looked like a thoroughly typical mid-table team this season.

RL: For Hermes-DVS, it may be enough in this first season back in the top flight that they’re four points clear of the bottom of the table, but they too have the faintest of outside chances of making it into the top six. But their first assignment is to face Voorburg at Westvliet, and they will need to be at their absolute best to claim the points and keep that hope alive for another 24 hours. They will be assisted by the return of Olivier Elenbaas from suspension, but even that may not be enough against the defending champions, whose chances of reaching the top four at the end of August may depend in large part on their ability to pile on the points this weekend. Hermes did pretty well with both bat and ball against HBS last Sunday, and their seam attack is sharp enough to unsettle a Voorburg top order which has been highly dependent on the phenomenal form of Gavin Kaplan, with the assistance of Michael Levitt and Noah Croes. On the other hand, Ryan Klein and Michael Molenaar have been very useful in the middle order, and the defending champions’ attack remains a powerful force.

BdJ: With newly-promoted Hermes aiming for survival this season and Voorburg prioritising renewal over a repeat title win, it’s probably fair to say both have had a pretty successful summer so far. The impending departure of Kaplan coupled with the resumption of international cricket will further test VCC’s depth at the back end of the season, and picking up two points here would substantially improve their odds of making the playoffs. For Hermes two points would mean a substantial safety-buffer if not total security ahead of phase two, even if a top four finish looks fanciful from here. The return of Olivier Elenbaas won’t hurt, though the Schiedammers will be hoping he finds the sort of rhythm his less-celebrated brother has found this season, with Ralph Elebaas currently the only Hermes bowler taking regular wickets at a reasonable price. The batting likewise has looked top-heavy, though Voorburg may struggle to get through the top order with Mees van Vliet consistently expensive and Viv Kingma’s fitness still in doubt. Yet while Kingma conspicuously did not bowl during this week’s Pro-Series matches in Deventer, the astute may have noted that Lgan van Beek is in the country. Whether he rocks up for his old club come Saturday may yet swing the odds for this one.

RL: VRA Amsterdam, though, can slam the door in the faces of VOC and Hermes if they are able to secure a win against so-far-winless ACC at Het Loopveld. A victim of the weather on 15 June, the Amsterdam Derby can sometimes spring a surprise, but a victory for the home side here would probably be sufficient to trigger a stewards’ enquiry, even if VRA’s form has been on the patchy side. Izhaan Sayed has emerged as ACC’s one bright spark, with the bat as well as with the ball, but the side has still not passed 150 in six attempts, and you’d think that, barring a really astonishing effort with the ball, they’d need a good deal more than that against a line-up which includes Vikram Singh, Shirase Rasool, Johan Smal and Co. VRA’s combination of seam and spin, moreover, has more than enough fire-power to run through their hosts’ fragile batting, leaving Singh’s side odds-on favourites to head back across Amstelveen with the points and a settled place in the championship pool.

BdJ: It’s been a while since the Amsterdam Derby was as competitive as those in the Hague or Schiedam, but still it’s hard to recall at time where one side were as overwhelming favourites as VRA will be on Saturday. The Bos-dwellers are no mere paper-favourites either, with several of the side looking in excellent form in the Pro-Series this week, not least Singh, who notched another century for the Seafarers. Flethcher, Floyd and Shariz Ahmad all had decent mid-week returns with the ball too, while ACC were conspicuously unrepresented. As with basically every game from here this will be do or die for ACC however, and it’s been a while since VRA have had to play on a mat, but it would indeed be the upset of the weekend if the hosts were to pick up any points on Saturday.

Sunday

RL: Whatever the outcome of Saturday’s matches, ACC will still be at the foot of the table when they entertain VOC on Sunday. How significant the game is for the Bloodhounds, on the other hand, will depend greatly on the previous days’ results: if they beat HCC and VRA should lose, then they will have every incentive to win convincingly at ‘t Loopveld. Sheer professionalism should in any case be a sufficient motivation for the Rotterdammers to end the first phase on a high, and what we said about the match-up with VRA applies equally here: nothing about ACC’s form to date suggest that they will have effective answers to their guests’ strengths in both batting and bowling. In the latter department, it will be interesting to see how the brothers Jain and Roman Harhangi respond to bowler-friendly conditions at ‘t Loopveld.

BdJ: One might imagine ACC ambushing a potentially deflated VOC on a likely rainy Sunday should HCC put the Rotterdammers out of top-six contention the day before, and the Bloodhounds still looks a side that could fold if they lose early wickets. That said, ACC have looked deflated since day one this season, and even if they succeed in rolling VOC for a sub-150 score it’s hard to see where those runs would be coming from for the hosts.

RL: In what is almost certain to be a preliminary match in the relegation pool, Hermes-DVS will end Phase One by entertaining Sparta 1888 at Loopuyt Oval. Barring a sensational recovery by ACC, both sides will be safe from the drop to the Hoofdklasse, but both would welcome the additional security of a couple more points heading into the back end of the season. They seem on paper to be well-matched: the Schiedammers’ batting is perhaps a tad more solid than that of their hosts, especially given the indifferent recent form of Riley Mudford, but Cameron Fraser and Martijn Snoep have proved an effective seam pairing, and Khalid Ahmadi lurks in the wings as a potential destroyer. But Hermes have the Elenbaas brothers, Sebastiaan Braat and Niels Woermeijer, not to mention international Aryan Dutt, and a top six which is more than capable of generating big totals. These sides will have seen a lot of each of other by the end of the campaign, and this could be an extremely absorbing first round.

