| Round | 9 |
| Toss won by | Sparta I |
| Umpires | J Hilhorst – DJ Kalloe |
| Home Side | ACC I |
| Points Awarded | ACC I 0, Sparta I 2 |
| Batsman | Fieldsman | Bowler | Runs | Bls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH Frenz | c WE Bell | b D Muhammed | 100 | 128 | 9 | 0 |
| R Zulfiqar | c U Saleem | b TIM de Kok | 79 | 96 | 8 | 3 |
| AA Zulfiqar+ | st AF Buurman | b F Iqbal | 6 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| SM Zulfiqar* | c WE Bell | b D Muhammed | 30 | 35 | 2 | 1 |
| SA Zulfiqar | not out | 23 | 15 | 2 | 0 | |
| SR Rasool | b D Muhammed | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| MA Raza | b D Muhammed | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| DJ Botha | not out | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| A Kumar | dnb | |||||
| Ahmed Zulfiqar | dnb | |||||
| W Alim | dnb | |||||
| extras | (b0 lb3 w4 nb0) | 7 | ||||
| TOTAL | 6 wickets for | 254 |
| FOW |
|---|
| 1-140(R Zulfiqar) 2-162(AA Zulfiqar) 3-222(SM Zulfiqar) 4-222(RH Frenz) 5-234(SR Rasool) 6-234(MA Raza) |
| Bowler | Overs | Maid | Runs | Wkts | wd | nb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Bukhari | 9 | 1 | 41 | 0 | – | – |
| WE Bell | 7 | 0 | 44 | 0 | – | – |
| D Muhammed | 8 | 0 | 36 | 4 | – | – |
| JM Snoep | 3 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 1 | – |
| F Iqbal | 8 | 1 | 32 | 1 | – | – |
| MB Hoornweg | 4 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 3 | – |
| U Saleem | 8 | 0 | 30 | 0 | – | – |
| TIM de Kok | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | – | – |
| Batsman | Fieldsman | Bowler | Runs | Bls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CP Ambrose | b A Kumar | 1 | – | – | – | |
| F Iqbal | c SA Zulfiqar | b DJ Botha | 0 | – | – | – |
| TIM de Kok | b Ahmed Zulfiqar | 16 | – | – | – | |
| MA Pollard | b A Kumar | 108 | – | – | – | |
| M Bukhari | run out R Zulfiqar | 6 | – | – | – | |
| WE Bell | c SM Zulfiqar | b Ahmed Zulfiqar | 11 | – | – | – |
| AF Buurman+ | c R Zulfiqar | b MA Raza | 72 | – | – | – |
| JM Snoep* | run out | 13 | – | – | – | |
| D Muhammed | not out | 2 | – | – | – | |
| U Saleem | not out | 2 | – | – | – | |
| MB Hoornweg | dnb | |||||
| extras | (b7 lb5 w10 nb2) | 24 | ||||
| TOTAL | 8 wickets for | 255 |
| FOW |
|---|
| 1-1(CP Ambrose) 2-8(F Iqbal) 3-50(TIM de Kok) 4-66(M Bukhari) 5-101(WE Bell) 6-189(MA Pollard) 7-250(JM Snoep) 8-250(AF Buurman) |
| Bowler | Overs | Maid | Runs | Wkts | wd | nb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJ Botha | 10 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| A Kumar | 8 | 1 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| SA Zulfiqar | 10 | 1 | 43 | 0 | 2 | – |
| Ahmed Zulfiqar | 10 | 1 | 56 | 2 | 1 | – |
| MA Raza | 8 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 1 | – |
| SM Zulfiqar | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | – | – |
| W Alim | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | – | – |
Sparta move top as Excelsior lose to HBS
Rod Lyall 18/06/18
HBS Den Haag opened up the Topklasse competition and did their own chance of the title no harm with an impressive 99-run victory over Excelsior ‘20 at Thurlede on Saturday. With four teams within one defeat of each other at the top of the table, this season’s competition is developing into one of the most open for years.
After winning the toss Excelsior made early inroads into the HBS top order, the device of opening the bowling with Lorenzo Ingram again achieving its purpose of removing the menacing Tobias Visée before he was really into his stride.
But the champions’ progress was halted by a fine fourth-wicket partnership of 132 between Sharn Gomes, who achieved his fifth half-century of the season in making a solid 79, and Wesley Barresi, who stayed until the end and finished on 89.
Najvit Singh chipped in with a brisk 26 before being somewhat unfortunately run out by a direct hit from Tom Heggelman on the long on boundary when trying to get Barresi back on strike, and the innings closed on 252 for six.
Excelsior’s batsmen did better than they had against Sparta the previous week, but a combination of Barresi’s off-spin and the seam of Wessel Coster, Ferdi Vink and Berend Westdijk proved too effective, and they could only manage a disappointing 153. Barresi took three for 27, Westdijk cleaned up the tail to finish with three for 23, and there were two wickets apiece for Coster and Vink.
Notably, all ten Excelsior wickets fell to catches, of which Singh’s to remove Ingram and Barresi’s to account for James Hilditch were outstanding.
At Het Loopveld in Amstelveen, meanwhile, Sparta 1888 took advantage of Excelsior’s second defeat to move to the top of the table, but their victory over ACC was hard won. It gives Sparta a real chance of becoming the first newly-promoted team to win the championship since the introduction of automatic promotion in 1970.
Chasing ACC’s 254 for six, a total largely based on a 140-run opening stand between Richardt Frenz, whose 100 was his second successive century since taking over the role of opener, and Rehmat Zulfiqar (79), Sparta were in trouble at 101 for five.
Michael Pollard was still there, however, and his partnership of 88 with Atse Buurman brought their side back into the game. Pollard was eventually bowled by Aryan Kumar for 108, but Buurman continued to produce his best knock for many seasons, and by the time he was dismissed for 72 Sparta were on the brink of victory.
Dost Muhammad, who had earlier taken four for 36 in the ACC innings, and Usman Saleem made the five runs still needed, and Sparta won by two wickets with an over to spare.
There was a thrilling finish, too, a few kilometres away at Sportpark Drieburg, where home side Dosti United came within five runs of chasing down HCC’s total of 208 for eight.
Bryce Street was again amongst the runs for HCC, making a 98-ball 82, while Boris Gorlee contributed 29 and keeper Laurens Lagas 23 not out in the closing stages. Mohammad Hafeez was once more the most effective of Dosti’s bowlers with three for 30.
Skipper Vinoo Tewarie confirmed his return to form with 63 when Dosti replied, and his third-wicket stand of 81 with Rahil Ahmed (41) gave his side a real chance.
But once Tewarie was trapped in front by his opposite number Mark Jonkman it was left to Anees Davids to keep the chase going, but when he was last out for 51, made at almost a run a ball despite the regular loss of partners at the other end, the home side was still just short of their target.
Jonkman took three for 49 and Hidde Overdijk three for 33, but it was Street’s dismissal of Taruwar Kohli before he had scored which was perhaps the most decisive blow for HCC.
