News

Rain the only winner on a bleak Saturday

Rod Lyall25/05/25

The band of rain which swept across the Netherlands on Saturday washed away the season’s perfect record of uninterrupted cricket, with only 7.1 overs possible in one match and the other four abandoned without a ball being bowled.

They got a start in the Amsterdamse Bos, where Tayo Walbrugh lost the toss and HBS were invited to bat by Teja Nidamanuru.

Tobias Visée played one of his microcameos, punching the second ball he received from Peter Ruffell strongly to the point boundary and then playing an awkward, unbalanced defensive stroke to the next, inside-edging through to keeper Jack Cassidy.

Lucas del Bianco and Walbrugh were still at the crease, the total on 39, when the arrival of the rain drove the players from the field, although the HBS captain had perhaps been a little fortunate to survive a tight run-out decision, a direct hit from midwicket coinciding with his desperate dive at the non-striker’s end.

The captains optimistically tossed at the Bermweg, where Tim de Kok called correctly and elected to field, but the only action thereafter was Sparta playing sweeping accumulated water from the covers, and the game was eventually abandoned.

By that time the other three had already been called off, all ten teams taking a point from their frustrating day.

Preview Round 6

Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall 22/05/2025

Well the first burst of the international summer is behind us, and so we’re all free to concentrate on the serious business of club cricket as the Topklasse approaches the end of the first third. The table remains in a somewhat amorphous state at this early stage, with Hermes making the early running but every club having put points on the board. All to play for still then as we head into round six.

BdJ: The match of the round is without a doubt the Schiedam Derby, where a real reversal of recent years sees Hermes DVS flying high unbeaten at the top of the table as they welcome old rivals Excelsior ‘20 to the Loopuyt Oval. Encouragingly for the frontrunners, they fought their way to a win against VOC last week despite a rare failure from Daniel Doyle-Calle, discipline with the ball and especially the spinning triple threat of Dutt, Kothari and Jabarkhail underpinning their success so far. Excelsior’s failure in the face of Punjab’s slow-bowling last week bodes ill for them in that respect, Raynard van Tonder’s efforts in vain at Thurlede on Saturday as they slumped to a 32-run defeat. That said, they still boast a stronger line-up than VOC, and one suspects Hermes will need more runs than they have managed thus far to extend their remarkable winning streak.

RL: The old adage that the best teams have the knack of winning even when they’re not playing at their best certainly applies to Hermes, who demonstrated against VOC that they have acquired Excelsior’s old ability to defend low totals. Even without the incisiveness of Olivier Elenbaas, the Sky Blues’ attack has had an outstanding start to the season – insiders tell us that if they win again on Saturday it will be the second time in their history that they’ve won their first six games of a campaign – and in a competition rich in imported batting they will present a real challenge to Excelsior’s distinguished but so far inconsistent top order. The visitors’ bowling, by contrast, has lacked the sharpness it had last year, although Joost Kroesen’s re-emergence as a wicket-taking leg-spinner has been a feature of the last two rounds. A fine century against Voorburg apart, we have yet to see the best of Antum Naqvi with either bat or ball, but he, too, could prove a trump card on the Loopuyt Oval wicket. Form clearly points to a home win, but if Excelsior get their act together they could yet spring a surprise.

BdJ: Hermes’ nearest rivals Kampong CC face a tricky trip to De Diepput to face the mercurial HCC on Saturday. Kampong have looked imperious at home so far, but will be playing on artificial for the first time this season against a side that’s already knocked over the much-fancied Voorburg when the latter visited in round three. HCC’s home record has otherwise been spotty, but with Gorlee averaging over 100 in his last three outings on artificial wickets it’s hard to judge what a safe score may be at HCC. Kampong have yet to defend a sub-300 total this season, though it’s worth noting they’ve only had to try once, either passing 300 or looking like they could have done comfortably in their other four outings so far.

RL: Boris Gorlee’s form with the bat has been one of the feature’s of HCC’s start to the season, but another has been a rejuvenated Hidde Overdijk, who has looked a much hungrier pace bowler this year. With a dozen wickets in five games he’s up near the top of the bowling averages, although he and the rest of the Lions’ bowling unit will need to be at their best against Kampong’s explosive top order. The presence of Lane Berry at three gives openers Damien van den Berg and Max O’Dowd licence to go for their shots in the powerplay, and Lachlan Bangs has shown that he can build powerfully on a good start – not to mention the lurking menace of Scott Edwards. De Diepput’s short square boundaries are an open invitation for aggressive batting, and if the rain holds off and Deepwell doesn’t live up to its ominous name, the home side’s fielders could spend a lot of time and energy retrieving the ball. But equally, HCC are not without batters capable of exploiting the peculiarities of their home ground, not least opener Tonny Staal, who has hinted in previous games that he may not be far away from one of those match-turning innings. If the Lions lack Kampong’s fire-power overall, they are formidable opponents in a scrap, and they will be keen to put last week’s collapse, their second of the campaign, firmly behind them.

BdJ: Third-placed VRA meanwhile enjoy a second consecutive home game after a long long absence from the Bos, welcoming HBS Craeyenhout to Amselveen on Saturday. The Fluffers will do well to be wary of the Crows, who also knocked over Voorburg last week. The return of Navjit Singh, as well as the (still mostly just lurking) menace of Toby Visée at the top of the order, and especially Kyle Klein back from national duty has added some substance to a side that had previously looked all-too dependent on Tayo Walbrugh and Wes Barresi for runs. Conversely a four-wicket haul for Leon Turmaine on return from the Twos last week is illustrative of the depth of the bench at the Bos. And while VRA looked a bit wobbly with the bat on an admittedly tricky track against HCC, they’ve not really looked like dropping a game at home yet. For HBS this will be only their second game on grass this season, and they didn’t look at all convincing against Hermes. Kyle Klein at least has had had plenty of success on turf wickets this season though, and one suspects he’ll be key if the Crows are to throw off their reputation as mat specialists and stake a claim to a place in a league where artificial surfaces are becoming the exception rather than the rule.

RL: If this year’s competition isn’t going to turn rapidly into a two-horse race, it’s teams like VRA and HBS who hold the key: both are currently four points behind the leaders, and even with only a third of the season gone a six-point deficit would be a lot to make up. So this is another four-pointer, with the winners still in a position to take advantage of any slip by the top two and the losers slipping back into the mid-table churn. Both sides have plenty of class in both batting and bowling: with Vikram Singh, Johan Smal, Teja Nidamanuru and Shariz Ahmad in their top six, VRA are equipped to post big totals, and they need to do so when they have the services of their internationals. If Visée’s brief cameo last week was more than a one-off, HBS are scarcely less well off, while the pace units of Ben Fletcher, Peter Ruffell and Ashir Abid on the one hand and Klein, Lehan Botha and Benno Boddendijk on the other will fully test top orders which yet to produce a really dominating performance. A lot may depend on how the pitch plays: if it’s similar to last week’s, it may be the bowlers who hold most of the cards.

BdJ: Few would have predicted that the first meeting between the 2024 and 2023 Champions this season would be a mid-table clash, but so it will be when Punjab-Ghausia head to Westvliet to take on Voorburg on Saturday. Punjab’s woes this season can be attributed at least in part to the fitness struggles of their remaining Zulfiqar twins, the bowling especially having lacked for penetration so far. The slow bowling was enough to choke out Excelsior last week, with Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas functioning almost as bowling all rounders this season, but even against a Voorburg batting card that’s looked less than the sum of its parts at times it’s difficult to see them taking ten wickets on Saturday. Voorburg’s own bowling is not what it was either of course, with Viv Kingma likely sidelined for a fortnight at least while leggie Peter Hatzalogou got a call from the Multan Sultans last week. While Patient Charumbira has proved a smart acquisition for the Villagers, the rest of the front-line attack (bar the prodigal Flip Boissevain) are all averaging over 30 with the ball this season. On paper then, expect a run-fest. Which of the two sides will be able to turn their season around from here though is tougher to call.

