Topklasse Live | Finals | As it Happened

While all that was happening, Tim Versteegh hit a towering shot off Chaturvedi which eventually descended into the hands of skipper Alex Roy, and Kampong win by 52 runs to become champions of the Hoofdklasse. Chaturvedi has two for 4 to go with his 103!

Sulaiman Tariq the last man, and two wides reduce the equation to five off four with Shahzad on strike. A dot, and then Shahzad smacks him over cover for the winning six!!! Punjab-Ghausia win by one wicket with two balls remaining, claiming the club’s second national championship!

A swing and a miss off the first. Another swing, another miss, but this is fuller and Kamal’s bowled. VRA just one wicket away from the title!

Eales bowls his last from the Equestrian Centre End, Shahzad guides the third delivery to third man for a single. Another off the next, then another. Punjab need a boundary, though. And Kamal’s square cut only yields a single. Seven needed off the last, Floyd to bowl it. Or six for a tie . . .

A wide with a run off it doesn’t help the VRA cause, nor does Shinwari’s four to third man off the next. But the last of the over’s edged wide of Scully, who dives to his right to take a great catch, the sort any international goalkeeper would be proud of. 12 off two, as Kamal joins Shahzad.

Miracles required now, as Niaz holes out to Prince at long off off Singh and departs for 39. 19 needed off 15 balls, with Shahzad in to join Shinwari.

There are some scripts you just couldn’t write, or if you did they’d be rejected on grounds of improbability. Man of the hour Chaturvedi into the attack, and runs Dekeling out with a direct hit. The next ball gets Brand, caught by Roy, Chaturvedi has 1-1-0-1.

Fletcher bowls his last, just three off it and what looks like a lot of chit-chat, apparently about Niaz allegedly kicking the ball away. Punjab need 31 off the last four, Niaz on 37*.

The shadows are not just encroaching on the pitch at Nieuw Hanenburg, as Quick’s valiant attempt to chase 375 seems doomed to fail. Trappenburg the next to go, edging O’Dowd to Aphonse and departing for 17. 64 to get off eight, and just three wickets left. NOW it’s Dekeling to the crease.

Another six for Sikander off Floyd, over cow this time, but before the over’s out he’s gone, looking for a single as Niaz plays to cover point, halfway down the track before he’s sent back, and Floyd has the simplest of run-outs to complete. He goes for 41, Shinwari in to join Niaz, probably Punjab’s last remaining hope.

Stokkers swings at Kumar, Alphonse gathers and breaks the wicket as the batter tries to get back. Off-stage (as in all Greek tragedies), the umpire’s finger goes up, and Stokkers is out stumped. He’s not best pleased, smashing the stumps with his bat in a demonstration the umpires can scarcely ignore, and he’s on his way for 57. Skipper Jeroen Brand comes to the wicket.

Sikander smacks Floyd over long on for six, nine in all coming from the over, and then Eales concedes four singles. Sikander on 34* now, Niaz on 25*. 54 needed off eight.

Stokkers has reached a defiant half-century, but as I write this Sheahan (for it is/was he) chases a wideish Kumar delivery and is caught behind. Trappenburg the new man, with 92 still required.

Into the last ten, with Sikander and Niaz both settled and 68 required. Game on!

Punjab, though, haven’t conceded yet: Sikander and Niaz each hit Shariz for six in his seventh over, and 82 are needed off the last 13 overs. Fletcher has just one over left, Shariz three, Floyd six, Eales and Singh four apiece. Options for Smal, but VRA will need to prevent a stand developing here.

As have Kampong, as Quick continue their slide. O’Dowd switches to the Bosjes End, Van Gigch lifts him over midwicket for six, swings at the next one, and is bowled. Ryan Sheahan in at six.

Another for Shariz, Musa making to sweep and top-edging for Scully to take the easiest of catches. He goes for 71, Burhan Niaz joins Sikander, and VRA have one hand on the trophy!

Mol follows in the next over, swinging across the line and giving Nana a comfortable top-edged caught-and-bowled. Enter Lesley Stokkers with Quick in a spot of bother now.

Punjab have managed at last to get out of second gear at the Zomercomplex, 15 coming from one Floyd over and Saqib smashing Shariz back over his head for six. It can’t last, though, and Saqib holes out to Smal at mid-on, departing for 39. Musa’s on 70*, joined now by Sikander Zulfiqar. Still a long, long way to go.

Kampong get the wicket they so desperately needed as Crudeli, on 133, chases an angled delivery from Kumar and edges to Alphonse. Bob van Gigch in at four, and you wonder whether even that magnificent innings will prove to have been enough.

