Topklasse Live

And amidst all the excitment Voorburg have closed out a suprisingly roomy win in the end. Engelbrecht and Klein accelerating down the final straight to cross the line with 11 balls to spare. They finish unbeaten on 61 and 34 respectively as Voorburg win by 4 wickets.

Perfect yorker from Charumbira first up, Visser somehow keeps it out and chances a single, Charumbira collects and throws down tohe stumps. Van Luin gone. Peiris in and cuts hard, runs harder for three. Visser squeezes one out on the off side and they get two more, to Chirumbira’s visible frustration, still more visible next ball, which Visser edges over a vacant cordon for four. It won’t be enough to escape the bottom four, but the two points won’t hurt as VRA win by 3 wickets

Heggelman returns, on a hiding to nothing. Kuhn cuts him for two, then drives through mid-off for another. A top-edged pull earns him a single, and three more level the scores. Gijs Kroesen draws the short straw, managing one dot before Hobson pushes the winning single. Kuhn ends on 120* from 114, Hobson on 43* from 28, and ACC win by seven wickets.

Visser’s been sent up to slog presumably, but he’s not been able to get one away. Van Luin finds the rope though, lacing one through the covers off Overdijk. Nine needed off the last, though given events at Thurlede it’s unlikely to matter. Charumbira to bowl it..

Enough with the scampering already: Hobson deposits Etman for six over long off, then lofts him to long on for an easy single. Back on strike, he plants the final ball past square leg for six more. 20 required off five. Seems unlikely it’ll take that long with Hobson on the warpath, and sure enough he lofts him over cover for four, then down on one knee to hoist him over long on and into the undergrowth for another six. Whichever ball they give Ingram almost gets through as Hobson jams down on it, but the damage has been done. Only eight needed now.

Meanwhile at Westvliet Hoseinbaks is back, Klein finds six over the on side, sorely needed. Engelbrecht closing in on fifty, 34 needed off seven. VCC still on track.

Charumbira mixing up his pace and the two new bats are struggling. Just two off it. Overdijk looking for wide hole next over but Balbirnie’s across for it and slog-swept for six over the on side. Four balls later though he’s backing away to cut , reaches and can only pick out backward point.Visser up the order and barely keeps out a yorker. 24 needed in three.

Ingram back from the City End; a picket fence of singles. More off Etman, but the running between the wickets of these two is something else, and they somehow squeeze two out of a firm stroke to cover point. But that’s enough for ACC at this stage. It’s déja vu all over again for Excelsior, after the Riaz-driven defeat by Punjab on Saturday. Five more singles off Ingram, topped off with a brace. 36 needed off six, and it looks as if ACC are headed for the championship pool. Kuhn 111* off 107.

Venter still and a hefty straight six from Dutt third ball pulls the asking rate back down under sixes. He falls to Overdijk in the next over however trying to repeat the shot and miscues high to off,gone for 19. Balbirnie in with 34 needed off five. Charumbira back.

200 up for VCC, but at the cost of the wicket of Musa Ahmad, caught off Jain for 44. The asking rate is still under a run a ball, but there’s little left in the hutch for the hosts. Klein in with Englebrecht now, the latter on 30, Tom de Grooth and bowlers to come.

With 61 needed off the last ten there’s a full Excelsior Politburo meeting before Niels Etman returns to bowl the first over of the final powerplay: Hart and Heggelman have two overs each remaining, and Ingram three, so Tim Etman will need to manage his bowlers carefully. Kuhn starts the over on 99*, and he pushes the third legal delivery into the covers to complete his third Topklasse century, and his first since returning to Het Loopveld after a nine-year gap. Then he lashes the fifth ball through the covers, allowing them to scamper three. Eight off the over all told; a very good one for ACC.

Crowley returns, and Nidamanuru greets him with a rifle-shot six dead straight over his head. The next is even bigger, slammed over midwicket and that’s fifty for Nidamanuru as a protracted ball-hunting break holds up proceedings.Venter from the other end and Dutt drives his first ball back high and straight for four. five balls later thoguh it’s full on leg, Nidamanuru’s cross his stumps and off the pad, finger up. Van Luin in, Overdijk pacing out his run-up..

