Topklasse Live | Round 1 | As it Happened

Two off the first, but De Kok’s run out off the next – the dot’s almost more important than the wicket at this stage. A bye gets McKenzie back on strike, but he can only get a single, and it’s left to new man Jelte Schoonheim to face the last two deliveries. Van Vliet bowls a wide, and as they take a run to get McKenzie back on strike Voorburg appeal and Schoonheim is given out obstructing the field. Aaditt Jain joins McKenzie, they take two of the rebowled final ball, and Jain is run out looking for a third off an overthrow. Voorburg win by 2 runs. What an extraordinary end to the day!

Molenaar returns to bowl Van der Meulen, but when Tim de Kok gives McKenzie the strike he belts another six. 12 still needed, and McKenzie on strike as Van Vliet bowls the last.

A four and a six for McKenzie off Van Vliet, and suddenly it looks a lot more doable. McKenzie’s on 61* now, and 22 are needed.

McKenzie, though, has the bit between his teeth, and with Van der Meulen also upping the tempo VOC need 37 off the last three.

Just three off Kamal’s last, so its 18 need off Sikander. Walbrugh smashes a straight six, then a four through mid-off. Eight off three. A two to midwicket. Six off two. Just one off the fifth, and that, you’d think, is the game. And indeed, Van Oosterom swings and misses, and Punjab-Ghausia win by four runs. Walbrugh remains not out on 126, made off 124 deliveries with 11 fours and three sixes.

Walbrugh has now choice now – he has to hit out at everything AND harvest the strike. He puts Sikander’s second ball into the trees, and after taking two tries to belt the fourth into the Sportlaan, wrenching his shoulder painfully as he misses. 21 required from 12 deliveries. Walbrugh 110*.

Into the last five at the Hazelaarweg as well, with VOC needing 49 from them. McKenzie now on 48*, but it’s a big ask.

Walbrugh goes to his century with a single off Kamal, but they need him on strike, not castaway at the non-strikner’s end. Van Oosterom’s all at sea, virtually cut in half by Zulfiqar and groping at Kamal, and it takes him to the fifth ball of the over to get to the other end. Walbrugh ambles a single off the last, but just three off it, and now the equation’s 30 from three.

Unless, of course, he runs out of partners. De Mey has just run himself out, pushing Sikander into the on side and looking for an impossible single as the bowler pounces. Joris van Oosterom in at nine.

Kamal back from the Scoreboard End, just singles from his over until Walbrugh lashes him square for four, and we go into the last five HBS need 33 to win. Walbrugh on 99*, and he is clearly absolutely key now.

The Bloodhounds deep in a hole now, as Jain’s caught behind off Molenaar. Jason van der Meulen and McKenzie have a lot of work to do, with 102 needed off 11 and only five wickets left.

A run-out at Craeyenhout as well, as Scholte plays Shafiq out towards point, looks for a single, is sent back, and just beaten diving by Butt’s throw. Azzam Khan comes and goes, caught by Musa off Sikander Zulfiqar, and suddenly the HBS chase falters.

The last thing VOC needed here was a run out, but that’s what’s happened to Recordon, gone for 7. Arnav Jain joins McKenzie.

It looks as if this one’s going all the way to the wire as we move into the final ten overs – 61 still needed, with Walbrugh now on 76*. Shafiq back into the attack.

VOC suddenly in a spot of bother: Fourie’s caught behind by Croes off Tom de Leede for 38, and then Floris de Lange gets another, Bettelheim caught by Kaplan for 19. Jock McKenzie and Pieter Recordon together now.

The runs are starting to flow now, and you could feel the weight lift off Walbrugh’s shoulders as he went past fifty. He’s on 59* now and looking more like his old self, with Scholte in the supporting role as Musa Ahmad joins the attack. 85 needed off 15.

Finally a breakthrough for Voorburg, as Floris de Lange comes into the attack and bowls Schierhout for 32. Taylor Bettelheim joins Fourie with 151 required from 20. Pretty much a T20 game in prospect.

Del Bianco loses patience and tries to belt into the trees, gets under it and throws his bat away in disgust before trudging off as Mohammad Riaz takes the catch at long on. Martijn Scholte joins Walbrugh.

