Hard on the heels of the Ascension Day round tomorrow, all ten teams will be back in action on Saturday for the second set of games in the of the four-round fortnight. With only a single day to recover after Thursday’s games, one would expect the momentum carried forward from the Ascension round results to perhaps weigh more heavily for Round 6, but at time of writing those results are not yet decided.
BdJ: Should things go against them at Dosti on Thursday, VRA will still be winless after 4 matches, and almost out of contention already when they head down to Bermweg to take on Sparta 1888. Sparta’s own position may be little better, with just a single win from the four matches they’ve played so far and a tough assignment against second-placed ACC on Thursday. Both sides will thus be looking for a win as much to get out of relegation danger as to keep their title hopes alive. On paper VRA have by a distance the better record in the competition, and won the last encounter between the two sides by ten wickets after bowling Sparta out for 138 at Amstelveen last season. Sparta had the best of their last encounter at Bermweg, however, Mudassar Bukhari bagging a five-fer as VRA were bundled out for 148. With neither side really playing to their ability so far this season, one could easily envisage either result this time round.
RL: This is indeed what looks like being one of many four-pointers in this season’s competition, albeit at the wrong end of the table for both sides. Sparta are, of course, missing Dost Muhammad and Faisal Iqbal from the team that played in those games last year, but that is compensated to a considerable degree by the emergence of Max Hoornweg, who has taken eleven wickets in his last two games. On the other side of the equation, Vikram Singh’s century last week will have given him great confidence, even if batsmen tend to find the Bermweg a ground where runs are hard to come by. Sparta’s attack looks better placed to take full advantage of those conditions, although if Quirijn Gunning returns to his best form he could cause the home side’s batsmen plenty of problems too.
BdJ: Over at Nieuw Hanenburg Quick Haag will welcome Dosti-United in a mid-ish-table clash, depending on Thursday’s results of course. With Bista and Dake into their second match by then and Rupert Young having been persuaded to stay on a while longer Quick suddenly look an altogether more imposing outfit, at least on paper. Dosti are likewise a stronger outfit than last season however, Kuldeep Diwan especially looking a judicious addition to the side and the relaxation of overseas limits has allowed Singh to come up to the firsts full-time. With the bat at least one would think Taru Kohli at least balances out Jay Bista, and the Dosti home-grown top-order has shown themselves capable of offering more reliable support than has Quick’s.
RL: For teams like Dosti putting together a consistent series of performances is vital to their prospects of being in the title mix come August, and the four games between Ascension Day and Pentecost are a crucial test. The same applies to Quick Haag, although their first priority at the moment will no doubt be to get themselves well clear of the relegation zone. The Amsterdammers were unable to take full advantage of their previous outing on an artificial outfield, against HBS a couple of weeks ago, but Quick’s new surface should suit Kohli and their other stroke-players, not least Rahil Ahmed and Vinoo Tewarie. For the home side, a lot will depend on how quickly (no pun intended) Bista and Dake are able to settle in and start producing match-winning performances, thus taking some of the pressure off the old-established warhorses like Lesley Stokkers and Geert Maarten Mol.
BdJ: Current table-toppers HBS Craeyenhout meanwhile head to Westvliet to take on Voorburg, who have struggled rather on their return to the top flight, despite a fair bit of expectation resting on what on paper remains one of the strongest sides in the league. The batting, especially, has been a weak point for VCC, with Tom de Grooth struggling at the top of the order and Matt Smit’s wicket generally signalling a rapid collapse. Coming up against an HBS side on a roll with a top order in belligerent form, much will depend on VCC opening bowlers Glover and Kingma finding quick wickets, especially that of the destructive Toby Visée.
RL: Voorburg’s batting will be reinforced from Thursday by the arrival of another Smit, in the person of Matt’s brother Nick, and this may help to reverse what has been a surprising dip in their fortunes. On the other hand, Brandon Glover has reportedly attracted notice in England, so strengthening the batting may be balanced by a diminution in the effectiveness of the attack. The Westvliet side might now be content with a position solidly in the middle of the table, but HBS have their eyes on loftier goals, and will need to avoid potential banana-skins like this one if those goals are to be realised. They have melded into a very well-balanced unit since their return to the top flight, and after falling a little short last season they show every sign of going a step or two further this year.
