Topklasse Live | Round 14 | As it Happened

De Kok drives the first to long off for one; they think about a second, but it’s not there. Jain heaves mightily at the second, just eluding Lubbers’ hand and they get another. Three needed off four. Another drive by De Kok to long off, and this time they get two to level the scores. And he lofts the next high over midwicket, they run one (actually two, but the second’s superfluous), and VOC win by four wickets.

Just two singles off it, so VOC need five off the last, to be bowled by Victor Lubbers.

And he gets the wicket, Jain edging his third ball through to Stan van Troost. It may be too little too late, especially with Aaditt Jain now coming to the crease.

They get the three they need off Ralston, although De Kok is struck painfully as he tries to pull the final delivery. Blankestijn to bowl the penultimate over.

Two singles off Blankestijn reduce the target to ten off three. Ralston to bowl his last.

Three singles off Ralston, and then, when he drops short, Jain pulls him square for four. Just 12 needed now.

Jain eases the pressure by pulling Lubbers behind square, and into the drink it would seem, judging by the ensuing conference over the state of the ball. Last throw of the dice time: Ralston back from the City End.

Rens van Troost replaces Ingram from the City End, running out of sunshine, the ball passing through deep shadow into sunlight again. Can’t be easy to bat, but De Kok’s equal to the challenge, helped by some wayward bowling. Six from the over, 26 from six. Excelsior need wickets.

Excelsior are back in their accustomed groove of defending a comparatively modest total, Ingram bowling a very important maiden to Jain. Three singles off Lubbers’ next, and VOC need 32 off seven.

And a big, big wicket for Excelsior, as McKenzie tries to reverse Lubbers to a ball that’s too full, and is bowled for 55. Tim de Kok to the crease with his team in trouble now.

Eleven off four overs, against Ralston and Ingram. 39 needed from the last ten, with McKenzie now on 53*.

Even more academic now, as De Mey’s called through by Boddendijk and pays the price for ball-watching, run out at the non-striker’s end. The End is Nigh. And then even Nigher, as Venter belts a catching-practice catch to Klijnhans at straightish mid-off. Hermes win by 120 runs.

And they’re back on at Loopuyt Oval, where the game’s been reduced to 39 overs. Not sure about the revised target. But it’s academic, because Mason has skied Klijnhans to Ekrami in bovine territory, and he’s on his way for 46.

Aha! We’re down to 41 overs, and the revised target is 179. So VOC need 50 off 14 overs.

The covers are off, and the players are back on the field. Not sure whether there are any overs off yet, in which case there would, of course, be an adjusted target. The sun is shining, and the radar suggests we might be able to get a finish here.

Ralston immediately returns, but a brace of twos brings McKenzie to 50*. And with that, rain drives the players from the field at Thurlede as well.

And could we have been a little premature in writing off HBS? This eighth-wicket stand is up to 57 already and there are 25 overs left . . . but the rain’s back, and they’re off again.

They’re back on at Thurlede, and four balls in Van der Meulen’s gone, well caught, low in the gully, by Mitchell off Rens van Troost. Given the fragility of VOC’s middle and lower order, could there be a turnaround here? Arnav Jain in at six.

Kothari and Balk see their side home, Kothari finishing on 37* as ACC win by three wickets.

They’re back out at the Loopuyt Oval. It has to be said that the HBS batters don’t exactly sprint out to the pitch. Klijnhans completes his over with a dot.

Kothari hoists Balwantsingh over cow for six, and with eight coming from the over Sparta turn to Ferguson. Just ten required now, Kothari on 32*.

Kothari batting now with young Tibo Balk, and they are working their side back into the rails again. Scheepers and Baker have both bowled out, but Fraser has two overs left, and that may be crucial for Sparta. Balwantsingh into the attack for now.

And Van der Merwe’s gone! He pulls Manminder Singh, hard and low, to Ferguson at deep square leg. His 118-ball 67 was another fine innings, but his departure opens the door for Sparta, as Hans joins Kothari. And indeed, Hans lasts just two balls, caught behind by Mudford. Sparta are back in the game with a vengeance!

So the only activity currently is in Amstelveen, where ACC continue their unhurried progress towards what would be a second successive victory. 36 needed now, from 14 overs.

They’re off in Schiedam as well, still 13 balls short of a valid result. Not much doubt about who’s ahead on DLS, despite this rearguard action by Mason and De Mey.