VOC Rotterdam maintained their challenge for the title with a three-wicket win over old rivals VRA Amsterdam in a tight match at the Hazelaarweg.
Despite another middle-order collapse by VRA after Ben Cooper (45) and Daan van Braak (31) had given them a decent start with an opening stand of 72, the visitors battled through to 211 for nine thanks to useful contributions by Leon Turmaine, Quirijn Gunning and Mitch Lees, and this looked as if it might be enough when VOC were reduced to 74 for four.
Then Scott Edwards joined Pieter Seelaar, and their partnership of 112 virtually ensured a VOC victory. Edwards was finally bowled by Peter Borren for 56, but only 26 were still needed, and although two more wickets fell quickly Seelaar was able to see his side home, finishing with an unbeaten 80 from 87 deliveries.
Turmaine took three for 39 in the losing cause.
At Hermes-DVS’s new ground at Sportpark Harga, pressed into service because Quick Haag’s ground has been dug up prior to being converted to an artificial surface, there was a game of bizarre contrasts in which Quick came out on top against relegation-threatened Punjab Rotterdam.
The highlight of Quick’s 197 for eight was a rapid 90 from Jay Bista, who completely dominated a third-wicket partnership of 106 with Stefan Ekelmans, of which his partner contributed only 19.
After Bista’s departure the Quick total was pushed towards respectability by the recalled Abhinav Gill (27) and Thijs van Schelven (28 not out), while for Punjab Ahsan Bamunusinghe had his best return with the ball with five for 31.
Punjab soon lost Awais Khan and Stef Myburgh to the bowling of Imran Khan when they replied, and thereafter the score crept upwards at a snail’s pace, despite a solid 46 from Berend Vorster.
Behind the rate, Punjab then started losing wickets as they tried to accelerate, Van Schelven picking up three for 34 as the innings closed on 144. This defeat leaves Punjab firmly anchored at the bottom of the table, below ACC and Quick.
Round 9 Preview
Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall 15/06/18
Already we’re closing in on the half-way stage of the season, and the table has to a fair extent sorted itself into title contenders and relegation candidates. Excelsior’s implosion against Sparta last week keeps a few more teams in the hunt than at a similar stage last season, but at the other end of the table Punjab look to be running away with the relegation race even without the aid of the points penalty that may or may not be coming their way.
BdJ: Two sides now barely in contention for either the title or the wooden spoon are the mid-tablers Dosti-United and HCC, who are set to meet at Drieburg tomorrow. Neither carry much momentum into the game having both gone winless in their last three matches after promising early season starts. Dosti’s fortunes have ridden largely on the performances of Taru Kohli with the bat and Mohammad Hafeez with the ball, the former looking rather out of sorts against VRA, yet despite struggling for his usual fluency he still managed to top-score with 58. It’s a safe bet that a return to familiar surroundings will be accompanied by a familiar looking score for the league’s leading run-scorer. HCC are still missing the runs of Jonathan Vandiar, but Mark Jonkman has yet to replicate his flying form from last year either. New overseas Bryce Street has stepped admirably into the breach with the bat, whilst Hidde Overdijk and Tonny Staal have also upped their games, but this remains a weaker HCC side than in years past. A test of bounce-backability for both sides at Drieburg then, though if the home crowd get behind them I’d make Dosti marginal favourites.
RL: Dosti United and HCC have both won three games, but HCC have lost twice more than their hosts over the first eight rounds. Both have been less than impressive in recent weeks, although the Hagenaars made a surprisingly good fist of chasing ACC’s 300 total last Saturday, Bryce Street having demonstrated something of his true quality in the process. Kohli’s half-century against VRA turned out to be insufficient to get his side to a more modest target, and Dosti’s dependence on his batting is starkly apparent, especially with Mohammad Hafeez not fully fit. After an outstanding start for HCC Staal’s last three innings have produced 8, 0 and 0, and he is undoubtedly due a score. But the HCC batting generally has been fragile, and unless the bowlers are able to account for Kohli (and the dangerous Davids), a Dosti win is on the cards.
BdJ: A little further up the table fourth-placed VRA head to Hazelaarweg to take one VOC Rotterdam, currently in third. A defeat for either could mean the end of their title hopes, especially if Excelsior replicate their run from last season or Sparta’s dream return season continues. For two sides with enviable batting line-ups the two have a strange habit of producing ugly, low-scoring scraps whenever they meet, and it may just come down to who wants it more on the day. VOC’s four Dutch internationals may have their minds elsewhere with two T20s against Scotland looming, but three of the four have been in fine form both for VOC and in Orange. Max O’Dowd is coming off the back of a match-winning knock against the Irish, and last week was in the runs both in the T20s and against Punjab. Fred Klaassen looks set to defend his title of leading wicket taker, whilst skipper Pieter Seelaar has plenty of recent runs and two international wins under his belt as he prepares to meet his mentor.
Peter Borren won’t be in charge for VRA of course, having passed the reigns to Emile van den Burg, but one suspects his influence will be key in galvanising and underperforming batting line-up and a bowling unit weakened by injury. On paper VOC head into the match as clear favourites on form, but the visitors have plenty to prove.
RL: The rivalry between VOC and VRA is one of the oldest in Dutch cricket, and the two clubs have had many memorable encounters over the years. This time they have both worked their way into the top half of the table, and as m’colleague observes, a win is vital for both if they are to maintain the challenge to the sides above them. VOC could even go top if Excelsior and Sparta both lost, while VRA would jump ahead of the Bloodhounds if they were to take the points. More of VOC’s key players are performing consistently at the moment than are their guests’, and that should give the home side the edge. If Borren is fit, however, he is capable of turning a game around very quickly, and it’s hard to believe that Eric Szwarczynski’s run of poor form will continue much longer.
BdJ: Equally crucial to the shape of the top of the table will be defending champions and frontrunners Excelsior ‘20’s clash with HBS Craeyenhout at Thurlede. With a remarkable battery of big guns at the top of the order, HBS have every chance of knocking over the title-holders, who will still be reeling from the ambush Sparta sprang on them at Bermweg last week. Toby Visée and Jaron Morgan especially look in dangerous form, with a partnership of 123 in 38(!) balls against Quick in the T20 last week underscoring their hitting abilities. Wesley Barresi’s knee niggle may keep him out of the side tomorrow, but HBS remain the most intimidating batting side in the competition, and Excelsior may need more than their usual discipline with the ball to contain them, especially if the pitch cooperates. Excelsior are of course top of the table for good reason, and the double failure of James Hilditch and Lorenzo Ingram last week remains something of an aberration, yet their ability to bounce back from defeat is rather untested, having rarely been called upon, and HBS are a tough side to regain your feet against.
RL: Whatever the defeat of Excelsior last week may have told us about (a) the brittleness of their batting, (b) the incisiveness of Sparta’s attack, or (c) conditions at Sportpark Bermweg, it is difficult to imagine that they will collapse so thoroughly for a second time in succession. The HBS threat comes more from the batting than the bowling, and no doubt Excelsior’s attack is better equipped to deal with that than Quick’s (or, for that matter, Dosti’s). Nor are HBS as formidable away from Craeyenhout. Still and all, this match should be a cracker, and it’s only Excelsior’s record of managing to win even when not playing at their best that leads me to plump for the home side.
