Category: Preview 2026 TK

Bertus de Jong &Rod Lyall | 28-05-2026
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May it may still be (though one wouldn’t have guessed it given the sweltering temperatures) but the front-loading of the fifty over competition this season means we’re somehow already at the mid-point of the 2026 Topklasse, and fair to say the competition, too, is heating up. Four rounds in a fortnight has seen early frontrunners RCC stumble and sometime stragglers surge up the table, with both title and relegation races wide open at the half-way stage.

BdJ: After a slow start to the season Voorburg currently have their noses in front, but will face a stern test when they take on HCC at De Diepput. With seven points from their last four matches VCC look the form team in the competition at the minute, with league lead-scorer Cedric de Lange and skipper Noah Croes reliably churning out runs, and the totemic Bas de Leede also in good nick with the bat. Voorburg were pushed hard in most of those games however, and the bowling side of things still looks unsettled. Michael Rippon’s comparatively quiet season so far remains something of a concern, and the new frontrunners still don’t look clear on their best attack. Their opponents meanwhile will be coming off the back of a confidence-boosting win at the Zomercomplex, well in touch with the top of the table. That’s thanks in no small part to the understated return to form of Tonny Staal at the top of the order, reliably chipping in 30s and 40s despite the lack of a settled opening partner. Teun Kloppenburg’s promotion to the role last week was a success in that regard, and on that may be worth persisting with. Their middle order wobble against Rotterdam still betrays a certain vulnerability, and all told an HCC win on Saturday would still be an upset, but perhaps not a shock.

RL: Extraordinarily, Voorburg have fielded twenty players in seven matches, and this might suggesr some uncertainty about the best combination. The core is stable enough, although Mees van Vliet’s nightmare against Kampong (especially in combination with the absence of Jaynul Islam) will be a cause of concern, And with the departure of the national team for Canada looming, Voorburg will suffer a good deal more than most: much of that core will be unavailable for a couple of vital rounds. All the more important, then, that they make sure of the points against HCC, who are clearly emerging as challengers to the top three. The Lions, on the other hand, will be extremely keen to further close the gap on the leaders, and even without the injured Hidde Overdijk and the ill Teun Leijer they have assembled an impressive attack, into which Justin Trijzelaar and Thijs Vrolijk have slotted well. They are certainly capable of unsettling Voorburg’s top order, and they will need to do so if HCC are to take the points.

BdJ: Defending champions Kampong will be poised to take advantage should VCC slip up, but their own fixture against HBS Craeyenhout at Maarschalkerweerd hardly looks the foregone conclusion one might have imagined at the start of the season. While Kampong have stayed within shouting distance of the top spot thanks in large part to a steady bowling unit and the form of Pierre Jacod and Dutch skipper Scott Edwards, they don’t look quite the force they were last season. Meanwhile the Crows have won three from three in their last four games (eliding the incomplete and unresolved unpleasantness at the Zomercomplex) buoyed last week by the return of Heino Kuhn and Roelof van der Merwe to Topklasse competition. While Kuhn didn’t have quite the impact he might have hoped with the bat, van der Merwe certainly did, and if the pair can be called upon more regularly HBS’ prospects look a good deal better, especially given Lehan Botha’s form and the hints that Tayo Walbrugh’s horror early season may be behind him.

RL: With one notable exception neither Damien van den Berg nor Max O’Dowd has been able to give the Kampong innings a decent start, and without last year’s Lane Berry or, at present, the injured Lorenzo Ingram, the top and middle order has looked vulnerable, despite useful contributions from Karel Vieler at three and the dependability of Jacod and Edwards. The bowlers have, as m’colleague says, saved their blushes somewhat, but they will need to get rid of Walbrugh and Botha early if they are to contain an HBS line-up which successfully chased down 282 on Monday. The Crows’ middle-order, with Kent Goedeke and Lucas del Bianco, has been firing well, though, and although their bowling unit was able to make no impression on Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle in that game, they have the potential to trouble Kampong,

BdJ: Meanwhile at the bottom of the table, where Hermes DVS unexpectedly find themselves, the Sky Blues welcome VOC Rotterdam to the Loopuyt Oval. Hermes’ 136-run opening win over the Bloodhounds remains their only victory of the season, though their three-point tally probably isn’t a fair reflection of the quality of the cricket they’ve played. The return to form of the prolific opening pairing of Ostling and Doyle last week just happened to coincide with a sub-par outing for the rest of the order, and that’s arguably been pretty typical of their season so far. VOC meanwhile have been battling commendably throughout and finally found some reward last week with a win over VRA, with young Roman Harhangi and the veteran Ahsan Malik again the stand-outs. Hermes remain much the stronger side on paper, but VOC have been playing closer to potential of late, despite an unsteady early season.

RL: To be fair, the Hermes middle order sacrificed itself on Monday in the search for quick runs, but it’s not the first time the Sky Blues have collapsed after an outstanding start, and with David Rushmere struggling to reproduce his brilliant debut the batting has generally been less than overwhelming. The attack, too, has lacked bite in a season where the batters have generally been in charge, its best effort probably dismissing Voorburg for 228 in a match that was eventually tied. Sahil Kothari and Sebastiaan Braat have been their most successful bowlers, and skipper Braat has made valuable runs as well, but the side will haave to lift itself in the back-half of the season, starting with this must-win game against fellow relegation-candidates VOC. The Bloodhounds pulled off a remarkable last-minute win against VRA, and they will know that a win here would greatly ease those pressures.