Rain sweeps across Thurlede, and the covers come on. McKenzie on 46* now, and Van der Meulen has begun to go onto the attack as well, lofting Luuk Kroesen back over his head for six, then driving him straight for four. VOC cruising at the moment, well ahead on DLS.

Another half-century for Van der Merwe: he’s on 60* now, and they’ve weathered a brief return by danger-man Fraser. A no ball by Scheepers, with the free hit despatched for six by Kothari, doesn’t help the Spartan cause. And they take a drink, with 45 needed.

Mason and De Mey set about restoring some sanity to the HBS innings, but even with only 16 overs gone it’s well-nigh impossible to see the Crows coming back from here. Still, cricket is . . . [complete this sentence].

VOC, on the other hand, seem well in charge at Thurlede, having seen off the dangerous Ralston. McKenzie has moved on to 41*, Van der Meulen much more watchful at the other end.

While all that was happening, Anis Raza has come and gone at ‘t Loopveld, bowled by Baker. Kothari joins Van der Merwe, still there on 46*, but ACC are in trouble now.

It’s all happening at the Loopuyt Oval: Anwar falls to a very good keeper’s catch by Statham off Ralph Elenbaas, and the next ball cleans up Martijn Scholte. The hat-trick ball’s a big legside wide, followed by another, but the next traps Elmar Boendermaker in front and the umpire’s finger goes up. And it’s four wickets in the over for Elenbaas, as Ferdi Vink guides the final delivery into Statham’s gloves. There will be a good deal of relief at Westvliet just now . . .

Roy Numair into the attack from the Railway End, and Singh guides his third delivery into the hands of at point. He made 26, but HBS are in a spot of bother now as Liaget Anwar, whose last Topklasse appearance was ten years ago, joins Mason.

Hundred up for ACC, Sheena going after Hoornweg, including a towering six over midwicket which seems destined to clear the pavilion and endanger anyone playing on the second ground. Sheena’s on 23*, Van der Merwe on 43*. But as I’m about to post this, Sheena hits Baker out to wide mid-on, where Fraser takes the catch, and the game’s back in the balance.

An even more crucial wicket at the Loopuyt Oval, where Walbrugh is pinned by Olivier Elenbaas for 22. He seems a little surprised by the decision, but he’s got to go, and Reece Mason joins Singh in the middle.

VOC are well up with the required rate, but Ingram strikes a crucial blow as Bettelheim, on 31, tries to tickle him down through the gully, misses, and is well stumped by Stan van Troost. Jason van der Meulen in at five.

Almost halfway to their target now, with Van der Merwe on 39* and looking just as composed as he did last Sunday. Baker plugging away, six overs into his spell, with Tom Hoornweg operating from the River Amstel End.

To paraphase that well-known cricket-lover Tim Rice (whose personal cricket club is appropriately called the Heartaches), for HBS now ‘Any win will do’. Voorburg’s defeat means that two points here would carry the Crows into the semi-finals. Walbrugh’s made a promising start, but they are, after all, facing the stiffest target of the day.

Another for Ralston, Recordon miscuing an attempted pull and caught by Niels Etman at mid-on. McKenzie joins Bettelheim.

Baker’s removed Sayed leg-before for 15, bringing Sheena in to join Van der Merwe. ACC will need a big partnership if they’re to get over the line again.

It was, indeed, a brief interruption, and Shahzad and Shinwari waste no time in ending any speculation by knocking off the remaining runs. Shinwari hits White for a six and a four to finish on 31*, Shahzad on 29* as Punjab win by 5 wickets.

And Ralph Elenbaas strikes, trapping Del Bianco in front with his fourth delivery. Walbrugh, not for the first time, comes to the crease early.

A boundary for Manjinder Singh, opening with Del Bianco, gets the HBS chase under way against the brothers Elenbaas. The Crows will be hoping that Punjab finish the job, because any Voorburg victory would put them into fourth place, even if HBS were to win here in improbably few overs.

And they’re off for rain at the ironically-named Zomercomplex, with Punjab now needing just 25 for victory. Punjab are comfortably ahead on DLS at this point, but if they get back out – which seems likely – and Voorburg manage to pick up the remaining wickets, VRA could just squeeze into top place on the table. That comprehensive win over HCC has hoisted their NRR to 1.021, and even the narrowest of defeats for Punjab would see them drop down to second.