BdJ: Also at the top end of the table HCC face their first test on turf as they take on Excelsior ‘20 at Thurlede. It will be interesting to see whether the in-form Tonny Staal’s time in Australia will help him shake off his reputation as a mat specialist, and if Adam Wiffen is indeed sidelined for these games then a good portion of HCC’s hopes on Saturday may hinge on Staal’s fortunes, together with those of Bryce Street and Bharat Itagi. Excelsior themselves have again looked rather dependent on Lorenzo Ingram and now newcomer Brenton Parchment this season so far, though Tim Etman and Tom Heggelman have chipped in handily with bat and ball at times. The fact that the Schiedammers are three from four despite playing below their best so far nonetheless suggests they deserve the label favourites come Saturday, especially if HCC are without Wiffen.
RL: This looks like the match of the day this Saturday, and it’s definitely another four-pointer as things stand. Excelsior skipper Tom Heggelman has plenty of options in the field, with Parchment augmenting a seam department in which Heggelman himself, Sohail Bhatti and Rens van Troost, even with the last-named struggling for control, are an effective strike force. With Umar Baker joining Ingram as a front-line spinner the attack is as good as any in the competition. The visitors’, though, also has plenty of power, even if they can’t match Excelsior’s spinners. In batting, even with the possible absence of Wiffen, the sides are evenly matched, and a fascinating battle is in prospect. Knowledge of their own turf may turn things Excelsior’s way in the end.
BdJ: In the round’s final match 2018 champions VOC Rotterdam head to Het Loopveld to take on ACC, looking understrength and undercooked. The Rotterdammers picked up their first win last week against a stuttering Voorburg, though they managed to make a meal of a modest target, losing 7 wickets chasing just 136. The addition of Belgian internationals Noman Kamawi and Ashiqullah Said has gone some way to plugging the hole left in the bowling by the loss of Fred Klaassen and Umar Baker, but they can no longer rely on regularly restricting opponents to sub-200 scores as they did last season. As such more pressure will fall on the top order, which to date has failed to really deliver. Coming up against an ACC side which, despite suffering its first reversal on Saturday, looks to be stronger than ever, VOC will need to find a new winning formula and fast.
RL: Cricket is a game of character, and both these sides have something to prove. ACC will need to bounce back quickly from last Saturday’s reversal, and by the time they toss at Het Loopveld this week we’ll know whether they’ve been able to do so (as by any measure they can be expected to) against Sparta on Thursday. VOC’s issues are on a larger scale: their personnel changes are more substantial than most other teams’, and they need to string together a series of improved performances to avoid the indignity of going from champions one season to relegation contenders the next. Even with their losses they have enough quality in their side to claim a mid-table position, but they need internationals Max O’Dowd, Scott Edwards and Pieter Seelaar to create a solid core in their batting line-up, providing their diminished attack with greater cover.
Bertus de Jong’s tips: VRA, Dosti, HBS, Excelsior, ACC Rod Lyall’s tips: VRA, Dosti, HBS, Excelsior, ACC.
With four rounds of matches in the space of twelve days, starting with Thursday’s Ascension Day holiday, the Topklasse moves into its traditional burst of intensity which could have a key role in determining the ultimate shape of the table.
RL: With four wins out of four, HBS Craeyenhout will go into their derby with their neighbours in the Bosjes van Pex, Quick Haag, brimming with a confidence all the greater because of Quick’s indifferent form so far. If their attack made less impact than they might have hoped against a rather tottery VRA batting line-up, their four-man seam attack and pair of spinners have generally been an effective force, and they are likely to cause plenty of problems against a Quick side which, even with the addition of Jean Bredenkamp, has looked to be well short of Topklasse form. But they did manage to ambush VOC, and that may suggest that they have a better chance chasing than they do trying to set a target. That said, the HBS top six are a menacing prospect for any bowlers, and the odds favour the Craeyenhout outfit whoever gets first use of the wicket.