It’s all over in the Bos. Wahid caught behind off Jajodia and then Bhatti trapped in front to give the medium-pacer figures of four for 24. VRA win by 41 runs, and are Eerste Klasse champions.

Mol has settled in now, lofting Jacod back over his head for six to show the fact. And a boundary off the final ball of the over brings up the 200, taking Crudeli to 132* from 100 deliveries in the process. Another 172 required.

Musa goes to fifty with a square cut off Eales, Saqib then smacking Shariz for six. The runs are starting to come a little more freely, but Punjab still require 143 with 20 overs remaining and seven wickets in hand. In a T20 you’d be happy with that, but this ain’t T20.

Another for Jajodia, as Ishfaq tries to turn him to leg and is struck on the boot by a full delivery. In comes Wahid, with Punjab on the brink now.

Sugam Jajodia gets the much-needed breakthrough, Cheema bowled for 23. 51 still needed, with three wickets in hand, as Sohail Bhatti joins Ishfaq.

Crudeli brings up his century with a heave to deep backward square off O’Dowd; it took him just 77 deliveries, with nine fours and seven sixes. Awesome stuff. And he’s not done yet: another four next ball, and he just keeps going.

Shariz into the attack now from the Equestrian Centre End, for what could be a very significant spell, in part against big brother Musa. Five singles off his first, the batters content to push him around. And at the halfway mark in overs, Punjab are just a third of the way in runs, leaving them a huge amount still to do. Musa 39*, having just swept Shariz sweetly for four, Saqib 12*.

Crudeli the human wrecking ball has taken the Kampong attack by the scruff of the neck, continuing his onslaught with back-to-back sixes off Jacod, the first over square leg, the second into the much-abused trees at long off. That takes him to 85*, but he loses his partner a couple of balls later, Vierling trapped in front for 32. Geert Maarten Mol in at three.

Musa and Riaz are doing something not entirely dissimilar at the Zomercomplex, although they obviously have a much stiffer task. But they get a lucky break when Hake is struck on the knee by a full-blooded cut by Musa, and has to leave the field. Singh replaces him in the attack, and that brings the breakthrough, as Riaz swings wildly at a lifting delivery and Scully takes an easy catch. He goes for 29, Saqib the new man.

Ishfaq and Cheema have swung the game back Punjab’s way against Balbirnie and Rathore, and now they need 69 off the last 20. VRA need to break this partnership to grab the initiative back again.

Back-to-back boundaries off the last two balls of the powerplay take Crudeli to 60*, and Quick are very much in this game.

Singh on from the Equestrian Centre End, and there’s a slight easing of the pressure as a result. Fletcher’s six-over spell, incidentally, yielded figures of two for 8.

A double strike by Jack Balbirnie, and VRA are taking control in the Bos. Usman is bowled for four, and in the Irishman’s next over Ateeq falls at last, caught by Khan at backward square for 48. Ishfaq and Cheema at the crease for Punjab now.

Quick, believe it or not, are well ahead of the required rate, Crudeli racing to a 28-ball 49* to give his side a sniff of what would be a sensational victory. Vierling has a relatively restrained run-a-ball 14*. Jacod into the attack from the Football Ground End.

Back-to-back maidens by Eales and Fletcher, Hake into the attack for the last over of the initial powerplay. It brings a couple of singles, plus a moment of drama when Musa plays him firmly back and the bowler touches the ball into the stumps. They reckon they’ve got Riaz, but umpire Van Liemt disagrees. The rate’s 2.3 an over, and 238 more are required from 40 overs.

Ditto in the Bos, where Iles has had Gondal caught at deep square by sub Zaidi for 7. Ateeq’s the key, on 43* now and joined by the experienced Yasir Usman.

Minhas has found the going very tough, especially against a lively, pacy Fletcher, and finally the left-armer takes the edge and Scully does the rest. Minhas goes for 6, and VRA are right on top as Mohsin Riaz joins Musa.

They’re back at Nieuw Hanenburg, Kumar going for four and six by Crudeli off his first two deliveries as he struggles to find line and length. Roy from the Bosjes van Pex End to Daan Vierling.

Fletcher and Eales are keeping it tight, and Punjab are already dropping behind the required rate. When Eales strays down the leg side, though, Musa is quick to turn it off his hip to the fine leg boundary. After that early setback Punjab can’t afford to lose another quickly, so safety first is a necessary evil at the moment.

A massive blow by Fletcher for VRA, as Vandiar flicks him round the corner and is caught by Hake. Musa joins Shoaib Minhas, but that’s not the start Punjab would have been hoping for.

