Preview – TKcricket

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

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]

Preview Hoofdklasse Final

Bertus de Jong | 10-07-2026

The main business of the 2026 Topklasse may be settled, but there’s still an issue regarding the 2027 edition to be answered; namely who will be replacing the relegated VOC Rotterdam in the top flight. That last question will be decided on the field on Sunday, when the two table toppers from the twin 2026 Hoofdklasse groups, Excelsior ‘20 and Salland CC will meet in the Hoofdklasse final at Thurlede.

The final was originally slated to be played at de Diepput, but the two grass wicket clubs agreed between them that they’d prefer to settle the matter on a natural turf surface, so Schiedam will play host and Excelsior enjoy the privilege of playing at home. They’ll also have the notional advantage in that, by virtue of accumulating more points in the league phase, they will claim the title and promotion in the event of a washout. The forecast suggests that eventuality is vanishingly unlikely however, with clear skies and temperatures touching 30 expected at the weekend.

Having lost only twice over the course of the season, Excelsior finished fully 8 points clear of Group B runners-up Rood & Wit Haarlem and sealed a spot in the final with weeks to spare. A positive net run rate of 2.66 over the season illustrates a comparatively dominant run through the league phase, and the Schiedammers will carry a fair bit of momentum into the final as they look to bounce directly back from last year’s relegation.

The lion’s share of those runs have been provided by overseas all-rounders Jack Wood and Riley Ayre, as well as returning Excelsior legend Alex Ross early in the season and newcomer Charl Prinsloo at the back end. That said skipper Roel Verhagen has also had a fine season with the bat, as has Matthijs Schewe across his admittedly limited appearances.

Ayre’s left arm spin has also been instrumental to Excelsior’s success, delivering 38 wickets at a single-figure average, more than filling the sizeable boots of the departed Lorenzo Ingram. Young seamers Jens Blankestijn and Karson Edward have also reliably delivered top-order wickets, Gijs Kroesen has looked increasingly solid at first change, while Verhagen (having relinquished the gloves a few seasons back to Stan van Troost) has done solid work as second spinner along with Joost Kroesen. All told Excelsior have put together a well-balanced squad, and have looked a cut above in their first season back down in the second tier – especially on home turf. Of the two games they have lost only one was at home, and that was played on the artificial.

Salland, for their part, have a similarly unblemished record on turf. Their perfect record at home has been crucial to their topping the Group A table depsite arguably the tougher draw, having had to face down recent relegatees Sparta, Quick and ACC. They dropped points to all three of the former Topklasse sides, notably losing their season opener against Sparta, skittled by sometime Excelsior spinner Umar Baker. At home they’ve looked a class apart however, and the lure of playing on grass might go some way toward explaining their willingness to generously (some might say courageously) gift Excelsior hosting rights for the final.

Their success has been built on a combination of judicious acquisitions, substantial contributions from stalwarts, and a solid season from the now traditional German delegation. Of the latter, the advent of of 19 year-old spinner Ahmad Ullah has made the biggest impact, the leggie’s 36 wickets at 9 taking him to second in the season’s tallies behind Ayre. Another recent German debutant in Shahir Malikzai, a more established presence at Deventer, also had a fine season with the ball, and with skipper Reinder Lubbers in decent form the Salland seam section looks solid.

Kiwi Tim Seeto has proved an excellent addition, the former Canterbury under-19s keeper-bat topping the Hoofdklasse run aggregates with 592 at 45.5. Established German pair Talha Khan and Sahir Naqash have also looked in decent nick, while their countryman Jamshed Mutahihi has at times provided explosive acceleration down the order, as has former skipper Victor Lubbers on occasion. Lubbers limited availability arguably made Salland’s season tougher than it had to be, but doubtless they’ll be at full strength come Sunday.

It’s been some three years since the two sides last met in 50-over competition, at the same ground in 2023 in Salland’s most recent match in the top flight. Excelsior won that game fairly comfortably, and Salland’s record in the Hoofdklasse since has decent but not dominant. This will be there first opportunity since relegation three years ago to win their way back into the now-downsized Topklasse, and having won their way through the stronger side of the draw only to face Excelsior on their home turf, fair to say if they make it they will have certainly earned it.

T20 Cup season preview

Rod Lyall 10/07/26

Like the 50-over competition, this year’s T20 Cup will comprise a double round-robin, and for the first time there will be no finals day: the side topping the table after 14 games will be the champion. As with the longer format, this will likely remove the chance of any mid-table scramble for third and fourth, possibly reducing the interest in the closing rounds, about which there will doubtless be differing opinions.

Having been relegated last year, there will be no VOC or HBS in this competition, with Sparta 1888 and Excelsior ’20 participating instead.

Defending champions VRA have had an up-and-down season so far, and they have clearly been missing last year’s new-ball pairing of Ben Fletcher and Paul Ruffell, and more recently surprise spearhead Vikram Singh, although Sharad Hake has been effective in their stead. Singh’s explosive batting can also be a key factor in T20, and although openers Sam Cassidy and Lovepreet Padda can score quickly, the Amsterdammers’ batting has sometimes let them down in tight situations in the longer format. They do have a varied spin attack, but it would be a surprise if the holders were to go back-to-back this time.

HCC headed the table after the league phase last year, losing to VRA in a rain-reduced final. They have been competitive again this season, only dropping out of the championship race over the last, for them disastrous weekend, and they have a well-balanced side with a very effective attack. They suffered for much of the 50-over campaign from the loss of allrounder Hidde Overdijk, but he is likely to be fit again soon, and will add even more experience to a pace attack which includes Josh Brown, Daniel Crowley and the new boy on the block Justin Trijzelaar. With the spin of Tim Pringle as well as Clayton Floyd and Teun Kloppenburg, they will make life difficult for opposing batters, while Kloppenburg’s hard hitting, along with that of Tonny Staal, makes them serious contenders for the title.

