Category: Review 2026 TK

Rod Lyall 06/07/26

Newly-renamed Rotterdam won the club’s third championship in six years on Sunday, and they did so in style, running up a near-record total of 448 for five and beating HCC at De Diepput by a whopping 269 runs.

Rotterdam dominated the match from the moment Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas took 15 runs off Daniel Crowley’s opening over, and by the end of the powerplay they had plundered 94.

With the total on 157 Minhas was eventually trapped in front by Justin Trijzelaar for 94, made from just 53 deliveries, but then Musa added a further 139 in company with Muhammad Gondal, whose 82 came from 70 deliveries.

Musa himself was finally run out for 150, made from 137 balls with eight fours and seven sixes, but still there was no relief for HCC’s weary attack, as Saqib Zulfiqar needed only 26 deliveries to smash an unbeaten 72, 58 of them in boundaries; in all, Rotterdam’s batters struck 35 fours and 24 sixes.

The total of 448 was the second-highest of the limited-overs era, surpassed only by VRA’s 455 for eight against HBS at Craeyenhout in 2023.

Gondal and Tehzeeb Haider then combined to reduce HCC to 29 for four in six and a half overs, and it seemed as if the record winning margin in Dutch limited-overs cricket might be shattered.

The middle oder, however, was able to restore some credibility to the Lions’ innings, Tim Pringle, Clayton Floyd and Josh Brown all compiling thirties, and the side reached 179, Sulaiman Tariq taking three for 63 and Ahmad Shafiq three for 31.

Less spectacularly, runners-up Voorburg completed a six-wicket victory over Kampong at Maarschalkerweerd to remain just a point behind the champions.

That Kampong managed to reach 182 was due almost entirely to Scott Edwards, who played a lone hand in making exactly 100, his second century of the season, to share the top spot in the batting aggregates with Musa Ahmad, on 638.

Edwards received little support from the rest of his side, the next highest score being Pierre Jacod’s 19, while for Voorburg it was Jaynul Islam who stood out with figures of five for 28, becoming the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 28.

Despite losing Michael Levitt in the first over and Cedric de Lange with 25 on the board, Voorburg were untroubled in reaching their target, Gavin Kaplan making 58 and sharing a thrid-wicket stand of 80 with Bas de Leede, who was unbeaten at the end with 66.

Already relegated, VOC gained some compensation by finishing their campaign with a win, beating VRA by just nine runs at the Hazelaarweg.

Their total of 220 was built around a hard-hitting 104 from Francois Fourie, but again the rest of the batting provided too little support, the next highest being Ramdas Upadhyaya’s 29 as Shariz Ahmad collected four for 50, his best return of the season.

VRA’s reply began well, Sam Cassidy (43) and Lovepreet Padda (47) putting on 71 for the first wicket, but the middle order was unable to build on their efforts, four wickets falling for 24 runs as the side slumped from 98 for two to 122 for six, Ethan Price collecting three of those wickets.

The Amsterdammers were partially rescued by Ibaad Zaidi, and then by Udit Nashier and Darsh Abhinay, who added 65 for the eighth wicket.

Then Ahsan Malik came into the attack, though, and he removed Abhinay for 30, Tharun Moorthy and Nashier (41) in quick succession to leave VRA just short.

Price finished with three for 36 and Malik three for 10.

A maiden Topklasse century by HBS opener Julien de Mey was the key to his side’s three-wicket victory over Hermes-DVS at Craeyenhout as they chased down their opponents’ 276 all out.

The Sky Blues had recovered from 45 for four to set a reasonably demanding target, Aryan Dutt top-scoring with 96, assisted by 49 from Ash Ostling and 43 from Sebastiaan Braat, while new-ball pairing Lucas del Bianco and Joris van Oosterom collected three wickets apiece for the Crows.

HBS kept pace with the asking-rate from the outset, De Mey and Reece Mason putting on 76 for the first wicket and the opener adding a further 98 with Tayo Walbrugh (38) for the second.

Then Lehan Botha smacked a 16-ball 42, and although Hermes fought back by claiming several key wickets, including De Mey’s for 101, Navjit Singh was able to ease the Crows over the line with almost seven overs to spare.

Rod Lyall 05/07/26

With impeccable timing, Rotterdam slipped past championship rivals Voorburg on Saturday, and into the box seat for Sunday’s final round of matches.