Hart returns from the City End as Etman searches for the breakthrough. He’s again parsimonious, just three singles coming from it, and again he has Kumar flashing and missing, despite having been out there for nearly 40 overs. And the breakthrough comes, though it’s through a run-out: Kumar plays the ball to point, Kuhn comes for a single, they hesitate, and then Kumar belatedly goes, sacrificing himself to the return to the bowler’s end. He goes for 47, the stand worth 138. Thomas Hobson in to join Kuhn, on 94*

There’ll be no ton for Rasool however, as he cuts Doram hard to backward point and gone for 94. Brings HCC right back into the game with a shade over sevens needed. Nidamanuru’s still there on 38 off 42 though, Dutt in at five.

Barresi into the 90s now, Drummond still with him on 19, and the latter’s almost crowded out the chance of his partner making a ton. Seven needed, and Barresi picks up six of them slog-sweeping Mahmood over the square boundary for six. He’ll need to finish on a boundary, and so he does. Same shot, even bigger, six more and Barresi finished unbeaten on 102 from 95 as HBS win by seven wickets..

Scott Edwards into the attack, driven straight by Musa for four then drops short and swept hard for four more. This partnership is strating to look ominous for VOC, though there’s not a whole lot of batting to come.

Partnership records are far from complete, but this may well be ACC’s best third-wicket partnership against Excelsior, passing Kuhn’s own stand of 111 with Steven de Bruin in 2013. In an attempt to break it, Etman brings back Heggelman from the Chalet End, conceding just a scampered single. It takes Kuhn on to 82*, with Kumar on 39*, and it’s the cue for another drink.

Barresi brings up the 200 for HBS with a contemptuous reverse slog-sweep off Zulfiqar for four over third. HBS cruising.

Left arm spin at both ends now, Doram and Floyd in tandem for HCC. Rasool and Nidamanuru happy to milk them for now. 103 needed off 16..

Jain back into the attack and spin is doing it for VOC, Shariz going back now and bowled. Voorburg look in proper trouble of a sudden, Engelbrecht in.

Kroesens from both ends, seamer Gijs joining his little brother in the attack. First over’s economical enough, but off his second Kuhn deposits him over long on for six. The stand’s worth over 100 now, and the need for a wicket’s becoming acute.

Fifty foor Walbrugh too, but soon after he’s back looking to cut Minhas and doesn’t connect, appeal for caught behind and the umpire’s of the opinion he’s gotten a bottom edge there. Walbrugh does not seem to share the opinion but wastes little time in heading back to the shed with 59 to his name. Drummond joins Barresi, who’s on 58*.

Hoseinbaks comes in for some tap now, Musa lifting him back over his head for six and then van Beek driving hard through the covers for four, but then becomes the third bat to make the mistake of going back to him, skids on and looks like that’s chopped onto the stumps. Shariz Ahmad joins his brother in the middle.

Kuhn brings up his fifty, off just 44 deliveries, with a single off Baker. It really doesn’t look as if the spinners are going to get the breakthrough, or even put ACC under a lot of pressure. Etman has, at least in part, reached the same conclusion, since his brings on leg-spinner Luuk Kroesen from the City End. But Kuhn puts him away through the covers, keeping in touch with the asking rate.

Tarr goes for 104 slicing Dojeja to Lubbers at backward point, but it’s too late to make a difference. Kroesen joins Bukhari and the pair take Sparta comfortably home, Sparta win by 6 wickets.

Floyd strikes, Smal looking to fetch one from outside off but doesn’t manage a clean connection, high toward long on, doesn’t have the legs. Nidamanuru joins Rasool, who’s on 71*.

Hoseinbaks again and it’s Croes LBW this time, missing the sweep and finger’s up at once. He goes for 39. Van Beek in. Hoseinbaks keeping VOC well in the game at the minute.

Ingram switches to the Chalet End, and more good running from Kuhn and Kumar as the former dabs him down through the gully and they get three. Ingram manages to claw things back in his second over of the new spell, but they take nine off Baker, Kuhn moving on to 38* from 34.