BdJ: Even in the absence of Bukhari and Malik, the Sparta seam section has looked like that of a team that belongs in the top flight this season. The rest of the side simply has not, however, with both the batting and slow-bowling section looking sub-par at best. Conversely Hermes’ problems seem to stem more from form than structural deficiencies in the squad, notably Aryan Dutt’s curious under-performance for his new side in the fifty-over format, Olivier Elenbaas’ lack of wickets, and the evaporation of CP Klijnhans’ form since the T20 competition. On paper Hermes really ought to be a bowling side, only Ashley Ostling and Daniel Doyle Calle’s solid seasons and Sebastiaan Braat’s apparent transformation into a batting all-rounder turning that on its head so far. Regardless of other results a certain security in survival will be at stake on Sunday, and one of the two sides will at least be able to play with the pressure off for the second phase.

RL: In another game where the height of the stakes will depend a good deal on Saturday’s events, VRA will welcome second-placed HBS Craeyenhout to the Amsterdamse Bos. But the battle for a top-four spot and a place in the semi-finals has already started, and whether or not VRA have made sure of their place in the championship pool, the two points from this match will be very important to both sides. The Crows were fully tested by Hermes last week, and playing on the turf in Amstelveen is a very different proposition from the all-astro environment at Craeyenhout. Skipper Wesley Barresi is, of course, no stranger to conditions in the Bos, having had several very successful seasons with VRA, and no doubt the likes of Lehan Botha, Matt de Villiers and Tayo Walbrugh will relish the chance to play there. That top order will have to weather the storm represented by Ben Fletcher, Elijah Eales and perhaps Ashir Abid, with the spin of Shariz Ahmad and Clayton Floyd to follow. This looks like one of the most attractive fixtures of the season, and it’s one that could go either way.

BdJ: Another side likely to be substantially weakened by the looming exit of South African pros and Dutch internationals, points on the board will be at a premium for HBS. Even before the late season exodus the Crows have been chopping and changing their side in exactly the manner they had planned not to, though it should be said the results have been solid enough. They have nonetheless looked reliant on precisely the players they’ll be losing, and should they lose to VRA on Sunday a semi-finals place looks a tough ask indeed. VRA meanwhile have been pegged back by the weather as much as the opposition this season, but are nonetheless in a precarious position going into the last weekend of phase one. They do at least have form in their favour, even if the side assembled by the now-sidelined Teja Nidamanuru has not looked quite the sum of its parts thus far.

RL: This may be a replay of the last two grand finals, but the situation will be a bit different when Voorburg take on HCC at Westvliet on Sunday. Neither side has been quite the force it was this season, and both can look forward to a real battle to convert a top-six position into a spot in the top four. The hosts, in particular, will be conscious of the demands that are likely to be made on their reserve strength during the second phase, with the consequence that points in the bank now are of double significance. Cedric de Lange’s first Topklasse fifty last week was an encouraging sign that he is finding his feet in the top flight, something that HCC’s Teun Kloppenburg has already done with a vengeance. The Lions will be hoping that Tonny Staal and Boris Gorlee really come into their own as the competition reaches its sharp end, while a more consistent presence of Hidde Overdijk would also do their chances no harm. There’s plenty of home-grown talent on view on both sides in this one, and if Voorburg may start as slight favourites, an HCC firing on all cylinders could just be too strong for the champions.

BdJ: After a strong showing from both in recent seasons, both HCC and Voorburg again look like sides in a building phase, arguably a year or two away from a new peak. Spectators will perhaps be treated to a vision of things to come on Saturday, with probably the densest concentration of as-yet uncapped future internationals anywhere in the league. It’s notable that both sides’ fortunes have mirrored the individual form of their least experienced players so far this season, though HCC especially will be hoping that their more seasoned forever-fringe-international trio can make more of an impact this weekend.

RL: Finally, leaders Punjab-Ghausia will be at home to an Excelsior ’20 outfit which all but made certain of a top six spot with their victory over VRA last Sunday. Despite a couple of slip-ups the new combination have thoroughly deserved their seat at the head of the table, and they will be reluctant to surrender it going into the second phase. In Shoaib Minhas and Musa Ahmad they have perhaps the most accomplished opening pair in the competition, and their attack is varied and always threatening. But Excelsior have a potential trump card with the pace of Jason Ralston, and in the absence of Jens Blankestijn in the past couple of games Gijs Kroesen has slotted back in very effectively. Whether that, together with the contributions of Derek Mitchell and Lorenzo ingram, will be enough to overcome Punjab is perhaps moot, but on a final day of the first phase on which there promise to be riches everywhere this, too, could be a great encounter to watch.