To do so, they had to chase down the target of 261 set for them by VOC, and this they did with some ease, winning by seven wickets with more than twelve overs to spare.

Facing the imminent threat of relegation, their opponents had begun promisingly after winning the toss, the opening stand of 116 between Samir Butt (55) and Francois Fourie (55) the side’s first century partnership of the season for any wicket, but once they had gone the innings had subsided, the only substantial contributions Caleb Montague’s 52 and 27 from Ahsan Malik as VOC were all out for 260.

Ahmad Shafiq did the early damage, picking up three for 34, including the dangerous Jason van der Meulen, but thereafter it was Saqib Zulfiqar who cleaned up the innings, his five for 50 the third five-wicket haul of his career and leaving him needing just one more for 200 top-flight wickets.

Rotterdam’s powerful batting line-up never seemed in any serious danger of falling short of their target, but the issue was sealed by a third-wicket stand of 165 between Musa Ahmad (84) and Mohsin Riaz, whose 76-ball 117 not out included 11 fours and six sixes.

At the Boudewijn Hoek Oval in Schiedam, meanwhile, Voorburg surrendered their leading position by losing to Hermes-DVS by 29 runs.

For Voorburg, too, the day had begun well, as Aaditt Jain and Jaynul Islam reduced Hermes to 21 for three inside nine overs, but Ash Ostling and Nick Statham began a fightback which culminated in Mussayab Jamil’s unbeaten 46, and the home side scrabbled their way to 181 for eight.

Given Voorburg’s batting depth this seemed unlikely to be enough, but – not for the first time this season – the engine failed to fire, Aryan Dutt grabbing three quick wickets to leave the leaders on 38 for three, and although Bas de Leede contributed a fighting 50, when he was last out his side were still well short of their target.

Jamil capped a fine all-round performance with four for 25 and Hikmatullah Jabarkhail claimed two for 37 as Hermes moved well clear of the relegation zone.

HCC had started travelled to Maarschalkerweerd with some faint hope that victory over Kampong combined with results elsewhere going their way could take them into Sunday’s clash with Rotterdam with a sniff of the title, but any such thoughts were quickly blown away by their hosts, who bowled them out for 106 in exactly 29 overs.

Kampong skipper Alex Roy began the collapse, but all the bowlers contributed, and only an aggressive 35 from Josh Brown, batting at eight, enabled his side to achieve three figures.

Max O’Dowd fell to the first ball he faced when Kampong replied, but Damien van den Berg and Scott Edwards then knocked off the runs in double-quick time, Van den Berg finishing with 54 not out from 44 deliveries and Edwards 48 not out from 38.

The highest-scoring, and hardest-fought, match was in the Amsterdamse Bos, where VRA chased down a HBS total of 275 for three, winning by two wickets with just one ball to spare.

HBS were on a shaky 46 for three after twelve and a half overs, Sharad Hake having collected all three wickets, but they were rescued by a record-breaking stand of 229 between Lehan Botha and Kent Goedeke, the highest ever recorded for any wicket by their side and the second-best for the fourth wicket in the history of the competition.

Botha’s 142 not out was his fourth Topklasse century and his highest, coming from 130 deliveries with 16 fours and one six, while Goedeke finished on an unbeaten 94.

When VRA replied, it was Johan Smal who matched Botha’s effort with a match-winning 129; despite being severely hampered by cramp towards the end of his innings, he guided his team to within 14 runs of their target, hitting 13 fours and three sixes, and useful contributions from Adam Madgwick (32) and Udit Nashier (35 not out) enabled VRA to squeeze home.

Rod Lyall 28/06/26

Voorburg and Rotterdam took their battle for the Topklasse title down to the final blockbuster weekend with comfortable victories on Saturday, while HCC gave themselves at least a mathematical chance of overtaking them both with a win in the day’s shortest encounter.

But to snatch the championship the Lions would have to win both their matches next weekend, against Kampong and Rotterdam, while Voorburg would need to lose to both Hermes-DVS and Kampong and Rotterdam would need to be beaten by VOC as well as by HCC. Snowballs in Hell probably have better prospects.

Leaders Voorburg posted the day’s highest total on Saturday, their 282 for two at Westvliet overhauling VRA’s 280 for seven with 20 deliveries to spare.

The Amsterdammers’ top order had set them up for a solid total, Sam Cassidy (87) and Lovepreet Padda (57) putting on 122 for the first wicket in 29 and a half overs, and then Johan Smal (40 from 37 deliveries), jack Cassidy (33 from 19) and Ibaad Zaidi (28 not out from 15) pushed on to set their hosts a run rate in excess of five and a half an over.