BdJ: Finally VRA Amsterdam welcome Rotterdam CC to the Bos, with both sides coming off the back of a tough run of results. Rotterdam’s scarcely believable collective early form with the bat was not enough against Voorburg, and then seemingly deserted them entirely when they were skittled for 120 by HCC on Monday. That said, the fact that their average score batting 50 remains north of 300 will be playing on the minds of a VRA side that gave up 338 against them in the season opener and who themselves have gone winless for four rounds. The Amsterdammers have suffered a series of close defeats despite getting into winning positions, and despite flashes of form from all of the top order it’s been rare for all or even most to fire at once. The bowling also remains a concern, as while league lead wicket-taker Vikram Singh is having a revelatory season with the ball the rest of the attack has looked rather innocuous, leaving a tricky forty overs to fill.

RL: It would be stretching credibility to the limit to suggest that Rotterdam might collapse in a heap two matches in a row, especially since their opposition this week lacks the incisiveness of HCC’s bowling unit. For Musa Ahmad, Shoaib Minhas and Mohsin Riaz to assemble ten runs between them is close to unheard of, and it’s a lot to ask of VRA’s new-found spearhead Vikram Singh to repeat that blitz. But VRA are something of an enigma: with the introduction of Lovepreet Padda and the return of Johan Smal the batting looks a lot more solid, but the side has displayed a notable ability to conjure defeats from winning situations, and they will really need to cast off that tendency if they are to get their campaign back on track. With only two partnerships of 75+ in seven matches, their batting has been as vulnerable as their bowling; Rotterdam, at the other end of the scale, have had seven, in six completed innings.

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BdJ’s picks: Voorburg, Kampong, Hermes, Rotterdam
RL’s picks: Voorburg, HBS, Hermes, Rotterdam.

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong | 20-05-2026

Slowly but surely, this eight-team competition seems to be resolving itself into a top-three and a bottom-three, with HCC and VRA caught somewhere in the middle, but perhaps more likely to be clinging to the coat tails of the leaders than to be sinking into relegation territory. Their fortunes have contrasted sharply in recent games, with HCC posting relatively comfortable victories while VRA have twice fallen just short. Hard to believe there are only two rounds left before we reach the halfway mark!

RL: One game which will play a part in deciding HCC’s direction is their meeting with Kampong at De Diepput on Saturday. The Lions have slipped quietly into the top four (not that that means anything these days – remember when being on the lefthand-side of the Teletekst page was a thing?) by virtue of their three straight victories and VRA’s two recent defeats. Kampong aren’t quite the side they were last year, but Scott Edwards’ imperious form, coupled with Max O’Dowd’s first big innings of the season last week and a varied, hard-working attack, have kept them in the hunt. The injury Lorenzo Ingram sustained against Hermes will be a concern, as will the way in which they allowed the Sky Blues to get themselves off the hook. HCC, on the other hand, will be boosted by the successful return after a 16-year gap of Bob Entrop, who certainly strengthened a sometimes-indifferent middle order against VOC. But the Lions’ real trump card is their bowling unit, even without its leader Hidde Overdijk. Hard to pick this one, but the momentum seems to be with the home side.

BdJ: While the defending champions have not quite recaptured their form from the back end of last season, they’ve done enough to keep mostly winning, in no small part thanks to the unfaltering form of the Dutch captain. If Edwards can renew his productive partnership Max O’Dowd at club level the defending champions will begin looking something like the sum of their enviable parts. Yet while the celebrated HCC seam attack has looked a little light without Overdijk, the spin section have been impressive and the success of the likes of Entrop and Trijzelaar stepping up to the ones demonstrates an enviable depth at de Diepput. Kampong will take some containing though, especially with Damien van den Berg now also finding some form in the pro-series. While HCC should never be counted out at home, I’d still make the title-holder marginal favourites in this one.

RL: Just ahead of Kampong on net run rate, Voorburg entertain a Hermes-DVS side which put up a spirited fight against Alex Roy’s outfit before eventually succumbing. One of the problems at Westvliet seems to be sorting out the best eleven from their wide range of choices: they’ve used 17 players already in five games, more than any other team, but on the positive side that’s partly due to the return from injury of Bas de Leede, who proved his value to the side with his 85 against VRA. Young seamer Farhaad Khawaja made a promising debut in that game, but this week much will doubtless depend on Voorburg’s ability to claim early wickets, Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle-Calle having been somewhat less consistent this year than they have been in the past. David Rushmere remains an enigma: having hit a record 169 in the opening match, he has managed just 17 runs in four innings since, and Hermes will be hoping he can find something of that initial form a.s.a.p., and help them escape the lower reaches of the table they currently inhabit.

BdJ: Fair to say that “spoilt for choice” or “an embarrassment of riches” are among the more surmountable problems a Topklasse side may face, but so long as Bas de Leede isn’t bowling the ideal make-up of the attack does seem to be vexing the villagers. Khawaja is, somewhat absurdly, the 12th bowler used by VCC in five games, and his return of 1-69 in 10 thus far is unlikely to cement his place. The batting side looks a bit more settled, and young Cedric de Lange’s form at the top of the Voorburg card has surely been the story of the comp to date, if only as the most prominent example of a general trend of home-grown talent coming into their own this season. Hermes’ own top order, expected to be a strength ahead of the season, has (eliding what looks increasingly like a flash-in-the-pan innings from Rushmere) been outscored by seam all-rounders Elenbaas and Braat. While we’ve probably not seen the best of either side this season, Voorburg’s conundrums look the more solvable.