BdJ: Generally speaking in the Topklasse if you’ve got six players averaging between 25 and 125 with the bat and as many averaging under 25 with the ball, you’re probably going pretty well. In that light, it’s actually surprising Punjab are just the one point clear at the top of the table. Excelsior, with just the one bat averaging over 25, can probably count themselves lucky to have a place in the top four for now. Those figures are of course in part a reflection of their bowler-friendly home ground at Thurlede, but while runs come easier at the Zomercomplex Punjab have not been in the habit of giving them away for free. Above all Punjab’s success has been built on depth in the batting and a lack of hittable for the opposition to target. Likely needing their best score of the season against a side reliably sending down fifty good overs, fair to say Excelsior will start as underdogs when they cross the Maas on Sunday.

RL’s picks: Saturday: VOC, Voorburg, VRA ; Sunday: VOC, Hermes, VRA, HCC, Punjab.

BdJ’s picks: Saturday: VOC, Voorburg, VRA ; Sunday: VOC, Hermes, VRA, Voorburg, Punjab.

VOC vs Punjab Ghausia CCR at Schiebroekse Park | Topklasse Round 8 | 14.07.24

Francois Fourie, Fawad Shinwari — Sulaiman Tariq

Allrounder Kaplan keeps Voorburg in the hunt

Rod Lyall 15/07/24

A normal day’s cricket has become something of a luxury this summer, and the leading Topklasse sides took the opportunity on Sunday to show off their batting skills.

None more so than leaders Punjab-Ghausia, who cruised to an 8-wicket victory over Rotterdam rivals VOC at the Hazelaarweg.

To do so, however, the Punjab attack had to stage a recovery, after the home side had reached 148 for two and appeared to be heading for a very big total.

Ryan Schierhout had made 47, Taylor Bettelheim 56 and Jock McKenzie, returning after a hand injury, 50, but VOC’s excessive dependence upon their top three overseas players was in full evidence as the middle order failed to build on this platform, and the side was dismissed for 224.

Saqib Zulfiqar started the rot by removing Bettelheim, but it was his brother Sikander who did much of the damage, claiming three for 30 in five overs, while Sajjad Kamal ran through the tail with three for 40.

Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas then led the chase with an opening stand of 161, and although Minhas was eventually dismissed for 89 and Musa narrowly missed out on a century, caught behind off Roman Harhangi for 96, Jonathan Vandiar and Saqib were able to finish the job with almost eight overs to spare.

On the batter-friendly surface at Craeyenhout HBS set the day’s biggest total, posting 288 for five against Hermes-DVS.

Matt de Villiers contributed a solid 80, but the most decisive element was an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 104, made from just 70 deliveries, between Kyle Klein and Lucas de Bianco; Klein’s 62 not out came from 40 balls and included seven fours and two sixes, while Del Bianco made 40 from 31.

Daniel Doyle replied in kind, despite being hit twice on the helmet and being forced to retire for a time, his 49-ball 65 including eight fours and three sixes, but once he had gone the HBS seam attack of Klein, Lehan Botha and Henrico Venter was too strong for the Hermes batting, and the side was all out for 182, giving HBS a 106-run victory.

The only match between teams in the current top six was at Thurlede, where Excelsior ’20 took extremely valuable points from VRA Amsterdam, who dropped to sixth on the table as a result of their five-wicket defeat.

Put in to bat, VRA’s innings never really got out of first gear, and although Vikram Singh made 46 and Shariz Ahmad, Udit Nashier and Clayton Floyd all got a start, Excelsior dismissed them for 175, Gijs Kroesen taking three for 35 and his brother Luuk, Jason Ralston and Lorenzo Ingram all picking up a couple apiece.

The home side’s batters struggled in their turn, the most assured Derek Mitchell with an 88-ball 64 before he was run out by a direct hit from Johan Smal, but Ingram and Stan van Troost added a crucial 48 for the fifth wicket, battling against VRA’s four-man spin attack to take their side to within 20 of their target.

Ingram stayed to the end with Joost Kroesen, his unbeaten 38, made from 107 deliveries, the ultimate professional innings which made sure of the points for his side.

At the Bermweg, Gavin Kaplan’s phenomenal season for Voorburg continued with a vengeance, his 107 and four for 36 the difference between the sides as Sparta 1888 pushed the defending champions all the way and lost by just 27 runs.

Kaplan was ably assisted in the early stages by opener Cedric de Lange, who hit a maiden Topklasse half-century, and at 131 for one Voorburg also seemed to be on the way to an imposing total.

But Sparta’s pace attack fought back, and with Cameron Fraser claiming five for 45 and Martijn Snoep four for 38 the last six wickets fell for the addition of just 23 runs, and Voorburg were all out for 217.

Another top-order collapse, engineered mainly by Kaplan and young Alejo Nota, left the home side on 66 for five, but they were rescued by a fine knock from Juandre Scheepers, whose 84 came from 85 deliveries and included nine fours and two sixes.

His effort needed more support from the other end, however, and Sparta were eventually dismissed for 190.

Wooden-spooners ACC suffered another heavy defeat, this time at the hands of HCC at De Diepput.

A redeeming feature for the Amsterdammers, though, was the performance of Mark Wolfe, brought into the side to take over wicketkeeping duties from Ben van der Merwe: he took four catches in the HCC innings and then made 22, enabling ACC to recover from 46 for six to a slightly less parlous 101 all out.