BdJ: The momentum’s certainly with the Crows as they welcome their local rivals to Craeyenhout, boasting a perfect record so far with Quick still looking for their second win. Bredenkamp’s cameo last week is understood to be a one-off, but Quick nonetheless head across the way appreciably strengthened by the arrival of last season’s MVP Jay Bista and fellow Mumbaiker Prathamesh Dake. Bista’s presence as batting linchpin will be a worry for the HBS bowling attack, which has generally been solid but uninspiring thus far, but whether Dake will have any more luck containing or removing the Crow’s explosive top-order than anyone else has so far is probably the crucial question hanging over the game.
RL: Having seen off the ACC challenge on Saturday, Excelsior ‘20 will travel to Hazelaarweg in good spirits for their meeting with VOC. The champions, though, will be greatly heartened by having their first points under their belt, and this game may prove to be as tough a battle as this match-up produced last season. The Schiedammers’ batting was again heavily dependent on their two overseas players against ACC, and Brenton Parchment’s efforts with the new ball were equally crucial in enabling them to seize the initiative in the field. VOC’s batting is, if anything, in somewhat rockier shape, and while the attack has benefited from the acquisition of Noman Kamawa Pieter Seelaar’s side is still some way short of the title-winning form they mustered last season.
BdJ: A tough one to call, this, with both sides looking much diminished since their title-winning days. The loss of Umar baker to their opponents coupled with Max O’Dowd’s as yet unrewarding switch to leg-spin has left VOC looking far more vulnerable at home, where last season their spin attack ensured they didn’t lose a game. Excelsior do indeed look rather dependent on their two Jamaican overseas, but then both Ingram and Parchment have looked entirely dependable so far. The defection of Baker means Excelsior have arguably the stronger slow-bowling attack this season, and though the youth graduates that helped win them two titles in a row seem to be in a collective slump at the moment they will fancy their chances against a VOC side in the midst of a rebuild.
RL:ACC, on the other hand, return to Het Loopveld for a match against Sparta 1888 which should give them an early opportunity to make amends for last Saturday’s defeat. Their surprise win over Excelsior apart, Sparta have been far from impressive so far, and it has been the efforts of Max Hoornweg, with 14 wickets at 12.36, which have been their most significant plus point. Andrew Fletcher’s battle to adapt to Dutch conditions (which has yielded him just 50 runs in four innings) must be a genuine source of concern at the Bermweg, but he is too good a player for this to continue for long. Even while losing to Excelsior the Amsterdammers did enough to confirm that their position at the top was no flash in the pan: they have a varied attack, and although their top order was hustled out in short order, the Zulfiqar brothers and Shirase Rasool (a modified re-formation of last season’s popular folk group) are unlikely to succumb so easily a second time.
BdJ: As some predicted, ACC’s run of wins came to an end at first sight of a turf wicket, and doubtless the Amsterdammers will be happy to feel the familiar mat under their feet again on Thursday. Their new acquisitions in Jean Marais and especially Brady Barends have proven shrewd ones, though it is the marked improvement of youngsters Rasoole and Kumar that has done the most to lift ACC stocks this season. That said, one has the feeling that Sparta’s best cricket is yet to come, and they have looked competitive across most of their games even as their overseas failed to really fire. It is reasonable to assume that at some stage the performance of Fletcher especially is bound to revert to the mean, and there’s no reason Thursday shouldn’t be the day. And given that I’ve called every single ACC match wrong so far, they’ll doubtless be delighted to hear that I’m picking Sparta to spring an upset at het Loopveld.