RL: Part of the reason for the elevated position of the two leaders, of course, is the unfortunate ludus interruptus at the Zomercomplex last Saturday, which means that pending a decision by the KNCB Rotterdam have played a game fewer as they head to Hazelaarweg to take on VOC in the first Rotterdam derby of the season. This looks on paper to be the easiest result to pick: the Bloodhounds are at the foot of the table on NRR, while Rotterdam’s only defeat so far has been in that rain-reduced, run-soaked encounter with Voorburg on Ascension Day. But runs were hard to come by when HCC visited Schiebroek last week, and that could conceivably put a brake on the run-scoring capacity of the Rotterdam top order. The VOC attack, worthy as it is, will need to take full advantage, though, if they are to keep their visitors down to a chaseable total, or defend whatever their own less-than-rampant batting line-up is able to assemble.

BdJ: It’s often hard to gauge the extent to which off-field issues are likely to affect a side, but while VOC’s seemingly quiet disposal of two skippers this season doesn’t seem to have unduly hampered their performance, the apparent – and recurrent – crowd (self)control problems at the Zomercomplex do look likely to cost Rotterdam points. Yet while conditions at Hazelaarweg are unlikely to play to Rotterdam’s strengths, the top-order are hardly strangers to the place and have looked cpapable of running up big scores anywhere, anytime. A VOC victory, even at home, woulkd be the upset of the round for sure, though loyal readers will of course rememeber what happened the last time I said that…

RL:HBS will need to be at their very best to overcome VRA Amsterdam when they take them on at Craeyenhout. Although Tayo Walbrugh’s return to form against Rotterdam and the continued success of Lucas del Bianco are welcome signs, their 226 last Saturday was probably short of what they needed against Sikander Zulfiqar’s side at the Zomercomplex, and this week they face in-form new new-ball bowler, the season’s leading wicket-taker, Vikram Singh. Nor will they have forgotten what he can do with the bat: three years ago he smashed a 71-ball 155 as VRA posted 455 for eight on this ground before collecting four for 81 as HBS replied with 398. We shouldn’t anticipate such record-breaking excesses this time, but Craeyenhout is a good place to bat, and whoever bats first will need to set a substantial total. Neither side has yet found much consistency with the bat – VRA admittedly hampered by the absence of Johan Smal – but in different ways both badly need to take the points here.

BdJ: Twenty-three years old does seem a little young for a career renaissance, but then Vikram Singh is nothing if not precocious. Bouncing back after being dropped from the national side last year, Singh is currently in pole position for League MVP, and in the face of stiff competition at that. Yet VRA, too, have looked unsure of their best 11 though, unsure as to where the raft of newcomers ought to be playing. Singh’s form with the ball has partially covered what remains the glaring gap in the seam section left by Fletcher and Ruffel, while the top order would look unsettled even without the loss of Smal to injury. HBS have had their own issues this season of course, though it’s remarkable how many of them would look at least half-solved if Kyle Klein can stay fit and Tayo Walbrugh’s form returns for good.

RL’s tips: HCC, Voorburg, Rotterdam, VRA
BdJ’s tips: Kampong, Voorburg, Rotterdam, VRA

Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall 12/05/26

Three rounds done and the first big pseudo-double weekend is upon us, with a full slate of games set for both Thursday and Saturday having the potential to reinforce the emerging narrative of the season or throw the whole table into confusion. Thursday’s schedule especially is replete with proverbial four-pointers, pitting pre-season favourites and likely relegation racers against one another in matches that could well prove retrospectively critical when the dust settles.

BdJ: First up is the top-table clash between the much-fancied Voorburg and early pace-setters Rotterdam CC. Two points clear at the top, Rotterdam have looked imperious since their off-season name change, racking up big 300-plus totals in each of their first three games. Three of the top six run-getters in the season so far turn out for the frontrunners, with Shoaib Minhas and the two Zulfiqars all striking at well north of a run-a-ball. The bowling attack hasn’t look quite so unstoppable, and though Carl Mumba has been thriving since making the switch the seam attack especially has struggled for control, but then the big totals on the board have meant they could afford to buy their wickets at almost any price. Voorburg meanwhile suffered a shock defeat at the hands of VOC last weekend, and despite looking the more balanced outfit on paper looked far less than the sum of their parts. The return of Bas de Leede (as a bat at least) is a positive, however, as are the signs of a return to form for Michael Levitt both in Topklasse and the preceding pro-series. VCC were a popular pre-season pick for title contenders for good reason, and certainly have the roster to derail Rotterdam, but the form book is against them.

RL: There are two imponderables for Thursday: the prospect of rain, and what happens if Rotterdam are chasing rather than setting? The former seems more than likely, and as to the second, much will depend, of course, on the luck of the toss. Teja Nidamanuru and Sebastiaan Braat are doubtless regretting their decisions to let Rotterdam have a bat, but Noah Croes’s calculations will equally be affected by his side’s somewhat feckless batting against a hard-working but scarcely overwhelming VOC attack. He, and Voorburg supporters with him, will be hoping that that performance was just one of those days, and that his top six or seven do better against a bowling unit which, at least on paper, is a good deal more menacing. There is, however, such a thing as having too many resources to choose from, and for all the array of talent at their disposal Voorburg could do with a settled line-up if they are to mount a serious challenge for the title.