For the rest, HCC were simply too strong in all departments, a patient 48 from Shirsak Banerjee, a more aggressive 40 from Boris Gorlee and 42 from Jed Wiggins creating the platform for a punishing 93-run sixth-wicket stand between Yash Patel (55 from 31 deliveries) and Daniel Crowley (37 not out).

Crowley then took three for 25 when ACC replied, with Wiggins claiming three for 24 and Adam Leonard two for 19.

Round 8 Preview

Bertus de Jong and Rod Lyall 12/07/2024

As our long slog through the wettest Summer in recent memory continues, we’ve gotten enough cricket played in defiance of the elements for the table to take on a shape of sorts, at least enough to concentrate the minds of the handful of clubs hovering around the sixth place cut-off as the end of the first phase looms.

BdJ: Of those, sixth-placed HCC will likely feel most bullish about their prospects, with a game in hand and a home fixture against the struggling ACC lined up for Sunday. The single point the Amsterdammers collected from another wash-out against Excelsior last Sunday is their best result all season, having sunk to a heavy defeat in a rain-swept encounter with VCC the day before. Overseas Izhaan Sayed and Guy Sheena’s mid-20 batting averages and the former’s 10 wickets for the season have not been nearly enough to keep them competing in the top flight, with Rahil Ahmed the only other bat averaging over 20. HCC’s current position is a fair reflection of a middling season, with the core trio of Gorlee, Staal and Overdijk’s sub-par returns serving well as a pars pro toto, but the young Teun Leijer and Kloppenburg have stepped up impressively, and on current form you’d say the weather is more likely to deny them two points than the opposition.

RL: With fellow-contenders VOC and Voorburg to face on the final, double weekend, the Lions will be more than usually keen to overcome the trials of a sodden Diepput and the possibly less imposing challenge of an ACC who are going to have to achieve an extraordinary turnaround if they are to avoid the drop to the 50-over Hoofdklasse. Even a return to the leadership of the experienced Anis Raza has been unable to disguise the Amsterdammers’ limitations, with Sheena the only batter to have hit a fifty and the bowlers collectively achieving little more than five wickets a game. HCC have not been overwhelmingly more successful in either department, but they have been effective enough to master Excelsior, Hermes-DVS and Sparta, and seamers Adam Leonard, Daniel Crowley and Overdijk, together with Conor McInierney and Jed Wiggins, can be expected to be too strong for ACC’s struggling top order.

BdJ: The rest of the mid-table contenders face a sterner test on Sunday, not least VOC Rotterdam, who take on front-runners Punjab-Ghausia. While VOC’s three overseas have supplied a decent return of runs this season, an under-performing middle order has too often left the likes of Aaditt Jain to try to martial the tail in doomed rallies at the death. The bowling too has lacked rather for penetration, with no bowler taking ten wickets yet across the five matches the rain has permitted them. Punjab don’t have anyone in double figures yet either, but have taken 19 more wickets between them. They’ll be missing Burhan Niaz this weekend of course owing to Belgian commitments, but given the depth of their bench that does little to change the odds.

RL: Just one more win in their final two games would seal Punjab’s place in the championship pool, but they will probably be aiming to go further than this and go into the second phase at the top of the table. Saqib Zulfiqar has been in great form since his return from international duty, while skipper Sikander has been leading the side with aplomb. But Punjab’s trump cards also include their opening partnership of Shoaib Minhas and Musa Ahmad, the explosive power of Jonathan Vandiar, and the bowling of Ahmad Shafiq, while Fawad Shinwari has slotted into the team very effectively, both behind the stumps and in the middle order. VOC, by contrast, have relied upon the less heralded skills of Jelte Schoonheim and Asief Hoseinbaks and the emerging talents of Arnav and Aaditt Jain, although it’s fair to add that they have seriously missed the injured Jock McKenzie in recent weeks. With HCC and ACC to come, VOC’s chances of squeezing into the top six would be greatly enhanced by a win here, although Punjab will start as favourites.

BdJ: Level on points with VOC are Hermes DVS, whose victory in the Schiedam Derby last week keeps their hopes of a top six finish alive. They travel to Craeyenhout to take on second-placed HBS, who will be looking to consolidate their place at the top end before South African pre-season begins to thin their ranks. In the absence of captain Barresi (expected to return this week), stand in skipper Tayo Walbrugh has been leading from the front, and combined with Kyle Klein’s all-round form and Julian de Mey’s left arm spin that’s been more than enough enough to keep them in touch with the top spot. Hermes will presumably be happy enough with their station at the minute, for a side setting their sights no higher than survival this season they’ve looked more or less on course. A top six berth is within reach for them though and a strong finish to phase one could see them secure their place next season and perhaps even readjust their ambitions. Come Sunday though they will be without Olivier Elenbaas, who suffered a lapse in self-possession last week and earned himself a ban for audible obscenity and general unruliness. That’s said it’s been Ralph Elenbaas doing the damage with the new ball this season, while Niels Woermeijer’s impressed at the death. If the Hermes top order can fire together as they all have separately on occasion, there’s every chance they could take two points home from the Hague.