RL: Already two points further back, Voorburg and Punjab’s immediate concern will be to get themselves firmly established in the mid-table’s upper reaches, well away from this season’s expanded relegation zone. That both have the resources to do so comfortably is beyond question – Voorburg are, after all, By Appointment Suppliers of Players to the National Squad as well as having one of the competition’s most prolific and reliable batters in Gavin Kaplan. And in Jonathan Vandiar, Shoaib Minhas and Mohsin Riaz Punjab have three players who last year were instrumental in propelling them to the club’s first national title. As m’colleague observes, however, neither side’s bowling, in conditions which have largely favoured the batters, has been equally effective; injuries and national team demands have played their part in this, no doubt, but both will be looking for more cutting edge from here on in. The same factors have deprived both captains of a settled eleven, but these are clubs with proud recent records, and too much quality to be struggling for long.

BdJ: At the bottom end of the table, Sparta 1888 versus VOC Rotterdam looks pretty do-or-die, with the loser surely favourites for relegation even at this early stage. Both clubs are coming off heavy losses again, admittedly against the two leading sides in the competition, though of the two defeats VOC’s failure to capitalise on bowling out Hermes for just 140 must have stung rather more. Sparta’s attack got taken to pieces by the Kampong top order last week, but the same is true of most of the teams that have come up against the newly-promoted title contenders. While nobody’s beaten Hermes yet this season, VOC were arguably in a better position to do so than anyone has been, before collapsing in a heap in the face of the sky blue spinners. While it’s fair to say that Sparta have been repeatedly bested and at times clearly outclassed this season, they have rarely rolled over in the way the Bloodhounds have.

RL: VOC have shown signs in their last two games of more spirit than they mustered at the start of the season, albeit in flashes rather than across a whole game. Roman Harhangi has bowled some fine spells, and has deserved greater reward than the six wickets he’s picked up so far. Brothers Arnav and Aaditt Jain and Siebe van Wingerden, the latter getting a prolonged run in the first team, also form part of a promising bowling unit, but they need more support from a batting unit which has too often tended to be more a procession than a line-up. In Kyle Klesse Sparta have a batter who has proved to be encouragingly difficult to dislodge, but he’s spent too much time standing alone against a surge of wickets at the other end. With only three half-century partnerships in five matches Sparta could do with a lot more stickability at the crease, but then, VOC have managed no more, and they owe much to transient Danish international Monty Singh. In current form, both clubs can anticipate Hoofdklasse cricket next season, but a few victories could change all that, and barring a tie or lots of rain one of them will leave the Bermweg having doubled their haul of points.

BdJ’s picks: Excelsior, Kampong, VRA, Punjab, Sparta
RL’s picks: Hermes, Kampong, VRA, Voorburg, Sparta.

Hermes stay unbeaten as Kampong maintain their challenge

Rod Lyall 18/05/25

Hermes’ hopes of securing their first Dutch men’s championship since 1946 survived a couple of major scares against VOC Rotterdam at the Hazelaarweg on Saturday, but in the end they successfully defended a meagre total of 140 and won by 49 runs.

The Sky Blues’ unbeaten record appeared to be in serious jeopardy when, after they had elected to bat first, brothers Arnav and Aaditt Jain and Roman Harhangi had reduced them to 45 for four in the space of a dozen overs.

Veteran Nick Statham and Olivier Elenbaas doubled the score before Statham fell to Jason van der Meulen for 26, and then Elenbaas shared another useful stand with Sahil Kothari which took the total to 134 before Arnav Jain returned to removed him for 34.

His departure signalled a rapid end to the Hermes innings, Jain picking up two more wickets to finish with four for 22 as the leaders were all out in 42.3 overs.

Scott Janett and Pieter Recordon launched the VOC reply with an opening stand of 35, but once Aryan Dutt, back from international duty, had removed Recordon, left-arm spinner Kothari took over, and the home side slumped to 53 for seven in just seven more overs.

Skipper Tim de Kok put up some resistance with an 11-ball cameo of 21, but Kothari was irresistable, finishing with career-best figures of six for 23 as VOC were all out for 91.

Heading the pursuing pack, Kampong Utrecht were much less troubled in defeating Sparta 1888 by seven wickets, needing less than 20 overs to chase down the Spartans’ 187 for nine.

Like Hermes, Sparta suffered a top-order collapse, Kertan Nana and Shashank Kumar picking up two wickets apiece to leave the visitors on 27 for four inside the first eight overs, and it took a dogged knock of 74 from Kyle Klesse and a spirited last-wicket stand of 34 between Tim Ferguson and Joost-Martijn Snoep to get them to a total their bowlers had an outside chance of defending.

That hope was quickly snuffed out, however, as Damien van den Berg and Max O’Dowd raced to 83 in ten and a half overs before O’Dowd fell to Snoep for a 33-ball 38.

Van den Berg maintained the momentum with Lane Berry, making 52 from 40 deliveries, but it was Lachlan Bangs’ unbeaten 59 from 24 balls, with two fours and six sixes, which sped Kampong to their overwhelming victory, giving them a clear net run rate advantage over their rivals which may come in handy later in the season.

In the Amsterdamse Bos, meanwhile, VRA were finding that a total of 181 all out was more than enough to secure a win over mid-table rivals HCC.

Here it was the bowlers who were largely in control, Hidde Overdijk’s four for 44 instrumental in keeping VRA’s innings within bounds.

Returning internationals Vikram Singh and Teja Nidamanuru gave their side a promising start with 39 and 33 respectively, but once they had both gone the innings declined from 87 for three to 136 for seven, Oliver White and Josh Brown both collecting wickets to put the home side on the back foot.

The tail was able to get them up to 181, and after the new-ball pairing of Ben Fletcher and Peter Ruffell had removed HCC’s openers off-spinner Leon Turmaine took the crucial wickets of Boris Gorlee, White and Yash Patel to leave the Lions reeling on 36 for five.

There was effectively no way back from there, and although Brown made 35 and Mark Wolfe contributed an unbeaten 15, HCC were dismissed for 113, Turmaine finishing with four for 25.

Voorburg’s title challenge suffered another blow at Craeyenhout, where HBS posted 275 for seven and went on to win by 87 runs.

Wesley Barresi top-scored for the Crows with 71, but it was a fine all-round performance from returning international Kyle Klein which sealed his side’s victory.

First, he made an invaluable 53, coming in at 127 for four and departing at 244 for six, sharing vital stands with Barresi and then with Navjit Singh, who made an unbeaten, 29-ball 34 to see his side to their challenging total.

Voorburg were in with a real chance as Gavin Kaplan (62) and Noah Croes (66) were adding 85 for the fourth wicket, but once Benno Boddendijk had removed Kaplan, Klein, who had earlier dismissed fellow-international Michael Levitt, returned to remove first Croes and then, two balls later, Philippe Boissevain, and HBS were on the path to victory.

He finished with three for 23, and with Jayden Rossouw collecting three for 39 the Voorburg innings ended on 188.

The key relegation battle at Thurlede followed a superficially similar course, Punjab-Ghausia reaching 276 for seven and then dismissing home side Excelsior ‘20 for 244 to move a little closer to the middle of the table.

The pattern of the Punjab innings, though, was somewhat different: Jonathan Vandiar and Shoaib Minhas shared an opening stand of 110 before Jason Ralston bowled Vandiar for 58, and then leg-spinner Joost Kroesen removed Minhas for 93, adding the scalps of Musa Ahmad and Burhan Niaz as Punjab subsided from 172 for one to 208 for four.

Kroesen finished with three for 43, but Khurram Shahzad hit a brisk 26 not out to get his side up to the highest total of the day.

Sam Rahaley (60) and Roel Verhagen (65) responded with a first-wicket partnership of 108 when Excelsior replied, but although Raynard van Tonder made 72, sharing a stand of 56 for the fifth wicket with Luuk Kroesen, once the latter had gone he was unable to find sufficient support, and the innings ended 32 runs short.

Minhas was again Punjab’s main wicket-taker with three for 40.

The defeat leaves Excelsior level on points with Sparta and VOC at the foot of the table, while Punjab have improved their chances of staying clear of the dreaded eighth spot and an end-of-season play-off to avoid relegation.

Preview Round 5

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong 15/05/2025

If last week’s matches proved anything, it’s that predicting outcomes in the Topklasse is a mug’s game. But it also confirmed, in large part, that so far this season it’s much more fun being a batter than a bowler: with 11 centuries in the first 20 matches, compared with eleven in the whole of last season, and 13 totals in excess of 250, conditions have certainly favoured batting. With the good weather expected to extend into the weekend, that at least is a trend which might be expected to continue.