On paper a Team of All the Talents, Voorburg have proved something of an enigma, losses at crucial moments costing them the 50-over championship. At their best, as when they posted 235 for two against Rotterdam in a 25-over match, they have seemed invincible, and they will be hoping to achieve that level more consistently in the shorter format. The leading wicket-taker over 50 overs despite having played only 11 games, Jaynul Islam has proved a valuable acquisition, as has Aaditt Jain now that he is in the side. Part of Voorburg’s problem is picking the right eleven, juggling their various overseas to stay within the limits of the new player-points system. On the other hand, the youngsters they have pulled in have proved useful, and in Bas de Leede, Noah Croes, Ryan Klein, Michael Rippon and the rest they have plenty of potential match-winners.

Surprise semi-finalists last year, Hermes-DVS had a difficult campaign in the longer format, partly because Daniel Doyle-Calle, their leading run-scorer in both formats in 2025, has had a relatively quiet season so far. Against that, the arrival of David Rushmere has strengthened the top order, and he has shown that if he gets a start he is a fine and potentially fast-scoring bat. The real key to the side’s success in last season’s Cup, however, was the bowling of Sebastiaan Braat and Olivier Elenbaas, who claimed 35 wickets between them and averaged 11.89 and 15.31 respectively, and if they can repeat that form the Sky Blues should stay well clear of the relegation threat in the shorter format.

Having carried almost all before them in the 50-over competition, Rotterdam may well start as favourites here as well. Ominously for their rivals, brothers Saqib and Sikander Zulfiqar had strike rates of 135.29 and 129.11 in the 50-over competition, while opener Shoaib Minhas, Mohsin Riaz and Burhan Niaz all went at over 100, and leading run-scorer Musa Ahmad can be expected to up his rate from just under 80 when he only has 20 overs to contend with. Saqib, along with Ahmad Shafiq, is also the side’s leading wicket-taker, and with Muhammad Gondal, Musa and Minhas all offering differing varieties of spin, the Rotterdam attack is equally not to be taken lightly. It’s the batting, though, that the the key to the team’s success, and we might see some T20 records broken if they get going in the next few weeks as they have over the past months.

Sparta 1888 did much better in T20 last year than they did in their 50-over campaign, as as a consequence of which they have been playing in the Hoofdklasse until now. There they finished second behind Salland in their group, but they will no doubt find the step back up to the Topklasse a considerable additional challenge. Newcomers this season are the former Queensland under-19 captain Judd Markham, whose 91-ball 150 against Quick Haag suggests that he has what it takes for T20, and South African Ruve Louw, a seasoned campaigner in franchise leagues who, like allrounder Juandre Scheepers, hit five half-centuries in the 50-over competition. The bowling has a more familiar look, with Umar Baker their leading wicket-taker, followed by Joost Martijn Snoep and allrounder Khalid Ahmadi, whose 232 runs came at a strike rate of 132.63. Sparta, then, have sufficient resources to make things uncomfortable for some of their Topklasse opponents.

The same applies to Excelsior ‘20, who won the other Hoofdklasse group by a distance and will also face Salland this weekend in a play-off for the title and a return to next season’s 50-over top flight. Their overseas include three Australians: pace-bowling allrounder Riley Ayre and opener Jack Wood, and South African Charl Prinsloo, but as well as Ayre’s 38 wickets at 8.79 the side’s success has owed a good deal to the further progress made by Jens Blankestijn and Karson Edward, while Roel Verhagen, Stan van Troost and Tim Etman have all contributed with the bat. That said, Excelsior finished seventh in the ten-team T20 competition last year, and it may be the overseas contingent who need to make the difference this time round.

Finally there is Kampong Utrecht, who gained promotion last season having just missed out the year before. After a slightly disappointing defence of their 50-over title they will have every motivation to repeat in this other format the trick they pulled last year, winning the 50-over championship immediately after being promoted. There’s no doubt they have the potential: the explosive opening of Danien van den Berg and Max O’Dowd, the experience of Scott Edwards and Lorenzo Ingram, and the allround skills of Pierre Jacod and Alex Roy form a solid core, although it must be said that the attack looks less effective in the absence of Shashank Kumar, who last played on 13 June.

Preview Rounds 13 & 14

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong | 02-07-2026

Never in the long history of the Dutch top flight has the championship been decided on the first weekend of July, and it really does feel like a premature climax. Perhaps it marks the eclipse of the 50-over format by T20, in which case it is part of a much larger trend in world cricket which many of us profoundly regret. Will there be a time when the list of national champions runs from the original time cricket to a period of limited overs formats (63 overs, 60 overs, 55 overs, 50 overs) to the T20 title?

Be that as it may, there’s no doubt that this eight-team competition has been intensely competitive, and we go into the final weekend with the championship still up for grabs, and the relegation spot not quite finalised either. In the absence of play-offs at least three teams are playing only for pride, but the outcome of seven of the eight games will help to determine both issues.

Saturday

RL: Leaders Voorburg face a tricky trip to the Boudewijn Hoek Oval to face Hermes-DVS, knowing that their hosts will guarantee themselves another year in the Topklasse if they manage to take the points. Having won their last two games to ease themselves clear of VOC, Hermes are entitled to go into this one with a certain amount of optimism, but they will need to be at their absolute best against opponents who have their noses in front as they head towards the line. The return of Gavin Kaplan has made a huge contribution to Voorburg’s recent performances with the bat, and while their bowling may still have some question marks, it looks a lot sharper when Jaynul Islam is in the side.

BdJ: Worth noting that Voorburg could potentially claim the title at Harga should second-placed RCC slip up against VOC; a combination of results the Hermes will be desperate to forestall, given it’s the only one that would see them enter the last round still at risk of relegation. The chief concern for the Sky Blues will indeed be the consistent strength of Voorburg’s batting, especially now back at full strength. Kaplan’s been averaging almost 100 since his late arrival, Peter Hatzoglou is rumoured to be reinforcing this weekend, and with Dutch internationals Cedric de Lange, Noah Croes and Bas de Leede all averaging north of fifty too, Voorburg’s batting card is arguably as strong as (and indisputably very similar to) that of the national team. The VCC bowling has looked relatively weak in comparison however, with both Michael Rippon and Mees van Vliet having somewhat subdued seasons, with Hermes own enviable top order finally finding some semblance of form the Sky Blues might just be able to capitalise. The teams are at opposite ends of the table for a reason though, and though Hermes did manage to hold Voorburg to a tie away earlier in the season they’ll still start as underdogs at home on Saturday.