RL: Given that the Crows’ final match is a showdown with VRA, going into the second phase in a favourable position probably requires them to take the points against Hermes, and to do so in style. In addition to Walbrugh, Klein and De Mey, there have been useful contributions so far from Lehan Botha and Matt de Villiers, and when you add in Barresi and Benno Boddendijk HBS have the nucleus of a side capable of bringing them their first 50-over title since 1980. It should certainly be powerful enough to see off the challenge from Hermes, who have performed decently enough on their return to the top flight (their defeat of Excelsior last week probably the high point to date) but may have to be content with ensuring that they stay up come the end of August. Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle have been a contrasting opening pair, but the absence of the mercurial Olivier Elenbaas won’t help their chances here.

BdJ: Currently in fifth place, Excelsior ‘20 welcome third-placed VRA to Thurlede on Sunday, needing a win to shore up their place in the top six. VRA haven’t given up many thus far however, a big-scoring loss to defending champions VCC the only points they’ve dropped on the field so far. The weather has rather deprived them of match practice of late, though Shariz Ahmad, Clayton Floyd, Ben Fletcher and Shirase Rasool have all been in action for Netherlands A this week. That Excelsior aren’t contributing any personnel to those matches does rather highlight how the no-longer-so-young home-grown contingent seems to have hit a bit of a plateau at or around the “decent club cricketer” level, with the three overseas again the stand-out performers for Excelsior this season. While VRA’s strength this season of course owes a lot to shrewd acquisitions and luck with blow-ins, the new-look side has gelled well even in the absence of injured skipper Nidamanuru, and will start as strong favourites on Sunday.

RL: It’s true that Excelsior have owed much to bowling spearhead Jason Ralston (whose 20 wickets are double the number captured by any other bowler), Derek Mitchell and the evergreen Lorenzo Ingram, but Tim Etman and Roel Verhagen, without showing such consistency, have both contributed half-centuries, while Niels Etman and Jens Blankestijn have both chipped in with the ball. Whether through availability issues or sheer indecision, however, Excelsior give the impression that they aren’t quite sure what the optimal disposition of their resources might be. The same applies to some degree to VRA, although in their case they have the entirely legitimate argument that their selections have been affected by significant unavailabilities, of Vikram Singh and Teja Nidamanuru on international duty, of Johan Smal, and now of Nidamanuru through injury. Man for man, though, VRA have a clear edge over their hosts, especially in bowling, where the new-ball combination of Ben Fletcher and Elijah Eales will fully test the Excelsior top order.

BdJ: Finally Sparta 1888 are looking at a must-win showdown with title-holders Voorburg at Bermweg, realistically needing two points to avoid another relegation battle at the back end of the season. Voorburg themselves still need to pick up some points if they’re to be sure of a place in the top six, much less think of mounting a title defense. The looming departure of Gavin Kaplan compounded by the likely unavailability of their internationals during the upcoming series against the USA and Canada makes the latter almost fanciful at this point, though new skipper Noah Croes has had a fine season with the bat thus far and newcomer Michael Molenaar has already proved a fine prospect. Sparta themselves have looked competitive in phases, though Riley Mudford’s inability to replicate his T20 form has left them short of runs, while Khalid Ahmadi (on Belgian duty this weekend) and skipper Martijn Snoep have been the only bowlers to perform consistently.

RL: Sparta are another side whose top order has largely failed to deliver this season, and Voorburg have an attack entirely capable of taking full advantage. Even if Viv Kingma has only collected a couple of wickets since his return to the team and Ryan Klein is still barely bowling, Mees van Vliet and Molenaar have proved more than useful. A more interesting, and possibly decisive, encounter, though, will be that between Voorburg’s powerful top six and a Sparta bowling unit which has kept their side in the hunt. Cameron Fraser has both claimed early wickets and put in a fine defensive, if wicketless, display against HCC last Sunday, and Martijn Snoep has been steady as always. There’s no doubt his team are missing Mudassar Bukhari and Ashan Malik, and it would be a real turn-up if they were to get the better of the defending champions, but they can never entirely be written off at the Bermweg, and this might, weather permitting, be one of the more absorbing contests of the round.

BdJ’s picks: HCC, Punjab, Hermes, VRA, Voorburg

RL’s picks: HCC, Punjab, Hermes, VRA, Voorburg

HCC vs Sparta at De Diepput | Topklasse Round 1 | 07.07.24 ( rescheduled from 25.05.24)

Punjab, HBS consolidate despite the rain

Rod Lyall 08/07/24

With three of the weekend’s eight fixtures abandoned due to the rain which had fallen during the week and which persisted into Sunday, leading sides Punjab-Ghausia and HBS Craeyenhout were able to consolidate their position at the top of the table with comfortable victories on Saturday.

In a match at the Zomercomplex reduced to 38 overs because of a wet outfield, Punjab dismissed HCC for just 148 and cruised to a 6-wicket victory with nearly fifteen overs to spare.

The Lions’ innings never really got going, nobody scoring more than Jed Wiggins’ 22, and after Ahmad Shafiq removed both openers it was the brothers Zulfiqar who again did most of the damage, seamer Sikander taking two for 29 and leg-spinner Saqib claiming four for 39.

