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Rod Lyall 16/07/2023

A devastating innings from Max O’Dowd propelled VOC Rotterdam to their third consecutive T20 Cup win and their fourth in five seasons at the VRA ground on Saturday in a final which was reduced to eight overs a side after a band of rain had passed over the Amsterdamse Bos.

Defeated finalists Excelsior ’20 Schiedam contributed to their own defeat, first by not adapting their batting order to the changed circumstances and then by dropping O’Dowd three times as he plundered 50 from just 20 deliveries, but there was no question that Tim de Kok’s side deserved their title.

They had done well to restrict Excelsior to 76 for five after Roel Verhagen had won the toss and elected to bat, Verhagen himself top-scoring with a 20-ball 27, and they had secured a vital breakthrough when Jelte Schoonheim bowled danger-man Lorenzo Ingram for just 3.

Excelsior needed to remove O’Dowd early, but instead he quickly took the game away from them, and after he finally fell to a fine catch by Rens van Troost off the bowling of Umar Baker it was left to Lane Berry and Scott Edwards to knock off the 19 runs that were still required.

Earlier, a fine half-century by opener Francois Fourie had been instrumental in keeping VOC’s hopes of a third successive Cup win alive with a six-wicket victory over table-toppers HCC.

Put in to bat, HCC had begun very cautiously, only 21 runs coming in the powerplay for the wicket of Ratha Alphonse, caught by Edwards off the bowling of Pierce Fletcher.

They were rescued, however, by Tonny Staal and Boris Gorlee who added 78 for the second wicket in just 8.2 overs before Staal, having made a 41-ball 53, walked across his stumps as he tried to turn Asief Hoseinbaks to leg, and was bowled.

Hidde Overdijk then went after Hoseinbaks, twice hitting him for a six and a four from successive deliveries before the slow left-armer had his revenge, as Overdijk was beaten outside off and smartly stumped by keeper Fourie; he had contributed 26 from just ten deliveries.

Gorlee soon followed, caught in the legside deep by O’Dowd off Arnav Jain’s bowling for a 30-ball 35, and although HCC were able to add a further 18 runs the feature of the latter stages was a hat-trick for Ramdas Upadhyaya off the last three balls of the innings.

He finished with four for 21, and despite that second-wicket stand by Staal and Gorlee VOC could feel reasonably content at having held their opponents to 154 for eight.

By contrast with HCC’s start, 56 came from VOC’s powerplay, O’Dowd creating initial momentum with a 9-ball cameo of 16, and although Lane Berry fell to a magnificent running catch by Staal on the midwicket boundary and Burhan Niaz flat-batted a lifting delivery from Daniel Crowley to deep cover, even the dismissal of Fourie with 41 still required did not impede the Rotterdammers’ progress, Scott Edwards and Tim de Kok knocking off the remaining runs to complete the win with nine balls to spare.

In the other semi-final Excelsior dismissed Punjab Rotterdam for 89 as they successfully defended a relatively modest 122 for six, neutralising Punjab’s powerful batting line-up with some extremely accurate bowling.

The foundation of their innings was Ingram’s unbeaten 61, made from 45 deliveries and the highest individual score of the day, smaller contributions coming from Rens Heinsbroek (16) and Tom Heggelman (15 not out).

Punjab’s attack did well to limit the damage, Muhammad Shafiq taking two for 17 from his four overs and Sulaiman Tariq two for 18, while Saqib Zulfiqar’s four overs cost just 14 runs.

But Punjab’s reply never really got going, Jens Blankestijn removing Shoaib Minhas for just 8 and Verhagen collecting three for 11 with his gentle off-spin as every big shot seemed to find a fielder.

Heggelman was especially parsimonious, his three overs yielding just nine runs and the wicket of Yasir Usman, while Niels Etman took two for six in 13 deliveries.