Tarr brings up his ton whipping Raxworthy over midwicket for four, though he looks to be suffering from a spot of cramp too. Luckily not far to go for Sparta from here..

Barresi brings up his fifty pulling Hussain square for one, Walbrugh in the forties too, HBS well on track for a win with a net run rate boost to boot here, 84 to get..

Rasool meets a short wide ball from Venter with a cracking uppercut over point for six but immediately goes down clutching his right leg, looks like cramp but he’s down for a while. Manages a quick single twi balls later though. Clearly not happy but looks ok to continue.

Much-needed wicket for VOC, Levitt going back to Hoseinbaks, skids on into the pad and gone for 46. Musa Nadeem Ahmad in to join Croes, who’s on 29*.

Kuhn, though, decides to target Etman, lofting him over extra cover for four, working him behind point for a swiftly-run two, then turning him through square leg for four more. That leads to a replacement ball, which is promptly cut away for another boundary; at least there’s no water on that side, just trains. That was an over ACC badly needed. After a drinks break Umar Baker’s on from the City End, conceding four from his first. Hart returns, having gone for just seven in his first five overs and he almost gets a wicket with his first ball, as Kuhn manages to jam down on a yorker. This is a good batting track, though, and Kumar and Kuhn seem determined to make the most of it. 170 required off 30 overs.

Rasool goes to fifty cutting Venter uppishly to deep third, bringing up the hundred for VRA in the process. 167 still needed from 30. Floyd to bowl his second.

Breakthrough at Deventer as Clark cuts behind point, sets off for a risky single but can’t persuade Tarr to do likewise, both bats at one end and Clark goes for 40. Bukhari in.

Runs still flowing at Westvliet too, where Levitt’s raced to 38 off 34, Croes keeping pace at 13 off 15. First bowling change now as Hoseibaks replaces Jain.

Sparta likewise cruising at Deventer, Tarr and Clark going at a run a ball or thereabouts, the former on 71* after taking Khan for three consecutive boundaries, the latter on 39.

Barresi and Walbrugh maintaining the tempo at Craeyenhout, hundred comes up in the 12th over, and no sign of slowing.

Heino Kuhn joins Kumar, getting off the mark by making room and cutting Ingram square for four. With Rasool and Singh getting VRA off to a good start, there will be a great deal of mutual attention to these two games. Kuhn gets three off Ingram, playing him nicely wide of mid-on, and Kumar works him for two; they pick up what they can, but not losing wickets is the name of the game at this stage.

Venter finds the breakthrough, Singh looking to muscle one over the square rope but held on the rope, goes for 35. Rasool still there on 46* though, Smal at three.

Meanwhile at Westvliet the hosts have made a brisk start to the chase, Gigani particularly aggressive as he plunders 16 runs off Hoornweg in the fourth. When he comes down the track in the next though Jain sees him coming, pushes it wider and stumped for 18 off 10. Croes joins Levitt..

Niels Etman and Ingram on as soon as the first powerpay’s done. There’s a lot of playing and missing out there against the seamers, but as my old boss Ron Halcombe used to say sixty years ago, ‘They’re not good enough to get themselves out.’ (He mostly said it off air, to be fair, along with a lot of other things which don’t bear repeating.) And while I’m about it, let me say that Nureyev would have envied umpire Hancock’s leg-bye signals. Back to the action, where Ahmed drives an Etman full pitch sweetly through extra cover for four, but the opens him up like a can of pilchards, and Stan van Troost gratefully accepts the edge.

Tarr and Clark look set to make short work of this chase, Tarr going to fifty guiding Ridley to the rope behind point and after a slow start the visitors are suddenly almost half-way home.

A vintage Visée knock at Craeyenhout meanwhile, twice slog-sweeping Shafiq for six over backward square before sending up a top edge going for a third, caught for a 16-ball 38. Barresi in.

Doram on and opens with a maiden to Singh, and Crowley from the other end, but first ball sits up to be hit, which Raool duly does, over sqaure for six. Fifty up. Two balls later and overpitched, launched dead staright for a one bounce four. Short on fourth stump next ball and slammed over square for six again. 63 without loss after the powerplay and suddenly this chase looks very manageable.