BdJ: Meanwhile Excelsior’s conquerors last week, Sparta 1888, march on to Het Loopveld where they will take on an ACC side looking to turn around a poor start to the season. The Amsterdammers’ batting finally came together against HCC last week, with overseas Richardt Frenz knotching his first Topklasse century with support from Zulfiqars Rehmat and Sikander to take them to their first 300 total, but they face a Sparta attack at the top of their game, Dost Mohammad proving a fine partner for Mudassar Bukhari, and Warren Bell right back in the swing of things after his belated entrance to the season. ACC remain reliant on their top order for runs, with resistance rare after the Zulfiqars are done. Sparta are likewise rather top-heavy in their batting, but of the two attacks it is theirs that looks more likely to find early breakthroughs.
RL: Sparta 1888, having demolished the leaders, travel to Amstelveen to take on an ACC side which finally ran into decent batting form against HCC last week. If the seam quartet of Bell, Bukhari, Muhammed and Saleem bowl as well this week as they did against Excelsior ACC will find the going tough, and Het Loopveld is traditionally a ground which favours the bowlers. That said, ACC’s own attack has scarcely been a dominant force this season, and with Michael Pollard, Bell, Bukhari and Tim de Kok the visitors have a cluster of useful batsmen. ACC need to create some momentum if they are to move away from the danger zone, but Sparta are capable of making that extremely difficult for them.
BdJ: Finally at the bottom of the table Punjab Rotterdam take on their nearest wooden spoon rivals Quick Haag in what also looks a genuine four-pointer. With Quick’s home ground under renovation, the match has been relocated to Sportpark Harga. Quick will have neither home advantage nor much confidence heading into the game, having been bested twice by Hague rivals HBS last week (the latter match being the utter demolition at the hands of Visée and Morgan in the T20). Punjab’s recent record is little better, having followed their collapse in the face of VOC by losing to VCC in the T20. They will likely be bolstered by the return of Stef Myburgh however, the Netherlands opener allowed a run out to test his recovering ankle, and will be keen to prove his fitness. It’s questionable how much Myburgh will enjoy his return to Harga however, as things have changed rather since he last played for Hermes. The new turf wicket is still very much a work in progress we hear, and with the grass still bedding in (and thus uncut) in the outfield too, batting conditions will be less than ideal. That may of course serve to neutralise the threat of Quick’s Jay Bista as much as that of Myburgh, and with the conditions liable to play a major role in an already evenly-matched encounter, this looks a toss-up to me.
RL: Four-pointers at the bottom of the table can be a lot more decisive than those at the top, and for Quick Haag and Punjab this game will determine who finishes the first round of matches in relegation position – and possibly a good deal more than that. It’s only four years since Quick were champions, but retirements and transfers have taken their toll, while Punjab, too, are missing the key players who took them to fifth place last season. Quick’s efforts to rebuild from within their own resources have had only limited success so far, although Daan Vierling’s maiden Topklasse half-century against HBS is a sign of progress. Both teams, however, need their overseas players to have a more consistent impact than they have been able to achieve until now. If Myburgh is back in the side that will indeed provide a much-needed fillip for Punjab, but it’s another hard one to call. The toss may be crucial, but I’m going with Quick by a whisker for now.
BdJ’s tips: Punjab, Sparta, HBS, VRA, Dosti.
RL’s tips: Quick, Sparta, Excelsior, VOC, Dosti.
Scorecard | HCC vs ACC | 09.06.18
| Round | 8 |
| Toss won by | HCC I |
| Umpires | MA Din – R Kaulingfreks |
| Scorers | K Pattiselanno |
| Home Side | HCC I |
| Points Awarded | ACC I 2, HCC I 0 |
| Batsman | Fieldsman | Bowler | Runs | Bls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH Frenz | c MBS Jonkman | b HC Overdijk | 116 | – | – | – |
| R Zulfiqar | lbw | b BE Street | 67 | – | – | – |
| SM Zulfiqar* | c AJ Staal | b HC Overdijk | 80 | – | – | – |
| SA Zulfiqar | c R Ninan | b BE Street | 6 | – | – | – |
| AA Zulfiqar+ | run out | 0 | – | – | – | |
| SR Rasool | c R Ninan | b BE Street | 11 | – | – | – |
| MA Raza | not out | 4 | – | – | – | |
| DJ Botha | run out | 2 | – | – | – | |
| A Kumar | not out | 1 | – | – | – | |
| Ahmed Zulfiqar | dnb | |||||
| W Alim | dnb | |||||
| extras | (b0 lb1 w8 nb4) | 13 | ||||
| TOTAL | 7 wickets for | 300 |
| FOW |
|---|
| 1-105(R Zulfiqar) 2-248(SM Zulfiqar) 3-268(SA Zulfiqar) 4-269(AA Zulfiqar) 5-283(RH Frenz) 6-294(SR Rasool) 7-297(DJ Botha) |
| Bowler | Overs | Maid | Runs | Wkts | wd | nb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HC Overdijk | 10 | 0 | 64 | 2 | – | – |
| BE Street | 10 | 1 | 61 | 3 | – | – |
| R Ninan | 10 | 0 | 55 | 0 | – | – |
| FH de Lange | 8 | 2 | 48 | 0 | – | – |
| AA Qasim | 10 | 0 | 53 | 0 | – | – |
| TF Peters | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | – | – |
| Batsman | Fieldsman | Bowler | Runs | Bls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA Qasim | lbw | b SA Zulfiqar | 24 | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| R Ninan | lbw | b Ahmed Zulfiqar | 14 | 31 | 1 | 0 |
| AJ Staal | lbw | b Ahmed Zulfiqar | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| BE Street | run out | 102 | 102 | 4 | 3 | |
| BHG Gorlee | c SM Zulfiqar | b SA Zulfiqar | 13 | 27 | 1 | 0 |
| MBS Jonkman* | lbw | b SA Zulfiqar | 40 | 57 | 0 | 1 |
| DL Walhain | b MA Raza | 35 | 13 | 1 | 4 | |
| HC Overdijk | c DJ Botha | b SA Zulfiqar | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| LJF Lagas+ | run out | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | |
| FH de Lange | not out | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 | |
| TF Peters | c Ahmed Zulfiqar | b DJ Botha | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| extras | (b4 lb1 w12 nb1) | 18 | ||||
| TOTAL | 10 wickets for | 271 |
| FOW |
|---|
| 1-42(R Ninan) 2-42(AJ Staal) 3-42(AA Qasim) 4-73(BHG Gorlee) 5-195(MBS Jonkman) 6-240(DL Walhain) 7-242(BE Street) 8-250(HC Overdijk) 9-264(LJF Lagas) 10-271(BE Street) |
| Bowler | Overs | Maid | Runs | Wkts | wd | nb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJ Botha | 10 | 1 | 54 | 1 | 2 | – |
| A Kumar | 4 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ahmed Zulfiqar | 10 | 0 | 39 | 2 | – | – |
| SA Zulfiqar | 10 | 1 | 67 | 4 | 5 | – |
| MA Raza | 10 | 0 | 68 | 1 | 4 | – |
| SM Zulfiqar | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | – | – |
The race tightens as Sparta demolish Excelsior
Rod Lyall 11/06/18
Excelsior ‘20’s unbeaten record came to an end in a short-lived but spectacular fashion at Sportpark Bermweg on Saturday, when they crashed to 41 all out against Sparta 1888 and lost by nine wickets.