BdJ: At the other end of the table HBS Craeyenhout welcome VOC Rotterdam to the Bosjes van Pex, the Crows still winless after three rounds while the Bloodhounds will be on something of a high after toppling VCC on Saturday. There were some positive signs with the bat for HBS against HCC, not least Lucas del Bianco’s continued form, but their most serious concern on that front remains Tayo Walbrugh’s early vulnerability. The HBS skipper’s fallen inside the powerplay in three out of four matches so far (counting the pre-season NCT20 Cup) and may at this point be mulling a drop down the order. There’s little positive on the bowling side either, with the Crows attack all struggling for penetration or control or both. VOC’s season was looking little better this time last week, onto their third captain in as many rounds having lost their two first games by big margins. In the circumstances one might write off the result against VCC as a fluke, though Roman Harhangi’s continued improvement has been noted in these pages before and Asief Hoseinbaks is a proven performer. New captain van der Meulen likewise performed admirably, while newcomers Price and Montague seem to be finding their feet. One suspects if HBS are to draw VOC into a prolonged relegation battle this season, this fixture will be must-win.

RL: But if Walbrugh reverts to his most productive position at three, who takes his opening slot? Reece Mason has been tried there in the past without a huge amount of success, but it’s also important for the Crows not to weaken a middle order which has been comparatively successful amidst their run of defeats. Two of those reverses were relatively hard-fought, and the attack in particular, although hindered by the continued unavailability of Kyle Klein, has battled manfully but with only limited success. Their opponents, on the other hand, will have been buoyed by their shock victory over Voorburg, and will go into this vital clash with renewed hope of climbing away from the relegation zone. They faltered slightly in chasing a modest target, but the new opening pair of Bart Kooistra and Samir Butt did enough to suggest that there may be better times ahead for the Bloodhounds. Neither side can afford to lose this one, so we can anticipate a mighty battle.

BdJ: Meanwhile title-holders Kampong CC face down second-placed VRA Amsterdam at Maarschalkerweerd, where one or other of the two sides will be pushed down into the mid-table while the other will be keeping pace with the frontrunners. VRA have certainly missed the new ball pair of Peter Ruffel and Ben Fletcher, with opposing openers collectively averaging almost fifty against them this season, but a resurgent Vikramjit Singh has stepped admirably into the breach. The svelte seam all-rounder leads the wicket tallies with ten at an average of 9.2 so far, and averages 57 with the bat to boot. He’s had plenty of support on the batting side of things, with Johan Smal averaging 123, Shariz Ahmad thriving in the middle and newcomer Sam Cassidy rediscovering his pre-season form, but on the bowling side the Bos-dwellers have looked less convincing. Kampong have hardly looked like dominant defending champions either, however, as after comfortable wins over likely relegation candidates HBS and VOC they had no more success in containing Rotterdam last week than anyone else has had. That said Shashank Kumar somehow managed to impress again with the new ball even as his side gave up 358, while Pierre Jacod continues to burnish his all-round credentials. The batting card also remains intimidating on paper, especially with Lorenzo Ingram regaining some touch, though Max O’Dowd might consider wearing his orange Dutch kit under Kampong’s blue – so stark is the contrast between his form for the national team and his slump in club cricket.

RL: One of the more notable features of last week’s programme was that VRA didn’t call on the batting skills of Johan Smal as they chased down Hermes’ total, despite losing four wickets, and their balance of youth and experience should stand them in good stead as the campaign progresses. Kampong, on the other hand, are not quite firing on all cylinders, the fact that O’Dowd and Lachlan Bangs have so far contributed 58 runs in six innings between them a symptom of a less than stellar start to the season. Ingram, too, although he played a gallant innings in a losing cause last week, has not yet added to his tally of 245 Topklasse wickets, and the momentum definitely looks to be with the Amsterdammers going into this game.

BdJ: Finally HCC will take on Hermes DVS at De Diepput, with both sides looking to get their seasons back on track, or at least put some distance between themselves and the wooden spoon spot. HCC racked up their first points of the season with a nervy win over HBS l;ast week, though letting the Crows get almost 100 runs more than they managed in their opening games will not inspire much confidence, while a potential injury to Hidde Overdijk will only add to their worries. Zach Worden’s unbeaten century was the difference in that game, and his return to form is a big positive, while Justin Trijzelaar picking up 2-38 in 10 again is likewise encouraging, especially if Overdijk is indeed ruled out. Hermes meanwhile will take comfort from the return to form last week of their prolific opening pairing of Ashley Ostling and Daniel Doyle-Calle, even as their middle-order worries returned with a vengeance. Number three David Rushmere currently looks more like a wildcard than an ace in the hole in that regard, after his record smashing debut the newcomer has added just 8 more runs to his tally, and might have gone for a second golden duck on Saturday had he not been shelled at slip. He remains a lurking menace however, and skipper Braat’s lower-order counterpunching suggests Hermes have the makings of a big total batting side if they can get all cylinders firing.

RL: Again, any momentum would seem to be with HCC, while Hermes looked short of form with both bat and ball in losing to VRA last week. Justin Trijzelaar and Thijs Vrolijk slotted into the seam attack in the absence of Teun Leijer and Daniel Crowley, and if the attack lacks some of the cutting edge of years gone by, it retains a useful balance between seam and spin. The batting, on the other hand, still has an air of fragility, and without Worden’s unbeaten hundred they would have been in some trouble against HBS. On the other hand, the Hermes collapse in the Amsterdamse Bos will be a matter of real concern to the Sky Blues, the subsidence from 139 for one to 180 for eight evidence of a lack of substance in the middle order which has sometimes haunted them in the past. Especially troubling is Aryan Dutt’s two runs from three innings, and Sebastiaan Braat may need to consider changing his role in the line-up.