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong 15/07/23

No sooner are we done with the T20 Cup than we plunge into the second phase of the 50-over Topklasse, with a full round of fixtures scheduled for Sunday in both the Championship and the Relegation pools.

Having made it into the top six, the teams in the Championship pool will now be doing battle for a place in the semi-finals (a.k.a. the first Qualifying Final and the Elimination Final), due to be played on 19 August, and the situation could scarcely be tighter: behind Voorburg, four points clear of Sparta 1888 in second place, there are four sides currently level on points, two of which will ultimately fall by the wayside. Brace yourselves for lots of four-pointers!

RL: The first of these will be at the Hazelaarweg, where VOC Rotterdam will take on ACC. The hosts have the most favourable net run rate at present while the Amsterdammers have the worst, and VOC will also welcome back Max O’Dowd and Scott Edwards from international duty. Their influence, though, great as it could be, may be less significant than the return of Heino Kuhn for ACC, since his influence was sorely missed during a T20 campaign which saw the side relegated. That said, Tim de Kok’s outfit is man-for-man more experienced and more dependable than that of ACC, who punched above their weight in the first phase and may struggle to squeeze into the top four. But Shreyas Potdar is more suited to the longer format, Thomas Hobson will be looking to reproduce his form of last season, and Rahil Ahmed and Mahesh Hans have had the opportinuty during the T20 Cup to mesh more effectively into their new side. Nevertheless, it is VOC who will start as favourites, both here and in the wider struggle for a top-four place (and perhaps even the double chance of reaching the grand final which comes with a spot in the top two).

BdJ: It’s probably worth noting that the disparity in net run rate between the two sides is in large part down to the utter drubbing that VOC administered to their opponents in the first phase, when Edwards and O’Dowd took VOC to 321 before ACC collapsed to 61 all out. Though Kuhn’s return will add some stability to the batting and it’s hard to imagine him falling for single figures again, VOC’s batting has only strengthened as the lower order has had a hit-out in the internationals’ absence. They will certainly have to do without O’Dowd, however, who leaves for Canada tomorrow for the GT20. Edwards is also in doubt, with the Dutch skipper carrying a hmastring niggle.

RL: Beginning the second phase with a two-point insulation from the chasing pack, Sparta 1888 will travel to the Zomercomplex to play Punjab Rotterdam. The Spartans will reportedly be without new-ball bowler Ahsan Malik for the rest of the season, and he leaves a big gap even although Mudassar Bukhari seems to have recovered from his injury worries, bowling a couple of impressive spells in the T20 Cup campaign. A couple of defeats could see Sparta’s position in the top four under threat, and Punjab at the Zomercomplex is perhaps not the ideal place to start. But the top order of the three overseas Sam Ferguson, Garnett Tarr and Will Clark has consolidated during the T20 competition, and Punjab’s bowlers will be looking to make early inroads in order to put the rest of the batting under pressure. Punjab’s own batting can be a fearsome proposition on their own ground, and with international Saqib Zulfiqar slotting back in they will surely start as favourites here.

BdJ: Though Sparta closed out a fairly comfortable victory at Bermeg in phase one (when the departing Malik notably took four wickets), the sides’ recent form does indeed suggest Punjab will be heavily favoured come Saturday. Rehmat and Asad Zulfiqar, both of whom had a quiet first phase, seem to have hit themselves into a degree of form during the T20s. With four Zulfiqars looking in good touch and Shoaib Minhas also in the runs, Punjab look close to recapturing their championship-winning form of 2021.

RL: Like the first phase, the second will start with a match between HCC and Voorburg, although this time at De Diepput. Whether it also involves reduced overs and a DLS result will depend on the state of the gound after Saturday’s predicted rain, while the composition of Voorburg’s side following the return of the national squad will also be a source of interest. The Voorburgers’ performances in the T20 Cup underlined how heavily they rely on their international contingent, Musa Ahmad’s heroic efforts notwithstanding, and although they have a four-point cushion at the top which almost guarantees them a semi-final slot, they will want to make sure that the side is back to being a well-oiled machine before the play-offs start. HCC took a little time to get going back in April/May, but with Jonathan Vandiar at home in the 50-over format, Ratha Alphonse reliable at the top of the order, and a varied attack, the Lions have everything they need for a sussessful defence of their title. And here they may have one of the best opportunities to upset the leaders.

