Topklasse Live

Nidamanuru brings himself back, Rushmere makes room to cut him over backward poiint for four, then two balls later steps across to slog sweep over backward square for six, equalling his 167 on debut. He won’t surpass it though as he looks to repeat the shot, top edged high and hangs in the air an age before coming down into the hands of Nashier behind square. Quite an exhibition again from Rushmere, but again it won’t be enough as VRA win by 38 runs.

All but over at Utrecht, Shafiq bowls van der Harten for 15, Zalpuri last man. And entirely over as Zalpuri is cleaned up four balls later, and Rotterdam win by 49 runs.

Slot from Hake second ball and Rushmere doesn’t miss out, put away wide of long on for six. Misjudges therunning next ball though and winds up off strike, but Jabarkhail finds a single behind point. Carved up over the cover rope next up to go past 150, the next glanced fine for four. Jabarkhail gets off strike nicking a thick edge over gully off Shariz, oh except he doesn’t as it goes for four. Edged again wide of the keeper, then a wide, then Rushmere leaves him two again. He survives. Three overs left. 49 needed.

Kampong collapsing now, madcap stop-start running sees both bats wind up at the same end, Sharma sacrifices himself. Swanepoel is bowled first ball three balls later, Kumar in with van der Harten. Mumba back.

Rushmere still fighting the good fight at Harga, takes 12 off Nidamanuru’s next, and now slog-sweeps Shariz over square for six more. Leaves Jabarkhail two to survive, which he does. 74 needed from the final five. Looks like Hake coming back in.

Big wicket at Utrecht, Musa can’t cling on to a a lofted straight drive from Bangs in his follow through, but takes the pace off it. Man on the rope at long off comes in, rifles in thre throw to the keepers end as they come back for the second and Bangs a hair’s breadth short. He goes for 58, and with him the hosts’ hopes you’d think. Sharma in.

Rushmere takes a knee to Nidamanuru and sweps hard for six more over leg, but loses yet another partner running hard for two trying to keep strike next ball, van Giezen a long way short as the throw comes in to the bowler’s end. Jabakhail last man.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a full fledged Lou Bega at Maarschalkerweerd. Pushed up a little fuller from Musa Ahmad, More goes hard at it, hit flat but a shade uppish to Mumba’s right at extra and a tumbling low catch is held. More goes for 12, van Harten to the middle with the score on (all together now) one-two-three-for-five.

Rushmere goes past 100 carcing a wide full ball from Cassidy through the covers for four, but at risk of running out of partners as Numair departs in the next over, spooning up a catch to mid on off Nidamanuru. Van Giezen in and 111 needed off the last ten overs.

Fifty for Bangs sweeping Musa hard out to deep square for one. 80 need off the last ten.

Zulfiqar fails to capitalise on the reprieve, top edged sweep off Cassidy’s next over held in the deep on the on side. Kothari in, and gone next over popping na return catch to Nidamanuru. Numair the new man, Rushmere on 97*. Asking rate over tens now.

Bangs finds a much needed boundary – the first in some 8 overs – carving a wide one from Ahmad over backward point for four. Loses his partner first ball of the next though, as Ingram looks to hit out and shanks Tariq to cover sweeper. More in and brings up the hundred bunting off the hip into space to leg for a couple.

Rushmere loses another partner as Jamil, having been spilled over the rope for four the previous ball we think, gloves one behind on the sweep off Cassidy. And very nearly another as new man Asad Zulfiqar sets off and is sent back for a mad single, Nidamanuru collects the terrant throw to the bowler’s end but somehow misses with three to aim at from three yards.

Bangs and Ingram still together for Kampong, Tariq and Musa Ahmad operating for the visitors now. Sevens needed from here with 15 overs remaining.

A 64th top flight half century for Nick Statham meanwhile as he glances Cassidy for four through fine leg, but won’t get much further as he’s across his stumps and struck in from last ball of the over, gone for 51. Jamil joins Rushmere, who’s on 82*.

Mohsen releases the tension by yorking Kingma first ball of the 50th, into the base of middle and that’s that. Another valiant defeat for VOC as the hosts hold their nerve. Mohsen finishes with 4-41, Islam 4-33 as Voorburg win by 13 runs.

Farce at Utrecht in the meantime as Sikander Zulfiqar bowls four wides in succession, then another three balls later, before picking up the wicket of Vieler with the 11th ball of the over, wafting at a slower wide short one and nicking behind. Ingram in.

Two more singles then Malik walks out at Islam and is bowled. Kingma at ten. Off the mark but can only watch as Hoseinbaks tries for the reverse and is cleaned entirely up. Fletcher last man. Blocks the yorker. 14 needed from the last. Kingma to face, Mohsen to bowl.