BdJ’s picks: Rotterdam, VOC, Kampong, Hermes.
RL’s picks: Rotterdam, HBS, VRA, HCC.

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong | 06-05-26

Still early days, but it’s already beginning to look as if there may be four serious contenders for this year’s title, while at the other end of the table VOC, HBS and to some extent HCC have confirmed their status as candidates for relegation. With five centuries and four Michelles there have been plenty of notable individual performances, several players doing their utmost to catch the eye of the national selectors. Half a dozen century partnerships in the first eight games is another encouraging sign, and this week’s programme promises some more crucial encounters.

RL: Not much doubt about the Match of the Day this week, as Rotterdam are at home to another of their main rivals in defending champions Kampong Utrecht. With totals of 338 and 331, Sikander Zulfiqar’s side has clearly established its credentials in the batting department, and Kampong’s attack will need to be at its sharpest if they are to contain Musa Ahmad and Co. Of the top six only Shoaib Minhas has gone cheaply twice, and it’s hard to believe that he will allow that run to continue for very long. The same applies to Kampong’s Max O’Dowd, who has so far managed 8 from two innings; someone is going to pay for that, one suspects, and despite Carl Mumba’s six for 47 against Hermes last week Rotterdam’s bowling unit could prove to his liking. Scott Edwards’ ominous form and Pierre Jacod’s fine support act have been the story of Kampong’s batting in the first two games, and they will need the rest of the top and middle order to chip in if they are to have any chance of halting the Rotterdammers’ impressive start.

BdJ: It’s early days to be labelling anyone frontrunners at this point of course, but the winner of this match will have as good a claim as any (bar perhaps Voorburg) by this time next week. Rotterdam’s batting card will certainly pose a sterner test for Kampong’s attack than any they’ve yet faced, though Kampong are a more balanced side this season than the batting heavy VRA or Hermes. They also have the batting to put Rotterdam under scoreboard pressure if they wind up chasing for the first time, and though O’Dowd’s ability to keep churning out runs in Orange despite rarely looking particularly fluent doesn’t seem to translate to club cricket, it’s worth noting Kampong managed to claim the title last time round despite his chipping in just 123 runs in his 8 games in blue. The defending champions will nonetheless want to bag as many wins as they can before the international season gets underway June, though given Musa Ahmad and Saqib Zulfiqar’s form Rotterdam may not escape the selectors’ attention either.

RL: Already one win behind the leaders, both VRA Amsterdam and Hermes-DVS Schiedam will be particularly keen to avoid making it two when they face off in the Bos on Saturday. As it happens, both have been on the wrong end of a 300-plus onslaught from the batting might of Rotterdam, and it’s fair to say that VRA made a much better fist of the subsequent chase than the Sky Blues were able to do last week. With 169 and a golden duck in his first two innings, David Rushmere has already run the gamut of Topklasse fortunes, but with Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle Calle not so far giving their side the sort of starts they found so valuable last year and with Aryan Dutt also going early, Rushmore’s contribution has become even more vital. Teja Nidamanuru, Vikram Singh and Johan Smal, by contrast, have produced four half-centuries between them in six collective innings, and the Hermes bowling unit will have to strike early if they are going to contain the home side’s line-up.

BdJ: So a first home game for VRA and a first look at the Bos for Topklasse-watchers. With both sides looking a tad batting-heavy this season, and arguably somewhat dependent on assistance from conditions for penetration with the ball, the toss and the state of the square may play an outsized role come Saturday. VRA seconds getting rolled for 91 against Excelsior last week is hardly encouraging on that front, but an insider assessment reassures us “nah it’s pretty flat we just batted like idiots.” VRA’s top order has consistent form on their side, but it’s fair to say both Ostling and Doyle-Calle are due. Hermes look less reliant on their opening pair than they did last season, but if they’re to mount a similar early challenge as they did in 2025 they will be looking for more runs at the top.

RL: Down at the wrong end of the table, HBS and HCC will both be fairly desperate to break their duck when they meet at Craeyenhout. The Lions’ two knocks so far have gone in fits and starts: Shirsak Banerjee and Teun Kloppenburg have managed fighting half-centuries, but there have been no really substantial partnerships, and there will need to be some improvement against a Crows’ attack in which Lehan Botha and the emerging Joris van Oosterom have looked sharp, Kyle Klein may be returning to fitness, and Julian de Mey and Kent Goedeke provide useful spin options. But HBS have plenty of batting worries of their own, only Lucas del Bianco having gone past fifty in the first two games. But then HCC’s bowlers, so often the kernel of a successful side, only managed ten wickets between them against Voorburg and VRA – admittedly two the stronger batting line-ups – and Boris Gorlee will be looking for improvement in that department as well.

BdJ: The two Hague sides both have a top order issue, with respective skippers Walbrugh and Gorlee both starting slow and overseas reinforcements yet to deliver runs in quantity for either side. Youngsters Banerjee and Kloppenburg have provided some middle order resilience for HCC, but the Crows have looked rather more brittle when the top order fails, twice rolled for 175 despite the efforts of del Bianco and Navjit Singh. The fact that the best performers for both clubs thus far have been younger or less celebrated players does suggest they each have a fairly high ceiling if the seniors rediscover their form, but as it stands this match-up does rather have the look of a stoppable force meeting a moveable object.

