Topklasse Live

On the brink of a second consecutive century, Musa cuts Kothari, but he doesn’t get on top of it and Herrington takes the catch. So he has to make do with 98, made from 120 deliveries with eight fours; the Hermes fielders all run across to congratulate and commiserate with him for another superb innings. They may not be so happy to see Saqib Zulfiqar join Gondal, who’s on 84*.

Walbrugh persists with Mason, but De Lange is able to bring up the 200, smashing a friendly full toss over cover for four. He’s on 81* now, Croes on 71*, and the stand’s worth 138.

Ahsan Malik averages 14 with the bat in the Topklasse, but he’s doing a job for his team here, pulling Jacod wide of mid-on and going on to 25*. Price is on 62*, and this pair have now added 63 invaluable runs.

Just when it seemed that HCC might be getting on top, Abhinay gets the breakthrough: Staal, on 43, plays an awkward prod, scoops the ball up, and the bowler has an easy catch. Staal drops his bat in disgust, as well he might. Hidde Overdijk in at six, Kloppenburg on 29*.

They’re taking a drink at the Loopuyt, with Musa on 80* and Gondal on 7`1*. Dutt’s still only bowled two overs (at the cost of a single run), which seems a little strange in the circumstances. Jamil and Kothari operating at the moment, and going at about five an over.

De Lange and Croes have now put on 109, on 63* and 62* respectively. De Lange not afraid to use his feet to Mason’s spin, though Croes has to scramble back after one gets past his bat. In contrast to last week, Walbrugh is mixing up his bowlers (seven used so far), but the breakthrough is yet to materialise.

The left-handed Price sweeps Ingram for a single to bring up his maiden Topklasse fifty, with Malik still providing valuable support at the other end. Then a series of twos off Buys taken him along to 56*, and VOC are achieving some much-needed stability in the middle order.

Kloppenburg, who had a pretty mercurial start to his Topklasse career three years ago and hasn’t quite managed to maintain it since, has taken some time to settle, but now he slog-sweeps Shariz purposefully over square leg for six. A string of singles takes him to 22*, with Staal composed at the other end on 37*. Vital partnership for HCC, this.

The stand is now up to 131, and Braat has used seven bowlers as he searshes for the breakthrough. Musa now on 73*, Gondal on 55*, and Rotterdam are building the basis for another monster score..

Fifty for van der Meulen as he rocks back to cart Jacod for a monster six over midwicket, but he goes in the next over pulling Bangs straight to the man in front of square. Malik in with Price now, who’s closing in on a fifty of his own.

HBS still searching for that third wicket, Julian de Mey into the attack for the 26th. Croes blocks a couple and then pulls out the reverse sweep to collect four through third. He’s on 37* now, de Lange just three away from fifty at the other end.

Another down at de Diepput, Banerjee back in the crease and pops a leading edge back at Ahmad, who holds a simple return catch to trigger drinks. Kloppenburg in at four after the break, Staal still there on 28*.

Hundred up for Rotterdam, and fifty for Musa Ahmad, who brings up the milestone chopping Jabarkhail down through third for four. Gondal’s promotion to three is working out well too, as a couple of overs later he takes a knee to the Belgian leggie and dumps him over the on side for six.

Caution still at de Diepput though, as Staal and Banerjee look to steady things after those two early wickets. Shariz Ahmad into the attack, oh and there goes the caution, Staal makes room and heaves him over cow for six..

Price survives a big shout for LBW as Jacod spins one into his pads. Drifting on down leg maybe? Bangs from the other end comes in for some tap, van der Meulen pulls a short one to the rope square, then drives through extra for four more. Consolidation phase over it seems.

Croes getting stuck into Kamran at the back end of the 17th, down the track and staright back over his head for four, then jumps back in the crease to pull round the corenr for another.

Thakur on for Hake, and he catches the edge of Gorlee’s bat, Madgwick doing the rest. The skipper goes without scoring, Banerjee the new man.

Kent Goedeke on from the Pavilion End, but it’s Van Oosterom who gets the breakthrough, bowling Hatzoglou for 39 as he attempts an expansive off drive. Noah Croes the new man.

Kumar absolutely ripping VOC apart now: Montague nicks off the Van den Berg for 13, and four balls later Francois Fourie is caught by Edwards without scoring. Ethan Price in to join Van der Meulen, and the two overseas have a big job ahead of them.

Musa has picked up where he left off last week, proceeding effortlessly to 26*, with Gondal on 13*. Olivier Elenbaas has replaced Dutt from the Railway End.

Hake gets the breakthrough, as Zac Worden clips him low to midiwicket, and Jack Cassidy takes the catch. Boris Gorlee succeeds him.

Voorburg moving along briskly, with Hatzoglou on 36* off 28 deliveries and De Lange on 13*. Joris van Oosterom replaced Klein after he’d bowled just two overs.

Another for Kumar: Harhangi is caught by Ingram without scoring, bringing Jason van der Meulen to the crease.

A wicket at the Loopuyt: Minhas, having twice hammered Braat square for back to back fours, plays around a straight one and is trapped in front and departs for 17. Muhammad Gondal the new man.

They’ve started in the Hague, HCC winning the toss and batting. Staal takes two off Sharad Hake’s first over, then Vikram Singh’s is spoiled only by a wide.

Levitt goes cheaply, undone by a peach of a delivery by Botha and his middle stump sent flying. Cedric de Lange the new man.

The absence of news from De Diepput makes one wonder whether the ground is living up to its name again, after some overnight rain.

Montague and De Kok make a steady start for VOC, Montague hitting a six off Lorenzo Ingram’s first over, but then Shashank Kumar strikes: De Kok caught by Max O’Dowd for 5. Roman Harhangi in at three.

In the game of the day at the Loopuyt Oval, Braat won the toss and invited Sikander Zulfiqar to have a bat. Aryan Dutt opens with a maiden from the Railway End to Musa Ahmad, who survives a not entirely ridiculous LBW appeal. A wide and a single apiece for Shoaib Minhas and Musa of the second, bowled by Braat.

Kyle Klein, back for HBS, starts from the Paddock End, bowling to Levitt, who’s opened with Hatzoglou. The fourth delivery’s a bouncer, which passes over Levitt’s head and is called wide. Then Levitt gets off the mark with a single as he tucks the ball into the leg side. Lehan Botha to bowl the second.

That is indeed the case: Rippon and Hatzoglou in for Voorburg, not sure at whose expense.

It looks as if HBS may be fielding at Westvliet, but there’s no confirmation as yet.

Tim de Kok has won the toss at Maarschalkerweerd and elected to bat. He leads an unchanged side, while Kampong make two changes: Pienaar Buys and Gert Swanepoel are in for Van der Harten and Gopinath.