Shoaib Minhas (42) and Musa Ahmad (25) gave their side a great start with an opening stand of 71, but the win was sealed by Jonathan Vandiar’s 37-ball, unbeaten 56, a knock which included four fours and six sixes.

It was a bit more of a stretch for second-placed HBS, after Sparta 1888 had posted their best batting performance of the competition so far to reach 197 in a rain-interrupted innings.

Despite useful contributions from Sam Ferguson (40), Shaquille Martina (38) and Juandre Scheepers (33), the Crows attack had reduced their visitors to 163 for seven when rain drove the players from the field, and although they were able to add another 34 after the resumption, DLS set the HBS target at 191 from 43 overs.

Julian de Mey took three for 31 for HBS, and there were two wickets apiece for Lehan Both and Benno Boddendijk.

Botha set the tone of the reply with 52 from 28 deliveries, and then stand-in skipper Tayo Walbrugh guided his side home with an assured 68 not out, adding 60 with Matt de Villiers(29) and a further 43 with Kyle Klein, whose 37 not out came at exactly a run a ball.

Voorburg made the most of their visit to Amstelveen with a 63-run victory over ACC, Gavin Kaplan taking his aggregate for the competition to 433 with a knock of 64 which helped his side to 191 for nine in an innings reduced to 40 overs after a long break for rain with Voorburg on 155 for six.

Here the DLS calculation worked against the chasing side, ACC being faced with a target of 203, and when Mees van Vliet and Michael Molenaar combined to reduce them to 66 for six it seemed that the Amsterdammers would again be dismissed for a paltry total.

Izhaan Sayed, however, who had taken three for 23 when Voorburg batted, put up some spirited resistance, making 44 and adding 60 for the seventh wicket with Sahil Kothari, and the home side managed to reach 148 before they were all out, Van Vliet finishing with three for 26.

Much of the interest on Saturday centred on the return of the Schiedam derby, and the match at Loopuyt Oval turned out to be an absorbing if low-scoring battle between old rivals Hermes-DVS and Excelsior ’20.

In a game initially cut to 40 overs a side, Excelsior’s batters found the going tough against a persistent Hermes attack, opener Derek Mitchell needing 82 balls for his 38, and although former overseas allrounder Brett Hampton contributed a run-a-ball 40 not out they had only reached 137 for five when more rain ended the innings two overs from its scheduled conclusion.

DLS set a target of 146 for Hermes, and they found the conditions no more conducive to rapid scoring, with Ash Ostling’s 47 coming from 92 deliveries as Excelsior once again battled to defend a low total.

Jason Ralston picked up three more wickets, but CP Klijnhans’ 45 not out saw Hermes home with seven balls to spare, helped by skipper Sebastiaan Braat’s cameo 10-ball 13 which swung the momentum his side’s way.

The most frustrated team of the weekend must have been VRA Amsterdam, who twice got a start but who managed a total of only 14.2 overs: VOC Rotterdam had reached 24 for one in the Bos on Saturday before proceedings came to an end, and at the Loopuyt Oval on Sunday VRA had raced to 42 without loss in seven overs against Hermes-DVS before that game, too, was washed out.

The two points from the two abandonments kept VRA in third spot on net run rate, but they will feel that they missed two opportunities to keep pace with their principal rivals.

With the game between Excelsior ’20 and ACC abandoned without a ball being bowled, the only completed match on Sunday was that between HCC and Sparta 1888 at De Diepput, where the sides – and the umpires – prevailed over the weather and HCC came back from Saturday’s disappointment with an 8-wicket victory.

Sparta’s innings was badly disrupted by the rain, but HCC had seized the initiative, reducing them to 42 for three when a long break saw a 38-over innings further cut to 22 overs, and despite a fighting 39 from Riley Mudford they could only get to 115 for six, extended to 121 on DLS.

Martijn Snoep’s side badly needed early wickets when HCC replied, but Conor McInerney and Tonny Staal put on 58 inside six overs before the Sparta skipper removed first McInerney and then Staal.

That brought Boris Gorlee and Jed Wiggins together, and they ensured that there was no further loss, the winning runs coming in the 14^th over to improve HCC’s NRR and leave Sparta firmly in the relegation zone, though still three points ahead of ACC.

With three, or in some cases two, matches left to play in the first phase, the top six is beginning to acquire a more settled look, although Hermes and VOC are only two points behind Excelsior and HCC and could, with a strong finish and the right results elsewhere, still squeeze into the championship pool.

Hermes DVS vs Excelsior ’20 at Harga | Topklasse Round 7 | 06.07.24

Preview Round 7 (and 1)

Rod Lyall 04/07/24

And so we reach the first of two weekends in which the stagger will unwind, and by the end of it some teams will only have two first-phase matches left to play. With eight teams at least in with a shout of a top-six place – winless ACC are firmly rooted at the foot of the table and Hermes-DVS, though not yet arithmetically out of the running, have left themselves a huge amount to do – this week’s double-headers are certain to have a huge influence on the table. Not to mention the fact that Saturday brings us the first 50-over Schiedam derby for seven years. We can only hope that the threatened rain on Saturday doesn’t put a dampener on proceedings.