RL: At home to wooden-spooners VOC, Rotterdam must at least keep pace with their rivals, whom they would overtake should Hermes pull off a surprise. For the Bloodhounds, this is last-chance saloon: they will be relegated unless they can produce the shock of the season and beat Rotterdam at the Zomercomplex. They have clicked just three times this campaign, always against more fancied opponents, but it’s hard to see them doing it against a side which has a powerful top order, bats in depth, and boasts a varied attack, especially when for the latter the title is on the line.

BdJ: Depending on events at Harga, this fixture could well prove critical at one end of the table or the other. Trailing Hermes by three points (and VRA/HBS by four) the Bloodhounds path to Topklasse survival grows ever more narrow. Given their net run rate, as it stands they will need to win both their remaining games and hope other results fall their way. Despite showing some creditable fight throughout the season, most notably from new skipper Jason van der Meulen and the bowling attack, I’d agree VOC besting Rotterdam in their own back yard would be the upset of the season. The Rotterdammers have looked nigh-unstoppable with bat in hand, and while VCC have twice outscored them only HCC have managed to contain them thus far.

RL: Currently fourth and third, Kampong and HCC meet at Maarschalkerweerd in an encounter which is more important for the visitors, whose hopes of a miracle depend on their going on winning and results going their way elsewhere. The hosts have definitely gone off the boil as their hopes of retaining their title have ebbed away, and the departure of Lachlan Bangs certainly hasn’t helped their cause. HCC, on the other hand, have if anything improved in the back half of the season, although they have been distinctly more impressive bowling first and chasing.

BdJ: The 2025 champions really haven’t looked anything like their best of late, sinking to defeats against Hermes last week and VRA the week before, but then it’s worth noting HCC lost to both those sides recently too. Kampong’s problems seem to run a tad deeper though, beset by mounting injuries and unavailabilities all season that not even Max O’Dowd’s return to domestic form could paper over, of which Bangs is only the most recent. An in-touch O’Dowd along with Edwards and Jacod still makes facing Kampong away a tough proposition, and all will likely get a tune-up in this week’s pro-series game. Alex Roy’s return has also shored up the bowling side somewhat, but HCC has there opponents outgunned in that department at this point, with Brown currently topping the League wicket-tallies and Crowley racking up a personal best last week, while Tim Pringle is also back in the country and available ahead of the international (and franchise) season. HCC still need a lot to go right for them to find themselves in with a chance at the title come the final round, but for now at least it’s partly in their hands.

RL: Many might call this a dead rubber, but for those of use who believe there’s no such thing, the visit of HBS to the Amsterdamse Bos to take on VRA is about which of these sides might squeeze into the top half of the table at the expense of Kampong, who are two points ahead of the home side at this point and who have an almost identical NRR. Their mid-table positions reflect the fact that both sides have blown hot and cold all summer, although the hosts can probably claim to have greater strength in depth, especially given the indifferent form of Tayo Walbrugh and the inconsistency of Lehan Botha.

BdJ: Admittedly a match that’s unlikely to matter much in the scheme of things, but it should be pointed out that neither side are arithmetically safe from relegation at this point. A victory on Saturday would certainly see the winner safe even in the case of unlikely results elsewhere, while the loser could still theoretically start the final round in danger. VRA have weathered some misfortunes well this season, and a mid-table finish without most all their best bowlers from last season and this one would be an achievement in itself. Their threadbare attack was rather exposed by VCC last week, but even with Tayo Walbrugh finally finding some runs it’s questionable whether HBS have the firepower to take the same advantage. That said the Crows were able to restrict a full strength VRA side to 261 early in the season and chase comfortably at Craeyenhout. While this may prove the least consequential of the day’s fixtures, it may well also be the most closely contested.

Sunday

RL: What will be at stake at De Diepput on Sunday is anybody’s guess: should HCC win on Saturday and Rotterdam lose, then the Lions would go into this game just one point in arrears, and if Voorburg had lost as well, a last-minute grab at the title would be on the cards. A lot of ifs, yes, but however they are resolved this looks certain to be The Game of the Final Round. Arguably, HCC’s home ground suits Rotterdam’s big hitters even better than their own, but we shouldn’t forget that in their previous meeting, at the Zomercomplex, HCC dismissed their previously-rampant opponents for just 120. A trick they will certainly be keen to repeat on Sunday.

BdJ: Should results fall HCC’s way on Saturday this could indeed have the makings of a thriller, HCC’s net run rate advantage over VCC meaning should they end up level on points Voorburg’s run of narrow wins punctuated by a couple of very heavy defeats will tell against them. That said of course it could equally be a dead rubber. Most likely only Rotterdam that will will have something at stake and will consequently be the side under the greatest pressure, and who better than the Lions to play for pride?

RL: On one scenario, Voorburg are already champions and Sunday’s game at Westvliet becomes a victory lap; in another, everything is on the line as they take on Kampong with hopes of succeeding them. Both these sides have been at the top of the table at some point this season, but more recently they have headed in different directions: Voorburg have settled into a much more consistent pattern – not least because of Kaplan’s presence – while Kampong have never really recovered from the national selectors’ raid on their squad, losing their last four games. Or possibly five.

BdJ: In all but one scenario there will at least be something to celebrate at Maarschalkerweerd on Sunday, and in any event no doubt a cracking mid-season end-of-season party – tempered only by looming pro-series commitments for a fair portion of participants. There’s every chance though that the game itself will be a live one only for Voorburg, and while some sides have improved with the pressure off Kampong look like they’ve been going through the motions since their chances of retaining the championship receded. Voorburg made fairly light work of a full strength and fully motivated Kampong earlier in the season, and it’s difficult to imagine a different result in their final game.