109 required from the last 20 overs, with Walbrugh now on 49*. Sikander and Tariq have been keeping the scoring within bounds, but it’s wickets Punjab need. Minhas into the attack.

They’ve taken a drink at Craeyenhout, Shafiq returning immediately afterwards. Walbrugh up to 35* now, still getting good support from Del Bianco.

A solid start by Schierhout and Fourie, a little down on the asking rate but building a solid platform against Van Vliet, Molenaar and now Kaplan.

Sikander Zulfiqar on from the Sportlaan End now, with Walbrugh intent on batting himself back into form, with quiet support from Del Bianco. Still Tariq from the other.

Ryan Schierhout and Francois Fourie have started the chase at the Hazelaarweg, Cedric de Lange bowling the first over. Mees van Vliet to bowl the second.

Tariq gets the third, as De Villiers, having made 34 from 24, hammers the bowler to long on and doesn’t wait for Shafiq to complete the catch. Del Bianco in at five.

Suleiman Tariq replaces Sharif at the Scoreboard End, the left-arm spinner’s first two overs having gone for 20. Walbrugh and De Villiers building a useful stand, De Villiers very definitely the more aggressive.

Aaditt Jain chips in to remove De Leede, and Voorburg finish with a decent total.

A double strike by Hoseinbaks, removing first Boissevain, caught by Jason van der Meulen for 2, and then, much more crucially, Kaplan for a 65-ball 84, including ten fours and a six. Nirav Kulkarni and Tom de Leede at the crease.

Another for Kamal and Punjab, as Mason, who greeting Shafiq by hitting him for four and then six, goes in a verty similar manner to Shinwari earlier, making room to the off side as he tries to scoop the bowler through 45, misses a full delivery on leg stump and sees it crash into the stumps. Matt de Villiers joins Walbrugh.

Our surprise was entirely justified. For it was Michael Molenaar who came in, not Van Vliet. He’s gone now, anyway, stumped by Fourie off Arnav Jain for 12, and has been succeeded by Laurens Boissevain. Kaplan’s moved on to 84* meanwhile.

Eventful start to the HBS reply: Botha leans into Sajjad Kamal’s first ball, easing it through the covers, but when he tries to clip the second to leg the leading edge flies low to Butt at point and Punjab have the early breakthrough! The HBS target, we understand, has been adjusted to 222 by DLS, following the interruption of their innings and the reduction in overs.

Bang-bang from Schoonheim, who has Croes caught by Tim de Kok for 43 and then traps Philippe Boissevain, visiting Westvliet this weekend, in front first ball. Mees van Vliet makes a surprise appearance at six.

Kaplan and Croes starting to motor now: Kaplan reaches his fifty with back-to-back boundaries off Hoseinbaks, adding another for good measure. Eight overs remaining, and the partnership’s up to 92. Kaplan on 58*, Croes on 38*.

But not for long: De Villiers bowls the last, and Shafiq skies his first ball back to him and departs. Butt hits two sixes, and Punjab finish with a flourish. There may be a DLS adjustment to that total as well.

Another for Botha, as Shinwari runs across to the off side making room for a scoop. But the ball’s too full, and crashes into the base of the stumps. Two left-handers together now, as Ahmed Shafiq joins Butt.

Hundred up at the Hazelaarweg, and the half-century stand between Kaplan and Croes. VOC really need a wicket here.

Sikander’s gone, pulling at another lifting ball from Botha, the top edge going high in the air and falling into the hands of the bowler as he moves across to his right. He made a patient 34; Shinwari on a brisker 32* which includes two sixes. Joined now by young Samir Butt.

Ditto at Craeyenhout, where Sikander Zulfiqar and Shinwari have survived several bowling changes and have built a platform for a decent, if not entirely overwhelming, total.

Jelte Schoonheim and Asief Hoseinbaks operating in tandem now, but Kaplan and Croes look to have dug in for the (comparatively) long haul. No real fireworks, just steady progress.

Wicket at Craeyenhout as well: Asad swinging at a short Botha delivery and getting a top edge through to keeper Lucas del Bianco. Fawad Shinwari joins Sikander.