Van der Merwe and Sayed are still together, with Baker into the attack now from the Uilenstede End. Snoep’s bowled just the one over so far, not sure whether there’s something up with him.

VOC open with Fourie and Pieter Recordon, but with the final ball of his opening over Ralston has the former, caught by Rens van Troost at mid-on without scoring. Bettelheim in at three.

A vital wicket at the Zomercomplex, Vandiar holing out to Van Vliet at deep mid-off off Floris de Lange and departing for 65. This is far from over, as Shinwari joins Shahzad.

All over in the Bos, although with only three needed Wiggins grabs a consolatory wicket for HCC, trapping Prince in front for 15. That brings Nashier to the crease, but it’s Smal who hits the boundary which gives VRA the win by 8 wickets.

Musa goes back to Philippe Boissevain and gifts him what may well have been the simplest caught-and-bowled in the history of cricket, bringing Shahzad in to join Vandiar.

Another ACC wicket has fallen, Juandre Scheepers pinning Ahmed in front. Izhaan Sayed joins Van der Merwe, with the Amsterdammers in need of more heroics.

VRA on the brink now, with Smal on 20* and Prince on 14*.

ACC, meanwhile, have started their pursuit at ‘t Loopveld, and after a slightly wild opening Fraser gets the final delivery bang on target, bowling Potdar with an unplayable yorker. Last week’s hero Van der Merwe in at three.

Ferdi Vink bowls Abdul for 10, and then, in the final over of the innings, he puts down a return catch from Chaudhary, gathers the ball and, thinking quickly, removes the bails at his own end to run out Ralph Elenbaas. It’s a pretty eventful over, because then Chaudhary skies him to Walbrugh at mid-off and departs for a very useful 23. Numair and Woermeijer add another eight, and Hermes have set HBS a serious total to chase.

Adam Leonard gets an early breakthrough, Rasool falling to a great legside catch by Patel for 5. Johan Smal in at three, and he and Prince are almost halfway to their target already.

Vandiar is vandiaring away at the Zomercomplex, and by the end of the first powerplay he’s moved on to 56* from 36, all but two of them in boundaries – five fours and as many sixes. But his first delivery of the day Floris de Lange removes Mohsin Riaz, caught by Laurens Boissevain for 11 as he tries to haul him away over midwicket. Musa Ahmad in at five.

A tall order perhaps, but Kroesen and Verhagen manage to get the total up to exactly 200, each finishing on 19*. Schoonheim the most successful of the VOC bowlers with two for 35, and they’ll need to bat with resolution to win here.

Keen to grab the strike back, Elenbaas calls Chaudhary through for a tight single, and just fails to beat bowler Vink’s underarm throw as he gathers the ball. So he’s got to be content with a very solid 85. Abdul in for the final chapter of the innings.

And they’re back out in the middle here, Prince and Rasool opening for the hosts, Crowley with the new ball in hand…

Asad Zulfiqar falls for a three ball duck, thick outside edge on the drive to van Vliet and held in the gully. Riaz at four.

Del Bianco does for Braat, looks like a leg cutter there into the top of leg, gone for 24. Chaudhary joins Elenbaas, who is deep into the seventies and may just be starting to think about his ton…

Excelsior folding now, Arnav Jain takes Stan van Troost’s off pole. Roel Verhagen’s been hiding down the order today, he comes in at nine but even with two recognised bats in the middle 200 looks a tall order from here.

Elenbaas lifts de Mey over midwicket for a two and the half-century stand. He’s on 68* now, Braat on 20*. Del Bianco back at the other end.

Minhas cuts White into the hands of backward point, and that’s a maiden Topklasse wicket for the Otago slow southpaw. Asad Zulfiqar at three.

McKenzie back and sends one into the base of Rens van Troost’s off stump. Joost Kroesen in.

Hoornweg chops Hans on for a 7-ball duck, and that’s five for Hans, 5-35 to be exact. ACC will need 176 for another consolation win.

They’re back on at the Zomercomplex, left arm spin to start as Ollie White takes the new ball. Strays down leg and Vandiar whips him away fine for the first boundary of the chase. Minhas opening with him, van Vliet shares the new ball..

Big wicket at Thurlede meanwhile, Aaditt Jain back and has Mitchell reaching outside off, nicked through and gone for 83. Rens van Troost in with Stan of that clan now.