After two lethal performances with the ball in their last two games, Excelsior ’20 go into their meeting with neighbours Hermes-DVS at the latter’s Loopuyt Oval riding high, sitting in fourth spot and facing matches against the two bottom sides this weekend. But derbies like this have a way of bringing the unexpected, and Roel Verhagen’s side will be a lot less comfortable about the recent performances of their batting than those of the attack. Jason Ralston is the competition’s leading wicket-taker by a distance, while Lorenzo Ingram’s career-best effort against Sparta last Saturday should serve as a stark warning to opposing batters. With the Elenbaas brothers and Sebastiaan Braat, though, Hermes have a useful pace attack of their own, and a top order which certainly has the potential to blunt the edge of Excelsior’s bowling.

Having dealt with the local rivalry on Saturday, Hermes will then entertain VRA Amsterdam on Sunday in the game which should have been their season’s opener. They will go into the weekend knowing that they need to secure at least two points out of four if they are to have any chance of making the top six, although in truth their first priority is no doubt to stay well clear of relegation. The Amsterdammers were unable to defend 306 last week, though to be fair the Loopuyt Oval is unlikely to replicate the extreme batter-friendly conditions which saw Voorburg top order run riot. If Elijah Eales is back in the VRA side they will have an attack which will test the Hermes batting to the maximum, while their batting line-up is also full of menace.

Excelsior also have a double-weekend, returning to Thurlede on Sunday for their postponed match against ACC. With a batting side which has failed against less imposing attacks than the Schiedammers’, ACC have every reason to face Ralston, Blankestijn, Ingram and Co. with trepidation, and it will be vital for them to find a way of neutralising that threat if they are to have any chance of rehabilitating their season. Having been bowled out cheaply elsewhere in Schiedam last week, the Amsterdammers won’t relish a return visit to take on a rampant Excelsior, but if their own spearhead, Guy Sheena, is able to put the home side’s batting under pressure they might give themselves a chance of recording their first 50-over win of the season.

On Saturday, ACC will have faced a tough challenge, at home to a Voorburg side which is naturally looking a lot stronger with the return of its international stars. Admittedly their bowlers conceded a motza of runs against VRA last week, but that was attributable more to the nature of the pitch and outfield rather than to any deficiency in the attack, as Michael Levitt, Gavin Kaplan and Noah Croes went on to demonstrate as they guided their team to a seven-wicket victory. The difference between that experience in the Bos and playing at Het Loopveld is approximately comparable to that between a Ron Blauw meal and a plate of bitterballen, but this may give ACC their best chance of pulling off a shock victory. Failing that, you have to think that the sheer class of a team which includes four full internationals and four youth internationals is likely to prevail. After all, ACC have yet to pass 150 in four attempts, and they are in serious need of the order of partnership in which Voorburg have been specialising.

On the other side of Amstelveen on Saturday, VRA take on a VOC Rotterdam outfit who need to come back strongly after last Sunday’s defeat by HBS if they are to maintain their claim to a spot in the championship play-offs. The Bloodhounds have taken their matches down to the wire too often for their supporters’ comfort, but perhaps even more concerning with the lack of discipline with the bat as they fell away from a winning position at Craeyenhout. They were, of course, missing the injured Jock McKenzie, and they will have been heartened by Mussayab Jamil’s display of calculated aggression in the middle order. But they will need to be at their absolute best with both bat and ball if they are to get the better of a VRA side which combines quality, fast-scoring batters with an attack which has both effective pace and plenty of spin options.

Having reinforced their position near the top of the table against VOC, HBS Craeyenhout are again at home on Saturday, taking on Sparta 1888. With Tayo Walbrugh back to something like his best form with the bat, Matthew de Villiers providing allround value and pacemen Kyle Klein and Benno Boddendijk taking wickets, the Crows need a couple more wins to make absolutely sure of their place in the top six, but they, like their main rivals, will also be looking to take as many points as possible into the second phase. Sparta have an outside chance of squeezing into the championship pool as well, but they will need to win at least one of their two matches this weekend to keep those hopes alive, and they will be concerned about the inability of their top order to give the side a strong platform. Riley Mudford began the T20 campaign with a bang, but he has yet to make an impact on the 50-over competition, and no-one has shown much consistency – although the return of Will Clark gave some solidity against Excelsior until Ingram came on and Sparta’s wheels fell off.

Perhaps the most intriguing encounter of Saturday’s round is that between Punjab-Ghausia and HCC at Het Zomercomplex, and not only because it involves Jonathan Vandiar facing his former teammates. Back at the top of the table after their comprehensive dismissal of ACC last week, Punjab look like a very strong combination, the more so with Saqib Zulfiqar back from international duty, but the Lions, despite the absence of a couple of key players in Tonny Staal and Hidde Overdijk, showed against Hermes something like the form which took them to grand final in each of the last two seasons. Their bowling was particularly impressive, while the return of Teun Kloppenburg has clearly heightened the hitting power of the middle order. Punjab, though, have sufficient depth in both departments to see them through pretty much any crisis, and although the HCC overseas, Conor McInerney (newly confirmed in South Australia’s State squad), Jed Wiggins and especially Adam Leonard, have had their moments, they have not yet fired all together. When they do, there will be fireworks.