Concerns have been expressed about the Bermweg pitch, but Excelsior’s demise was attributable to an outstanding performance by the Sparta attack and some indifferent batting rather than to the physical conditions.
An opening was drilled through the top order by Mudassar Bukhari and Warren Bell after Joost Maarten Snoep had inserted the visitors, and within eleven overs Tim Etman, Sandip Shankar and, crucially, Lorenzo Ingram had all edged catches to keeper Atse Buurman, two off Bukhari and one off Bell, and the score was 23 for three.
Then Dost Muhammad took over from Bell, and in a remarkable eight-over spell he claimed five wickets for just 4 runs, completing the rout with good support from Usman Saleem and then from Bell, who returned to take his second victim. Two more catches for Buurman brought his tally to five for the innings.
No Excelsior batsman reached double figures, Joost Kroesen coming closest with 9, and Sparta then took just 9.1 overs to knock off the runs for the loss of Usman Ishfaq’s wicket, with Faisal Iqbal hitting three fours and a six in the space of half-a-dozen deliveries to bring the early conclusion.
The defeat still left Excelsior top of the table, just ahead of Sparta on points average, and it sets up an enthralling finish to the first round of the competition next weekend when the champions take on HBS Den Haag, who consolidated their position on Saturday with a 60-run victory over neighbours Quick Haag.
The HBS top order again ran riot at Craeyenhout, Tobias Visée’s 19-ball 43 getting them off to another flyer and Sharn Gomes (79), Wesley Barresi (77 not out) and Adil Ahmed (41 from 26 deliveries) seeing them through to 276 for five. Only Jaron Morgan missed out this time, making only a single.
Quick were soon in trouble at 42 for three, and although Lesley Stokkers (37) and Geert Maarten Mol (40) again gave some solidity to the middle order, Ahmed and Barresi completing excellent all-round performances, taking three for 53 and three for 30 respectively, and the innings closed on 216. Visée also completed a fine double, with two catches and two stumpings.
VOC and VRA both kept up their chase of the leaders with victories over Punjab and Dosti United.
VOC’s was the more comfortable, as they restricted Punjab to 147 for nine from their 50 overs, and then raced to a seven-wicket victory in just 19.5 overs.
Fred Klaassen and Pierce Fletcher again removed the top of the opposition’s batting, collecting two wickets apiece, and only a dogged, 122-ball 53 not out from Ashan Bamunusinghe brought the home side to anything like a respectable total.
Suleiman Tariq and Assad Saleemi then reduced VOC to 49 for three, but any hope Punjab might have had was quickly removed by Max O’Dowd and Pieter Seelaar, who put on 99 in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand which saw their side home. O’Dowd finished on 49 and Seelaar on 52, the latter made from only 40 deliveries.
In the Amsterdamse Bos, VRA battled their way to 217 in what proved to be the closest and most absorbing encounter of the day.
Most of the home side’s top order got a start, Ben Cooper top-scoring with 43, but with Anees Davids taking four for 32 and Asief Hoseinbaks and Mohammad Hafeez picking up two wickets apiece, no-one was able to go on to a really significant score.
Dosti made a good start to their reply despite the early loss of Vimal Tewarie, as an 88-run second-wicket partnership between Vinoo Tewarie and Taruwar Kohli took them into a reasonably srong position.
VRA skipper Emile van den Burg, hampered by an injury to Peter Borren after he had bowled only three deliveries, resorted to less regular bowlers, and it was Cooper who achieved the breakthrough, removing Tewarie for 42.
But Kohli was still there, and it was his dismissal, also by Cooper, with the total on 128, which decisively turned the match VRA’s way. Leon Turmaine picked up two wickets and Van den Burg himself achieved career-best figures of three for 31 as Dosti’s chase foundered, and the innings closed on 172 for nine. On a good day for wicketkeepers, VRA’s Mitch Lees claimed four catches behind the stumps.
At De Diepput, ACC enjoyed a reversal of fortunes as they secured a 29-run victory over HCC, making the highest total of the day with 300 for eight.
Promoting Richardt Frenz to opener worked like a charm, and the overseas player’s 117 gave the ACC top order the solidity it has so far lacked this season. Rehmat Zulfiqar made 66 in a century opening stand, and then skipper Saqib Zulfiqar contributed 80 before wickets started to tumble in the final overs.
Bryce Street also ran into top form when HCC replied, but his 102 was not quite enough, despite useful contributions from Mark Jonkman (40) and Douwe Walhain (35). At 187 for four with eleven overs left HCC had wickets in hand, but the asking rate had risen to ten an over, and this proved beyond the home side.
Sikander Zulfiqar’s four for 67, including the wicket of Jonkman, helped to turn the tide, and 30 were still needed off the final two overs when Street was run out and the innings ended on 271.
Round 8 Preview
Rod Lyall and Bertus de Jong 08/06/18
After the disruption caused by rescheduling and bad weather last weekend, the Topklasse programme returns to relative normality this week with five matches set to take place on Saturday, three of them in the form of local derbies.
RL: Top of the bill must be Sparta 1888’s clash with Excelsior ‘20 at Sportpark Bermweg. The advent of Warren Bell had an immediate impact in the Capelle side’s match against Quick Haag last Sunday, and he adds greater all-round depth to a team which has at times been a real threat to the established Topklasse order. Whether they can extend that challenge by inflicting Excelsior’s first defeat of the season is another question, and their key players will all need to fire if they are to have a realistic chance against the defending champions, who spent last Saturday gazing at a soggy Thurlede. Excelsior’s attack is steady at worst, and at times a good deal more menacing than that, and with proven matchwinners in Lorenzo Ingram and James Hilditch they will certainly start as favourites to extend their advantage at the top.
BdJ: Bell’s fashionably late entrance does indeed lend this Sparta side a more balanced look, and the menace of Bukhari on home turf shouldn’t be underestimated. The hosts will need a big innings from someone to put the defending champions under any sort of pressure, but in Bell, Pollard and indeed Bukhari they have players who can deliver just that. They remain clear underdogs against a disciplined and determined Exclesior however, and though Berweg itself has proven something of a leveller thus far, a home win would certainly surprise.