Three singles to start, three dots to finish Islam’s penultimate over. Just three off it and VOC need boundaries now. Neither bat is timing it though, keeper up for Mohsen in the next, cloughed singles for five balls and then the chance, spooned up toward mid on by Hoseinbaks and spilled. They run two. 17 needed from the last two overs.

Mohsen back for the 46th, Glover and Rippon both bowled out. Just three singles off the first five balls before Hoseinbaks picks the gap between third and point for a couple last ball to keep them in touch. Run a ball gets them a tie now. Looks like Islam back from the other end…

Fifty up for Kampong meanwhile, Vieler and Bangs taking an understandably circumspect approach after the early wickets. Tariq into the attack.

Sam Cassidy into the attack and Rushmere goes to fifty sweeping him up over the shoulder behind square for four, then repeats the trick. His rediscovered form is becoming a worry for VRA, hard to see them winning without his wicket. And they might have had it first ball of the 27th, or Statham’s at least as a mix-up sees the latter well down the track as Rushmere, himself three steps down, turns back. Ball in to Jack Cassidy just a split second too late as Rushmere gets back, and Cassidy hadn’t spotted Statham still stranded in the middle, and the throw to the bolwers end comes too late too.

Malik and Hoseinbaks doggedly hanging in there for VOC, but the asking rate is beginning to creep up toward a run a ball. Rippon into his penultimate over now, and should have had Hoseinbaks whose audacious but uppish sweep is put down at deep backward square. Six off it. Glover still at the other end, he’s got two left, as does Islam. Three each left for Mohsen and Jain, while van Vliet’s only bowled three. So plenty of options…

Hundred up for Hermes as Rushmere runs Ahmad down to third for a couple. He’s into the 40’s now. Statham with him on 29*. Abhinay on from the other end.

Double breakthrough at Utrecht as Gondal has van den Burg caught cover off a leadig edge, then get Jacod next over pinned on the back pad. Bangs in with Vieler now.

Bit of a gift for Malik and one slips out high from Rippon, looping full toss arrives shoulder height and swung away for four, can’t put the free hit away next ball, but Fourie takes advantage of a drag-down later in the over for four more behind square. VOC not quite out of it, but another blow next over as Glover nicks off the set Fourie for 23. Hoseibaks in and VCC just three wickets away.

All over at de Diepput meanwhile, Vrouwenvelder into the attach as a last role of the dice, to no avail. Gorlee puts him over the square boundary final ball of his first, then does the same again to Merkus in the next. Worden finished things off with a straight driven four off Vrouwenvelder in the next to finish unbeaten on 46* off 70, Gorlee on 70* off 50 as HCC win by 8 wickets.

Kampong on track now after a slow start, van de Burg drives Mumba up over the cover rope for six, then a couple and a hrad run three glanced through fine leg to finish the 5th. Still Gondal from the other end.

A third for Mohsen as Harhangi prods a simple return catch back to the bowler, Malik joins Fourie as VOC continue to slide toward the inevitable. One partnership could still turn it, but hard to see where it’s coming from.

Rushmere and Statham see off three overs each of Smal and Shariz take Hermes to drinks without further incident, but the asking rate continues to climb. Up overs sevens now.

And they’re back on at Maarschalkerweerd, having taken lunch early of course. Van den Burg and Vieler for the hosts, Gondal and Mumba sharing the new ball.

Gorlee looks a man in a hurry now, walks down at Merkus to take him for four through leg, and again to go past fifty. HCC cruising home now.

De Kok gone at Westvliet, bowled by Mohsen for a well-made 44, Price joins van der Meulen. Not for long though as he’s strangled down leg by Islam, looks bewildered to be give caught behind but has to go. And the slide continues next over as van der Meulen top edges a pull off Mohsen and is caught for 38, suddenly looking like another valiant defeat inbound for the bloodhounds.

Hermes lost another as Hake again combines with the cordon, phenomenal low grab a second slip to get rid of Chaudhary. Statham in with Rushmere now.

Zalpuri has Mumba caught in the deep on the off side first ball of the 36th, then Srivastrava next ball poppinf a leading edge to cover. Saqib keeps the runs coming though, putting Bangs away for six over midwicket then reverse-sweeping Zalpuri for four in the final over. He finishes unbeaten on 49* off 34, RCC three short of 200.

Gorlee has injected some impetus into the HCC chase meanwhile as he pulls Boddendijk away flat over square for six. Worden finally finds the rope last ball of the over to take the hosts to three figures, and next over Golree flicks Del Bianco crisply off his toes all the way for six more square.