RL: Having broken their duck with a remarkable victory over Punjab, VOC Rotterdam now have to take on the current leaders, Hermes-DVS Schiedam. They will at least be at home at the Hazelaarweg, but that won’t be much of a bonus unless they can sort out the ills which continue to afflict their batting. Christiaan Oberholzer stood virtually alone against Punjab, and it was the bowlers, led by young Siebe van Wingerden and the rather less young Jelte Schoonheim, who manufactured the Bloodhounds’ surprise victory. Hermes, it is true, have some batting worries of their own, but with Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle-Calle in supreme form at the top of the order and Asad Zulfiqar contributing his first significant knock in the win against Kampong they have so far been able to rely on a solid start. The Sky Blues’ bowling has so far been their trump card, though, and VOC will need more than another virtuoso effort from Oberholzer if they are to double their points haul here.

BdJ: The only side to have taken ten wickets in each of their matches thus far, Hermes indeed owe their place at the top of the table primarily to their attack. Coming up against a VOC batting card that has looked inconsistent at best, one might predict with reasonable confidence that that streak is likely to survive another week. The Bloodhounds have shown increasing fight over the short season so far though, culminating in a surprise win over the defending champions, achieved without their lead scorer Monty Singh. The bowling remains a concern however, and while Hermes do have a longish tail if one can get through to it, their top order has not shown itself anywhere like as prone to collapse as Punjab’s did last week.

RL: Sparta 1888 similarly took their first points at home to VRA last Saturday, but they now face a difficult journey to meet second-placed Kampong Utrecht, who will presumably be back to full strength into the bargain. With 119 out of a total of 226 Lane Berry was another overseas batter who could have done with more support last week, and Kampong’s bowlers soon found that they were defending a sub-par score in the conditions at the Loopuyt Oval. For Sparta, though, 200 and a bit has so far been the limit of their batters’ success, and that is unlikely to be enough against a Kampong line-up which has twice passed 300. Sparta’s attack, on the other hand, has been pretty effective, and it will need to be to contain Kampong at Maarschalkerweerd. Alex Roy’s side remain serious title contenders, but they cannot afford to yield any more ground to Hermes, and will be determined to bounce back with a win.

BdJ: The pressure will be on Kampong to get full value out of their stacked batting line-up on the occasions that they can field it, and anything less than two points at home to Sparta will be a blow to their ambition to take the title on their first season back. Edwards and O’Dowd have both been in fine touch for the Dutch and will have had plenty of time in the middle at Utrecht, though after a week of ODIs a somewhat tired square may play into the hands of the Spartans and their wiley, pace-off approach with the ball. Two-hundred-and-some may prove a more challenging total than in past rounds, though Kampong would remain favourites to chase anything below 250-odd, and the more likely side to set something substantially higher.

RL: Another side who claimed the points against more fancied opposition last week, HBS likewise are rewarded with a tough assignment, a Voorburg outfit which will be welcoming back most of its international contingent. The Craeyenhout attack, though, will be strengthened by the return of Kyle Klein, while the batting received a big boost against HCC from Lehan Botha’s remarkable display of aggression. One of the more intriguing features of the campaign so far has been the success of Wesley Barresi as a new-ball-sharing off-spinner, with seven wickets for 99 in the two matches since Tayo Walbrugh started using him in that role. Whether he will continue in it with Klein back in the side may be moot, but the encounter between the Crows’ bowlers and Voorburg’s powerful batting line-up should be one of the most interesting aspects of the round.

BdJ: A big caveat there is that Voorburg’s returning international contingent won’t be quite what it was on departure, with Viv Kingma picking up a hamstring injury and Bas de Leede likely heading back to Durham. Yet despite the unheralded success of the Crows’ attack so far this season, they’ll have their work cut out containing Voorburg’s intimidating batting card. Conversely, HBS have looked worryingly dependent on Barresi and Walbrugh for runs thus far, and if they’re going to take the points on Saturday they’ll likely have to win them with the ball.

RL: The meeting of VRA Amsterdam and HCC in the Bos will definitely count as a four-pointer: defeats for both sides last week see them level on points mid-table, a win on Saturday keeping them in touch with the three leaders, another loss bringing them unpleasantly close to relegation territory. With Boris Gorlee in outstanding form with the bat, 303 runs having come in his last three innings, the Lions looked as if they were recovering well from an opening-day loss until they fell away against HBS, while VRA suffered as much as anybody from the absence of their internationals in the past two rounds. So everything points to a real tussle here, and Johan Smal and Patrick Gouge, whose effort with the bat against Sparta proved to be in vain, will welcome much greater support from a VRA line-up which at full strength looks to be as formidable as any in the competition against an HCC bowling unit which has conceded over 600 runs in its last two outings.

BdJ: The outcome at the Bos on Saturday does look like it will be the difference between a stutter and a stumble for the two sides. HCC have the benefit of a settled side unperturbed by the national selectors and the leading run-scorer in the league, even if the rest of the batting order’s returns have been comparatively modest. VRA’s three international have spent much of the ODI series on the sidelines for one reason or another, and though we understand Teja Nidamanuru is expected to be fully fit for Saturday, none of the three have had much game time of late. That said the HCC attack has failed to contain lesser batting sides than what VRA will be fielding on Saturday, and the hosts will feel that if they can neutralise Gorlee the two points will be there for the taking.

RL: Sharing an unenviable position among the bottom four, Excelsior ‘20 and Punjab-Ghausia will be in even greater need of a victory when they meet at Thurlede. The comparative failure of Punjab’s top order, which has been reduced to 60 for four, 67 for four, 62 for four and 30 for six in its four innings so far, is one of the Topklasse’s great enigmas this season, although the injury to Saqib Zulfiqar has undoubtedly not helped a side which otherwise had a pretty settled look. Some bowling unit, one feels, is going to suffer mightily when Punjab hit their straps, and Excelsior’s, so often its great strength, has proved comparatively toothless so far. One notable exception to that was the under-used leg-spinner Joost Kroesen, who almost brought his side back into the game when they appeared to be down and out against Voorburg. But last season’s spearhead, Jason Ralston, has just five wickets from his first four games, and Excelsior will need his cutting edge to be at its sharpest if they are to put Punjab under pressure again.

BdJ: As much as the travails of the top four, Punjab’s title defense has been hamstrung by the Zulfiqar-shaped hole in the bowling attack. One indeed suspects that the likes of Minhas, Riaz and Musa Ahmad will not remain runless for long, but the lack of penetration in the bowling attack is a real concern, and indeed Ahmad’s formerly part-time spin has been the chief source of wickets for the side this season. Coming up against Raynard van Tonder, Antum Naqvi and an in-form Stan van Troost, there’s a danger Punjab’s attenuated attack could be exposed in a big way.

RL’s picks: Hermes, Kampong, Voorburg, VRA, Punjab

BdJ’s picks: Hermes, Kampong, Voorburg, VRA, Excelsior

Hermes, still unbeaten, go top

Rod Lyall 11/05/25

In a remarkable day’s cricket on Saturday, Hermes-DVS Schiedam cruised to victory over Kampong Utrecht, becoming the only unbeaten side in the Topklasse, while three of the bottom four beat higher-ranked opponents to sharpen the battle to avoid relegation.

The round was all the more historic because for the first time in the 135 years of the Dutch competition, two hat-tricks were recorded in the top flight on the same day.

After they won the toss at the Loopuyt Oval and elected to bat, Kampong’s innings was held together by Australian overseas Lane Berry, whose 97-ball 119, with 12 fours and three sixes, saw them to 224 for seven before the last four wickets fell for the addition of just two runs.

Berry and Lorenzo Ingram both fell to Sahil Kothari, who claimed two for 21 in his eight overs, while Hikmatullah Jabarkhail cleaned up the tail to finish with three for 30.

Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle-Calle gave Hermes a great start with an opening stand of 125 in just 18 overs, and after Doyle fell for 72, caught by Pierre Jacod off the bowling of Alex Roy, Ostling continued in company with Asad Zulfiqar, ensuring a nine-wicket victory with ten and a half overs to spare. Ostling ended on 92 and Zulfiqar on 44.

If the top-of-the-table clash turned out to be a comfortable win, the four remaining matches were to varying degrees more hard-fought.

The most surprising was at the Zomercomplex, where VOC Rotterdam were seemingly down and out at the halfway point, having been dismissed for 164 by cross-town rivals Punjab-Ghausia in another disappointing effort with the bat.