They may not be taking wickets, but Hart and Heggelman are well on top here, although when Heggelman overpitches slightly Ahmed drives him nicely through cover point for four. Hart is again absolutely on the spot, and bowling at a lively pace. Heggelan’s a little more expensive, but still the asking rate is already beginning to climb.

They’re back on at Craeyenhout where Mason and Visée have got the hosts off to a flier, Mason picks up a full ball on off from Tariq and whips it over the on side for six, Viséepicks up his first maiximum slog-sweeping Shafiq over backward square.Tariq strikes back in the fifth however as Mason miscues to mid off and is caught for 18. Walbrugh in.

It’s been almost all dots, extras and boundaries at de Diepput, Singh and Rasool happy to wait on bad balls and rarely having to wait long. Charumbira’s been particularly wayward, short wide and carved over cover for four by Singh then down leg agai. Overdijk still at the other end, good start for the visitors so far though.

Lubbers strikes and a good one to get, squares Ferguson up, struck high on the pad but not too high for the umpire, gone. Clark in with Tarr. Gopinath from the other end.

egener plays and misses at Heggelman, nearly getting an edge, but then he buts him in the air behind point for four. Good movement away from the right-handers from Hart, and also from Heggelman, and lift and carry as well; but it’s a straight one that does for Wegener as he pulls a ball that’s too close to him, gets under it, and Heggelman takes the catch. He departs for 16, having scored all ACC’s runs.

They’re back at Thurlede, Michael Hart starting from the Chalet End to Fergus Wegener; Aryan Kumar his partner in the absence of Potdar. Just a single off it, and Heggelman will bowl the second from the City End.

Back on at de Diepput too and wild from Charumbira first up, wide off the pitch outside off, then bouncing over Rasool’s head, then wide outside off again. Tidy once he finds his line though. Overdijk from the other end, Singh opening with Rasool.

They’re back on at Deventer and Bartholomew, after pulling out of his first delivery, makes it count as he has Raza caught square off the shoulder of the bat.Ferguson is joined by Tarr, Lubbers at the other end. And understandably circumspect from the Sparta pair since.

Four for Klein as Buurman is bowled backing away, Schoonheim in for the final few overs to have a go, collects six slog-sweeping Ahmda over midwicket but holes out on the final ball of the 49th so see Klein finish with exemplary figures of 5-31. Hoornweg joins Edwards for the final over, Shariz to bowl it. And a good start for him as Edwards is bowled for 76 missing the reverse second ball. Hoseinbaks last man, gets off strike pushing through the covers but Hoornweg is cleaned up next ball.

Riaz picks up four more lofting Klein back over his head, but picks out long on trying to clear the rope next ball. And two in two for Klein, leading edge from Mahmood who’s on strike for some reason, the bats having apprently not crossed, and Klein leaps to his right to pluck it from the sky. Tariq joins Shafiq for the last few and some hard running sees them push the score up past 230 before Tariq is commendably run out off the last ball of the innings, Shafiq left unbeaten on 44.

Seelaar’s been enjoying himself at Westvliet meanwhile, back to back fours off Levitt first over midwicket then cutting square, now pulls Klein for four more before finally driving past one as stumps clatter behind him. A handy 38 off 34 for him,Burrman in to join Edwards now, who’s on 63* .

Riaz tucks Adendorff to leg off his toes to take Punjab to 200, another indispensible innings from him this. He’s into the 90s with Shafiq offering excellent support at the other end. Three balls later and he carves one over cover for four, then drives straight to the rope to bring up his ton.

Reddy and Waqas Ahmad making pretty good use of the yorker at the death, cutting out the boundaries. But Ingram’s on 97* now, with two overs left. Etman’s on strike, though. A bye gets Ingram down the business end, and with a brace and a pull to the square leg rope he goes to 103*, the 11th century of his Topklasse career. Etman holes out to Raza in Reddy’s last, but Heggelman gets Ingram on strike with three deliveries left. Four past midwicket brings the ballenvanger into play again, then a six wide of long on takes the total past 250, another yorker keeping the final ball to a single, Ingram finishing with a 112-ball 114*.