RL: After another slow start, VRA Amsterdam looked comfortable against HCC last Saturday, and will take on a Dosti United side which has, by contrast, begun to falter after winning three on the trot. The postponement of their game against Punjab has given Mohammad Hafeez another week to recover from his thigh strain, and Taruwar Kohli and Anees Davids may, for different reasons, relish the conditions in the Amsterdamse Bos. But it is doubtful whether Dosti have the depth in batting and bowling to counter VRA’s undoubted firepower with both bat and ball, and unless the two overseas players have another red-letter day it seems likely that the home side’s recovery will continue.
BdJ: Overseas pros have habitually chosen the Bos as the setting to go big in the past, perhaps revelling in the chance to play on one of the country’s better turf wickets, which in no small part accounts for VRA’s surprisingly poor home record in recent years. With Viv Kingma still on the sidelines VRA’s attack will have a job dealing with Dosti’s overseas Kohli and Davids, but even another big innings from the league’s leading runscorer may not be enough given the depth of VRA’s batting line up.
RL: This Rotterdam derby may not have the antiquity of some of the others in Dutch cricket, but having been twice dismissed for under 100 by their newly-promoted rivals VOC will be very keen to turn the table on their return to Het Zomercomplex. This season’s Punjab is certainly not as formidable as last year’s, while the Hazelaarweg squad has been very considerably strengthened, and with Scott Edwards and Corey Rutgers reinforcing Max O’Dowd, Dirk van Baren and Pieter Seelaar in the batting and Fred Klaassen and Pierce Fletcher adding a cutting edge to the seam attack, VOC should be closer to Excelsior than they in fact are. So this match offers them a double opportunity to emphasize their credentials, and it will be a major achievement if Punjab succeed in taking the points.
BdJ: For a side featuring four current internationals and Corey Rutgers VOC have rather underperformed so far this season, but it would indeed be a major surprise to see Punjab take points off them tomorrow. Though Ahsan Malik is unlikely to play owing to a finger injury, it’s fair to say that VOC will miss him less than Punjab miss Stef Myburgh, whose persisting ankle trouble will keep him out of the Dutch squad for the coming Tri-Series and tomorrow’s match. Though Punjab’s less-celebrated players have at times shown themselves capable of remarkable performances (young Assad Saleemin proving one of our better “players to watch” picks), it will take a more cohesive and indeed aggressive showing than we’ve seen in recent weeks to upset their Rotterdam rivals.
RL: A history is one thing encounters between neighbours HBS Den Haag and Quick Haag do not lack, and this game at Craeyenhout should be absorbing, Quick’s disappointing form so far this season notwithstanding. The home side missed an opportunity to follow up on their comprehensive win over Dosti at Hazelaarweg last Saturday, when the ground was judged too wet for their match to start, while Quick, playing on Sunday, were on the wrong end of a six-wicket victory by Sparta. There is little that suggests that Quick’s attack will be able to tame HBS’s imposing top order, which of course includes former Quick opener Wesley Barresi, and it may be up to the batsmen to buckle down and produce a more convincing effort than they have generally managed so far this season.
BdJ: HBS’ intimidating top order has not proved immune to collapse thus far, most notably against HCC, but it’s difficult to see them having as much trouble against a Quick attack that is in large part still finding its feet in the Topklasse. Though Stokkers and van Gigch produced a vintage performance against ACC, it should be noted it was far from chanceless, and HBS have not been as forgiving in the field as ACC were. Even Quick’s two overseas, Bista and Davey, have struggled for consistency since arriving in the Netherlands, and one suspects the visitors will need both to fire, and then some, if they are to take points back from Craeyenhout.
RL: Two wins ahead of ACC in the table, HCC have nevertheless lost their last two games, against Excelsior and then against VRA last week. Totals of 120 and 86 in those matches underline the fragility of their batting, and Tonny Staal will need more support if the Hagenaars are to rise above their current lower-mid-table position. But their opponents at De Diepput on Saturday had an even more wretched May, and opening-day win against HBS their only success so far. We grow tired of saying that the side is too dependent on its Zulfiqars, but – despite signs of progress by young Shirase Rasool and the undoubted promise of Aryan Kumar – that remains the case. In a normal season ACC would be starting to worry about the prospect of relegation, but this is far from being a normal season. Nevertheless, it would take a considerable reversal of fortune, and a larger contribution from the top oder, for ACC to take the points back to Amstelveen.
BdJ: Winless since their opening match against HBS, ACC will be desperate to turn things around at de Diepput come Saturday, and though their dependency on the Zulfiqars has indeed been mentioned, it also bears repeating that there are probably worse families to be counting on. With the tri-series looming both Saqib and Sikander will be keen to make their case for another senior cap or two, and one might hope a little sibling rivalry might inspire something from Asad or the oft-underestimated Rehmat. On form they nonetheless remain underdogs, and on the other side Hidde Overdijk and Tonny Staal will doubtless be keen to remind the selectors that there are young dutch prospects to be found outside of Amstelveen. Probably the toughest of the round’s games to call, so this is where I’ll part ways with the good professor and back ACC to double their points tally at de Diepput.
RL’s tips are: Excelsior, VRA, VOC, HBS, HCC.
BdJ’s tips are: Sparta, VRA, VOC, HBS, ACC.
Round 7 preview
Bertus de Jong & Rod Lyall 01/06/18
After a hectic start to the season the Topklasse is settling back to a more languid one-round-a-week schedule, but after the opening exchanges the table is already starting to take shape.
BdJ: Solidly in the middle of the pack are VRA Amsterdam who have bounced back from another poor start to win three of their last four games and move into fifth place. The Amstelveen side take on HCC at the Bos on Saturday, who are also on six points from six games. The Amsterdammers’ intimidating top order have yet to really fire on all cylinders, but they showed against Punjab last week they have enough depth to recover from early setbacks to post big scores. The sidelining of Viv Kingma has drawn some of the sting from their new ball attack though, and with his new-ball partner Quirijn Gunning struggling for rhythm a pre-season strength is beginning to look like a weakness.
Their opponents have looked no more consistent with the bat however, though Bryce Street has settled in well he is still no replacement for Jonathan Vandiar, and while Tonny Staal has grown into his role at number three the rest of the line-up remains brittle. The bowling attack similarly has relied on stand-out individual performances, most notably Ali Ahmed’s 8-36 against HBS, but none of them have performed consistently or as a unit. With neither team having really settled into the season yet one feels this one could go either way.
RL: In Peter Borren VRA have a seasoned matchwinner, whose six centuries in the top flight are five more than the entire HCC squad. Add to him Eric Szwarczynski, another former international, who has yet to produce his form of recent seasons, the explosive left-hander Ben Cooper, openers Daan ter Braak and 15-year-old Vikram Singh, and skipper Emile van den Burg, and you have a top six which ought to be the terror of every attack in the competition. Yet their performances hitherto have been inconsistent at best, while HCC’s bowling has been reasonably effective. It’s the Hagenaars’ batting, Staal apart, which gives rise to greater doubt, and with VRA’s bowlers performing more consistently than the batsmen, the home side start as clear favourites in my opinion.