That they reached that total was largely due to Christiaan Oberholzer, who came in at 2 for two in the third over and batted through to the end, making a dogged 85.

Of the rest of the side, Scott Janett and Siebe van Wingerden both contributed 22, but no-one else reached double figures, while for Punjab Mubashar Hussain celebrated his return to the first team with three for 24 and Musa Ahmad claimed three for 20.

Then, after Van Wingerden had removed both openers, Jelte Schoonheim ripped through Punjab’s middle order, removing Mohsin Riaz, Burhan Niaz and Sikander Zulfiqar to perform the first Toplasse hat-trick for three years and leave the defending champions reeling on 30 for six.

Muhammad Asif Gondal, also in the side for the first time this season, and Fawad Shinwari turned the ship around with a seventh-wicket partnership of 74, but when Aaditt Jain returned to remove Gondal for 34 it was left to Shinwari to try to assemble the remaining 61 runs in company with the tail.

He and Aaliyan Mahmood added another 28, but then Oberholzer trapped Shinwari in front for 52, and when Roman Harhangi began the final over eight were still required the last pair together.

They managed two of them, but then Mahmood attempted a leg-side scoop and stand-in keeper Tim de Kok, dropping back, took the catch which gave VOC their first victory of the season, by just five runs.

They remain at the foot of the table, however, since Sparta 1888, also winless after three games, beat VRA Amsterdam in an equally tense encounter at the Bermweg.

157 out of VRA’s total of 204 came from a single partnership, that for the third wicket between Patrick Gouge (69) and Johan Smal (86), after Ahsan Malik had reduced the Amsterdammers to 4 for two, and after Juandre Scheepers dismissed Smal and Malik removed Gouge in the next over the innings again fell away, only Adam Constant (18) able to reach double figures.

Malik’s three for 36 was matched by Scheepers’ four for 33, while Joost-Martijn Snoep maintained the pressure in the middle overs, his ten overs conceding only 23.

Sparta battled to achieve what was a fairly challenging target in the Bermweg conditions, but Kyle Klesse’s unbeaten 75 saw them home by four wickets with ten deliveries to spare, Khalid Ahmadi chipping in with a 27-ball 38 which got his side back in touch with the required rate and took them to within five runs of victory.

The tightening in the middle of the table was furthered by the victory of HBS Craeyenhout over <b.HCC at De Diepput, which was transformed by a 177-run stand for the fourth wicket between Tayo Walbrugh and Lehan Botha, and more particularly by the latter’s devastating 90-ball knock of 119, which included eight fours and as many sixes.

At 56 for three after 20 overs HBS were toiling somewhat, but then Botha unleashed a formidable attack, reaching 50 from 49 deliveries and needing only another 29 balls to go to three figures,

Walbrugh was more restrained at the other end, but he batted to the end for an unbeaten 93, sharing a stand of 57 with Navjit Singh (27) along the way and enabling his side to reach 285 for seven, the day’s highest total.

Having chased down 327 last Monday HCC began confidently enough, Tonny Staal and Boris Gorlee putting on 100 for the second wicket in just twelve overs, but once Staal fell for 37 and Benno Boddendijk removed Gorlee for 79, the innings lost some of its momentum.

At 209 for five they were still in with a chance, but then Wesley Barresi came back to claim three wickets with his off-breaks, ending with four for 56, and the final wicket fell at 233, giving HBS a 52-run victory.

At Westvliet, Voorburg were seemingly cruising to the win as they chased Excelsior ‘20’s 255 all out, but then leg-spinner Joost Kroesen took a hand, trapping centurion Gavin Kaplan, Nirav Kulkarni and Tom de Leede LBW with successive deliveries to post the day’s second hat-trick.

An opening stand of 168 between Cedric de Lange (68) and Kaplan had set up a Voorburg win, and when Kaplan reached his first hundred of the season and his fifth for the club it appeared to be as good as over.

Kroesen’s triple coup, however, which became four when he bowled the veteran Usman Malik, gave Voorburg a few nervous moments before Udit Nashier and Patrick Charumbira knocked off the remaining runs with two and a half overs to spare.

Kroesen, who only bowled a total of 11 overs in the past two seasons, finished with four for 41, but his intervention came too late to save his side.

Earlier, Antum Naqvi had hit his maiden Topklasse century, his 121 the key to Excelsior’s competitive total, assisted by Jason Ralston in a crucial ninth-wicket partnership of 59; Mees van Vliet (three for 49) and Charumbira (three for 35) had done much of the damage for Voorburg.

Preview Round 4

Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall 09/05/25

Just two weeks in and yet it already feels like the Dutch cricket season is in full swing, the international summer underway at VRA and the Topklasse entering round four, the table taking on a not entirely unexpected shape despite a few early surprises.

BdJ: At the top end of the table the two unbeaten sides, Hermes DVS and Kampong are set for a showdown at the Loopuyt Oval, with the clear pole position at stake. Thus far Hermes have been finding ways to win off the back of scores around the 200-mark, but that’s unlikely to be enough against a Kampong side that’s racked up two 300+ scores and a chase of 92 in ten overs already. Even with Edwards and O’Dowd still on international duty, Kampong’s new overseas trio of Lane Berry, Lachlan Bangs and Lorenzo Ingram have been delivering runs in abundance for their new side, while Daniel Doyle-Calle is the only Hermes bat to have passed 100 runs already, despite only playing two games. He’ll be hoping for a little more support from the rest of the line-up, and despite three impressive showings from the Hermes attack you’d have to say they start as underdogs at home.

RL: Hermes’ bowlers have done the job for them so far, but this will undoubtedly be the stiffest test they have faced. With nine wickets at an average of 8.00, new boy Hikmatullah Jabarkhail has been their trump card so far, and even without the injured Olivier Elenbaas the pace attack has been consistently effective as well. But whether they have the collective fire-power to contain Kampong’s batting is doubtful, although they will establish themselves as serious title contenders if they succeed. On the other side of the equation, Pierre Jacod shares the top of the wicket-taking table with Jabarkhail, and the achievements of the batters has perhaps obscured just how well the Kampong bowlers have been doing. The newly-promoted side doesn’t have an obvious weakness, even when it’s two internationals short, and it does seem likely that they will be on their own at the top of the tree by Saturday evening.

BdJ: Third-placed VRA, currently hosting the ongoing CWC League 2 ODI series at Amstelveen, are consequently on the road again come Saturday facing a tricky trip to Bermweg to take on the Sparta 1888, the latter still looking for their first win but having shown some fight in at least two of their three defeats. The Spartans managed to find early wickets against both Voorburg and HBS, even if the sub-250 totals they were defending proved inadequate in the end. VRA’s batting looks somewhat brittle in the absence of internationals Singh, Nidamanuru and Ahmad, who will all be on duty with the Dutch on Saturday, collapsing to 116 all out in pursuit of a similar sort of total against Hermes on Monday. They’ll look to deputy skipper Johan Smal to rally the somewhat ad-hoc squad assembled in the internationals’ absence, and to anchor a batting line-up that does not lack for depth on paper, but failed to deliver on Monday.

RL: We’re at the point already where the top of the mid-table threatens to detach itself from the bottom, and all the remaining games on Saturday pit teams from third to sixth against those whose main priority is to steer well clear of the perilous eighth place and the automatic relegation spots below it. Conversely, dropping points at this stage would put a big dent in their opponents’ goal of keeping pace with the leaders. So there will be a great deal to play for at the Bermweg, and Joost-Martijn Snoep will be hoping that he and his new-ball partner Ahsan Malik can put VRA’s top order under pressure. He will also, no doubt, be looking to Lukas Boorer and Kyle Klesse to deliver with the bat, but the visitors’ seam unit of Ben Fletcher, Peter Ruffell and Ashir Abid is one part of their set-up which is not affected by the national team’s commitments, and it, along with the batting of Smal, could be the key to the side’s hopes of staying in the hunt for the title they just missed out on last year.