Meanwhile at Maarschalkerweerd Kumar has a third as Minhas holes out to leg for 61, bringing Sikander Zulfiqar in to join his brother. He doesn’t last long though, called through for a tough second and sharp work in the field sees him run out for 4. Mumba in and a couple of overs later rather spoils Kumar figures with back to back sixes over cow.

Hermes two down meanwhile, Hake gets Ostling as a low outside edge is well held at slip by Nashier one-handed to his left. Elenbaas in and two balls later edges to the newly-arrived second slip and gone for a duck. Chaudhary in with Rushmere now.

Rippon removes Montagu, bowled around his legs it looks like. Montagu looks askance thinking perhaps he’s been given stumped, but the issue is quickly clarified. Van der Meulen in with de Kok, the latter into the 40s as VOC close in on three figures.

Runs just beginning to come now as Staal runs del Bianco through third for four, but next ball he pops up a tricky high return catch and Del Bianco plucks it out of the sky one-handed. Gorlee joins Worden.

And they’re back on at the gorund formerly known as the ground formerly known as Harga, Rushmere opening with Ostling in the absence of the injured DDC (sprained ankle we hear). Abid and Hake share the new ball, OStling’s taken a boundary off each already and now Rushmere opens his acount with a lovely front foot drive through cover for four of his own.

A wayward over from Swanepoel sees Minhas pass fifty pulling high and square for four, Bangs replaces him from that end. More takes over from Ingram but pretty erratic from him too, three wides including one that beats the keeper down leg and runs to the rope (though may have clipped something on the way through there). Jacod back but the runs keep coming, Zulfiqar getting two on the full that he meets with the reverse for four and six over backward point. Well that’s the acceleration RCC wanted.

Scoring has slowed at de Diepput as Staal bats out a maiden from Bukhari, then Worden does the same facing van Oosterom. More dots in the next from Bukhari bar a single to Staal, fumbled wide down leg in van Oosterom’s next the only addition to the total, and Worden’s now faced 19 balls without scoring.

Montague has been circumspect since coming to the middle, but de Kok is keeping the scoreboard ticking at the other end. Aadit Jain into the attack after the powerplay, six off his first as VOC cross fifty.

Niazi and Minhas partnership has taken Rotterdam to the cusp of triple figures, but Ingram finds the wicket the hosts need, Niazi hard across the line and miscues high up toward Swanepoel at long on, held and gone for 37. Saqib Zulfiqar at six. Acceleration needed from here, 12 to come. Minhas on 46*, Swanepoel into the attack.

Back on at de Diepput too, where Staal and Banerjee have gotten the hosts off to a solid start. The veteran Mudassar Bukhari into the attack now, replacing Amrit Singh, beats Staals bat a couple of times but one swing connects for a four over midwicket. It’s van Oosterom that gets the breakthroyugh at the other end though, after beeing put away for four through pint take Banerjee’s middle stump next ball. Worden joins Staal.

They’re back on at Westvliet meanwhile, where Jaynul Islam finds the first wicket for the hosts, Samir Butt nicking through to Kaplan for 20. Montague joins Tim de Kok in the middle, Glover from the other end.

Cassidy holes out to leg for 30 off Kothariin the next, to bring Nashier to the middle. The wickets do little to slow the scoring however, 12 off Elenbaas’ next, then 10 off Kotahri takes them to 300 with an over to go. Elenbaas will bowl the last, Nashier gets hold of him second ball and sends it back over his head for six, but two balls late nicks behind for a very handy 21 off 13. Abhinay in and next ball is speared down leg for five wides, before Zaidi falls on the final ball admirably rying for an unlikely second. Hermes have a mountain to climb.

Drinks at Utrecht meanwhile, where Niazi and Minhad have gotten the visitors up to 60-3 without further incident. Not much time to retrench in a 38-over game though…

Back to back boundaries for Cassidy, who’s battered Kothari off his line rather. Elenbaas from the other end and, ooof. Not good. Nidamanuru looks for the paddle-scoop and it’s off the face of the bat up into Zulfiqar, who’se up to the stumps. Cops it on the grill I think. Takes hi a while to shake it off but he’s back on his feet. Goes back for the next ball though, and that’s what brings the wicket. Nidamanuru steps out trying to go high and straight but skews off the blade up toward long off and held. He goes for 104. Zaidi in.

Niazi and Minhas just looking to stabilise things for Rotterdam now. Zalpuri into the attack, Niazi blocks out five dots before fbunting a single toward midwicket. Still Jacod from the other end.

And Nidamanuru will get to his ton, onto the back foot to wrok Jamil into space on the on side for a comfortable single. Just 105 balls to reach the milestone, 250 up for VRA too with six overs to go.