Michael Levitt hit a brisk 40 when Voorburg replied, and then Cedric de Lange and Gavin Kaplan took over, adding 161 for the second wicket as VRA’s bowlers suffered even more than their opponents’ attack had done.

De Lange eventually fell for 93, just missing out on his fourth century of the season, but Kaplan continued in company with Bas de Leede, hitting back-to-back boundaries to complete the win and finish on exactly 100, his second hundred in four innings, this one made from 93 deliveries with twelve fours.

At Craeyenhout, HBS battled their way to 208 for eight against Rotterdam, most of those runs coming from Tayo Walbrugh (49) and Lucas del Bianco, who continued his purple patch with an unbeaten 89 after coming in at a precarious 59 for four.

Most of the damage had been done by Muhammad Gondal, who removed both openers and the dangerous Lehan Botha and finished with three for 32.

Rotterdam were never in any real trouble in their chase, although the decisive contribution was a fourth-wicket stand of 106 between Mohsin Riaz (52 not out) and Saqib Zulfiqar (50), which took their side to within 11 runs of their target.

Sikander Zulfiqar then helped Riaz knock off the balance, and Rotterdam won by six wickets with 18.4 overs to spare, further enhancing their already-impressive net run rate.

Daniel Crowley recorded a career-best six for 31 at De Diepput as HCC dismissed relegation-threatened VOC for 142 in exactly 30 overs, Jason van der Meulen again the Bloodhounds’ top scorer with a defiant 42-ball 46.

Then Teun Kloppenburg effectively settled the issue with a remarkable 49 from just 16 deliveries, including four fours and five sixes, making opening partner Tonny Staal’s 20-ball 33 seem positively sedate, and although Ramdas Upadhyaya picked up three for 29 and Ahsan Malik two for 34, HCC raced to a five-wicket victory in 22.3 overs, boosting their NRR and keeping their slim hopes of a 48th men’s title at least theoretically alive.

VOC’s plight was further exacerbated by Hermes-DVS’s five-wicket win against Kampong at Maarschalkerweerd, which lifted the Schiedammers three points clear of their Rotterdam rivals and effectively clear of relegation.

VOC now need to win both their final games, against Rotterdam and VRA, and hope that Hermes are unable to pick up the two points they would require to stay ahead; in reality, given the teams’ NRRs, one point would almost certainly be enough for Hermes.

Kampong’s 228 for five on Saturday was largely built on a third-wicket stand of 91 between Dutch internationals Max O’Dowd (53) and Scott Edwards, who went on to end the innings on 96 not out, having added another 90 with skipper Alex Roy (34 not out).

But Daniel Doyle, who made made 49 before he was stumped by Edwards – taking over the gloves from Damien van den Berg for this game – and Ash Ostling, unbeaten on 74, steered Hermes to victory, Aryan Dutt chipping in with a useful 38.

Rod Lyall 21/06/26

With three of Saturday’s matches remaining undecided until the final over, one could scarcely ask for a more competitive Topklasse, or for more pulsating cricket.

The most significant result, perhaps, came at the Zomercomplex, where after a shaky start Voorburg successfully chased down Rotterdam’s 320 for seven, their fifth 300-plus total of the season.

On their previous encounter, at Westvliet on 14 May, these teams had smashed between them, in a match halved by rain, 461 runs in 50 overs for the loss of eight wickets; now, with the weather playing a more marginal role, they produced 641 runs in 99.4 overs.

Put in to bat, Rotterdam could thank Mohsin Riaz, who hit 90 at almost a run a ball, and Saqib Zulfiqar, whose unbeaten 86 required just 70 deliveries, for their relatively comfortable position at the innings break, and when Carl Mumba and Muhammad Gondal reduced Voorburg to 35 for two the leaders appeared to be heading for what would have been a crucial victory.

That was the cue, however, for a 172-run stand for the third wicket between Gavin Kaplan, whose 130 was his seventh and highest Topklasse century, and Bas de Leede, who contributed 54.

114 were still required from 80 deliveries when Musa Ahmad removed De Leede, and when Kaplan, too, departed, the equation was 95 from 61.