RL: Also in the early relegation zone are VOC Rotterdam, and they are at least at home for their encounter with championship contenders Voorburg at the Hazelaarweg. With back-to-back centuries and a Bradmanesque average of 212, Cedric de Lange has been one of the stars of the season so far, while Noah Croes’s fine allround effort ensured victory against HBS. The depth of Voorburg’s resources is illustrated by the presence of no fewer than nine players from the club across the three newly-announced Pro Series squads, three of whom have yet to appear in the first team (that includes, of course, Bas de Leede, still being nursed back to fitness), and it’s hard to see VOC, for all the gutsiness their bowlers have shown in their first two matches, competing with that. Ethan Price’s knock against Kampong last week was encouraging, but you get the feeling that the Bloodhounds will continue to struggle in both departments.

BdJ: It should probably be pointed out that Tom de Leede and Aaditt Jain’s absence for the first few matches has also been a question of force majeur (injury and scholastic commitments respectively) rather than the youngsters being benched, but the point about VCC’s remarkable depth stands. With Rippon’s arrival, Peter Hatzoglou currently cameoing and Gavin Kaplan also a potential addition later in the season, Voorburg aren’t far from a full side of International or List A cricketers. VOC did show some admirable fight in their two opening games, but it’ll take a bit more than grit to pull off an upset on Saturday.

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

Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall 30/04/26

And they’re away! The Topklasse 139th (-ish, depending on how you count) season is up and running, and so far the trimmed-down competition’s started similarly to last year with VRA the only one of the 2025 opening round winners missing from the top half of the table after the first weekend. Despite hopes that the reduction to eight teams would increase competitiveness, there’s already some substantial net run rate gaps opening, and a bold prognosticator might suggest that come the end of the season the table likely won’t look too different to how it looks now. That’s a long way off yet though, and Round 2 may yet shake things up.

BdJ: The top table clash between Hermes DVS and the re-dubbed Rotterdam CC at the Loopuyt will undoubtedly be the match of the day, featuring two genuine title contenders and two of last week’s three centurions. Hermes are again making the early running this season courtesy debutant David Rushmere’s dramatic entrance on Sunday, but their bowling unit especially will face a sterner test in containing a batting line up anchored by fellow centurion Musa Ahmad that put up a total of 338 against VRA last week. Hermes’ attack struggled somewhat for penetration until scoreboard pressure allowed the spinners to profit against VOC, and Rotterdam’s batting card looks both deeper and more pressure-resistant than that of the Bloodhounds. Rotterdam may be more worried about their own bowling however, their record total last week looking like it might not be enough for at least the first 20 overs of VRA’s chase. While the Ostling-Doyle partnership that carried Hermes through the early season failed last week, it’s hard to imagine DDC will be kept quiet for long and the addition of Rushmere means there’s now three must-get early wickets for Hermes’ opponents.

RL: Skippers Sebastiaan Braat and Sikander Zulfiqar are certainly going to face some challenges in the field as they seek to cut into their opponents’ imposing top orders, and as m’colleague observes, the Hermes captain is faced, at least on paper, with a rather bigger task. With Burhan Niaz batting at seven last week and keeper Fawad Shinwari at nine, Rotterdam’s resources with the bat look a good deal more substantial than Hermes’. Their attack, too, with Muhammad Shafiq sharing the new ball with Carl Mumba, followed by Suleiman Tariq and the brothers Zulfiqar, will have better days than they did against VRA, while Braat may hope that Olivier Elenbaas will be able to contribute more than the three overs he managed last week after his splendid efforts with the bat. With Sahil Kothari in such outstanding early-season form, Oliver Herrington only bowled four overs and Aryan Dutt five, so it could be said that the Sky Blues have plenty in reserve.

BdJ: It’s back-to-back home games to start the season at Westvliet, where Voorburg will welcome HBS on Saturday. VCC had their youngsters to thank for their hard-fought victory over HCC last week; Mees van Vliet’s five wicket haul, Cedric de Lange batting through for an unbeaten century, and Aarav Swaroop’s back end acceleration seeing them home. They’ll want more from their seniors on Saturday though, and while Ryan Klein’s ten over spell was admirably frugal there remain slow bowling concerns, at least so long as Michael Rippon remains in South Africa. The Crows’ worries run deeper though, Lucas Del Bianco’s continued improvement with the bat the only significant positive to take from their season opener. Swapping out 2025 lead wicket-taker Jayden Rossouw for German/South African batting allrounder Kent Goedeke was intended to shore up the batting, but HBS will need more substantial contributions from him, and indeed newly Dutch-eligible skipper Tayo Walbrugh if they’re to push up the table.

RL: The promotion of Julien de Mey to open was only partially succesful for HBS last week, but one might also ask whether the side’s batting issues, especially in the absence of Wes Barresi, are not weighing heavily on the shoulders of skipper Walbrugh. More than two-thirds of his 4000-plus Topklasse runs, after all, have been made at three, and the lack of a reliable opening partnership, as well as the fragility of the middle order, inevitably put more pressure on the captain. (That said, he still averages over 80 in the opening role.) With Cedric de Lange rapidly emerging as one of the competitions most encouraging talents, Voorburg have fewer problems at the top of the order, but they will be hoping that Michael Levitt and Noah Croes contribute plenty of runs in the weeks to come. On the bowling side, HBS did reasonably well in containing a powerful Kampong line-up last week, with Goedeke and Benno Boddendijk bowling unchanged through twenty of the middle overs and Lehan Botha cashing in towards the end, and they will need to maintain that level against an equally-menacing Voorburg. For whom the untried new-ball combination of Jaynul Islam and Don Glover will be aiming to cause more mayhem among the Crows’ top order than they were able to do against HCC last Saturday.