BdJ: In fourth place, the much-fancied Voorburg welcome the less heralded Excelsior ‘20 to Westvliet, and while even just a week ago it would hard to imagine dubbing this a tough game to call, the form of Excelsior’s batting line-up combined with HCC dismantling the Voorburg attack on Monday has put a rather different shine on things. With young Stan van Troost having amassed 200 runs in his last 2 innings and new overseas Raynard van Tonder also averaging over 50, the Schiedammers’ batting suddenly looks like a strength rather than a liability. Last season’s lead wicket-taking Jason Ralston hasn’t quite found his rhythm yet, but if he and newcomer Antum Naqvi hit their stride one might imagine Excelsior challenging the top of the table. VCC also have two bats in the current top five though, with Gavin Kaplan continuing where he left off last season and young Cedric de Lange also stiking his maiden Topklasse ton last week. It was in the bowling department where Voorburg looked to be most lacking, missing their spearhead in Viv Kingma owing to Dutch duties. They will look to Mees van Vliet and Tom de Leede to shoulder more responsibility, and of course that the wrist spin of Hatzoglou and de Lange finds more purchase back on home turf.

RL: Hatzoglou going wicketless last seek after he had mesmerised VOC the week before was possibly a decisive factor in HCC’s victory, and Kaplan will be hoping that he can tame an Excelsior batting line-up which, as m’colleague observes, has the potential to steer the side well away from the danger area, and conceivably into a place among the leaders. Van Tonder’s near-century last Saturday was a courageous effort, and with allrounder Naqvi yet to show what he can do with the bat, the Schiedammers have the equipment to make opposing bowlers suffer. Voorburg, of course, have plenty of batting of their own, even without Michael Levitt, Bas de Leede and Noah Croes, and with Carl Mumba slotting into the middle order alongside Henry Melville they will represent a considerable threat to an Excelsior attack which is not yet firing on all cylinders.

BdJ: Meanwhile De Diepput will be gearing up for the Hague derby as HCC take on old rivals HBS Craeyenhout. Having just flogged VCC for 328 runs with time to spare on the same ground last week, the HCC bats will already be casting a predatory eye over a Kyle Klein-less HBS attack. HCC skipper Boris Gorlee currently leads the season run aggregates, but after a shambolic season opener practically the whole top order got runs under their belt last weekend. HBS meanwhile have needed former skipper Wes Barresi to try to hold the batting together, with mixed results. He dragged them to their first win of the season over Sparta last week, but the Crows will want more from the top of the order on Saturday

RL: Untroubled by the Dutch selectors and clearly starting to bring it all together with Gorlee leading from the front, HCC showed great resilience in chasing down a 300-plus target last Saturday, and they will be supremely confident against an HBS side whose season so far has gone in fits and starts. Talismanic captain Tayo Walbrugh has got starts without yet playing a really decisive innings, while with two runs from three knocks Lehan Botha has had a nightmare start to his campaign. Walbrugh’s decision to rely so heavily on spin paid off against Sparta, and it will be interesting to see whether he adopts the same policy, especially the tactic of opening with Barresi as well as Jayden Rossouw, against the Lions’ much more menacing line-up on a ground which offers plenty of rewards for hard hitters.

BdJ: Finally 2024 champions Punjab-Ghausia will be looking to get their title defence back on track when they welcome the winless, hapless VOC Rotterdam to the Zomercomplex, and could hardly ask for a less taxing assignment. While Punjab suffered two defeats in three days, the batting collapsing against VRA and then the bowling dismantled by Kampong, their opponents have not looked close to getting a win all season. While the VOC batting efforts have improved somewhat from the opening 86 all out, Danish international Monty Singh the stand-out, the Bloodhounds’ bowling attack has now twice given up 320+ scores, collectively averaging 57 with the ball and giving up some 6.7 runs per over. While neither side has had the start to the season that they’d have hoped for, Punjab do look the likelier of the two to turn things around.

RL: The statistics for VOC do indeed look bleak, but they are a fair reflection of their performances on the park so far. Punjab have the great advantage of being a settled team with an outstanding record, while the Bloodhounds have yet to cohere around their three new overseas, of whom the confusingly-named Singh a.k.a. TS Bharaj has been the most convincing; if VOC are to get away from the bottom of the table they will need Scott Janett and Christiaan Oberholzer to play much more significant roles than they have been able to do in the first three games. Their opponents have potential match-winners with both bat and ball, Mohsin Riaz, Saqib and Sikander Zulfiqar, Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas all proven forces, with the evergreen Suleiman Tariq always guaranteed to wheel away to great effect in the opening powerplay. It would take a dramatic reversal of form here for VOC to leave the Zomercomplex with the points.

BdJ’s picks: Kampong, VRA, Voorburg, HCC, Punjab

RL’s picks: Kampong, VRA, Voorburg, HCC, Punjab.

And then there were two . . .

Rod Lyall 06/05/2025

It was by any standards a remarkable day’s cricket on Monday, as more than 2500 runs were scored across the five Liberation Day matches, with no fewer than 17 partnerships of 50 or more, three of them extending into three figures.

The bowlers, correspondingly, collectively had a day to forget: they went for over five an over, each wicket costing them an average of almost 34 runs.

The most remarkable runfest came at De Diepput, where HCC saw Voorburg run up 327 for seven, their second triple-century total in succession but, undaunted, chased that massive target down with 15 deliveries to spare.

The match featured two splendid centuries by Dutch-produced batters: Cedric de Lange, opening in the absence of Michael Levitt on national team duty, batted almost throughout the Voorburg innings to post a 122-ball 104, but he was more than matched by HCC captain Boris Gorlee, who followed up his 102 against Sparta on Saturday with an even more decisive 122.

He, too, batted almost to the end, falling to his old clubmate Patrick Charumbira when only two more runs were required for victory.

Supporting roles in Voorburg’s innings were played by three of the side’s four overseas, with Peter Hatzoglou hammering a 38-ball 59, Gavin Kaplan making 46 and Henry Melville 42, while Josh Brown took advantage of his opponents’ quest for quick runs at the death to finish with four for 76.

Tom de Leede removed both openers when HCC replied, Tonny Staal having smacked a 28-ball 46 to get them going, but then Gorlee took over, sharing a 95-run stand for the fourth wicket with Oliver White (39), and then an equally valuable partnership of 89 with Hidde Overdijk (38).

Yash Patel joined him for what was almost the winning stand, and there was time for him to reach his half-century before HCC completed the win.

Kampong matched Voorburg’s effort by running up 320 for six against Punjab-Ghausia at Maarschalkerweerd, but they were able to retain their unbeaten record as they dismissed the defending champions for 243 and won by 77 runs.

Missing Max O’Dowd and Scott Edwards, the Utrecht side relied heavily on the mid-order engine-room of Lane Berry (53), Lachlan Bangs (85) and Lorenzo Ingram (68), although it was the locally-produced pair of Pierre Jacod and skipper Alex Roy who propelled the total past 300 with an unbroken stand of 56 in the final overs.

Roy then led the way in reducing Punjab to 62 for four, and even a blistering century from Jonathan Vandiar, whose 109 came from 93 balls and included no fewer than nine sixes, wasn’t enough to keep his side in the hunt.

It was Vandiar’s twelfth century and his fifth for Punjab, and while he and Sikander Zulfiqar were sharing a 128-run stand for the fifth wicket the champions were in with a chance, but once Ratha Alphonse had stumped Zulfiqar off Ingram’s bowling for 57 the writing was on the wall, and Roy picked up two more wickets to finish with five for 56, his second five-wicket haul in the top flight.

Kampong now share the lead with Hermes-DVS, who ended VRA Amsterdam’s unbeaten run at the Loopuyt Oval in the only game of the day in which the bowlers had the upper hand.

The Amsterdammers might have felt they had done well at the innings break, restricting Hermes to 219 for eight; Ben Fletcher, Peter Ruffell, Leon Turmaine and Darsh Abhinay all claimed two wickets, while Daniel Doyle-Calle was again the stand-out batter with a 75-ball 74.

Some of the limelight inevitably fell on Hermes veteran Nick Statham, who became only the second player in the 134-year history of the Dutch competition to play 500 matches in the top flight.

That resilience would have been welcome among the VRA batters, but without Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru and Shariz Ahmad the reply quickly fell apart, Ralph Elenbaas grabbing three early wickets and the rest of the bowlers working their way through the middle and lower order.

Opener Jack Cassidy made 27 and Abhinay showed some resistance before he was last out, but the side could only manage 116 as Hermes posted a 103-run victory.

At the other end of the table Excelsior ‘20 registered their first win of the season, their total of 320 for four proving enough to overcome VOC Rotterdam at the Hazelaarweg.