Rotterdam were seemingly back in the game, but a spirited stand between Noah Croes and Ryan Klein kept the scoreboard rattling along, and although Musa eventually removed Klein for a 26-ball 39 and Ahmad Shafiq dismissed Michael Rippon soon afterwards, Croes continued until the scores were level before departing for a match-winning 58 from 38 deliveries.

By now the match was in its final over, but Waseem Mohsen was able to conjure the winning single with two balls remaining, and Voorburg returned to the top of the table.

That excitement was fully matched by the relegation-zone clash on the other side of Rotterdam, where VOC achieved their highest total of the season, running up 253 against HBS before they were all out off the final ball of their allotted 50 overs.
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Caleb Montague top-scored with 78, Ethan Price contributed 40, and – not for the first time – Ahsan Malik hit a useful 35 in the closing stages; there were two wickets apiece for seamers Joris van Oosterom and Benno Boddendijk.

The Crows’ reply was in trouble at 78 for four withj Tayo Walburgh and Lehan Botha both among those back in the dugout, but Kent Goedeke and Lucas del Bianco turned the innings around with a fifth-wicket stand of 172, taking their side to within four runs of their target before Jason van der Meulen returned to bowl the final over.

With his first delivery he removed Del Bianco for 66, but Goedeke had reached a maiden Topklasse century, and from Van der Meulen’s penultimate delivery he struck the winning boundary, finishing on 108 not out, made from 105 balls with eight fours.

Of the three tight finishes, perhaps the most remarkable came at the Boudewijn Hoek Oval in Schiedam, where home side Hermes-DVS pulled off a last-minute, six-run victory over HCC.

With a delayed start after overnight rain, Hermes captain Sebastiaan Braat may have regretted his decision to bat first, as his top order struggled in bowler-friendly conditions against a disciplined HCC attack.

Batting at three, Ash Ostling made 96 for the Sky Blues, but he took 41 deliveries to get into double figures, and with his partners, including the normally-aggressive Olivier Elenbaas, also finding the going tough, after 27 overs the total was only 80 for three.

Ostling now accelerated, supported in the closing stages by a brisk 29 from Braat himself, and Hermes closed on 221 for six.

HCC had reached 22 for no loss in five overs when rain drove the players from the field, and after a prolonged delay their innings was cut to 34 overs, with a revised DLS target of 182.

They reached 92 before Shirsak Banerjee fell to an outstanding catch by Daniel Doyle-Calle, and two more wickets fell for the addition ofjust six runs, including Tonny Staal for a 47-ball 61.

The runs now began to dry up, and although Boris Gorlee worked hard with the middle order, with six overs left 32 were still required with four wickets in hand.

The Hermes bowlers maintained the pressure, and 12 were still needed with two overs remaining.

Kothari now dismissed first Daniel Crowley and then Thijs Vrolijk with successive deliveries, and HCC went into the final over with nine still required.

Two runs later Gorlee fell for 30, and although last man Teun Leijer managed to hit Mussayab Jamil to midwicket, the batters’ attempt to run a second proved in vain as Braat’s return to keeper David Rushmere was too quick for Leijer.

HCC had lost four wickets in six deliveries for the addition of three runs, and Hermes had completed a victory which lifted them off the bottom of the table.

An almost single-handed knock of 136 by Max O’Dowd was not enough to bring Kampong victory against VRA in the Amsterdamse Bos, as his side was only able to reach 249 for eight in reply to their hosts’ 284 for eight.

VRA had struggled early on, but their innings was turned around by a sixth-wicket stand of 116 between keeper Jack Cassidy (87) and Ibaad Zaidi (56), and although Lachlan Bangs claimed three for 58 and Saurabh Zalpuri three for 71, Lorenzo Ingram contributing an economical stint and going for just 27 from his ten overs, the home side passed 250 for the fourth time this season.

Kampong lost Damien van den Berg off the first ball of their reply, the first of three wickets for their seam spearhead Sharad Hake, who also had Scott Edwards caught behind for a duck and whose spell of three for 15 in eight overs set his side decisively on the path to victory.

Pierre Jacod (57 at a run a ball) helped O’Dowd add 93 for the fourth wicket, but the runs were coming too slowly, and when Jacod departed 157 were still required from the final 20 overs.
Even O’Dowd’s hitting was insufficient for that task, and although he struck six sixes and as many fours in his 136, when he was dismissed in the penultimate over Kampong were still 43 shy of their target.