BdJ: One of the tougher games to call this round is HCC’s first home fixture against VRA, both sides went down fighting last weekend, and neither necessarily look destined to stay in the lower half of the table. The visitors’ chief concern, like most sides that give up 300+ runs in their first game, will be the bowling. The loss of both Peter Ruffel and Ben Fletcher has left the pace attack looking rather toothless, and the VRA seconds’ nine-wicket hammering at the hands of Rood & Wit at the Bos on Saturday suggests there’s no ready solutions to be found there either. The Amsterdammers managed to bag more wickets than HCC did last week though, with Teun Leijer’s 3-28 the only real bowling highlight for the Lions at Westvliet. It’s fair to say that neither side really played to their potential first up though, and it’s notable that the new or returning overseas didn’t quite come off for either team. Zach Worden has plenty of Topklasse pedigree, and Sam Cassidy was well on course for a pre-season ton when he was retired against Rotterdam a couple of weeks ago, so there’s a decent chance the outcome on Saturday will come down to which of the two is first to find their feet again.

RL: Though neither managed to bag the points, these sides lost in contrasting ways last week: chasing 338, VRA’s top order gave their opponents a scare, Teja Nidamanuru, Vikram Singh and Johan Smal all posting half-centuries, while HCC, batting first, never really got out of second gear and were reliant on some heroics from the tail to reach 230 for nine. On the other side of the ledger, the Lions’ attack had their moments, reducing Voorburg to 8 for two and 70 for four, while VRA were mercilessly put to the sword by a dominant Rotterdam. On their own bijou ground, Boris Gorlee’s side will fancy their chances with the bat against the Amsterdammers’ restructured – and depleted – bowling unit, while an attack which includes Hidde Overdijk, Daniel Crowley, Josh Brown, Clayton Floyd and Teun Leijer certainly cannot be underestimated. Whoever wins the toss at De Diepput will have an interesting choice to make.

BdJ: Finally defending champs Kampong welcome VOC to Maarchalkerweerd for what ostensibly looks like the easiest game of the round to call. Indeed Kampong arguably have the advantage of a somewhat soft start to the season, and after their comfortable win over HBS will be keen to consolidate a place at the top end of the table again. VOC did show some admirable resolve in the face of Rushmere’s onslaught, but Tim de Kok cycling through eight bowling options to little effect does suggest the absence of the brothers Jain will be keenly felt this season. New overseas Ethan Price going wicketless is a particular concern, and it’s hard to see the Bloodhounds picking up points without the slow southpaw picking up some scalps. The top order at least all got to double figures, and keeper-bat Caleb Montague impressed, but the early evidence suggests a tough season ahead for the Rotterdammers. The title-holders’ season began inauspiciously with a first baller for senior international Max O’Dowd, but given that they’ll be without him and Scott Edwards for at least a few games this season it’s arguably a good sign that they’re not entirely reliant on contributions from the Netherlands’ ODI lead run-getter. Pierre Jacod and Alex Roy both look in particularly fine form, and if it stays that way Kampong’s prospects of doubling up look rosy.

RL: That’s a big call given some of the opposition, but it’s true that it would take a very significant reversal of form for VOC to head back to Rotterdam with the points on Saturday evening. A side which boasts Max O’Dowd, Scott Edwards and Lorenzo Ingram, all of whom average 42 or better across their Topklasse careers, backed up by the hitting power of Damien van den Berg and the skills of Jacod and Lachlan Bangs, demands nothing but respect, and this week O’Dowd and Edwards have the additional incentive of facing their former team-mates of VOC. None more so than the veteran Pierce Fletcher, who emerged from the seconds to spearhead the attack against Hermes last week. The Hazelaarweg pitch admittedly had some of the qualities of a road, but as concerning for the Bloodhounds as Price conceding seven an over and failing to take a wicket was the cavalier fashion with which Ostling and Rushmere treated Ahsan Malik, taking 32 off his initial four-over spell, including seven boundaries. Having survived a relegation play-off last season, VOC may be in for another tough campaign.

BdJ’s tips: Hermes, Voorburg, VRA, Kampong.
RL’s tips: Rotterdam, Voorburg, HCC, Kampong.

Bertus de Jong | 19-04-2026

If survival was the first goal last season then HBS Craeyenhout had a moderately successful 2025; relegated from the T20 top flight but finishing in the top half of the fifty over table. One imagines survival will again be priority one in the one-day competition, though that assignment will arguably be even tougher this time around.

The Crows local roster is reportedly similar to that of last season, but there are some substantial changes to the overseas section, most significantly the departure of last season’s lead wicket-taker Jayden Rossouw, who has switched to local rivals Quick Haag. German-South African bat Kent Goedeke comes in to replace Selin de Beer, with HBS looking to rely more on their homegrown bowling stocks. All-rounder Lehan Botha is back however, while skipper Tayo Walbrugh is now settled in the Netherlands, and indeed becomes eligible for the Oranje this year.

Botha and Walbrugh, along with veteran Wesley Barresi, were responsible for the bulk of HBS’ runs last season, though young Lucas del Bianco also passed 400 for the season and along with Navjit Singh will likely have a key role to play in the middle order. On the bowling side, the irrepressible Mudassar Bukhari returns for a third stint at Craeyenhout, lending a couple of decades worth of experience to an otherwise youthful seam attack spearheaded by Dutch international Kyle Klein.