BdJ: Meanwhile VOC Rotterdam host HBS Craeyenhout for what looks to me to be the headline act this round. HBS’ much-hyped top order arsenal finally laid down the barrage we’d been waiting for against the hapless Dosti last week, whilst VOC’s new-ball pair of Fred Klaassen and Pierce Fletcher laid waste to Sparta at Bermweg, setting up what promises to be an enthralling duel at Hazelaarweg. Inevitably the encounter will be something of a grudge match with former HBS-ers Fletcher and Corey Rutgers taking the field against their old club for the first time, though it remains to be seen whether the occasion will inspire the latter to break fifty runs for the first time this season.
Though it has been HBS’ batting and VOC’s bowling that has made headlines thus far in the season, it is VOC’s batting that may prove decisive. With a line-up packed with somewhat underperforming talent, VOC boast three Dutch internationals in addition to Rutgers, who averaged almost 50 last season, but only Scott Edwards is among the top 20 run-scorers this season. On paper this batting quality gives them a clear advantage come Saturday, but then games aren’t decided on paper.
RL: No question that this is the match of the round. It’s true that it was the HBS top six who pulverised Dosti last Saturday while it was the VOC attack – or the new-ball pairing plus two deliveries from Pieter Seelaar – which disposed of Sparta in short order. But the Craeyenhout side’s bowlers also played their part, and they are capable of providing a stern test for VOC’s yet-to-gel batting line-up. Whether the HBS batsmen will be as formidable on the Hazelaarweg turf as they were at home is an open question; but they managed to reach 200 in the Amsterdamse Bos a fortnight ago. Both sides have explosive batsmen, and the side which keeps its discipline under fire may well prove to be the winner. A tight call, but home advantage may be decisive.
BdJ: An equally intriguing match-up, albeit for rather different reasons, will be playing out at Nieuw Hanenburg where Quick Haag will take on Sparta 1888. Quick had been little short of abject thus far, barring an opening win against an undercooked VRA and a couple of productive trips to the crease from new overseas Jay Bista, whilst Sparta had surprised many with an impressive return to the top division.
Last week saw a remarkable reversal in the fortunes of both sides, when an outstanding partnership between Lesley Stokkers and Geert Mol ensured Quick took two points off an admittedly unimpressive ACC side at het Loopveld, while Sparta fell apart entirely against VOC. Which of the two results was an aberration and which a return to type is not immediately clear, though Saturday promises to give some indication.
The return of Quick skipper Jeroen Brand from footballing commitments is something of a boon for the hosts, and with all-rounder Imran Khan also back they will be approaching full strength. They still lack the firepower with the new ball that blew Sparta away last week however, and the Capelle club have already shown what they are capable of at this level.
RL: Sparta’s form has been pretty inconsistent so far, in part because of their dependence on a few key players. Quick’s consistency has largely been of the wrong kind, and they continue to miss the experience of Wesley Barresi and Henk-Jan Mol. But the momentum is with the Nieuw Hanenburg team after that escape against ACC, while Sparta will need to bounce back from that humiliating defeat by VOC. That will be a real test of character, and it is hard to assess how effectively Martijn Snoep will be able to rally his troops. Jay Bista is too good a player to struggle for long, and with Jeroen Brand back in the side Quick may continue to recover from their very poor start to the season.
BdJ: Likewise looking to put last week behind them will be Dosti United and Punjab Rotterdam, who were both on the receiving end of 300+ scores last week against HBS and VRA respectively. Of the two only Dosti showed any real fight in the chase, skipper Vinoo Tewarie building aggressive partnerships with Taruwar Kohli and Anees Davids before the scoreboard pressure brought the inevitable collapse, whilst Punjab were content to block their way out of the game early, batting out their overs to finish 93 short.
Had Kohli managed to replicate his remarkable form this season one feels Dosti might even have had a shot at the 357 target, though the fact that they conceded it in the first place underscores the vulnerability of their bowling, Hafeez aside. Punjab’s problems look to run deeper however, with the gap left by Minhas and Shahzad beginning to tell. Stef Myburgh’s absence does not help matters of course, as the injured Netherlands opener’s quick runs at the top of the order figured large in Punjab’s pre-season plans. Finding someone to fill that role, and someone to remove Kohli for a less than ruinous score, will be two necessary conditions for a Punjab win one feels.
RL: A big worry for Dosti will be the fitness of Mohammad Hafeez, who had to bowl off a couple of paces last week and who was evidently in pain from his thigh strain when batting. His contribution in both roles is crucial to the side, and while the Amsterdammers are much more effective at Sportpark Drieburg than they are away from home – and especially bowling first in the unique conditions at Craeyenhout – they will be much weakened if he is unable to play a full part against Punjab. But the Rotterdam side is going through a very tough time on and off the field, and it will take a huge effort from them if they are to prevail over a Dosti side which has the trump cards of Kohli and Davids.
BdJ: The round’s final match will be a table-spanning encounter between bottom-placed ACC and defending champions Excelsior ‘20, who are again undefeated thus far. The Amsterdammers’ woeful performance against Quick last week gives little cause to expect an upset, underscoring not only their reliance on the Zulfiqar clan but also their ability to go to pieces in the field. Though Dewald Botha’s display with the ball was encouraging, removing the veteran Bob van Gigch and the dangerous Bista in succession, ACC let an understrength Quick off the hook with a series of drops and blunders, of which Mol and Stokkers took clinical advantage.
They will not be able to afford such mishaps against Excelsior. Though the title-holders are not immune to dropping a few themselves, as the luckless James Hilditch knows all-too-well, it has been a combination of discipline and refusal to roll over as much as the runs provided by Hilditch and Lorenzo Ingram that has kept the Schiedammers’ winning record intact so far. With skipper Tom Heggelman bowling as well as ever and young Gijs Kroesen looking to have benefited markedly from a season in Australia, there are few weaknesses in the Excelsior attack. Though the threat posed by the Zulfiqar brothers should not be dismissed and ACC’s supporting cast is not as weak as scorecards may suggest, anything but an Excelsior victory would be the surprise of the round.
RL: Unbeaten in five games, Excelsior continue to overcome all challengers, and they have seen off stronger sides than the current ACC outfit already this season. With only Sikander of the four Zulfiqar brothers producing any consistency with the bat so far, and an attack which is short on experience and less than incisive, ACC will start as clear underdogs against a Thurlede side which has the knack of winning even when playing below its best. If winning is a habit, then Excelsior have it in spades, while ACC have lost five on the trot and last week saw a potential winning position turn into another defeat. Anything can happen in cricket, but it would be a bold tipster who predicted a defeat for Excelsior here.
BdJ’s Tips: VRA, VOC, Sparta, Dosti, Excelsior
RL’s Tips: VRA, VOC, Quick, Dosti, Excelsior
VOC move to second, but Excelsior march on
Rod Lyall 28/05/18
VOC Rotterdam jumped ahead of Sparta 1888 and into second place on the Topklasse table with a comprehensive demolition of their rivals at Sportpark Bermweg on Saturday.