RL: Once again, the significance of the game at Craeyenhout between HBS and Hermes-DVS will depend on what happens on Saturday: if VOC lost then Hermes will be safe, but if the Bloodhounds pulled off a miracle and Hermes lost, then this will be a must-win for the Schiedammers. Both sides have potential match-winners, but they also have palpable weaknesses, and if this match turns out to be really meaningful, it may hinge on who steps up when it really matters. The Crows have a crop of youngsters, a resource Hermes seemingly lack, and it’s possible that we will see more of them on Sunday as they start to look towards the T20 competition.

BdJ: Arithmetically there’s still a chance that if things go very badly wrong for HBS that they may have have a live NRR spreadsheet running for this game, though with a margin of about 300 runs on NRR over VOC chances are they’ll be safe enough by the time Sunday rolls around. The reverse fixture went down to the wire at Harga earlier in the summer, but on home astro one would be tempted to back the Crows.

RL: It would be a pretty extraordinary piece of Houdini-ism were VOC to finish their campaign with victories over Rotterdam and VRA and contrive to avoid playing Hoofdklasse cricket next season. But having survived a play-off last year to stay up, the Bloodhounds have had another disappointing season, and it seems most likely that whatever’s at stake, it will be the visitors who return to Amstelveen with the points.

BdJ: I’d actually say that if by some combination of derring-do and good luck VOC found themselves in a position where a win in their final game might see them survive, I’d probably back them to do it. It would imply that they were coming off the back of a much more improbable win over Rotterdam the day before and that fortune is in their favour, while VRA will (barring some absolutely absurd scorelines against them) have nothing but position to play for. Both paper strength and form points to a VRA victory though, both on run of results this season and past precedent for season finale dogfights between the two sides.

RL’s tips:
Saturday: Voorburg, Rotterdam, HCC, VRA
Sunday: HCC, Voorburg, Hermes, VRA.

BdJ’s tips:
Saturday: Voorburg, Rotterdam, HCC, HBS
Sunday: HCC, Voorburg, HBS, VRA

Preview Round 12

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong | 24-06-2026

27 June may well prove to be the Day of the Banana-Skins, as the current top four all face bottom-four opponents in a round where any surprises could have a big effect on the final standings. It’s a pity that there are no play-offs this season, since with only two points separating third from sixth, all four games would have been crucial had the mid-table sides been battling for a place in the semi-finals. That’s a missed opportunity, but with three of the bottom four winning last week there’s still plenty to look forward to.

RL: This week’s leaders, Voorburg, are at home to fifth-placed VRA, who effectively ended Kampong’s remaining hopes of defending their title last Saturday. Their meeting back in May had a sensational conclusion when VRA lost four wickets for two runs and threw away a match they seemed to have in their pockets, but they have been much more consistent since then and will be aiming to topple their hosts at Westvliet. Even the loss of Vikram Singh hasn’t thrown them off their stride, with Sharad Hake providing a cutting edge with the new ball and Ibaad Zaidi and now Jack Cassidy giving greater strength to the middle order. No doubt delighted to have their internationals back, Voorburg recovered from a shaky start to chase down Rotterdam’s 320 last Saturday, and if there are questions about the efficacy of their bowling, their ability to bat deep and productively may stand them in good stead.

BdJ: Last week’s result at the Bos will have been a relief for the hosts, but it does make things a little less interesting at both ends of the table. VRA are effectively out of the woods and free to play spoiler in their next three games, which could all prove crucial to their opponents’ hopes of survival or, as is the case this week, claiming the title. Voorburg will likely prove a sterner test than an understrength and rather ragged-looking Kampong were last Saturday though, even if they haven’t quite worked out where to source their optimal fifty overs from. It’s worth pointing out that even on the bowling side of things VCC still have the likes of Aaditt Jain on the bench, who was a first team regular at VRA and would likely make the current team too. While the hosts are arguably spoilt for choice VRA have been getting the most out of dwindling resources, but both sides have looked better with the bat of late, and with scorching temperatures expected this (and indeed every match this weekend) may well come down to who can better endure a long day chasing leather in the baking sun.

RL: Relegated to second spot but hoping to take advantage of any slip-up by their rivals, Rotterdam travel to Craeyenhout to take on HBS. There is no doubt whatsoever about the power of the Rotterdammers’ batting line-up, but there may be some concern about the effectiveness of the attack as a wicket-taking unit after that defeat by Voorburg, especially when Sikander Zulfiqar is unable to supplement the pace of Carl Mumba and the economical seam bowling of Sulaiman Tariq. When they’re batting, however, the primary task of opposing bowlers is to keep them under 300, and that will be no easy assignment for Kyle Klein and his colleagues, the progress made by Joris van Oosterom notwithstanding. Of the regular bowlers only he and Benno Boddendijk have gone at under five an over this season, and while allowance must be made for the fact that they play their home games at Craeyenhout, they may have trouble containing their visitors to a total within the scope of a batting line-up which has largely been held together by Kent Goedeke and Lucas del Bianco.

BdJ: Given that they’re reliably making 300+ every time they get a chance, Rotterdam have rarely needed to bowl particularly well to rack up wins so far this season. Voorburg have been the only side to match them boundary for boundary so far, though it’s worth noting HBS did rack up a big 300-plusser of their own at home VOC early in the season, and have on occasion chased down substantial 250+ scores even without any substantial contribution from their run-starved skipper. Walbrugh staging a sudden escape from slumpsville could potentially shift the odds given an RCC bowling attack that has been somewhat off the boil, but fair to say the Crows start as outsiders.

RL: HCC’s defeat by Hermes last week pretty much put an end to any putative title challenge, but they will be keen to consolidate their position in the top half of the table when they take on VOC at De Diepput. The Bloodhounds have come frustratingly close in the last two games after beating a below-strength Kampong on 6 June, but they will need to be at their best against a HCC side no doubt smarting after throwing away what seemed like certain victory against Hermes. The experiment of switching Caleb Montague from keeper to bowler didn’t come off against HBS, and generally speaking VOC have had considerable difficulty in settling upon an optimal disposal of their admittedly limited resources. HCC, by contrast, have a very steady outfit, no fewer than ten of their squad having played in at least ten of their games. If the batting has something of a bits-and-pieces quality, the bowling remains the key to the side’s performances, Josh Brown now the leading wicket-taker in the competition and Justin Trijzelaar and Daniel Crowley giving him great support.