On the spin-bowling side the departure of Rossouw means much will depend on southpaw Julian de Mey. together with the veteran Barresi’s offspin. With Rossouw contributing 38 wickets at 19 last season there’s a substantial gap to fill though, and the slow-bowling department is arguably one of the bigger questions around the balance of the HBS side for the coming season.

Hermes DVS had an excellent start to the season last summer, making the early running in the fifty over competition before tailing off somewhat toward the end, eventually settling into a comfortable mid-table finish. Overseas opening pair Daniel Doyle Calle and Ashley Ostling were key to that early run, and both are back for 2026. Some middle-order reinforcement also arrives at Harga this season in the form of Dutch/South African bat David Rushmere, who will likely also take the gloves for the early season with Asad Zulfiqar’s availability limited to the shorter format this year.

Seam all-rounders Olivier Elenbaas and Sebastiaan Braat will still have an important supporting role to play with the bat however, as will the evergreen Nick Statham, who finished third in the Topklasse run tallies for Hermes last year. Aryan Dutt and Sahil Kothari will again provide an enviable left-right spin combination, though Belgian leggie Hikmatullah Jabarkhail isn’t expected to be up north of the border as regularly as last season. His compatriot Oliver Harrington has signed on with the sky blues for the summer however, the imposing pace all-rounder bringing hitting power down the order as well as a useful option first change.

Skipper Braat is bullish about his side’s prospects, telling Tkcricket “With Rushmere joining we’ve a much strengthened middle order – too often when we lost last season it was down to a lack of runs on the board, and if Olivier and myself can bat well around them we should be finishing top four at least.”

With the new acquisitions the ingredients are certainly there to improve on last year’s performance, and if the Schiedammers can find some consistency a title challenge could well be on the cards.

Bertus de Jong | 18-04-2026

Following a creditable podium finish last year, 2024 champions Punjab-Ghausia return under a new name this season, turning the page on 30 years of tradition to rebrand as Rotterdam CC, the new name reflective of the growing club’s more expansive and inclusive ambitions. The biggest changes at the club are off field though (not least some substantial upgrades to the Zomercomplex itself) with comparatively few comings and goings among the first team at least. Former Zimbabwe quick Carl Mumba comes over from Voorburg and Samir Butt departs for VOC, but otherwise the 2026 Rotterdam squad looks much like the Punjab-Ghausia one of last year.

The core of the side is still built around two thirds of the Zulfiqar triplets, legspinning all-rounder Saqib lining up behind seam-bowling skipper Sikander, who again takes the armband this season. The pair will play a crucial role in the middle order, especially with big name bats Jonatahn Vandiar and Mohsin Riaz expected to miss much of the early season. Their absence will place greater responsibility for Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas at the top of the order, with keeper-bat Fawad Shinwari perhaps pushed up the order too.

The Rotterdammers will also be hoping for more consistent contributions with the bat from Belgian seam all-rounder Burhan Niaz, who notably played as a dedicated number four in their victorious pre-season Rijmond Cup campaign. Veteran former captain Sulaiman Tariq is also game for another season, and will likely share the new ball with Mumba. Offspin all-rounder and former Pakistan youth international Aaliyan Mahmood returns, as does veteran South African bat Rushdi Jappie, though both are expected to play more of a role in the seconds. Asif Gondal is expected to be a more regular feature in the first again however, and if Ahmad and Minhas can replicate their form with the ball from last season Zulafiqar should not be short of slow bowling options.

All told despite the infrastructural and nominative transformations at the Zomercomplex, it’s more continuity than change for the first XI, a wealth of capable all-rounders still the Rotterdammers’ key strength, coupled with an admirably consistent ambition. When asked about his ambitions and expectations for the coming season, captain Sikander Zulfiqar supplied the laconic response; “Kampioenschap.”

Continuity seems to be the keyword at de Diepput too, Haagsche CC similarly sticking with a well-tested formula that delivered a solid fourth-place finish last season. The sole significant change to the side is the return of Australian Zac Worden, who was key to HCC’s championship run did well four seasons ago. Worden relieves Oli White as batting overseas, but last season’s lead wicket-taker Josh Brown returns for another season. Skipper Boris Gorlee remarked “we’re sticking with just the two [overseas] as usual, and it’s good to have a couple of lads that know the club and what we’re about.”

HCC’s perennial senior trio of Gorlee, Tonny Staal and Hidde Overdijk remain the foundation of the side, but there’s been plenty of youth pushing through at de Diepput too of late. Teuns Kloppenburg and Leijer will likely play a larger bigger role this season, the former back for a full season this time round while the latter has been opening the bowling with Daniel Crowley in pre-season. Likewise Shirshak Banerjeee has established a strong claim on a regular top-order spot, Mark Wolfe has looked settled behind the stumps since taking over the gloves from Yash Patel, and young Justin Trijzelaar has also been knocking on the door.

In the absence of White the slow bowling does look somewhat dependent the prodigal Clayton Floyd’s left arm spin, but the Haagsche’s seam-heavy approach could serve them well in the front-loaded fifty over season. Gorlee was somewhat circumspect in assessing their chances, telling Tkcricket “with the talent we have we know we can beat any team in the competition, though, well, we can certainly lose to anyone too. But if we’re at our best we should be mixing it in the top three.” Though not short of experience, this relatively young HCC side is probably still a few seasons away from their best, and if they can manage a podium finish this year then another title likely won’t be far away.