The defeats for HCC and Kampong leave them four points behind leaders Voorburg with three rounds remaining, and barring an extraordinary denouement the title race now appears to be reduced to two contenders, Voorburg and Rotterdam, while at the other end of the table the relegation battle is effectively between Hermes and VOC.

Rod Lyall 14/06/26

Not, perhaps, since the heyday of the legendary Nolan Clarke has the Dutch competition seen a player with the determination to post really big scores and both the skill and temperament to do so on a fairly regular basis, as Hermes’ David Rushmere is proving himself to be.

Having announced his arrival with 169 on the season’s opening day, Rushmere had a run of low scores before rediscovering his form with 118 (out of a total of 188) against Rotterdam last week.

And on Saturday he was at it again, producing a 124-ball 167 as Hermes chased VRA’s imposing 313 for eight and getting his side to within 38 runs of their opponents’ total.

The VRA innings was built on a third-wicket stand of 192 between Sam Cassidy and skipper Teja Nidamanuru, which enabled them to recover from a perilous 14 for two; Cassidy eventually fell for 103, but Nidamanuru continued to his own hundred – remarkably, his first in the Topklasse – before being dismissed for 104 as the Amsterdammers pushed on towards 300.

He eventually became one of four victims for Ralph Elenbaas, at a cost of 71 runs, but quick-fire cameos from Jack Cassidy and Udit Nashier took them past that milestone.

Opening in place of the absent Daniel Doyle-Calle, Rushmere saw his side slump to 43 for three, all three wickets grabbed by Sharad Hake, before he found a partner in stand-in skipper Nick Statham, who contributed 51 as the pair put on 117 for the fourth wicket, bringing Hermes back into the game.

Once Statham had departed Rushmere again watched as wickets fell steadily at the other end, but he continued the pursuit almost single-handed, going past his 150 and hitting a succession of boundaries before he was the last to fall, caught off Nidamanuru as he attempted another six to go with the 17 fours and six sixes he had already struck.

The defeat left Hermes still at the foot of the table, but they could derive some consolation from the fact that their rivals in the relegation battle, VOC and HBS, both also lost.

VOC’s 13-run defeat by Voorburg was the outcome of a seesawing battle at Westvliet, where the home side recovered from 52 for four to post 238 for seven, thanks mainly to Michael Rippon’s 69 and Don Glover’s 71, and the fifth-wicket partnership of 133 they shared.

Tom de Leede chipped in with an unbeaten 39, ensuring that VOC would need their highest total of the season to take the points.

Tim de Kok made 44 and Jason van der Meulen 38 when they replied, but at 145 for six they were again in trouble, and only a stand of 51 between Ahsan Malik (29) and Asief Hoseinbaks (27) took them to within striking distance of their target.

Then Jaynul Islam removed both in the same over, and Waseem Mohsen ended the innings, finishing with four for 41 as VOC were all out for 225.

At De Diepput, outside title contenders HCC were too strong for HBS, dismissing them for 178 and chasing down their target for the loss of just two wickets.

Kent Goedeke (41) and Lucas del Bianco (60 not out) were the mainstay of the HBS innings, while Josh Brown and Justin Trijzelaar were again the most effective of the Lions’ attack, taking three for 37 and three for 43 respectively.

Tonny Staal and Shirsak Banerjee gave HCC a bright start, and once they had gone Zac Worden and Boris Gorlee finished the job with an unbroken stand of 103, Worden ending on 46 not out and Gorlee hitting a 50-ball, unbeaten 70, which included seven fours and four sixes, taking their side home with more than 15 overs to spare.

The top-of-the-table clash between Kampong and Rotterdam was reduced to 38 overs a side after overnight rain, Sikander Zulfiqar’s side reinforcing their position as leaders with an emphatic 49-run victory.

They, too, started badly, Shirsak Kumar and Lachlan Bangs reducing them to 21 for three, but they were rescued, first by Shoaib Minhas and Abdul Rehman Niazi (37), and then by Minhas and Saqib Zulfiqar.

Minhas eventually fell for 61, but Saqib stayed to the end, making an unbeaten, 34-ball 50 as Rotterdam reached 197 for eight.

This always looked likely to be too much for Kampong, and although Bangs made 59 before he was run out, the defending champions were all out for 148.

Voorburg’s narrow win keeps them within a point of Rotterdam, although with a greatly inferior net run rate, with HCC and Kampong a further two points behind.