BdJ: Yep fair to say that, broadly speaking, the games where HCC collected points this season have been won with the ball rather than the bat. Tonny Staal has quietly had an excellent season in the opening slot, but the rest of the senior bats’ contributions have been more modest. Gorlee’s own role has arguably been limited by his dropping down the order, and a case might be made for the skipper coming in earlier, though there’s also plenty to be said for keeping young Kloppenberg and Banerjee where they are at this point in the season. For VOC meanwhile getting their combinations right is imperative, with the prospect of relegation looming and assignments only getting tougher from here.

RL: Similarly Kampong, top of the table four weeks ago, are now firmly in the middle, and will welcome to Maarschalkerweerd a Hermes-DVS side desperate to stay ahead of VOC and out of the relegation spot. The defending champions clearly missed skipper Alex Roy against VRA last week, but in truth the problems go deeper than that. Lorenzo Ingram’s contributions have been limited, especially since his return from injury, and with 226 of Max O’Dowd’s 313 runs having come in just two innings and Damien van den Berg yet to pass 50, the batting has tended to rely too much on Scott Edwards and the admirable Pierre Jacod. Hermes, one feels, are potentially a better side than their lowly position suggests, even if the batting is rather top-heavy and the bowling at times expensive. This game may well prove closer than the current table suggests, and if Kampong are at anything below their best it may be the most likely to provide an upset.

BdJ: The defending champions have admittedly been hampered by mounting injury and availability issues, but even accounting for at times enforced changes they’ve looked to be on something of a slide as the season wears on. They’ll be further hampered now by the loss of Lachlan Bangs, their stand-out bowler last week, who’s returned to Australia. Hermes will indeed have an opportunity on Saturday if they can take advantage, though the Sky Blues have also looked less than the sum of their parts this season. They will however be back to full strength again and, one imagines, the more motivated of the two sides in what is likely to be a grueling encounter in the heat.

RL’s picks: Voorburg, Rotterdam, HCC, Hermes

BdJ’s picks: Voorburg, Rotterdam, HCC, Kampong

Preview Round 11

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong | 17-06-2026

Just eight points apiece up for grabs now, with only three points separating first from fourth and fifth from eighth. From which you might conclude that (a) there are going to be quite a few four-pointers in the next three weeks, and (b) that there is, after all, a good deal to be said for the eight-team model. Teams should be back to full strength for this final run-in, and it’s all set to be an extremely interesting sprint down the home straight.

RL: For the second week in a row, leaders Rotterdam take on their nearest challengers, Voorburg having leap-frogged Kampong as a result of last Saturday’s matches. The visitors squeezed three points out of their two games without their internationals, and will be relieved to have skipper Noah Croes, openers Cedric de Lange and Michael Levitt, and middle-order batter Bas de Leede back in the side for what is certain to be their biggest challenge of the second half of the campaign. The sides’ previous meeting, of course, was that extraordinary 25-over game on 14 May, which produced 461 runs in 50 overs, including De Lange’s 63-ball 125, and the Rotterdammers’ first defeat of the season, and Sikander Zulfiqar’s side will be very keen indeed to avenge that defeat this time. Since then their already-powerful batting line-up has been strengthened by the advent of Abdul Rehman Niazi, and Voorburg’s bowlers will doubtless have their work cut out to contain the Rotterdammers’ top order, while their own, largely restored batters will have to deal with an extremely testing attack. In the absence of play-offs, this could well prove to be the match of the season.

BdJ: Indeed given the state of the table this looks the fixture most likely to prove decisive when the time comes to total up the points and dole out the silverware. After having to dip into the reserves over the last couple of weeks, Voorburg find themselves facing some tricky selection decisions now, with Waseem Mohsen having laid indisputable claim to his spot, Don Glover making runs last week and Tom de Leede also impressing on return. Conversely the international contingent are all a tad short of cricket, which of course is not a game one can reasonably expect to play at King City. De Lange nonetheless impressed after being thrown into the deepest of deep ends on ODI debut, and at full strength Voorburg are arguably the only side in the league that have batting to match the Rotterdammers. Questions remain about the bowling side of things for both sides however, with neither looking entirely sure of their best attack and, barring Saqib Zulfiqar and Jaynul Islam, both team’s front line attack rather upstaged by their part-timers. If Voorburg’s quicks can fire however, HCC’s seam section did show that RCC can be vulnerable early at home.

RL: Now in third place on net run rate and three points behind the leaders, HCC travel to the renamed Boudewijn Hoek Oval to face Hermes-DVS. Their hosts will perhaps be the happiest of all about the return of their internationals, who will add incisiveness to their attack and take some of the weight of run-scoring from the shoulders of David Rushmere, who carried the batting almost single-handed while they were away. The Sky Blues will have to face both Kampong and Voorburg before finishing their campaign against HBS, and they will breathe much easier if they are able to pick up two points here. HCC, however, have won six of their last eight games, and with a rejuvenated Tonny Staal scoring consistently at the top of the order and Boris Gorlee at his best against HBS last week, they will travel to Schiedam with plenty of confidence. We have repeatedly sung the praises of their attack, and even Rushmere will need to be in top form if Hermes are to have a chance.

BdJ: Hermes might be excused for wondering whether it was really necessary to deprive them of their captain and pace spearhead for the last two weeks given that Logan van Beek ended up getting flown in to play ahead of either of them, but will certainly be happy to welcome them back for what is indeed a must-win for them on Saturday. They’ll also be hoping Daniel Doyle-Calle’s ankle sprain won’t keep him out another week, and that what remains a formidable batting line up finally delivers on its potential. They’ll be coming up against an HCC seam attack that has consistently delivered, even in the absence of Hidde Overdijk. On form the hosts will start as underdogs on home turf, but may take comfort from the fact that despite their winning run HCC still have a losing record on grass this season.