Thomas Iles into the attack for VRA II, and after conceding a boundary to Bajwa he traps him in front for 6. Ateeq still there on 26*, joined now by Muhammad Gondal.

The chase is under way at the Zomercomplex, with Vandiar facing Fletcher from the Equestrian Centre End. Scully, it seems, rather than Prince, has the gloves today, Prince at wideish mid-on. Vandiar flashes at one which is called a wide, about which Fletcher isn’t too happy. Even less so when the next one goes down the leg side for another. Otherwise dots. Eales to bowl the second.

Trappenburg bowls Alphonse as he tries an over-ambitious reverse scoop, and Roy and Tushar Sharma add another four between them to leave Quick needing a very, very challenging 375 to win.

No relief for Quick, as Edwards slog-sweeps Trappenburg behind square for four before lofting him over the sightscreen and into the trees for another six. Later in the over he chips him back over his head for yet another boundary, moving to 158* with a single to retain the strike. In the end, though, Crudeli gets him, caught behind chasing a wide one, for 159, bringing Alphonse back for the final flurry.

Ashir Abid’s struck twice to put Punjab II in early trouble: Asad Zulfiqar caught at point by Adam Constant for 1, then Saurabh Srivastava trapped in front off the final ball of the same over. Danish Ateeq and Mohsin Bajwa have the task of getting the innings back on track.

And indeed, goes 6-4-6-4 off Crudeli to race to 142*.

Edwards really hammering the nails in now, planting Brand into the trees beyond long off, from which no ball returneth. Four overs left, and 350 might be on. Edwards now 121*, as Crudeli returns.

Edwards brings up his century as well, but then Jacod’s caught by Van Gigch off Brand for 14. Roy the new man.

Some serious momentum from Scully and Shariz in the final overs: Scully thumps Sikander over midwicket for six, then scoops him over fine leg for four to bring up the 250. Not to be outdone, Shariz starts Saqib’s final over by swinging him to fine leg for four, following that with a much more controlled pull over midwicket for six. Scully adds a four through cover point, and a couple of singles mean that Punjab will need 271 for victory. VRA will be pretty happy with that, I reckon. Shariz ends on 82*, Scully on 25*.

The partnership’s broken at last, skipper Brand returning to have Chaturvedi caught at mid-off by Sheahan for a superb 103. Edwards now on 99*, joined by Pierre Jacod.

And Shariz obliges, going down on one knee to loft Sikander theatrically over the cover point boundary. Zulfiqars from both ends, with Saqib conceding eight from his over.

Shariz and Scully are keeping the scoreboard ticking, but VRA will need some boundaries in the last four overs if they’re to make life hard for Punjab’s batters. Shariz now on 57*.

Chaturvedi tucks Keppel off his hip to bring up his hundred, made from 92 deliveries. The Kampong selectors must be grinning all over their faces just now. Edwards on 90*, running between the wickets as we’ve seen him do for the national side as well, and the pressure on the Quick fielders is definitely telling. Into the last ten.

Another one gone at the Zomercomplex, Nashier driving Musa rather casually into the covers and caught by Saqib – I THINK that’s Saqib’s fifth catch of the innings, although ‘S Zulfiqar’ in the scorecard does leave one wondering. Shariz, meanwhile, has brought up his fifty, and a lot rests on his shoulders now as Luke Scully joins him.

The stand’s worth 184 now, with Chaturvedi on 90* and Edwards on 75*. It’s a remarkable effort by Chaturvedi, who has spent most of the 50-over season in the seconds, was recalled for last week’s match against Salland, and made a duck.

First innings wrapped at the Bos meanwhile, Bhatti getting the key wicket of Sheikh, chopping on for 60, then following it up two balls later taking Jjodia’s edge. Moodley the last to fall, a looping leading edge held behind the bowler, and 176 will be the target.

Floyd brings up the 200 with another baseball-style line drive through midwicket for four, then follows up with a more conventional on drive that follows the same path. Shahzad gets him next over though, trap set with the man back on the square rope and Floyd picks him out perfectly. Nashier in.

Fifty for Edwards too now forcing Sheahan through the covers off the back foot for four, and this pair are rapidly batting the hope out of Quick here. 200 up with almost 20 overs still to go. Quick need something from somewhere…

One last cracking drive through mid off to the rope from Eales, and then he goes for 56, flash outside off at Sikander and a feather edge through to Shinwari. Floyd in after drinks and off the mark third ball pulling hard in front of square to the rope.