BdJ: It’s certainly a tough assignement first up for the current frontrunners, though the return of league lead wicket-taker Shariz Ahmad along with Croes, Kingma and Levitt makes this a very different side than the one that underwhelmed in the T20. HCC also welcome back Clayton Floyd of course, while fellow left-arm spinner Daniel Doram has been a stand-out in the short format in recent weeks. The internationals will of course have to re-adjust to the very Dutchest of conditions at what is likely to be a soggy Diepput, while Boris Gorlee and Tonny Staal have had the chance to play themselves into a degree of form and Overdijk’s excellent season has carried over into the T20s. All told one might almost make HCC favourites here, though close call in my book.

By contrast with the Championship Pool, where sides play each other once, the four teams fighting to avoid relegation will take each other on both at home and away, meaning that there are twelve points up for grabs.

RL: Three defeats on the trot cost VRA Amsterdam a place in the T20 finals day and did nothing to dispel their reputation as a Jekyll-and-Hyde outfit, and they will be keen to show their civilised face when they take on Excelsior ‘20 at Thurlede. They will presumably be strengthened by the return of Vikram Singh, Aryan Dutt and Teja Nidamanuru, all of whom distinguished themselves in Zimbabwe, while in their absence Johan Smal grew in stature with the bat and young Aaditt Jain reinforced his claim to a regular place in the side. On paper VRA are much too good a team to find themselves battling to stave off relegation, but they will need to string together a series of more consistent performances to ensure their safety. Excelsior, on the other hand, demonstrated that they still have the fighting qualities which took them to three titles in four seasons between 2016 and 2019, and they are unlikely to prove an easy mark for the home side, even if VRA turn out to have too many guns.

BdJ: VRA? More like dis-RA amirite? (ha ha ha). While the Amsterdam sides’ youngsters have all improved markedly as individual players in recent years, the team itself seems to have gone backwards. While they are at least at the top of the bottom half of the table, they went through the back end of their T20 campaign just one win away from finals day, and the thought seemed to do little to concentrate minds. Conversely Excelsior are coming off the back of a successful few weeks in the short format, restoring a degree of confidence after a late slide in phase one. The Schiedammers remain reliant on the veteran Lorenzo Ingram, but Roel Vehagen has found some form of late and they remain a disciplined side that gives little away, especially at home. VRA still have several players that could entirely take the game away from the hosts of course, but a win for the Amsterdammers would be against the run of the summer.

RL: Having got out of jail in the final stages of the T20 Cup round robin, both HBS Craeyenhout and Salland, who meet in Den Haag on Sunday know that they now have to do it again in the longer format. Centuries from Tayo Walbrugh and Wesley Barresi (and a third-wicket stand of 222) were enough to ensure a comfortable victory for the Crows when these sides met back in May, and with Nic Adendorff having consolidated his place in the side and the prospect of Ferdi and/or Stephan Vink bolstering their young attack, in which Elmar Boendermaker gains in confidence with every outing, they undoubtedly have the potential to put an early end to fears of relegation. As always, Salland’s prospects are conditional on how many of their German contingent are available, and with Germany involved in the European T20 Qualifier in Scotland from 20-28 July, that will be a real worry for skipper Victor Lubbers, and will put additional pressure on overseas players Finn Raxworthy and Fraser Bartholomew.