Shariz pushes Kothari uppishly into the covers and is caught by Ash Ostling for 9. Nidamanuru’s gone to 95*, joined now by Jack Cassidy.

And another for Kumar, as he yorks Riaz for 1. Niazi in to join Minhas.

De Leede and Harshdeep see out the remaining overs, adding another 34 before Singh is run out off the final ball. VOC will need their highest total of the season to take the points here.

A maiden Topklasse century for Sam Cassidy, who drives Numair over cover for four to reach the milestone. But then, as VRA look to accelerate, he sweeps at Van Giezen and is trapped in front. His 103 came from 123 deliveries. Shariz Ahmad the new man, with Nidamanuru on 76*.

Crowley finishes it off, Singh top-edging him to Zac Worden at deep square leg. Del Bianco not out on 60, three wickets apiece for Brown and Trijzelaar.

Drama at Maarschalkerweek, where Musa inside-edges Bangs into his stumps, and then Muhammad Gondal, to his evident disgust, is caught down the leg side by Van den Berg off Kumar. Mohsin Riaz joins Shoaib Minhas.

Floyd and Brown on the brink of wrapping things for HCC, as Floyd bowls Boddendijk and then Brown does the same to debutant Abe Vrouwenvelder. Del Bianco’s still there on 59*, batting now with last man Amrit Veer Singh.

Glover goes as well, caught by Price off Kingma for 71, but not before De Leede takes Voorburg past 200. Harshdeep Singh the new man.

Elenbaas back, Nidamanuru edging him to the third man boundary. He’s gone to 65* now, with Cassidy on 89*. Hermes are staring down the barrel of a really quite formidable total.

They’ve started at last in Utrecht, a single to Musa Ahmad the only score off Shashank Kumar’s opening over. Lachlan Bangs from the Pavilion End.

Merkus holes out to Brown at long on off Trijzelaar for a brisk 10, and Benno Boddendijk joins Del Bianco, who’s meanwhile gone on to 50*.

VOC get their wicket, and it’s Price who traps Rippon in front for 69. Long, slow trudge off tells its story, as Tom de Leede joins Glover, who’s on 68*.

Nidamanuru goes past 50 as well, and the stand is out to 135. Cassidy on 75*, Nidamanuru 51*.

Bukhari takes us down Memory Lane by heaving Floyd over midwicket for six, but when he tries to do the same to Trijzelaar he’s done by the steeper bounce, doesn’t get all of it, and is caught by Leijer at deep midwicket for 16. Del Bianco on 48*, joined now by Cas Merkus.

A maiden Topklasse half-century for Don Glover, and with Rippon on 66* and the stand now worth 112, VOC are more desperately in need of a wicket than anyone.

Jamil into the attack, Nidamanuru welcoming him by lofting him back over his head for six. 64* for Cassidy now, 38* for Nidamanuru, and Hermes really in quite desperate need of a wicket.

The Crows still have some serious work to do, and it’s Del Bianco who’s probably going to have to do most of it. But at least they’ve seen Leijer off; he finishes with one for 23 from his ten. Del Bianco 42*, Bukhari 6*.

Half-century for Rippon as well, with Ahsan Malik belatedly joining the attack immediately after a second drinks break. They’re content to milk him for what we used to call a picket fence of singles, and Rippon’s now on 56*, Glover on 42*.

Fifty for Cassidy, off 68 deliveries, Sahil Kothari having succeeded Numair and young Sam van Giezen Jabarkhail. And the hundred comes u, with the stand now worth 87.

Trijzelaar switches to the Van Hogenhoucklaan End, and that brings the breakthrough: Goedeke, on 41, swings and misses, and has his off stump knocked back. Useful stand, but HBS back in trouble as none other than Mudassar Bukhari joins Del Bianco, who’s on 37*.

An even more notable recovery at Westvliet, where Rippon and Glover have now added 70 for the fifth wicket, moving to 43* and 32* respectively. Hoseinbaks and Ethan Price the spin-from-both-ends attack at the moment, but the batters look pretty comfortable against them.

Numair still plugging away from the Railway End, but Cassidy and Nidamanuru are laying the foundations of a solid total after the loss of those early wickets.

Hundred up at De Diepput, as Crowley and Brown return to the attack. Some pretty impressive running, as they somehow conjure a three to deep point; you don’t get a lot of those on HCC’s bijou ground. Goedeke now on 37*, Del Bianco on 31*.

The current plan at Maarschalkerweerd is for a 38-over game, starting at 14:00 following the early lunch. Kampong have won the toss and will field.