RL: The third of the teams jockeying for position a game behind the leaders, HCC are at home to Voorburg, a contest which brings Tom de Grooth and Philippe Boissevain back to De Diepput in the unfamiliar role of visitors. With Tonny Staal running into excellent form against Quick on Saturday HCC did not need to turn to Adam Wiffen, and Voorburg might look envyingly at the relatively prolific batting line-up of the home side. One cannot escape the feeling, however, that Voorburg’s travails with the bat are a temporary phenomenon, and that before long an opposing attack will be on the receiving end of their return to form. Their attack, certainly, is strong enough to defend any half-decent total, and they almost succeeded in defending a decidedly indecent one against VOC at the weekend. HCC’s bowlers, though, have disposed of VRA and Quick on their last two outings, and they will start as favourites to repeat the trick on Thursday.
BdJ: There’s no word as yet on whether the finger injury Wiffen sustained last week will keep him out on Thursday, but it will be a major blow to HCC’s hopes if it does. Though Staal, Street and Itagi all have runs under their belt this season, the HCC middle order has looked brittle when it has been tested, and with Kingma and Glover sharing the new ball for VCC early wickets are a safe bet. The question remains whether they will have much to bowl at, as the Voorburg batting line-up has looked equally suspect when the top order has failed. Indeed despite the overseas reinforcements they have called in, VCC have missed Bas de Leede in the middle order more than many had anticipated.
RL: The holiday schedule means that Dosti United, free of competition from Saturday football fixtures, are able to entertain VRA at Sportpark Drieburg. It’s a vital match for both sides: Dosti are two games behind the leaders and need to avoid falling back further, while their visitors have yet to post a win and are much in need of their first points. Vikram Singh’s maiden Topklasse century will have given them a boost, but they need runs from Ben Cooper (9 runs in three innings so far) as well as from Peter Borren and Eric Szwarczynski if they are to set challenging totals. Dosti are still in second gear, but if their four overseas players – who played a decisive role in the win over Sparta on Saturday – all fire at once we can look forward to some spectacular cricket from a side which has the potential to be serious title contenders.
BdJ: Though slow starts are something of a VRA tradition, it’s beginning to look as if the Bos-dwellers have stalled in the blocks this season, if you will pardon the mixed metaphor. One would expect what is on paper a strong batting unit to come good eventually, Szwarczynski, Borren and now Singh all have decent scores this season, as does Cooper if one looks beyond the Topklasse, but the bowling is perhaps more of a worry. VRA’s attack has not come close to bowling a side out, having managed just 8 wickets in total across three matches so far. With newcomers Graber and Long still waiting for their first Topklasse wickets and Gunning and Turmaine both at less than their best, one suspects Thursday will see Taruwar Kohli add to his growing tally of Topklasse centuries. VRA remain too good a side to go winless for long, but they may well manage another few days.
Rod Lyall’s tips: HBS, Excelsior, ACC, HCC, Dosti. Bertus de Jong’s tips: HBS, Excelsior, Sparta, VCC, Dosti.
ACC suffered their first defeat of the season at Thurlede on Saturday, going down to Excelsior ’20 by 47 runs, while HBS hung on against a late challenge by VRA in the Amsterdamse Bos to win by 18 runs and move clear at the top of the table.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Excelsior ‘20 reached 221 for seven, thanks to a third-wicket partnership of 97 between Lorenzo Ingram and Brenton Parchment.
ACC pace man Brady Barends removed Roel Verhagen, restored to an opening slot after returning from injury, in his first over, and then came back to break the Ingram-Parchment stand by trapping Parchment in front after he had compiled an invaluable 45.
Helped by an aggressive cameo by Joost Kroesen, who made a rapid 22, Ingram went on to post his sixth Topklasse century. He faced 136 deliveries for his 102, including eight fours and three sixes, and when he departed just before the close he had seen his side safely past the 200 mark.
Skipper Saqib Zulfiqar cashed in in the final overs and took four for 46, but it was Barends who bowled with hostility throughout for figures of two for 47 and the spinners Devanchu Arya and Anis Raza, who conceded 29 and 30 respectively in their 10-over spells, who were the most impressive of the ACC attack.
ACC were soon in trouble when they replied, slumping to 47 for four, and when Sikander Zulfiqar, having made 27, was run out with the total on 88 their cause was effectively lost.