Batting with a hand injury he had sustained on Saturday, Raynard van Tonder was unfortunate to miss out on a maiden Topklasse century when he was bowled by Jelte Schoonheim for 97, but there was no such disappointment for Stan van Troost, whose 91-ball 107 not out was his first venture into three figures in the top flight.

He shared an unbroken stand of 120 with Sam Rahaley (43 not out) as Excelsior piled on the agony for VOC in the closing overs.

69 for three at one stage, the Bloodhounds put up a spirited battle, Monty Singh (87) and Arnav Jain (47) adding 129 for the fourth wicket, but the run rate was too great in the end, Antum Naqvi picking up three for 40 as VOC closed on 254 for nine.

Also winless after two rounds, HBS and Sparta 1888 duked it out at Craeyenhout, and it was the home side who eventually came out on top, Wesley Barresi’s 85 the key to their four-wicket victory.

Barresi had had an influential role with the ball as well, taking the new ball with fellow-spinner Jayden Rossouw and claiming three for 40; spinners bowled 34 of the 48 overs in Sparta’s innings, Tayo Walbrugh’s tactics paying off as the Capelle side were dismissed for 210.

Opener Jochem Steenbergen made 39 and Lukas Boorer top-scored with 51, but HBS maintained the pressure well to restrict their opponents to a relatively modest total.

The Crows were in early trouble at 57 for three, but Barresi steadied the ship in partnership first with Reece Mason and then with Sellin de Beer, and only five more runs were required when the former international was bowled by Juandre Scheepers.

Preview Round 3

Looking at Monday’s Liberation Day fixtures (for the uninitiated, Liberation Day is now a public holiday in the Netherlands once every five years) before Saturday’s second round is played makes prediction even more problematic than usual, especially since this time several clubs will be without their national team players. We knew from the outset that this year strength in depth would be a key factor in deciding the championship, and there will be a lot more evidence on that score by the time the dust settles on Monday evening. But we are where we are in several respects, so with all the usual caveats, here’s what we think.

RL: Whatever the results on Saturday, the clash between Kampong and Punjab-Ghausia at Maarschalkerweerd on Monday will be one of the key games of the season. Whether the Utrecht side will be able to maintain a challenge for the title in the absence of Edwards and O’Dowd is one of the big questions, and there could be no greater test of that issue than a game against the reigning champions, with or without their Zulfiqars. Here is a situation in which the acquisition of Lorenzo Ingram really comes into its own, but Lane Berry and Lachlan Bangs will also have a word or two to say in the matter, while Kampong also have plenty of home-grown talent, especially with the ball, Pierre Jacod having again proved his worth in the opening demolition of VOC. But Punjab’s all-round strength remains undoubted, and they will be out to demonstrate it to the full against the new kids on the block.

BdJ: Having strategically delayed my own contribution to this dialogue by a day, I’ve the benefit of hindsight looking back on the ambush sprung on Punjab in their own back yard by VRA yesterday, the defending champions proving bafflingly brittle despite the addition of Jonathan Vandiar. With Saqib Zulfiqar’s hamstring keeping him sidelined the batting depth isn’t quite what it might be, but one suspects Saturday’s performance was something of an aberration. Kampong, conversely, looked imperious with the bat against Excelsior, and indeed even without Edwards and O’Dowd one could argue that they remain a batting-heavy side. One would expect Punjab to revert to something closer to their altogether less embarrassing mean with the bat tomorrow of course, so all told a tough game to call, but you’d have to go with Kampong on form.

RL: VRA will travel to Schiedam without three of their regulars in skipper Teja Nidamanuru, opener Vikram Singh and spinner Shariz Ahmad, while hosts Hermes-DVS will have to manage without allrounder Aryan Dutt. But the Amsterdammers, whose Second XI is playing in the Hoofdklasse this season, have plenty of back-up, and with Johan Smal able to resume the captaincy they are probably as well fitted as anyone to cope with the depletion. If both sides have won on Saturday whoever takes the points here will retain an unbeaten record and have at least a share of the lead on the table, so there will be plenty on the line at the Loopuyt. Keen to build on their extremely promising return to the top flight last year, Hermes have a canny captain in Sebastiaan Braat, a competent, well-balanced attack, and a couple of explosive openers, but their main concern will be to ensure that their middle order comes to the party more consistently. Led by Ben Fletcher and Peter Ruffell, with Ashir Abid as first change, VRA’s attack is sharp enough to make that difficult, and Hermes will need to be at their best to take the points here.

BdJ: Coming off two wins, the most recent the closest thing to a hard-fought victory we’ve seen this season, Hermes may prove a sterner challenge than the cruising VRA have faced thus far. The Amsterdammers have the depth to shrug off the loss of three internationals in the bowling department at least, especially with Ben Fletcher expected to return to the fray, though without the trio lost to Oranje the batting does look rather dependent on Smal and the new overseas bats Cassidy and Gouge. How the three weather the trial by spin and pace-off seam from the likes of Kothari, Jabarkhail and Braat that awaits them at ‘t Loopuyt, together with the question of who if any amongst the VRA attack can contain or remove Daniel Doyle-Calle, will likely decide who takes the points from this one.

RL: Voorburg provide more players than any other to the Dutch squad, so they will really need to draw on their reserves when they make the short journey to De Diepput to take on HCC. Given, though, that those ‘reserves’ include former HCC seamer Patrick Charumbira and his fellow-Zimbabwean Carl Mumba, and that they will still have Mees van Vliet to take the new ball and Gavin Kaplan’s allround skills (as well as stand-in captaincy), they will make that journey in good heart. Untroubled by national team call-ups, the Lions will nevertheless have a great opportunity to show that they belong at the upper end of the table rather than the lower. HCC’s overseas Oliver White had a couple of games with Voorburg last season after Kaplan had departed, so like Charumbira he will be taking on former teammates, but the key to the home side’s chances of success will likely be how their home-grown batters cope against Voorburg’s well-balanced attack. They will certainly need to do a lot better than they managed last time they occupied the crease at De Diepput.

BdJ: While some teams prefer to rely on a pipe-line of youth players, others source reinforcements from overseas, and other still pull in talent from rival Dutch clubs, Voorburg persist with the sly tactic of just doing all of those things at once. The loss of Croes, Levitt, de Leede and Kingma consequently doesn’t hit quite as hard at VCC, who can call upon an unrivalled bench strength to compensate. HCC at de Diepput remains a tricky proposition however, and the Lions looked a massively improved outfit yesterday compared to their rather shambolic opening showing this season. The trusted trio of Staal, Overdijk and Gorlee will as ever be crucial to the hosts’ hopes, and there’s something to be said for a settled side on home turf, even when objectively outgunned.

RL: Having gone down fighting on day one, HBS and Sparta 1888 will both hope to show more of that resilience, with a better outcome, when they meet at Craeyenhout in another early-season showdown where getting away from the bottom three is the first priority. Although they will undoubtedly miss Kyle Klein from the attack, and possibly from the middle order, the Crows will otherwise be at full strength, and they have plenty of batting to give Sparta’s dogged attack a hard time. The Capelle side may tend to rely excessively on their overseas trio of Kyle Klesse, Lukas Boorer and Juandre Scheepers with the bat, but they do have a lower order which can chip in with valuable runs, and they may need them to do so against an HBS attack which has the likes of former skipper Ferdi Vink to call on in Klein’s absence. The home side, too, have a crop of promising youngsters coming through, as Elmar Boendermaker’s progress attests, so they have the luxury of choosing between the wiles of experience and the enthusiasm of youth.

BdJ: The Crows have racked up another fighting defeat since the above was written, while the Spartans’ efforts against HCC were rather less inspiring yesterday. That said, the HBS attack without Kyle Klein looks considerably less intimidating, while Sparta have been left entirely unscathed by the national selectors. Ahsan Malik’s return to regular competition has been a particular blessing, looking every bit as canny as back when he too was a regular in Orange. The Cappelle side have said they were sanguine about the possibility of relegation, but will doubtless be alert to the fact that a win over the winless Crows could put distance between them and the prospect.