VRA seconds struggle to find any accelertion at the death however, Oppu goes attempting to switch-hit Wahid, then a few overs later Bhatti slings one into Iles’ off stump and seems utterly elated to have removed the young number eight. Abid joins Sheikh for the last four.

It’s been very much Eales driving the scoring in this partnership so far, but Shariz now showing signs of wanting to kick on. takes two boundaries off his brother in the 32nd, then takes VRA past 150 lap-sweeping Zulfiqar over his shoulder for his third boundary. Not to be out done, a couple of overs later Eales takes a knee to Saqib and dumps him over the VIP tent at midwicket, then brings up his fifty with a nudge to leg.

Kampong meanwhile threatening to run away with things at the Hague, Chaturvedi brings up his fifty cutting Shahan hard behind point for one, it’s taken him just 43 balls to get there. Edwards on a comparatively sedate 33 off 39 at the other end and Kampong well on for 300 and lots from here you’d say.

And up the the Bos Oppu and Sheikh have mounted a similar recovery of sorts for the seconds, still a long way from a total likely to trouble Punjab though.

Ahmad and Eales have pulled back some momentum for VRA, or at least stopped the rot. Spin at both ends now, Musa Ahmad and Shahzad for the hosts.

Kampong making steady progress at Nieuw Hanenburg meanwhile, Edwards with Chaturvedi now, Ratha Alphonse having retired hurt after ducking into a shorter ball from Crudeli. Nelson on the board after 19. Keppel and Brand for Quick.

Prince had been looking increasingly assured as he entered the thirties, but he too falls to Tariq in the latter’s penultimate over. Fullish on the pads and just looking for a flick to leg, but it’s uppish and into the hands of Zulfiqar, who’s not dropping any today. Eales in, and next over it’s bad to worse for the visitors. Niaz on for his first over and his sixth ball rears off a length at Smal, who fends it to slip for a fine low catch. Shariz joins Eales and a real test for the VRA middle order now, Punjab well on top at drinks.

Punjab’s 2s are all over the VRA B team at the Bos meanwhile, wickets for Gondal and Usman and VRA have lost half their side at the half-way stage. Sheikh and Oppu in now, just 80 on the board and even 150 looking a tall order.

And a big wicket for Quick too, teaser outside off from Jeroen Brand draws a flash from O’Dowd, edged to slip and gone. Van den Berg in at three and swivel-pulls his first ball over backward square for six, then follows it up with back to back fours. But it’s a short stay at the crease for him as next over he looks to punch Crudeli through the off side off the back foot but it gets big on him and he ends up spooning a catch into the covers. Edwards in.

Kamal’s taken over from Shahzad meanwhile, and by rights should have had Singh there. Fifth ball of the 12th and it seems to just stop on Singh, who pops a simple catch the the usually reliable Musa Ahmad at mid off, but he’s somehow shelled it. No matter, he’s out next ball carving a wider one straight to Zulfiqar at backward point. Big wicket, Saml to the crease.

Up at Nieuw Hanenburg O’Dowd’s got Kampong off to a fine start, targetting Govert Trappenburg in particular. He’s into the twenties, Ratha Alponse opening with him. Crudeli shares the new ball..

Rasool’s had some success with a block and bash approach, three cracking slog-swept sixes over backward square in his 25-ball knock of 20 so far, but a length ball from Tariq does him, tries to hack it away over square but it’s straight up and safely held. Singh in at three.

The VRA seconds have lost both openers meanwhile, Khan LBW to Bhatti and Peiris bowled by Wahid. Constant and Balbirnie in the middle now.

Up in the Hague Quick have won the toss and have put Kampong in to bat.

First boundary of the day is a big one, Rasool slog-sweeping Shahzad over backward square and over the VIP tents. Couple wide of third two balls later, and VRA are up and running.

And we’re away, Suleiman Tariq takes the new ball, Prince and Rasool open the batting for VRA. A wobbler first up to Prince takes a thick outside edge and rolls out to point, drawing the oohs and aahs. Fifth ball is turned off the hip square for a very dicey single, but needed a direct hit. Safer single to the right of cover ends the over. Shahzad from the other end.

The VRA seconds won the toss at the Bos too, incidentally, and went with the same call. Zaman Khan and Sachin Peiris have got them off to a steady start thus far.

And they’ve given it the all-clear. VRA win the toss and will bat first. One notable change since the last time they were here, they’ve gone with an extra bat, Luke Scully coming in for Leon Turmaine, who had prior commitments we understand.

Will be a bit of a wait here too, outfield’s a little damp still, inspection at 11.15.