BdJ: The state of Salland’s net run rate puts them under extra pressure ahead of the second phase, and the prospect of three crucial rounds coinciding with international duty for the German contingent will test what has looked to be a pretty bare bench so far this season. HBS remain in something of a transitional phase, but Vink’s return for the T20s did much to shore up an otherwise callow bowling attack. Adendorff’s late acclimatisation to Dutch conditions and the addition of Drummond combined with Reece Mason’s form has also meant HBS are less reliant on Walbrugh and Barresi for runs, which is just as well given that the latter is also in doubt for tomorrow. Both teams were candid at the start of the season, saying that their first target was top-flight survival, and Saturday’s game could well prove decisive in that respect.

RL’s picks: VOC, Punjab, HCC; VRA, HBS.
BdJ’s picks: VOC, Punjab, VCC, Excelsior, HBS.

Rod Lyall 12/07/2023

The weather forecast for Saturday will doubtless be a source of anxiety for groundsmen and KNCB administrators alike, with rain currently predicted to disrupt what should be one of the most festive days in the Dutch cricket calendar.

Leaders HCC will go into the day with the knowledge that if a match is rained off the higher-ranked team after the round-robin phase will be deemed the winner, but it will be up to the umpires (and the ground staff) to do everything they can to ensure that matters are settled on the field on Saturday rather than by reference to the league table.

Spice will be added to the day by the return of the competing sides’ international representatives, who missed all but the opening round because of their ultimately successful campaign in Zimbabwe, and that could mean that Cup holders VOC Rotterdam will be strengthened by the presence of Max O’Dowd and Scott Edwards for their semi-final clash with HCC, who could likewise have Clayton Floyd back in their side.

O’Dowd in particular has the potential to decide a match almost before it has begun, but VOC have made it to the finals day because others have stepped up when it mattered, not least the spin combination of Arnav Jain and Asief Hoseinbaks, while Jelte Schoonheim continues to chip in usefully with both bat and ball.

Overseas player Lane Berry has had a quiet tournament so far by comparison with his achievements in the 50-over competition, but the absence of O’Dowd and Edwards led to the emergence of Peter Recordon, who is averaging 41 with the bat at a strike rate of almost 120; it will be interesting to see whether the Rotterdammers find room for him in their side.

HCC have thoroughly deserved their place at the top of the table, not least because of the contribution of tall left-arm spinner Daniel Doram, whose ten wickets have come at an average of 11.7 and who, more remarkably, has an economy rate of 4.03, way ahead of any other bowler in the competition.

VOC’s batters will need to find a way of dealing with him as well as with Floyd, not to mention the pace (and middle-order batting) of T20 captain Hidde Overdijk and HCC’s other seamers, Daniel Crowley, Henrico Venter and Patient Charumbira.

It promises to be a very interesting encounter indeed, not least because these teams’ round-robin match was rained off.

The second semi-final will pit Punjab Rotterdam against somewhat surprising qualifiers Excelsior ‘20.

On paper Punjab are by far the stronger outfit, Shoaib Minhas one of the leading run-scorers in the competition at a rate of almost 160 and with Saqib Zulfiqar potentially rejoining his brothers in the line-up.

They also have the spin of Muhammad Shafiq, the leading wicket-taker with 14 at 14.93, and with skipper Sulaiman Tariq fifth on that list and Mubashar Hussain one of only 13 bowlers who have taken ten or more wickets, Punjab are serious contenders for the Cup.

But Excelsior continue to be a team that is more than the sum of its parts, particularly adept at defending modest totals, and while they might be hard-pressed to contain Punjab’s fire-power with the bat, the spin attack of Umar Baker and Lorenzo Ingram has performed consistently well, backed up by the gentle off-spin of captain Roel Verhagen.

Verhagen is also the team’s leading run-scorer, ahead of Ingram, and with overseas player Michael Hart making a more consistent contribution and Stan van Troost, having taken over wicketkeeping duties from Verhagen, also contributing with the bat, Excelsior do have the potential to spring another surprise.

My picks: VOC, Punjab, the weather.