RL: More than any other, reading this match depends greatly on what happens on Saturday: which of home side VOC and visitors Excelsior ‘20 has started to come back from their catastrophic start to the season? With Raynard van Tonder, Antum Naqvi and Jason Ralston, Excelsior have a trio of overseas who should be able to win them a fair number of crucial matches, and few will be crucial-er than this one as the table starts to take shape. But the two sides share the problem of under-performing home-grown players, and while in Aaditt Jain and Roman Harhangi the Bloodhounds have two of the most promising seamers in the competition, it’s in games like this that they will need them to step up and prove their mettle. The Bloodhounds will also be looking once more for big contributions from Scott Janett and Christiaan Oberholzer, their new overseas, who will likely be instrumental in the side’s campaign to stay up.

BdJ: While both sides put up a somewhat improved showing with the bat in the process of being thoroughly beaten yesterday, VOC almost getting to within 130 runs of Voorburg’s total was entirely down to a single partnership between new overseas Scott Janett and Denmark’s Monty Singh, whereas Excelsior can take heart from encouraging innings from both Kroesens and especially Stan van Troost. If the three maintain that momentum, new arrival Antum Naqvi can recapture some of his recent form, and/or Raynard van Tonder can play through the pain of the hand injury he picked up yesterday, Excelsior would have the makings of a formidable batting line up. While the Schiedammers bowling has rather lacked a cutting edge so far this season, given the Bloodhounds batting so far one might say it’s a question of an eminently resistible force meeting an easily moveable object…

RL’s picks: Punjab, VRA, Voorburg, HBS, Excelsior.

BdJ’s picks: Kampong, VRA, Voorburg, HBS, Excelsior.

VRA demolish Punjab to go top

Rod Lyall 04/05/2025

The rematch of last year’s grand final turned out to be an anti-climax on Saturday, as VRA Amsterdam turned the tables on hosts and defending champions Punjab-Ghausia at the Zomercomplex, dismissing them for 111 and racing to an eight-wicket victory.

The win propelled the 2025 runners-up to the top of the table on net run rate, but with three other sides also claiming a second victory there is plenty of competition for a clear lead in the race to the title.

It was VRA’s new pace-bowling overseas player Peter Ruffell who started the rout, removing the dangerous Shoaib Minhas in the third over of the game after Teja Nidamanuru had won the toss and put the home side in, and who then, when Punjab had negotiated their way to a precarious 107 for five, dismissed last week’s centurion, Mohsin Riaz for 35, starting a collapse which saw the last five wickets fall for the addition of just four runs.

Samir Butt (24) had given Riaz some support, but with Ruffell claiming three more wickets to finish with five for 19 and Vikram Singh chipping in with two for 3 from eight deliveries, the innings quickly subsided.

So quickly, in fact, that there was time for VRA to reach 49 for one by the scheduled lunch break, despite Sajjad Kamal removing Singh in the second over of the reply, and with Jack Cassidy and Johan Smal putting on 81 for the second wicket in 16 overs, the Amsterdammers needed only 19.5 overs to complete the win.

Smal eventually fell to Suleiman Tariq for 42, but Cassidy stayed to the end with 45 not out, Nidamanuru finishing it off with a boundary.

Promoted side Kampong Utrecht’s top five gave them a great start, taking them to 236 for three with 14 overs remaining against Excelsior ‘20 at Thurlede, but then a flurry of wickets in pursuit of a massive total saw them dismissed for 308 with eight deliveries remaining.

Max O’Dowd kicked off with a 25-ball 30 which included seven boundaries, his fellow-opener Damien van den Berg contributed an even brisker 26-ball 42, and then Lane Berry made a run-a-ball 38 before Scott Edwards and Lorenzo Ingram, the latter taking on his former team-mates, put on 86 for the fourth wicket.

Edwards eventually went for 59, having brought up his 3000th Topklasse run in the process, but Ingram posted 76 before falling in the quest for quick runs, the Excelsior new-ball pairing of Jason Ralston and Jens Blankestijn finishing with three for 45 and three for 68 respectively.

After last week’s capitulation against VRA the home supporters may have feared for the worst, but Excelsior put up a much better fight this time, Luuk Kroesen and Roel Verhagen posting a half-century opening stand and Stan van Troost then making a career-best 94, from 96 deliveries, as he anchored the rest of the reply.

The home side struggled to keep up with the required rate, however, and it was Kampong’s spinners who capitalised, Pierre Jacod claiming four for 62 and Ingram three for 40 as the innings ended on 267 for nine, Van Troost falling to Jacod just before the end.

Kampong’s total was surpassed by Voorburg at Westvliet, where the top order also produced an outstanding effort to see them to 328 for eight against VOC Rotterdam.

New signing Peter Hatzoglou got them off to a rollicking start with a 12-ball 23, Michael Levitt made 42 before he was brilliantly run out by Tim de Kok, and then Cedric de Lange’s 56 and Gavin Kaplan’s 70 took them to 239 for four in the 42nd over.

Kaplan’s departure was the cue for Bas de Leede, clearly relishing his brief return to the Topklasse, to inflict further punishment on the VOC attack, hitting six fours and three sixes in his 51-ball 83, taking his side past the 300-mark.

Scott Janett (83 from 94 deliveries) and Indian-born Danish international Taranjit Singh Bharaj (55 from 62) shared a solid third-wicket partnership of 129 for the visitors after Viv Kingma had grabbed two wickets in four balls, but Hatzoglou removed them both as he took six for 35, and then Cedric de Lange, one of four keepers in the Voorburg side, picked up the final two wickets for 5 runs with his off-breaks as VOC were all out for 197.

Hermes-DVS were the fourth side to make it two wins out of two, getting the better of HBS Craeyenhout in the most hard-fought match of the day.

Put in to bat at the Loopuyt Oval, Hermes owed their total of 195 for eight very largely to Spanish international Daniel Doyle-Calle, who came in at 48 for two and batted through to the end, finishing with an unbeaten, 93-ball 89.

He received a measure of support from Sebastiaan Braat and Sahil Kothari, but with Kyle Klein and Jayden Rossouw picking up three wickets apiece, for 26 and 45 respectively, and Julien de Mey contributing a wicketless but economical spell, Hermes finished well short of an imposing total.

It proved to be enough, however, for although HBS reached 91 for two in reply, Braat (four for 41) and Hikmatullah Jabarkhail (four for 35) ran through the middle and lower order, only Wesley Barresi standing firm with a dogged 57 not out.

39 were still needed from 44 deliveries when Jabarkhail removed Rossouw and brought last man Benno Boddendijk to the crease, and although he and Barresi added 25 of them, Braat finally had Boddendijk caught by Ralph Elenbaas and Hermes won by 13 runs.

At Sportpark Bermweg HCC bounced back from last week’s collapse against Hermes, and at one point seemed likely to join Voorburg and Kampong in the 300-plus club as they pummelled the Sparta 1888 attack.

Supported by 47 from Shirsak Banerjee, skipper Boris Gorlee led the way with a 105-ball 102 which included 11 fours and two sixes, but once Ahsan Malik returned to the attack to remove him the innings fell away, closing on 278 for nine.

But Sparta could not carry that fightback into their reply: Hidde Overdijk ripped the top off the innings with three for 7 in five overs, reducing the Spartans to 15 for four, and although Juandre Scheepers and Lukas Boorer put up some resistance, the home side were dismissed for 103, giving HCC a thumping 175-run victory.

Preview Round 2

Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong 01/05/25

Less than a week since the opening round it already feels like the season’s in full swing, the UAE and Scotland in town for the upcoming ODI tri-series and a double round of Topklasse games over the holiday weekend. The former will impact the latter in part of course, with the Dutch national side going into sequestration on Sunday and thus unavailable for round three, though Saturday’s games will be unaffected. The table’s about as starkly divided as it could be after just one round, with the opening round’s games ranging from the rather one-sided to total blow-outs. We’ll be hoping for some more even contests in the coming days, though only two of last week’s winners meet each other in round 2.

BdJ: Defending champion’s Punjab-Ghausia welcome 2024 runners-up VRA Amsterdam to the Zomercomplex for that match, the title-holders coming off the back of a five-wicket win over HBS. Punjab didn’t have it all their way last week, at one point finding themselves 60-4 chasing 239, but Mohsin Riaz’ accelerating 111 off 85 proved more than enough for the points in the end. They’ll be without Saqib Zulfiqar for the weekend however, and possibly longer depending on the severity of his hamstring injury. Sikander Zulfiqar is also understood to have picked up a niggle during his unbeaten 80 last week, while of course VRA will be at full strength for Saturday’s game. Their home win over Excelsior last weekend was altogether more convincing, only debutant Raynard van Tonder breaking double figures for the visitors as VRA sealed a clinical 168-run win. They’ll take particular heart from the form of deputy skipper Johan Smal, who looked the best bat on the park in round one and who, still a few months away from Dutch eligibility, will be key to VRA’s fortunes when the Dutch selectors come calling.