RL: Straddling the gulf between top four and bottom four, the encounter in the Amsterdamse Bos is between VRA, for whom the priority is staying clear of the relegation zone, and Kampong, who cannot afford another defeat if they are to have a realistic chance of retaining their title. Centuries for both Sam Cassidy and Teja Nidamanuru against Hermes last week suggested that the Amsterdammers’ season is perhaps coming together despite the loss of Vikram Singh, and it was a bonus for them to see Sharad Hake getting among the wickets early. Kampong just squeezed home at Maarschalkerweerd on 14 May, and they will hope for a much greater contribution from their top order in this return match. It’s a fair bet that Max O’Dowd and Scott Edwards will find batting conditions in the Amsterdamse Bos a good deal more congenial than those in King City, and despite the four-point gap between the teams on the current table, this too seems likely to be a very even battle.

BdJ: VRA will doubtless be thankful that they were spared the loss of their skipper for the last couple of rounds, and doubtless Nidamanuru and Shariz Ahmad have been enjoying thier time at the Nordic Smash this week rather more than anyone has ever enjoyed anything at the jumped-up landfill that the (thankfully suspended) clowns at Cricket Canada are somehow still successfully passing off as an ODI ground. Ahem. On the assumption that VRA’s captain/manager at least will duck out early should Stockholm make Saturday’s final, the hosts will have a substantial advantage in terms of bats in form. Singh’s misadventure in Canada does still leave a hole in the bowling though, as despite already missing two rounds he still has more than twice the wickets of anyone else in the attack, at half the average. Kampong meanwhile will also welcome back their skipper, who himself impressed on debut for the Dutch. The recent run of results may not be on their side, but I’d still make the defending champions favourites at full strength on Saturday.

RL: One of the gilt-edged four-pointers will be at the Hazelaarweg, where VOC are at home to HBS Craeyenhout. Just a point ahead of Hermes, this is perhaps the best opportunity of their last four games for the Bloodhounds, who will have been desperately disappointed to miss out on victory over a below-strength Voorburg last week. VOC’s batters passed 200 for only the fourth time in that game, and while their top and middle order often get a start, they have seldom been able to bat on and make a truly significant contribution. There have also been selection issues, but the team looks a little better-balanced (and a good deal more experienced) with the return of Tim de Kok and of Pierce Fletcher. For HBS, the form of Tayo Walbrugh has been another recurring theme on these virtual pages: with just 180 runs at 20.00 he has been a shadow of the player who averaged 59 or better in each of the five previous seasons, and although Lucas del Bianco, Kent Goedeke and at times Lehan Botha have taken up some of the slack, the Crows will be hoping that their captain’s undoubted class is in evidence in the closing rounds.

BdJ: Walbrugh’s run of poor form has at least spared him the ordeal of a trip to the very worst international cricket ground in the world, but now that the threat of being picked for a tour to King City has passed one might suggest it’s a good time to start making some runs. Though currently three points clear of the wooden spoon spot, after the Crows only have games against frontrunners RCC and then VRA away at the Bos to come before a potential showdown against relegation-slot incumbents Hermes in the final round. The relegation tussle might thus be said to start in earnest this week, and though HBS have arguably underperformed all season while VOC have looked to be slowly strengthening, it would be a surprise to see them on equal points this time next week.

RL’s picks: Rotterdam, HCC, Kampong, HBS.

BdJ’s picks: Voorburg, HCC, Kampong HBS.

Preview Round 10

Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall

Distractions abound this weekend as we push further toward the business end of the Topklasse season; the Netherlands women’s team are set to return to the global stage for the first time since before the ICC ran women’s world cups, the men’s team are in Canada for their ongoing CWC League 2 engagement, and we’re told there’s even some soccer happening. That’s all none of our business here at TK of course, except insofar as the men’s team being forced to endure King City for another week continues to unevenly affect availability for our four fixtures on Saturday.

BdJ: Arguably the most significant result arguably attributable in part to the national team’s absence was VOC’s upset win over an understrength Kampong last weekend, and the defending champions will again be without their skipper and two senior bats when they take on frontrunners Rotterdam at Maarschalkerweerd on Saturday looking to reclaim the lead. Without Roy, Edwards and O’Dowd the hosts will start as underdogs against a Rotterdam side that boast four bats averaging well north of 40. Of available Kampong bats, only Pierre Jacod is averaging over 30 this season, and the off-spinning all-rounder will likely have a key role to play with the ball too if the defending champions are to stage an upset.

RL: Rotterdam don’t need any assistance from the national selectors to take the field brimming with confidence against any team in the competition, and although they have suffered the odd aberration, their batting line-up is one of the most powerful ever assembled in the Dutch top flight. But the bowling, while it attracts less attention, is also formidable, especially in the spin department. Apart from a bag of six against Hermes early on, Carl Mumba has perhaps been a less incisive spearhead than Rotterdam may have hoped, but Ahmed Shafiq, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shoaib Minhas, Musa Ahmad and Muhammad Gondal more than make up for that. For Kampong, Saurabh Zalpuri filled in admirably for the absent Alex Roy, The return of Lorenzo Ingram, too, could not have come at a better time for the defending champions, and although his contribution against VOC was limited, the mere presence of his vast experience is a considerable asset in a team deprived of its other senior players.

BdJ: VOC themselves will travel to Westvliet looking to strike again while the iron is hot, taking on a weakened Voorburg. The return of Gavin Kaplan has gone some way to mitigate the loss of four top order bats to Oranje, but it took a maiden century from Ryan Klein at five to get VCC to a respectable score against HBS last week before the rain put a stop to proceedings. Meanwhile VOC’s attack was bolstered by Vivian Kingma who took three wickets on debut for his new club last week, and may well be fired up on return to Westvliet. Paired with Roman Harhangi VOC could bring an incisive new ball attack to bear on Voorburg’s threadbare top order, and might just sense an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

RL: Voorburg will probably feel that they stood up pretty well to the loss of most of their top order against HBS, and perhaps a little frustrated that the adverse weather meant they had to be content with a point. A six-ball duck for Michael Rippon didn’t help their cause, and they will be hoping that he is able to make a more substantial contribution against VOC. Their attack, of course, is relatively intact, and while Mees van Vliet’s lack of form is a worry, they have sufficient resources to trouble a VOC line-up which added another to its list of disappointing performances against Kampong. The Bloodhounds’ bowling unit, on the other hand, was able to take advantage of their opponents’ slightly desperate and ultimately misplaced attempt to beat the rain, although it’s unlikely that Voorburg will display the same profligate tendencies. With the international experience of Kingma as well as Ahsan Malik, however, VOC won’t make life easy for the home side’s second string line-up, even with Kaplan added to the ranks.