Doram runs himself out trying to get Overdijk back on strike, which arguably pays off for the hosts as Overdijk slog-sweeps Dutt for six more next ball. Crowley in and struggles to get off strike, when he does Overdijk holes out off Visser for 27. Dutt cleans Crowley up with the first ball of the 50th, and HCC finish on 269 with five balls unused.

Ahmadi bags two more in two balls, Ridley caught trying to ramp over deep third and Weber clean bowled. Into the base of Srivaprakasam’s stumps next over and that’s a wrap, 6 wickets for Ahmadi, four of the bowled, puts Sparta well back on top after Salland’s best start of the season with the bat.

Reddy and Waqas Ahmad making pretty good use of the yorker at the death, cutting out the boundaries. But Ingram’s on 97* now, with two overs left. Etman’s on strike, though.

Edwards has been rather starved of strike at Wesvliet but finally gets to fifty running van Vliet down to third man. He’s lost Tim de Kok along the way though, caught behind off Musa Nadeem for not many. Seelaar in with hiim now..

Kloppenburg makes good use of a slot-ball from Visser to collect six over the on side, but loses his off stump to the next delivery. Charumbira in with Overdijk now, and despatches a drag-down from Dutt over the on side for six, then puts Visser away over midwicket first ball of the next before holing out next ball. Doram in .

Another quick exit for Van Bunge, who drives the returning Reddy to Hobson at mid-off and departs for 1. Ingram’s gone to 91*, joined now by Niels Etman.

Riaz holding it together for Punjab again, another half century for him and again runs coming when his side needs them most. Shafiq in with him but Punjab still a long way from anything defensible at Craeyenhout.

Raza returns, Ingram and Van Troost content to push the ball about. Arya switches again to the Chalet End, and Ingram drives him back straight to move to 80*. Van Troost cuts Raza for four, then takes a single to bring up the 200. ACC will be very keen to keep the total below 230-240, and every dot is vital to that cause. Four byes, however, when an attempted Ingram slog-sweep unsights Rahil Ahmed does not. But Raza gets a valuable wicket, as Van Troost tries to swing a full delivery away to leg and is bowled for 20. Enter Daan van Bunge

Ahmadi strikes in consecutive overs, first slinging one through Piyaranga’s defences to send him back to the shed for 75, then doing the same to Rana in the next.Sivaprakasam and Ridley now for Salland..

Back over at Westvliet Niaz was just getting stuck into van Vleit, taking him for four and then six over the on side, but is now well held by van Beek at midwicket to break the stand at 48. Edwards still there though and closing in on a half century, Tim de Kok out to join him.

Kloppenburg’s intent on playing his shots it seems, drives Nidamanuru through cover for four and then cuts hard and square for four more next ball. He’s onto 26 off 15, and extras are again on for a handy score, full toss down leg from Visser runs to the rope and a no ball to boot, taking HCC past the 200-mark. Singh back from the other end though and finds a wicket, leading edge from Floyd held in the on side.Overdijk in.

Those two wickets have changed the complexion of the game somewhat, with Ingram now needing to make sure he sees his side into the final acceleration and accordingly much more circumspect. He’s advanced to 74* as they take another drink.

Another down at Craeyenhout, shortish and straight from Klein, Usman fends at it, through to the keeper and a textbook celebrappeal from Klein, he’s almost past the stumps before he turns to check the finger’s up, which it is.

One brings two as they say, Turmaine at the other end and Vandiar loses his footing on the slog sweep, van Luin holds the catch in the deep. Floyd in at six

Arya quickly back, from the City End, and he gets Hart, who makes to swing him away and is bowled without scoring. Stan van Troost in at six.

Hashim Khan takes Salland to 150, driving Ahmadi square and then pulling over midwicket for six. But he falls to Singh in the next, sat up on leg and just doesn’t hit it hard enough, Kroesen takes the catch on the rope.