De Lange goes, caught by Aaditt Jain off big brother Arnav’s bowling for 14. This time, we believe, it really IS Croes coming to the crease, joining Kaplan.

Asad and Sikander Z keep the scoreboard ticking along, and Walbrugh brings back Botha from the Sportlaan End. No immediate success, though.

But McKenzie returns to get the breakthrough – Gigani caught by Asief Hoseinbaks for a 26-ball 28. Gavin Kaplan in at three.

Gigani dominating both the strike and the scoring, hitting Arnav Jain for six, and when Additt of that Ilk comes on in place of McKenzie he does the same to him. A very good start for Voorburg.

After Joris van Oosterom completes his over, De Mey returns from the Sportlaan End, Van Oosterom continuing from the other. The Zulfiqars initially taking no chances – Punjab need a partnership here!

And they’re under way at the Hazelaarweg! Arnav Jain takes the first over, Nehaan Gigani off the mark with a single. Cedric de Lange’s with him, and Jock McKenzie bowls the second over, De Lange hitting him for four. Overs have been further reduced, to 33.

Lunch was taken during the break, and the game has been reduced to 43 overs a side.

The good news is that the covers are being removed at Craeyenhout. No doubt the umpires will be having a look in a moment or two.

We don’t yet have official confirmation of this, but there’s no sign of actual cricket from the Hazelaarweg, and my guess is that it’s raining again there as well.

Very light rain continues to fall at Craeyenhout, and the radar suggests it may be after 16:00 before it relents. On the other hand, the artificial turf there doesn’t need as much mopping up, so who knows?

34 it is!

The round is hanging on by a thread, but we have hope from Hazelaarweg! 14.40 start, 34 or 35 overs each way, accounts differ. VOC have won the toss and invited Voorburg to bat,

and not long after, the rain arrives…

Big wicket at Craeyenhout, back of a length on off from Boendermaker, Vandiar looks to pull but it keeps just a shade low and clatters into the stumps off a bottom edge. Asad Zulfiqar in and one brings two, Riaz chips a return catch back to de Villiers next over.

Matt de Villiers into the attack now, and Vandiar takes a liking to his offspin. Clubs him twice for four over the on side, Punjbab building some momentum now.

Regret to inform you that it’s raining at Hazelaarweg. Not much, but enough to further defer any potential tossing.

Elmar Boendemaker into the attack and is cut away to the rope behind point by Minhas first ball, but strikes back with the next as Minhas can’t keep a pull down and is caught at deep square. Vandiar in.

First bowling change as de Mey’s left arm spin replaces Botha’s right arm seam for the 9th. Tidy over, five dots before Riaz pushes the final ball out toward long off for a single. Very cautious start from him, he’s on 2* off 12, Minhas 18* off 23.

Botha gets the breaktrhough as Musa Ahmad pops a simple return catch back off a leading edge. Riaz at three.

This pair content to wait on bad balls for now, though there’s not been too many of those. 14 runs off the bat and all but 2 of those in boundaries. Boddendijk builds the pressure with a maiden for the fifth.

Still preferring err on the side of caution, next inspection 12.45pm.

And we’re away! Benno Boddendijk opens the bowling, Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas in the middle for Punjab. Ahmad carves a wide bouncer over point second ball for the first boundary of the 2024 season. Lehan Botha shares the new ball.

Signs of activity at Craeyenhout too, the skies are clear and the stumps are in. Punjab won the toss and will bat first.

Inspection at 11.55 for a 12.30 start we hear. Umpires want to give the run-ups more time to dry out.

Word from Hazelaaarweg, where optimism abounds; “Outfield has damp spots but hard work from the ground staff has given the chance for a match today, 12pm start likely.”

Delayed start at Craeyenhout too, but they’ve not given up hope yet. Aiming for noon if there’s no more rain.

And another one down. De Diepput lives down to its name again. Match Abandoned.

They’ve thrown in the towel at Thurlede too. Match Abandoned.

Will be a delayed start at Hazelaaarweg, at least an hour late is the word, but they’re pretty confident of getting a game in if the weather holds.

They’ve called it already, No chance of play at at the Loopuyt Oval. Match Abandoned.