BdJ: Meanwhile in the mid-table, HCC welcome HBS Craeyenhout to De Diepput. The Crows will be aiming to consolidate their place in the middle of the pack, while the hosts will be looking to catch up to the top three. They suffered a setback dropping points to VRA at the Bos last week, failing to fully recover from a top order collapse in the absence of skipper Boris Gorlee. With Hidde Overdijk sidelined, the Lions don’t have quite the same lower-order resilience that they once enjoyed, though their bowling reserves have covered for his absence admirably, young Justin Trijzelaar impressing when called upon to step up. HBS meanwhile will have to contend with the absence of seam spearhead Kyle Klein as well as, perhaps more worryingly, skipper Tayo Walbrugh’s alarming dip in form. They owe their current position of relative safety in large part to the batting form of all-rounder Botha and Del Bianco, coupled with new overseas Kent Goedeke finding his feet in the Topklasse, but will need more from their senior bats if they’re to avoid sinking back down toward the danger zone.

RL: With Voorburg and Kampong operating with one hand tied behind their backs, HCC really needed to capitalise if they are to launch a serious challenge for the title, and it was therefore a real blow that they were unable to beat VRA on Sunday. It’s not just a question of lower-order resilience, although that is important: twenties and thirties aren’t really enough from the top six, and although Tonny Staal features among the top ten batters in the competition, the Lions haven’t been able to build big partnerships and put opposing attacks under pressure. The Crows have been rather more successful with the bat, but the bowlers have conceded an average in excess of 250 in innings which have gone the full distance – home matches at runs-rich Craeyenhout admittedly pushing that figure up – and without Klein as spearhead and Botha not having bowled since 2 May, they have struggled to bowl their oppponents out. Benno Boddendijk has been consistently taking wickets and the development of Joris van Oosterom has been a bonus, but there have been occasions when the attack has seemed a bit threadbare.

BdJ: Finally VRA will be heading down to Schiedam to take on relegation spot incumbents Hermes DVS, well aware that defeat could see them slip into that undesirable position themselves. With word that stand-out seam all-rounder Vikram Singh has suffered a significant shoulder injury during preparations in Canada that will likely rule him out for a number of weeks, the Amsterdammers could find themselves staring down the barrel if they can’t get clear of the tail end of the table this week. For Hermes this four-pointer comes at an inconvenient time too however, with skipper Sebastiaan Braat still stuck at King City along with Oli Elenbaas and Aryan Dutt. That said, Ralph Elenbaas has now eclipsed his brother in the wicket-tallies this season, and spinners Kothari and Jabarkhail look a decent enough combo against VRA’s largely right-handed line-up. Newcomer David Rushmere also looks to have recaptured some of his early form, even if the opening pair continues to struggle. The absence of Braat leaves a tough hole to fill for the hosts though; the Sky Blues haven’t won without him since returning to the top flight. VRA meanwhile found a way to bank points last week even without Singh, and they’ll have to keep finding ways if they’re to pull clear of an ugly relegation fight.

RL: A classic four-pointer this, with both sides much closer to relegation than might have been expected at the start of the season and time beginning to run out. David Rushmere’s solo effort last week was a classic of a different kind, but it also pointed up how fragile the Hermes batting can be, especially without Elenbaas, Dutt and Braat contributing from the middle order. VRA’s bowling, it’s true, isn’t as testing as Rotterdam’s, but it has a similar spin component, and the Sky Blues will be hoping that Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle-Calle will be able to give them a rather more solid start against their visitors’ seamers. Ibaad Zaidi’s mature knock in partnership with Shariz Ahmad made all the difference against HCC last Sunday, buoying up a VRA middle order which has also shown signs of vulnerability at key moments, but the Amsterdammers will need to do some serious rejigging at the top of the batting if, as feared, Vikram Singh’s injury turns out to be as significant as it appears.

BdJ’s picks: Rotterdam, VOC, HCC, Hermes

RL’s picks: Rotterdam, Voorburg, HCC, VRA.

Preview Round 9

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong | 02-06-2026

And so we’ve reached that point in the season where the depth of several squads is to be tested in earnest, since for the next two rounds the members of the men’s national team will be otherwise engaged in King City, Canada. Voorburg, Kampong and Hermes-DVS are the clubs most severely affected, while HBS and VRA suffer to a lesser extent. HCC, Rotterdam and VOC get off scot-free, none of their players having made the selection. Apart from the implications for the competition, there is something to celebrate heartily in the fact that the three new call-ups, Cedric de Lange, Olivier Elenbaas and Alex Roy, are all Dutch-produced – hearty congratulations to all three from Tkcricket!

RL: The national selectors have deprived Voorburg of four of their top five batters for their visit to Craeyenhout on Saturday to face HBS, while the home side will be without new-ball bowler Kyle Klein and (on paper at least, since he’s only played one game so far), Roelof van der Merwe. It’s probably not entirely coincidental, therefore, that Voorburg have fielded 19 different players in eight games so far, although it may be a 20th, Nirav Kulkarni, who needs to step up from the Seconds, where he has been the club’s leading run-scorer, to reinforce the top order. With three wins to date, the Crows have moved clear of an immediate relegation threat, and there can be no doubt that they have the bowling strength to trouble a second-string Voorburg batting line-up. Their own batting has been a bit more hit-and-miss, but in Tayo Walbrough, Lehan Botha, Kent Goedeke and Lucas Del Bianco they have the potential to trouble a Voorburg attack whose form has been distinctly variable. Goedeke, though, has settled in well, and is their leading wicket-taker with 15 at 24.27; Botha, on the other hand, has been relatively quite with only four wickets in eight outings, three of them in one match against Kampong in the season’s opening round.