Nidamanuru gets the breakthrough for VRA, Gorlee’s concentration failing as he lifts a low full toss out to long on. He goes for 61, which is still more runs than he’d cumulatively made all season prior to Saturday. Since then he averages 195, which is quite a turanround Kloppenburg joins Vandiar, who’s on 32*

Verhagen finally goes, chipping Waqas (back from the City End) rather softly to Wegener at midwicket and out for 79. The partnership of 152 was Excelsior’s second-highest for the third wicket against ACC; the highest was between Ingram and Tristan Stubbs in 2021, 237*, also at Thurlede. Michael Hart in to join Ingram, who’s on 66*

Visser goes short to Gorlee and is put away for four over the on side, next ball is whipped finer for four more and fifty to Gorlee. Nidamanuru at tthe other end now, Gorlee skips down and dumps him over midwicket for six.

Punjab have lost another meanwhile, Sikander pushing a low return catch back to Barresi. Usman in with Riaz now, who’s into the thirties.

Raxworthy’s tough season continues as he’s caught on on side of Singh for 6, Lubbers in with Piyaranga, but not for long as he’s caught off Ahmadi last ball of the 30th.

Verhagen passes fifty for the 16th time in his Topklasse career, lifting Reddy wide of mid-on and letting the pace of the ball do most of the work. Ingram lofts Arya to his right for four, then turns him square for another; this has been a terrific partnership for Excelsior, and a single takes it into three figures. Ingram swings Hans high over midwicket and into the water, necessitating resort to that uniquely Dutch instrument, the ballenvanger (a small net on a long pole). The runs are coming more easily now, and Ingram too goes to fifty (for the 42nd time in his case) off the last ball of an over which yields 16.

Berry goes to fifty driving Levitt through the covers for one, but is pinned LBW by Klein in the next over. Edwards is ticking along nicely at the other end, driving anything overpitched from the seamers and sweeping the slowbowlers as is his wont. He’s joined by Niaz.

I regret to inform you that the wides are back. Three of them in that last over from Singh, all down leg. Dutt on at the other end and Gorlee whips him away for four through square to go to forty. Vandiar on ten, Visser takes over from Singh.

Hundred up for Salland, and the hundred partnership next ball, then Piyaranga goes to fifty running Kroesen down to third. Bartholomew folllows suit in the next over dabbing Singh to leg, but pops a low return catch back to Kroesen next over.

Punjab lose another as de Mey has Minhas LBW missing a sweep. Sikander Zulfiqar to the middle..

Impressively, ACC managed to get in 22 overs before the first drinks interval, but their dubious reward is that in the first over after the break Verhagen eases Kumar through the covers for four. Reddy’s back from the City End with Arya, who previously had a single over from that end, switching to the other. Still no breakthrough, and the hundred comes up via a little misfield at mid-on. Verhagen on 47*, Ingram 30*.

It is indeed Riaz and Minhas in at Craeyenhout, with a bit of rebuilding to do. De Mey and Pote operating for the hosts.

Turmaine continues after drinks, and Alphonse guilty of ball watching as he runs one down through third. Looks up to find that Gorlee’s joined himm at the strikers end, Peiris already has the ball, relayed to Turmaine and Alphonse well short, gone for 42. Vandiar in.

Shariz Ahmad into the attack to immediate effect, Jain looks to go big down the ground fourth ball but doesn’t get enough of it, falls to Klein on the long-on rope and gone for 36. Edwards joins Berry after drinks..

Aryan Kumar into the attack from the Chalet End as Kuhn reverts to seam. Raza continues, and Verhagen lofts him effortlessly over long off for six. He’s now moved on to 32*, with Ingram on 22*, and the stand’s worth 58.

It was in fact Gopinath that fell to Malik in the first over at Deventer, but since then Fraser Bartholomew has been justifying his promotion up the order, having put on 79 runs with Piyaranga. Kroesen and Clark for Sparta now.

Kyle Klein has Asad caught chasing a short one down leg and feathering through behind. Saqib in at three, but he falls to Adendorff off a top edged pull soon after, Minhas in. Exact score currently uncertain but fifty-odd for three is my guess.

Van Beek into the attack now at Westvliet, and Jain takes VOC past fifty driving straight for a hard-run three. Still va Vliet at the other end..