Sparta will again be in Residence City on Sunday, taking on HCC at De Diepput, and here most of the big guns will be on the Lions’ side. On the other hand, we should say a word in favour of Sparta’s bowling, which has so far performed far more creditably than their batting. Seamers Khalid Ahmadi, Martin Snoep and Cameron Fraser have all been among the wickets, with spin back-up from Umar Baker and Manminder Singh, and Sparta’s chances of taking something back to Capelle with them may depend on their ability to contain HCC’s powerful but not yet consistent batting. The big question, though, is whether Sparta’s top six can produce enough runs, whether setting or chasing, to give them an edge.

Just my picks this week, m’colleague being otherwise engaged:

Saturday: Excelsior, Voorburg, VRA, HBS, Punjab.

Sunday: VRA, Excelsior, HCC.

Hermes DVS vs HCC at Harga | Topklasse Round 6 | 29.06.24

Another Kaplan hundred as Voorburg chase down 307

Rod Lyall 30/06/24

The last unbeaten record in this season’s Topklasse was expunged on Saturday, when title-holders Voorburg took full advantage of the batting paradise which sometimes appears in the Amsterdamse Bos, chasing down VRA’s 306 for seven and winning by three wickets with 20 deliveries to spare.

The home side owed their imposing total to half-centuries from internationals Vikram Singh (63) and Teja Nidamanuru (51), but above all to a remarkable seventh-wicket stand of 106 between Udit Nashier and Luke Scully, 77 of them coming from the final five overs.

Scully was eventually run out for a 61-ball 64, but Nashier remained on a career-best 59 not out.

Gavin Kaplan was the pick of the bowlers with two for 32 from his ten overs, while Michael Molenaar was again effective, taking two for 40 from seven.

Voorburg’s reply was anchored by Michael Levitt’s 72-ball 90, but it was Kaplan who saw his side home, adding with 136 for the third wicket with Noah Croes before the latter was bowled for 60 by seamer Sharad Hake, one of two wickets for the debutant.

Kaplan finished on 106 not out, his second century of the season, and he has now made two hundreds and two half-centuries in five innings, for an aggregate of 370 at an average of 92.50.

The defeat meant that VRA were displaced at the top of the table by Punjab-Ghausia, who were untroubled in beating ACC at the Zomercomplex.

The Amsterdammers were all at sea against Punjab’s experienced attack, and collapsed to 72 all out in 27.3 overs, Guy Sheena top-scoring with a run-a-ball 26 amidst chaos at the other end.

Saqib Zulfiqar took four for 10 with his leg-breaks, and there were two wickets apiece for Suleiman Tariq and Ahmad Shafiq.

With an outstanding opportunity to boost his side’s net run rate Musa Ahmad proceeded to take the ACC bowling by the scruff of the neck, hitting three fours and as many sixes in his 21-ball 34, and although Izhaan Sayed did his best with three for 30, Saqib finished the job with an unbeaten 22 as Punjab won by seven wickets in just 10.4 overs.

Excelsior ’20 further enhanced their reputation for defending low totals when, having made a modest 141 all out they dismissed Sparta 1888 for 109, a victory which catapulted them into third place on the table, at least for 24 hours.

Struggling at 29 for four, Excelsior were partially rescued by their lower-middle order, particularly Niels Etman, whose 35 was instrumental in their reaching a halfway-respectable score, despite Martijn Snoep’s three for 29 and Khalid Ahmadi’s demolition of the tail, which yielded him figures of four for 25.

But Sparta were quickly in trouble themselves, Jason Ralston again bowling fast and attacking the stumps, backed up this time by Jens Blankestijn, and within seven overs they had reduced their visitors to 15 for four.

Will Clark and Cameron Fraser redeemed the situation with a stand of 56 for the fifth wicket, but then Lorenzo Ingram took over, claiming a career-best six for 17, twice taking wickets with successive deliveries and spinning Sparta from 71 for four to 92 for nine.

Manminder Singh showed some fight towards the end with a hard-hitting 34 not out, but he couldn’t prevent Excelsior winning by 32 runs.

Down the road at the Loopuyt Oval, Hermes-DVS put up a gallant fight against HCC, but eventually lost by 34 runs.

The Lions set them a fairly demanding target, posting 244 for eight thanks to 78 from opener Conor McInerney, 58 from Teun Kloppenburg, and a brisk 42 from Tim Pringle; Sebastiaan Braat was the most successful of the Hermes bowlers with three for 65.

McInerney’s knock was matched by 76 from Hermes opener Ashley Ostling, but he needed 138 balls against a persistent and varied HCC attack, and by the time he was fifth out with the total on 163 another 82 runs were required from just eight overs.

Braat and Ralph Elenbaas did their best to meet the challenge, but with Pringle and Andrew Leonard bowling well in tandem the demand was ultimately too great, and with four wickets falling in the space of eight deliveries Hermes were all out for 210, Pringle finishing with four for 40 and Leonard three for 35.

The scheduled match between HBS and VOC at Craeyenhout was postponed until Sunday.