RL: This replay of last year’s grand final will tell us a lot about the state of both sides going into the new season. Injuries to the Zulfiqars and the departure of their brother Asad apart, Punjab are largely unchanged from the team which took the title, although the significance of the loss of Saqib and perhaps Sikander should not be underestimated. VRA, on the other hand, have changed nearly half their side, although it was the familiar figures of Singh, Smal and Nidamanuru who were the foundation of their round-topping total against Excelsior and Shariz who finished the Schiedammers off. It’s a reasonable expectation that both Punjab and VRA will be in the title-chasing mix again come the pointy end of the competition, and while it’s too early to talk about four-pointers, a win here could be enormously valuable later on, not least in psychological terms.

BdJ: Currently top of the table though (if only by way of net run rate), are recently re-promoted Kampong, who will be looking to make the most of Scott Edwards and Max O’Dowd’s abilities while they’re available. They travel to Thurlede to take on Excelsior come Saturday, and based on both sides’ early showings the visitors will be strong favourites. Excelsior seemed to still be in winter hibernation in the field against VRA last weekend, dropped catches and misfields punctuating the first innings with appalling regularity, and were little better with the bat. Van Tonder looks a solid signing, and with equally exciting acquisition Antum Naqvi expected to arrive this week they should be at full strength at least, but absent a substantially improved showing from the local contingent Excelsior look genuine relegation candidates this season.

RL: It was Kampong’s balanced attack which really took the eye last Sunday, and while VOC’s poor showing with the bat isn’t a great basis for judgement, Alex Roy’s side will be hoping to repeat the dose against an Excelsior line-up which suffered a similar collapse first time out. But by the same token, Lane Berry’s whirlwind innings to finish things off and generate that enviable NRR was an indication that Kampong’s top order is also not to be trifled with, with Max O’Dowd happy to play a secondary role and Scott Edwards and Lorenzo Ingram able to sit that one out. The Dutch management may be hoping that O’Dowd and Edwards get more time in the middle this Saturday, but doubtless Kampong would be happy with the points however they come. Excelsior need to bounce back fast, and the arrival of Naqvi should give Van Tonder some comfort and the batting a greater level of confidence. In the end, though, two swallows don’t make a summer, and as m’learned friend observes, the Schiedammers’ comparatively experienced locals, who only managed 15 runs between them against VRA, will need to give their overseas a lot more support if the side is to scramble its way to mid-table and safety.

BdJ: Having seen VOC Rotterdam collapse in a heap at Maarschalkerweerd last week Voorburg may well be looking forward to welcoming the Bloodhounds to Westvliet. Tim de Kok’s captain’s knock of 14 off 28 is the top score for his side thus far this season, and they will have to muster something more substantial if they’re to trouble their hosts for round two. The VOC bowlers hardly had a chance to give an account of themselves of course, and Arnav Jain at least has had a chance to get some overs under his belt with the Dutch A side this week, but he will also have witnessed the form of Voorburg quicks Viv Kingma and Mees van Vliet, the latter especially impressing against the Emiratis on Tuesday, while Michael Levitt looked in belligerent form with the bat. Add to that the presence of Bas de Leede in the country and on the Voorburg list, to say nothing of Gavin Kaplan and the astutely-poached Udit Nashier, and fair to say VOC have their work cut out for them come Saturday.

RL: Voorburg’s four national team members – including the now-exotic Bas de Leede – will be able to use this game as preparation for the League 2 fixtures to come, but for that to be a useful exercise VOC will need to put up a considerably greater fight than they did against a rampant Kampong last week. With Noah Croes and Levitt in ominous form and Gavin Kaplan likewise, the Bloodhounds’ attack will need a succession of early wickets to give their side a change, whether the Villagers are setting or chasing. On the other hand, Tom de Leede didn’t look out of place sharing the new ball with Kingma against Sparta, while Nashier and Levitt did a fine job in the middle overs against a batting side which fought every inch of the way. Like Kampong, Voorburg will want to extract maximum benefit from their cohort of internationals when they’re available, and VOC, like Excelsior, will need a much bigger contribution from their locally-produced batters, not to mention sizeable ones from their new overseas, Scott Janett and Christiaan Oberholzer. But an away win here would constitute the upset of the round, if not the season.

BdJ: Meanwhile Hermes DVS will be looking to keep the momentum going after an impressive opening win over HCC when they take on HBS Craeyenhout at the Loopuyt Oval. HBS made Punjab work for their win in round one, and while early talk of Heino Kuhn and Roelof van der Merwe both committing to the Crows for the season proved ill-founded, a cameo from the latter at least can’t be entirely ruled out on Saturday. He would be a welcome addition to an HBS attack that has looked somewhat innocuous, Kyle Klein excepted, while the batting also looks a tad top-heavy, needing a personal-best effort from young Elmar Boendermaker last week to get them past 200. Hermes conversely looked more than the sum of their parts last week, even without the injured Oli Elenbaas and star bat Daniel Doyle-Calle. The latter should be back in the country having missed the opener due to commitments with Spain, though Elenbaas’ fitness remains in doubt. Doyle-Calle may find he has to fight for his place at the top of the order after Aryan Dutt’s showing in the opener’s slot last week, though that does seem like one of those good problems to have for Hermes. The bowling attack did a number on HCC last week, and Sahil Kothari’s return brings some much-needed balance to the side. While the sky-blues currently lack a strike bowler of genuine international pedigree, they’re unlikely to send down many bad overs on Saturday.

RL: With half-centuries from Klein and Boendermaker I’d be inclined to say the Crows’ batting effort last week was, if anything, a little bottom-heavy, but there’s no question that it was something of a curate’s egg. The bowling, though, looked sharp until Riaz and Sikander took the game away from them, and the encounter between the new-ball attack of Botha and Kyle Klein and the Hermes top three of Dutt, Ash Ostling and Doyle-Calle (in whatever order they appear) should be one to relish. Beyond that, Hermes will be looking for more from the rest of their batting, which quietly subsided after a great start. Conversely, the contest between the Sky-blues’ attack and an HBS top order which has more class than it was able to display against Punjab – especially when the spinners took over – promises to be absorbing, and in Hikmatullah Jabarkhail Hermes may have picked up a serious match-winner. This has all the makings of the game of the round, with both sides knowing that this is the sort of match which could be crucial in the battle for a place in the top seven.

BdJ: Finally Sparta 1888 welcome HCC to Bermweg with both sides still looking for their first points, though one imagines the hosts will be happier with their efforts in their season opener than their guests. While the Spartans ultimately had no answer to Gavin Kaplan and Bas de Leede’s match-winning partnership last week, they did battle their way to the second-highest first innings total of the round in the face of VCC’s enviable bowling attack, with runs all down the order. They may fancy their chances against a demoralised and misfiring HCC side that looked like they had overdone the King’s Day celebrations last weekend, but it’s unlikely that the Haagse rock up quite as ragged for round two.

RL: This, too, could be the most competitive of the day, but for reasons neither side will welcome. Barring a tie, somebody’s going to remain on nul points, and even at this early stage that’s not somewhere you want to be. HCC will be especially keen to get their campaign back on track, and they can take some comfort from the fact that their bowlers fought back well after a shaky start against Hermes. Hidde Overdijk was more influential with the ball than he was for much of last season, and Oliver White and Josh Brown did enough to suggest they will be a force, with Henrico Venter slotting back in as well. But the batting was, frankly, terrible, and that will need to be fixed fast, initially against a Sparta outfit which features the cutting-edges of Ahsan Malik and Khalid Ahmadi alongside the equally experienced spin of Umar Baker and Manminder Singh. Tough one to call, but HCC can’t disappoint so greatly two weeks in a row. Can they?

BdJ’s picks: Punjab, Kampong, Voorburg, Hermes, Sparta.
RL’s picks: VRA, Kampong, Voorburg, Hermes, HCC.