In the lower half of the table, VRA have somewhat eased their concerns about relegation, although only three points separate VRA in fifth spot from Hermes at the bottom, with HBS and VOC also in the danger area, and four rounds remaining.

Rod Lyall 31/05/26

The revolving door at the top of the Topklasse table gave another turn on Saturday, as defeat for Voorburg at De Diepput and a comfortable victory for Kampong over HBS at Maarschalkerweerd enabled the defending champions to regain their one-point lead.

Kampong’s seven-wicket win did not come without a moment of doubt, as after dismissing HBS for 177, Kyle Klein reduced them to 19 for two, with Damien van den Berg and Scott Edwards back in the pavilion.

And when Julien de Mey had Max O’Dowd caught for 16 with the total on 60, the Crows might have been forgiven for thinking that they were back in the game.

That was their last success, however, as first cautiously and then with increasing momentum, Pierre Jacod and Lachlan Bangs added 120 in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand which steered Alex Roy’s side to victory with nearly twenty overs to spare.

Bangs was distinctly the more aggressive, his Topklasse-career-best 86 coming from 60 deliveries with six fours and five sixes, while Jacod ended on a more sedate, but no less crucial 52.

It was a fine all-round performance by Bangs, who had earlier claimed four for 28 in his ten overs, including the vital wicket of Lehan Botha for 27.

Kent Goedeke top-scored for HBS with 37, while Klein chipped in with a useful 33 which ended only when he was run out trying to retain the strike with nine wickets down.

Having dismissed Rotterdam for 120 last Monday, HCC’s bowlers were again in charge against the enigmatic Voorburg at De Diepput, and it was again Josh Brown who was the main wicket-taker, completing his second successive five-wicket haul as Voorburg collapsed to 134 all out as they chased their hosts’ 251 for nine.

Tonny Staal (54) and Shirsak Banerjee (37) gave the Lions a great start with an opening stand of 94, and then Boris Gorlee (38) and Brown (27) were the main contributors as Cedric de Lange celebrated his selection for the Dutch squad for Canada with a career-best five for 38 and Additt Jain cleaned up the tail with three for 61.

But Voorburg were soon in trouble when they replied, Brown removing De Lange and Don Glover in quick succession and then adding the scalp of Michael Levitt, while Daniel Crowley had Noah Croes caught behind.

At 43 for four Voorburg were on the ropes, and Bas de Leede and Ryan Klein doubled the total, once Justin Trijzelaar had removed Klein, Clayton Floyd picked up three for 17 and Brown returned to dismiss Michael Rippon and Jaynul Islam with successive deliveries to finish with five for 44 and complete HCC’s 117-run victory.

The win consolidated the Lions’ position in the top four, but they still trail Kampong, Voorburg and Rotterdam who stayed in second position by virtue of a six-wicket win over VRA in the Amsterdamse Bos.

VRA’s total of 234 for nine was built around opener Vikram Singh’s 91, but apart from Johan Smal with 39 he received too little support from the rest of the batting, and it did not help the home side’s cause that both Smal and Singh were run out.

Six of the Rotterdam bowlers took a single wicket apiece, a combined effort which was able to prevent VRA from setting a really substantial target.

Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas gave their side a valuable start with an opening stand of 90 when Rotterdam replied, and after Minhas had departed for 34, victim of another run-out, and was soon followed by Muhammad Gondal, Musa and Mohsin Riaz added 72 for the third wicket.

Shariz Ahmad struck back, removing first Riaz for 48 and then his elder brother Musa for 80, but debutant Abdul Rehman Niazi and Sikander Zulfiqar knocked off the 43 runs still needed to make sure of victory with seven overs remaining.

Hermes-DVS made short work of VOC Rotterdam at the Loopuyt Oval, bowling them out for 105 and needing only 20.5 overs to make sure of a five-wicket win.

Ralph Elenbaas was the architect of the victory, taking four for 33, with Hikmatullah Jabarkhail claiming three for 2 in nine deliveries to clean up the tail; skipper Jason van der Meulen again top-scored for VOC with 31.

Hermes stuttered slightly in reply, with Roman Harhangi picking off the openers with 32 on the board, and Asief Hoseinbaks then taking three quick wickets to leave the Sky Blues on 75 for five.

Mussayab Jamil and Aryan Dutt, however, then steadied the ship, making sure that Hermes reached their target without further loss.

Rod Lyall 10/05/26

There have been many remarkable days in the 136-year history of the Dutch men’s competition, but few have been as dramatic as that on this year’s Ascension Day holiday.