With VOC’s new-ball attack of Fred Klaassen and Pierce Fletcher in rampant form, only Michael Pollard among the home batsmen was able to reach double figures, top-scoring with 19. There were no fewer than six ducks in the Sparta innings, as the Capelle side were dismissed for 49.
Klaassen and Fletcher bowled unchanged for twenty overs, finishing with five for 28 and three for 20 respectively. Then Pieter Seelaar came on himself, and two deliveries were sufficient, not only to claim the final two wickets but to take the VOC captain past 300 wickets in the top flight.
VOC needed just 38 deliveries to reach their target, losing two wickets in the process. Dirk van Baren made 22, while Corey Rutgers ended on an unbeaten 19.
At De Diepput meanwhile, Excelsior ‘20 strengthened their position at the top of the table with an 89-run victory over HCC.
It was slow going much of the time, but Lorenzo Ingram’s 144-ball knock of 109, including 10 fours and two sixes, was the difference between the sides, as he saw the Schiedammers to a decent total of 209 for six.
Sanjit Shankar chipped in with 28, while skipper Tom Heggelman’s breezy 26 not out helped to get his side past the magic 200.
This, and a disciplined Excelsior attack, proved too much for HCC, who battled their way to 120 before they were all out in exactly 47 overs. Boris Gorlee’s patient 29 was their best effort, while Gijs Kroesen’s four for 31 represented his best return in the Topklasse.
On the artificial outfield at Craeyenhout, HBS Den Haag and Dosti United Amsterdam turned on a runfest, 578 runs coming in a match which was decisively won by the home side.
Tobias Visée got HBS off to great start with a remarkable 46-ball 85 which included 12 fours and four sixes, and then Sharn Gomes and Jaron Morgan added 151 for the third wicket as Dosti’s bowlers toiled in the heat.
Sheet-anchor Gomes eventually departed for 63, but Morgan went on to make his first century of the season, making 115 from 93 deliveries with eight fours and seven sixes before he fell to a sharp return catch by Anees Davids.
Then Wesley Barresi and Anil Ahmed took up the challenge, adding 79 quick runs to take their side past 350, 356 for four being a club record total in the top division. Barresi finished on 40 and Ahmed on 34.
It always looked likely to be too big an ask for Dosti, and when Wessel Coster had Taruwar Kohli caught at slip by Barresi for 29 and then Ahmed removed Davids for 39, the writing was on the wall. Vinoo Tewarie played a fine captain’s knock of 65 and Mahesh Hans posted a career-best 42 not out, but with Morgan capping a splendid allround performance with three for 19 and a stunning diving catch in the covers, Dosti were eventually dismissed for 222.
There was a century too for former VRA and Netherlands captain Peter Borren, whose 90-ball 105 included a fourth-wicket stand of 134 with Daan ter Braak (78). Their efforts, and an extremely rapid 41 from Leon Turmaine in the closing stages, saw the Amsterdam side through to 327 for eight against Punjab Rotterdam at Het Zomercomplex.
This, too, was too challenging a total to chase, and despite 85 from Berend Vorster the home side – again without Stef Myburgh – could only manage 233 for nine. Borren followed up his hundred with three for 42, while Ter Braak claimed two for 63 and George Dunlop two for 31.
The bottom-of-the-table clash between ACC and Quick Haag at Het Loopveld was won for the visitors by Lesley Stokkers (81 not out) and Geert Maarten Mol (70 not out), who saw their side home after they had been reduced to 62 for five chasing ACC’s 189.
The Amsterdammers were again disappointing with the bat, Sikander Zulfiqar top-scoring with 45 after elder brother Rehmat had made 30, while Quick’s Sean Davey claimed five for 30 – including three of the five Zulfiqars – and skipper Thijs van Schelven three for 39.
At 16 for three and then 62 for five the ACC bowlers appeared to have brought their side back into the game, but the experienced pair of Stokkers and Mol, helped by some indifferent catching, fought their way out of trouble and paced the chase perfectly, the winning runs coming with just three balls to spare.
Scorecard | ACC vs Quick Haag | 26.05.18
| Round | 6 |
| Umpires | RJ Akram – R Kaulingfreks |
| Scorers | JWM Krulder |
| Home Side | ACC I |
| Points Awarded | ACC I 0, Quick Haag I 2 |
| Batsman | Fieldsman | Bowler | Runs | Bls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA Zulfiqar | c D Vierling | b SB Davey | 10 | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| R Zulfiqar | b SB Davey | 30 | 25 | 2 | 2 | |
| SM Zulfiqar* | b GMC Mol | 18 | 36 | 1 | 0 | |
| RH Frenz+ | c D Vierling | b GMC Mol | 13 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| SA Zulfiqar | c J van der Horst | b SB Davey | 45 | 70 | 1 | 0 |
| SR Rasool | b MB van Schelven | 15 | 23 | 0 | 1 | |
| Ahmed Zulfiqar | c TJB Landheer | b MB van Schelven | 16 | 34 | 1 | 0 |
| MA Raza | c D Vierling | b MB van Schelven | 8 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| A Kumar | c RR Rooda | b SB Davey | 9 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| DJ Botha | c D Vierling | b SB Davey | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| S Potdar | not out | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| extras | (b0 lb4 w6 nb4) | 14 | ||||
| TOTAL | 10 wickets for | 189 |
| FOW |
|---|
| 1-45(AA Zulfiqar) 2-46(R Zulfiqar) 3-76(RH Frenz) 4-87(SM Zulfiqar) 5-118(SR Rasool) 6-148(Ahmed Zulfiqar) 7-166(MA Raza) 8-172(SA Zulfiqar) 9-180(A Kumar) 10-189(DJ Botha) |
| Bowler | Overs | Maid | Runs | Wkts | wd | nb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TJB Landheer | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| J van der Horst | 10 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 3 | – |
| SB Davey | 9.2 | 1 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| JG Bista | 10 | 0 | 36 | 0 | – | – |
| GMC Mol | 6 | 1 | 16 | 2 | – | – |
| MB van Schelven | 10 | 0 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| LW Stokkers | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | – |
| Batsman | Fieldsman | Bowler | Runs | Bls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HJ van Gigch | c Ahmed Zulfiqar | b DJ Botha | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| TJB Landheer | lbw | b Ahmed Zulfiqar | 20 | 51 | 2 | 0 |
| JG Bista | c AA Zulfiqar | b DJ Botha | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| SB Davey | run out RH Frenz | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
| LW Stokkers | not out | 81 | 141 | 6 | 1 | |
| S Ekelmans | c AA Zulfiqar | b MA Raza | 4 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| GMC Mol | not out | 70 | 74 | 5 | 2 | |
| MB van Schelven* | dnb | |||||
| D Vierling+ | dnb | |||||
| RR Rooda | dnb | |||||
| J van der Horst | dnb | |||||
| extras | (b0 lb1 w7 nb0) | 8 | ||||
| TOTAL | 5 wickets for | 193 |
| FOW |
|---|
| 1-2(HJ van Gigch) 2-10(JG Bista) 3-16(SB Davey) 4-55(TJB Landheer) 5-62(S Ekelmans) |
| Bowler | Overs | Maid | Runs | Wkts | wd | nb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJ Botha | 10 | 1 | 38 | 2 | 2 | – |
| A Kumar | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | – | – |
| SA Zulfiqar | 8 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 4 | – |
| Ahmed Zulfiqar | 10 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 1 | – |
| MA Raza | 10 | 0 | 31 | 1 | – | – |
| SM Zulfiqar | 8.3 | 0 | 43 | 0 | – | – |
Round 6 Preview
Rod Lyall & Bertus de Jong 25/05/18
RL: Having gone clear at the top of the table thanks to a comfortable victory over Quick on Monday, Excelsior ’20 will travel to De Diepput in good heart. But HCC were equally impressive in their demolition of Punjab, and with Tonny Staal in great form with the bat they will take on the champions with no lack of confidence. The Hagenaars started slowly, but three wins on the trot will have given them plenty of heart, and Ali Ahmed Qasim is, like Staal, a potential matchwinner. Nor should we forget HCC were the last team to beat the Schiedammers, at Thurlede on 13 August last year. That said, there’s more to Excelsior than their two seasoned overseas players, as the bowlers’ demolition of VOC on Saturday demonstrated, and they will start as favourites in what promises to be a tough old battle.