Hikmatullah Jabarkhail on from the Pavilion End, and when he drags one down Nidamanuru drives it wide of mid-off for four, before cutting the next through point for another.

Asief Hoseinbaks on from the Paddock End, and Rippon pulls him hard in front of square for six, before going back to hammer him through extra cover for four more. Rippon on 30* now.

Goedeke goes after Trijzelaar, leaning into the shot as he strokes him to the point boundary. Then the next is dispatched over long on for six. He’s on 22* now, Del Bianco on 17*.

Cassidy clips Elenbaas between midwicket and mid-on for four, then, when he overpitches, turns him square for another. Important partnership for VRA, this.

No century for Klein today, as he hits Harhangi for four but then is caught by Van der Meulen off Fletcher. Glover in to join Rippon, who is now probably Voorburg’s last real hope of setting a total they can defend.

Justin Trijzelaar and Clayton Floyd into the attack now, Del Bianco cross-batting the former through mid-on for four. It’s been a battle for survival so far, but that may make the Crows breathe a little easier.

Another for Elenbaas, as Smal attempts a fierce drive and is bowled. VRA, too, under pressure early, as skipper Teja Nidamanuru joins Sam Cassidy.

It looks like an early lunch at Maarschalkerweerd, where the Match of the Day is suffering significantly from the weather overnight. They’ll have another look at 13:00.

Through a glass darkly, I can tell you that Harhangi has bowled Kulkarni for 20, and that last week’s centurion, Ryan Klein has joined Rippon in the middle.

Controversy at the BHO, where Hermes won the toss and elected to bowl. Roy Numair takes the first over, Ralph Elenbaas the second. And when Lovepreet Padda drives the latter square, Mussayab Jamil claims the catch at point. Umpires confer, and the appeal is upheld. Padda goes, replaced by Johan Smal.

Leijer’s switched to the Scoreboard End, with Goedeke and Del Bianco setting about digging their side out of their very substantial hole. Still Brown from the other.

Roman Harhangi has relieved Kingma from the Pavilion End, with Kulkarni, now on 20*, and Rippon digging in for the rebuild.

A classic on-drive by Botha off Brown goes all the way for four, but the next sends middle stump flying and HBS are now in very serious trouble indeed.

And one brings two, as Kaplan edges Kingma through to Caleb Montague behind the stumps and leaves without scoring. Michael Rippon joins Kulkarni.

Josh Brown on from the Van Hogenhoucklaan End, and Walbrugh drives him through point for four. Then, with the offside field strengthened, he eases the next through square leg for back-to-back boundaries, But that’s all she wrote, for two balls later Brown uproots his off stump, and he departs for 14. Kent Goedeke in at five.

Wicket for Fletcher, as Mohsen, having struck him over extra cover for four, tries to do it again next ball as it well caught in the deep by Tim de Kok. Gavin Kaplan joins Kulkarni.

There’s been a toss at the BHO, at least, though we don’t yet know the outcome. Still, we may be about to get a start in Schiedam.

Pitch inspection at 11:30, we understand. But now that has been deferred until 12:00, so we’ll have a reduction in overs once they do get started.

The experiment is definitely not a success, as in Crowley’s next Scholte fends to backward point, where Josh Brown takes the catch. Lehan Botha in to join Walbrugh.

A quiet start at Westvliet, where it has to be said the livestream is like a cross between paintings by L.S. Lowry and the late David Hockney – tiny figures on a bright green sward. But Mohsen and Kulkarni are still there.

Nothing either from the newly-renamed Boudewijn Hoek Oval in Schiedam, formerly known as the Loopuyt Oval, where it seems that Asad Zulfiqar may be about to get his first game of the season for Hermes.

We have a delayed start at Maarschalkerweerd – trying to discover the whys and wherefores.

A new opening pairing for HBS today, with Martijn Scholte and Joris van Oosterom confronting Daniel Crowley and Teun Leijer. And it’s Leijer who gets the early breakthrough, left-hander Van Oosterom bowled for 2. Tayo Walbrugh in at three.

Viv Kingma starts from the Pavilion End to Waseem Mohsen, who’s off the mark with a single first ball. One for Nirav Kulkarni as well. Pierce Fletcher from the Paddock End.

HCC have won the toss at De Diepput, and invited HBS to have a bat.

Jason van der Meulen has called correctly at Westvliet and asked Voorburg to have a bat. Aaditt Jain returns for the home side, and Tom de Leede gets his first game of the season; both were reportedly unavailable last week because of exams. VOC unchanged.

Kampong have named twelve, with Sean Trouw included in place of Tiaan van der Hoven, while Rotterdam are unchanged from last week.