Raza has some trouble with his control: he largely gets away with a couple of full tosses, but when another full delivery, outside leg stump, eludes Ahmed it runs away for five wides. The two left-handers don’t look completely comfortable, but they’re managing to keep the scoreboard moving. They’re both on 19* now.

Visser’s targetting Alphonse’s ribs here, but it’s not working out. Three consecutive back of a length deliveries are pulled away for two, six and four. Double bowling change ensues, Singh takes over from Abid and Turmaine replaces Visser.

Verhagen slashes Waqas between the keeper and first slip for four, then plays a much more controlled square drive, just backward of point, for another. Mahesh Hans on for Reddy from the Chalet End as soon as the first powerplay’s over, and he has a big shout for leg-before against Ingram, can’t believe it when it’s turned down. Ingram’s response is to clout him lover long off for six. Life can be very, very hard. Anis Raza on from the City End, Ingram showing every sign of wanting to get on with it, but Raza mostly forces him to defend.

O’Dowd drives Klein straight to mid off where Englebrecht takes the catch, Berry in with Jain now, van Vliet into the attack.

A promising innings from the out of form Tonny Staal is again cut short, back of a length on leg from Abid and Staal looks to lift it over the on side but can’t clear the man, gone for 20. Gorlee joins Alphonse, who’s on 19*. Visser on from the other end now.

Those adjectives apply in spades as Waqas bowls a maiden to Kroesen, who can’t quite manage to pierce the field. Indeed, the frustration starts to show, as in Waqas’s next over he flashes at a wideish delivery outside off; no contact though. Two balls later he’s gone, pulling wildly at a lifting ball and getting a top edge; Rahil Ahmed moves to his left to do the rest. Wicket maiden this time, as Lorenzo Ingram joins Verhagen.

O’Dowd and Jain as usual for VOC, and steady enough from them to start. Levitt and Klein share the new ball for the hosts.

Reddy overpitches slightly, and Kroesen drives him sweetly square for the first boundary of the morning. Otherwise it’s a diet of singles until Kroesen’s able to turn the same bowler fine, giving them time to run three. Tidy from the Amsterdammers, steady from Kroesen and Verhagen.

Rehmat Zulfiqar’s horror season continues, fencing de Mey to slip first ball of the third. Riaz joins Asad.

Abid and Dutt share the new ball for VRA, Ratha Alphonse and Tonny Staal opening for the hosts. Staal takes a few balls before going after Dutt, first a miscue into the on side, then a sweet connection, gets low to thump a length ball over midwicket for six.

And it’s first blood to Waqas, who gets Etman caught by Wegener. Roel Verhagen in at three.

Early wicket at Salland as Webber (we think) chops a back of a length ball from Malik (we’re pretty sure) onto his stumps on the last ball of the first.

Joseph Reddy takes the new ball, bowling to Tim Etman, with Luuk Kroesen the non-striker. A two and a single bring Kroesen on strike, and he plays out the last two balls of the over. Waqas Ahmad to bowl the second. Rens van Troost, by the way, has made way for Van Bunge in the Excelsior eleven, while for ACC Waqas Ahmad and Mark Wolfe are in for Potdar and Isaac Konlechner.

Team news from Schiedam: Daan van Bunge is in the Excelsior side for the second time this season, and for ACC Shreyas Potdar will be missing. Rens van Troost and Waqas Ahmad out/in respectively.

Punjab win the toss at Craeyenhout and will bat first..

.VRA win the toss at de Diepput and put HCC in to bat.

News from Thurlede: Heino Kuhn has won the toss, and has invited Excelsior to have a bat.

Salland win the toss and bat at ‘t Schootsveld. They’re still without the German contingent, and a host of other regulars too today. Reinder Lubbers, van der Molen, Sherzad, Nasir, Jariiullah also absent. James Ridley, Ujjwal Dodeja, Shabaz Rana and Ganesh Sivaprakasm come in. Sparta unchanged at first glance.

VOC win the toss and will have a bat at Westvliet. As expected Voorburg will be without Viv Kingma today, Tom de Grooth comes into the side. Atse Buurman taking the gloves for VOC, he comes in for Pierce Fletcher.