Top billing went to the clash at Westvliet between leaders Rotterdam and hosts Voorburg, and despite – or perhaps because of – the fact that the match was reduced to 25 overs a side because of a wet outfield, it more than fulfilled expectations.

More than 450 runs were scored in those 50 overs, the Rotterdammers almost succeeding in retaining their unbeaten record as they came within an ace of overhauling Voorburg’s massive 235 for two.

Star of the show for Voorburg was Cedric de Lange, whose 125, his third century in fourTopklasse innings, included 16 fours and four sixes as he shared an opening stand of 205 in 21 overs with Michael Levitt.

Levitt was subsequently run out for 73, and with Bas de Leede chipping in with a brisk 20 not out, Voorburg averaged nearly ten an over.

Despite losing Musa Ahmad in the third over of their reply Rotterdam were undaunted by the scale of their task, Muhammad Gondal making 61, and at 122 for two after 14 overs they were on course to pull off an extraordinary victory.

Then De Lange struck twice in successive overs, removing first Gondal and then Mohammad Riaz, and once Mees van Vliet had dismissed Sikander Zulfiqar it was left to Saqib Zulfiqar and Burhan Niaz to keep up the chase.

So successfully did they do so, adding 78 in seven overs, that with two overs left Rotterdam needed just 28 for victory.

But they could only manage 17, Niaz falling for 46 in the final over, and Saqib was left on 54 not out as Voorburg squeezed home by ten runs.

There was tension of a different kind at Maarschalkerweerd, where Kampong needed an unbroken 29-run last-wicket partnership between Gert Swanepoel and Shashank Kumar to see them to the narrowest of victories against VRA Amsterdam.

If the batters had been in complete charge in Voorburg, in Utrecht it was the bowlers who called the shots, VRA battling their way to 184 all out after collapsing to 112 for seven, Darsh Abhinay and Sharad Hake coming to their rescue with a last-wicket stand of their own, which produced 38 vital runs.

Abhinay top-scored with 40 not out, while Kampong’s spin trio of Pienaar Buys (three for 20), Pierre Jacod (two for 23) and Lorenzo Ingram (two for 32) collected seven wickets between them.

Kampong were soon in trouble when they replied, losing Daniel van den Berg and Scott Edwards by the time 14 runs were on the board, and although Max O’Dowd made 32 and Jacod 33, when three wickets fell for the addition of one run to leave them on 155 for nine, a VRA victory seemed certain.

But Swanepoel and Kumar gradually knocked off the remaining runs, taking their side to the win with eight deliveries to spare.

VOC had pulled off the shock of the season last week by beating Voorburg, but they were comprehensively brought down to earth at Craeyenhout, where HBS ran up a massive 337 for seven before dismissing their visitors for 175.

Four of the Crows’ top five made half-centuries, the sole exception being skipper Tayo Walbrugh, whose run of low scores continued when he fell to spinner Ethan Price for just 7.

But then Julien de Mey (56) and Lehan Botha (73 from 44 deliveries, with seven fours and four sixes) added 120 for the second wicket, and once they had gone, Kent Goedeke (63) and Lucas del Bianco (79) put on another 119 for the fourth.

Kyle Klein chipped in with a 22-ball 40 to complete VOC’s misery.

Only Jason van der Meulen was able to offer substantial resistance when the Bloodhounds replied, coming in at 27 for two and staying to the end; he was left on 75 not out as Goedeke ran through the lower order to finish with five for 47 and HBS collected their first points of the season by a thumping 162-run margin.

That was sufficient for them to reverse their net run rate situation, leap-frogging VOC and leaving them at the bottom of the table.

As at Westvliet, the overnight and early-morning rain brought a delayed start at De Diepput, reducing the match to 35 overs a side.

Put in to bat, Hermes-DVS lost Ash Ostling to a fine return catch by HCC’s Teun Kloppenburg off the very first ball, and in the following over Josh Brown had David Rushmere caught behind.

It was a start from which Hermes never really recovered, and although Nick Statham made a dogged 40 and Sebastiaan Braat a spirited 45, the innings closed on 136 for eight, Clayton Floyd picking up three for 23.

HCC were untroubled in chasing down this target, opener Tonny Staal batting through the innings for an unbeaten 51, while Kloppenburg smacked a 32-ball 51 not out to see the Lions to victory with nearly ten overs to spare.