BdJ: It’s fair to say the HCC are hitting their stride this season, with Bryce Street and Hidde Overdijk also impressing in the Pro-Series this week. With a home crowd behind them they look set to provide Excelsior with probably their sternest challenge yet, and if the defending champion’s latest winning run is to be broken one feels tomorrow is the time. Still it’s hard to argue with Excelsior’s momentum, the bowling unit has been a model of discipline and if their batting line up remains somewhat top-heavy the lower middle order has shown they can get the job done if called upon. And then there’s the rumour that Ed Cowan’s in town…
RL: Without Pieter Seelaar and Max O’Dowd, VOC were all at sea against Excelsior, but they came storming back with a decisive win over ACC on Monday. They have yet to fire on all cylinders, and they will need to be at their best against a Sparta 1888 side which moved confidently into second place on Monday by virtue of their hard-fought victory over Dosti United. Michael Pollard confirmed his quality with a superb hundred in that game, and the attack then held its collective nerve as Kohli and Hafeez led the chase. The clash between VOC’s star-studded side and the more workmanlike Sparta outfit should be absorbing, and it would not be altogether surprising if it were the home side which came out on top.
BdJ: Sparta have had a solid start in their return season, and if the side lacks the start power of VOC they have certainly proved themselves more than the sum of their parts. It’s tough to call them underdogs at Bermweg, especially with Mudassar Bukhari fit and in form. Nonetheless they will need him or Dost Muhammad to take the top off VOC early. Though the Rotterdammer’s batting, as with HBS, has been something of a disappointment so far, and Bermweg isn’t the easiest track at the best of times, the quality is still there and they’ve more than a few batsmen due a score.
RL: Dosti United will be keen to put that defeat at the hands of Sparta behind them, and to reinforce their title aspirations with a win over HBS at Craeyenhout. But Monday confirmed just how reliant they are on Taruwar Kohli, and his 52 wasn’t enough to get them home, despite a fine 77 from Mohammad Hafeez. Anees Davids’s contributions are a lot less consistent, but he remains a danger to any opponents, while the artificial outfield at Craeyenhout has proved to the liking of Dosti’s batsmen in the past. HBS have been something of an enigma, but they proved against Punjab on Saturday that when the top order gets it right they can be the most powerful combination in the competition. Neither attack, perhaps, is of the same quality as the batting, so high totals may be on the cards.
BdJ: Though firm favourites on paper, especially at home, the big question for HBS remains who, if anyone, is going to take Kohli’s wicket tomorrow. Better attacks have tried and failed, and if he is not removed promptly one can imagine him thaking the game swiftly away from the hosts tomorrow. HBS’ cause will not be helped by the rumoured suspension of two first choice bowlers, who have reportedly fallen afoul of a newly-instituted policy barring 1st team cricketers from playing other sports in season. Nonetheless Dosti probably have more wickets to worry about than HBS, with Toby Visée and Wesley Barresi in the runs this week and the menace of Jaron Morgan and Sharn Gomes to come after them, Dosti’s attack will need to be on top of their game if they’re to contain the Crows.
RL: VRA Amsterdam will travel to Het Zomercomplex to take on a Punjab side which showed signs of complete collapse against HCC on Monday. Whether it was the absence of Stef Myburgh which threw them out of kilter or the continuing dispute over the eligibility of their Belgian-based players, but the batting slump and the bowling performance which followed suggested that the Rotterdammers, regardless of the eligibility regulations, may face an uphill struggle to avoid relegation. VRA have yet to hit a consistent vein of form, with their top order still failing to produce the starts they are capable of, but it will take a huge effort from Punjab if they are to prevent the Amsterdam side taking the points back north with them. And with half-centuries in his last two knocks, Peter Borren is starting to look ominous.
BdJ: Indeed as things stand Punjab’s dispute with the KNCB looks like it might turn out academic at least in so far as the Rotterdam club’s Topklasse survival is concerned, though Raza and Latif have shown in the past why Punjab are so keen to field them. The sidelining of Vivian Kingma due to a recurring ankle issue also takes some sting out of VRA’s new ball attack, and even in Myburgh’s absence Punjab have the firepower to take advantage. Nonetheless VRA’s mercurial middle order has enjoyed the Zomercomplex’s short boundaries before, and if Borren or van den Burg tee off it’s tough to imagine a score that would be out of reach.
RL: Like Punjab, ACC and Quick Haag have just one win from five games, and in normal circumstances both would be beginning to have serious worries about relegation. It’s ACC who will be at home on Saturday, and they will be fully aware that the four Zulfiqar brothers managed just 14 runs between them against VOC on Monday. On top of the failure of all except Sikander on Saturday, a side which is very dependent on that one family has genuine cause for concern. If ACC’s Richardt Frenz is just starting to run into form, Quick’s Jay Bista did so with a vengeance against Excelsior, and the Hanen will hope that he can do the same again this week. Quick are, perhaps, marginally less brittle at the moment than their hosts, and may start as favourites to prevail in what is a real four-pointer.
BdJ: Last weekend was certainly an emphatic demonstration of ACC’s weakness should all four (or five) Zulfiqars fail at once, with even Frenz’ firsts serious score of the season not enough to prevent comprehensive defeat. That said a look at the seasons’ stats does suggest that total Zulfiqar failure is something of an aberration, with Sikander especially looking in good nick, as he showed again during the Pro-Series this week. Jay Bista’s rapid acclimatisation to Topklasse cricket is Quick’s only real comfort in a season where they have first played down expectations and then played down to them, and even 127 rapid runs from the Mumbaiker were not enough to win any points last weekend.
RL’s tips: Excelsior, Sparta, Dosti, VRA, Quick.
BdJ’s tips: HCC, VOC, HBS, VRA, ACC.
TKcricket 