BdJ: It is indeed rather uneven swathe cut by the selectors’ scythe, and once again it’s the tall poppies at VCC that suffer. While the second-team stalwarts that have occasionally turned out in the Topklasse this season have generally done themselves credit, though more often with ball than bat, and Voorburg replace the whole top four. Tom de Leede’s been going well as a pure bat for the twos, Waseem Mohsen’s made runs at the top for the seconds too, and the overlooked Michael Rippon could be perhaps be pushed up the order. It will be a makeshift top order though, and the crucial question will be whether the Crows have the bowling to take advantage.

RL: The schedule could scarcely have been kinder to VOC Rotterdam, who face Kampong Utrecht this week and Voorburg next, while they are without their internationals. The absence of Scott Edwards, Max O’Dowd and skipper Alex Roy will make a big dent in the eleven of the defending champions and current leaders, but they gave a hint of their thinking by including Ajinkya More in last week’s side, and with Vikram Chaturvedi also making runs and taking wickets in the Seconds they should still be able to put out a competitive team. (It would also be an ideal moment for Lorenzo Ingram to return from injury.) Whether that will be enough to overcome VOC at the Hazelaarweg remains to be seen: it’s telling that the Bloodhounds have conceded 300-plus three times this season and only passed 200 three times themselves, and even without their stars Kampong are likely to prove a handful for a Rotterdam side in which Jason van der Meulen has too often received too little support. Roman Harhangi and Asief Hoseinbaks are their most consistent performers with the ball, but an unsettled top order simply hasn’t been producing enough runs, and if Shashank Kumar can get amongst them they may find things little easier on Saturday.

BdJ: Kampong have happily muddled through without Edwards and O’Dowd in the past, though the absence of Lane Berry coupled with Ingram’s sidelining already means the blow will fall a little heavier, and the loss of skipper Alex Roy to Oranje is an entirely new obstacle. The bowling stocks are less of a concern though, especially as Pierre Jacod didn’t make the cut for the Dutch side yet. There will be pressure on the Bloodhounds too, knowing they have a rare chance to knock over the table-toppers while they’re below strength. VOC’s bats have managed only six half-centuries between them so far this season, and one suspects they’ll need to better that average if they’re to take points off the title-holders.

RL: Untroubled by the call of the national selectors, Rotterdam will be at home to a Hermes-DVS side minus skipper Sebastiaan Braat, recalled to the orange colours, as well as fellow-allrounders Aryan Dutt and Olivier Elenbaas. What would already have been a big ask has therefore become considerably tougher, with the best part of thirty overs eviscerated from the Sky Blues’ attack. Playing in the Tweede Klasse, which is where the Hermes Seconds currently reside, can scarcely be viewed as adequate preparation for a call-up to the Topklasse (I simply do not understand the clubs’ resistance to a return of the Reserve Topklasse), and it may be that the Schiedammers will need to make a further call on their Belgian contingent. Rotterdam, on the other hand, have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to make even full-strength attacks suffer, and they were further strengthened last week by the appearance of left-hander Abdul Rehman Niazi, a youngster with inter-provincial experience at youth level in Pakistan. Barring a quite remarkable turnaround, this looks like one of the easier results to pick this week.

BdJ: The question of whether playing for Karachi Zone II under-19s constitutes “provincial level” (or indeed “representative under 19s”) is perhaps best left to the philosophers – or whoever has the unenviable task of filling out the player points sheet – but with Carl Mumba and the surprisingly-not-in-Canada Saqib Zulfiqar expected to return next week, Rotterdam will have the luxury of a full roster to choose from. Conversely, for Hermes the loss of Braat and Elenbaas will be at least as much a problem on the batting side of things. The pair are currently leading the batting averages for the Sky Blues, with the Hermes top three thus far failing to live up to past performance or early promise. It will likely take at least one (ideally all three) of Ostling, Doyle-Calle or Rushmere to have an old-fashioned day out for Hermes to keep pace with a Rotterdam batting card that has (bar the very occasional misfire) been firing on more than enough cylinders this season.

RL: Cricket, they say, is a team game played by individuals, and in that respect there is a stark contrast between VRA Amsterdam and their opponents in the Bos on Saturday, HCC. The Lions may not currently have any internationals in their ranks, but they have cohered admirably as a team, with the reconstructed four-man seam attack of Josh Brown, Daniel Crowley, Justin Trijzelaar and Thijs Vrolijk, backed up by the spin of Clayton Floyd and Teun Kloppenburg, arguably the most effective bowling unit in the competition. Their hosts, by contrast, will be missing their newly-emerged pace spearhead, Vikramjit Singh, who in addition to his 23 wickets at 12.48 has also moved into third place in the batting aggregates with 368 runs at 46.00. They will sorely miss his all-round input, although their spin department of Teja Nidamanuru, Darsh Abhinay, Udit Nashier and Shariz Ahmad – and as of last Saturday, Sam Cassidy – is a distinct asset, especially given the relatively generous dimensions of VRA’s home ground. The batting has been reinforced with the return of Johan Smal, but Singh’s spot at the top of the order is tough to fill. As against that, the introduction of Lovepreet Padda has added solidity to the top order, but he and the rest of the VRA top six will face a stern test against Brown & Co.

BdJ: VRA may only be providing one player to the Dutch national team this time round, but they’re effectively losing two in Singh, who is both their lead scorer and the league’s lead wicket-taker this season. The runs may be replaceable, Shereyas Potdar has made a case in the twos for the opening slot in Singh’s absence, Jack Cassidy has filled that role in the past, and the existing top order is solid enough on paper. But a ready replacement as seam spearhead is less apparent. Sharad Hake has been more steady than incisive with the new ball, while Ashir Abid has likewise looked a bit off the boil in the seconds – at least when not bowling at Hercules. Singh’s fiver-fer and fifty when the two sides last met pretty much delivered VRA the win single-handed, and it will take a substantial turnaround in form for the Amsterdammers to take the points on Saturday without him.

RL’s picks: HBS, Kampong, Rotterdam, HCC
BdJ’s picks: Voorburg, Kampong, Rotterdam, HCC