Raza held the innings together as best he could and reached his first Topklasse half-century to finish with an unbeaten 67, but he eventually ran out of partners, the innings closing on 174 in the 48th over. Parchment and Tom Heggelman claimed three wickets apiece for the Schiedammers.
HBS Craeyenhout again posted the highest total of the day, their 273 for two dominated by a stand of 160 for the second wicket by Zac Elkin and Sharn Gomes.
Gomes contributed 68, while Elkin batted throughout the innings for an unbeaten 116, made from 157 deliveries with six fours and three sixes.
Vikram Singh has a timid celebration of his maiden hundred in the top flight
Elkin’s knock was matched by that of VRA’s Vikram Singh, who at the age of 16 years 136 days became the youngest-ever centurion in the Dutch top flight, eclipsing the two-week old record set by ACC’s Shirase Rasool, who had been 22 days older when he performed the feat.
Unlike Elkin, however, Singh was unable to find someone to share a really decisive partnership: Peter Borren made 32 and skipper Emile van den Burg 21, but when Singh was eventually bowled by Wesley Barresi for 102, made from 147 balls with ten fours, VRA were still well adrift at 183 for six.
But keeper Mitch Lees was still there, and with some support from the tail he made a hard-hitting 51, hitting four sixes and bringing his team frustratingly close to what had been an extremely imposing target.
Barresi was the most successful of the HBS bowlers with three for 56, and the new-ball pairing of Berend Westdijk and Zak Gibson collected two wickets each.
HCC kept pace with the leading group by cruising to an eight-wicket victory over Quick Haag at Nieuw Hanenburg, with skipper Tonny Staal hitting an unbeaten 86 to enable his side to chase down a modest Quick total of 169.
Quick were strengthened by the advent of Namibian international Jean Bredenkamp, who played for them in 2017 and who anchored their innings with 55.
He did not receive much support, however, Quick’s top scorers otherwise being once again Geert Maarten Mol with 29 and Thijs van Schelven with 26, while for HCC Bryce Street took three for 44 and Ali Ahmed Qasim, Hidde Overdijk and Bharat Itagi claimed two wickets each.
Itagi and Staal then got HCC off to a lightning start, putting on 82 in just over twelve overs, and Street helped Staal maintain the momentum with a 37-ball 40 which took the visitors to the brink of victory.
Finishing the job in just 26.2 overs HCC did their net run rate a power of good in a season when that might just be important in sorting out the table at the end of August.
While still playing some way below what they are almost certainly capable of, Dosti United were decidedly too strong forSparta 1888 at Sportpark Bermweg.
Taruwar Kohli (36) and Amitoze Singh (54) contributed over half of the visitors’ total of 174, with Max Hoornweg again the principal wicket-taker for Sparta with four for 41. Andrew Fletcher backed him up well with three for 35.
Then Kuldeep Diwan (three for 19), Kohli (two for 12) and Anees Davids (two for 18) claimed seven Sparta wickets as Dosti ran through the home side’s batting, dismissing them for 113.
Atse Buurman again provided much of the resistance, top-scoring with 29, and it took a late rally by Joost Martijn Snoep and Manminder Singh to get Sparta’s total into three figures.
Defending champions VOC Rotterdam recorded their first win of the season at Westvliet, where Voorburg again performed poorly with the bat and collapsed to 135 all out.
It would have been even worse without a spirited knock of 44 from Viv Kingma, who came in with his team on 75 for six and almost immediately lost Noah Croes, who had made 31.
Kingma got Voorburg to 135 almost single-handedly, dominating a last-wicket stand of 47 with Stef Mulder.
VOC’s attack was reinforced by the inclusion of Belgian international Noman Kamawi, who took three for 12.
The Rotterdammers made heavy weather of their chase, with Kingma grabbing three quick wickets to reduce them to 48 for four, and it took some dogged batting from Pieter Seelaar (26) and Dirk van Baren (22) to get them over the line.
After an impressive opening-day victory promoted side Voorburg have now lost three on the trot, and unless their batsmen can reverse their current slump the Voorburgers could find themselves in a battle to avoid a speedy return to the Hoofdklasse.
TKcricket 