Drinks at the Loopuyt Oval and the hosts have a decent platform. Elenbaas on 59* now Braat still with him on 9*.

Hans making short work of the Sparta tail now, Baker goes off a top edged slog-sweep, then has Singh nicking one just over the keeper only for Sheena at slip to take a cracking leaping one-hander to his left. Hoornweg last man.

And, to mix a metaphor, they’ve hit the bottom of said barrel. Charumbira smartly stumped off Floyd for the third duck off double-figure balls faced of the innings. VRA need 60 after lunch to claim a top-two spot.

Another for Floyd as Wiggins pops a leading edge to Smal at short cover, and falls for a defiant 32 off 80. Make that two, Turmaine finds Leijer’s edge in the next over and HCC staring down the barrel.

Double strike from Jelte Schoonheim removes Lubbers and Niels Etman, both skewing up high edges trying to force the pace. Stan van Troost in with Mitchell now.

Baker and Singh putting up a stubborn rearguard at ‘t Loopveld meanwhile. Arya and Hand wheeling away for now.

Hermes lose a fourth,. Klijnhans looking to put Boendermaker out of the ground over midwicket but doesn’t get all of it, high into the on side and well held in the deep. He goes for 59. Braat joins Elenbaas, who’s into the forties..

Another down here, and it’s Patel caught behind off Floyd. Charumbira joins Wiggins, who’s into the thirties. Triple figures looking impossibly distant from here though. Still Turmaine at the other end.

Minhas wraps up the innings, de Lange overbalances on a missed flick to leg and is stumped, van Vliet tries a similar shot and gets a leading edge out on the off side and a simple catch for Minhas’ fifth. He finishes at 5-44 and Punjab have one foot on the top of the podium.

Back at the Bos Wiggins and Patel have staged something of a recovery. They’ve dragged HCC to fifty, and now beginning to accelerate as Wiggins flat-bats Hake for four through long on. Next over Floyd reckons he has Wiggins LBW, then caught behind, but no joy. Turmaine comes on from the other end.

Scheepers takes a knee to slog Kothari over backward square for six, then offers a sharp return catch miscuing the same shot next ball, Kothari can’t hold on though and a scampered single brings up the 150. Kothari has the last laugh however, a third attempted slog sweep is edged high into the on side and held in the deep. Scheepers goes for 63, Manminder Singh in.

Minhas has done a number on the VCC mlower-middle order meanwhile, adds a second Boissevain scalp to his belt before removing de Leede caught and bowled. Floris de Lange in with van Vliet now.

An obdurate second wicket stand comes to an end at Thurlede, Ingram edges Hoseinbaks to slip for a stultifying 9 off 32. Lubbers joins Mitchell, who’s into the sixties and looking muchmore fluent. Hundred comes up in the 28th.

Klijnhans and Elenbaas digging in for Hermes meanwhile, edging toward three figures now. 61 and counting the stand for the fourth wicket. Ferdi Vink and Julian de Mey looking for the breakthrough.

Minhas gets Boissevain, thick outside edge held at third. Laurens Boissevain joins de Leede, who again had a job to do with the tail.

Might have been 8 down now, Fletcher inches from a five-wicket haul as a well-aimed bouncer takes Patel’s top edge, but just evades the man tracking back. Hake too denied another as he too extracts big top edge, but Scully shells the swirler behind the stumps.

Vikram Singh and Shariz Ahmad pop by to watch ahead of their date with the Americans at Utrecht this afternoon, and at this rate they they may be able to see the whole game. Overdijk picks out long off off Hake. Patel in.

Wickets still tumbling at ‘t Loopveld too as Hans removes Fraser and Balwantsingh, caught in the deep straight and bowled respectively. Baker in with Scheepers.

Kulkarni gets a looping head-high full toss (bafflingly not given a no ball) and dispatches it over the square rope for six. Next ball beats everyone and goes for four byes to bring up the hundred. Molenaar falls in the next though, aims a savage cut at Niaz first ball of his spell, thick top edge taken deep third. Four balls later and a slower ball goes through Molenaar and into the bails. Tome de Leede and Flip Boissevain now.

Collapse continues here. Crowley hangs the bat outside off, nicked through to Scully and that’s four for Fletcher. Overdijk joins Wiggins.

Kothari strikes in his first over clean bowling Ferguson with his second ball. Steenbergen and Scheepers rebuild, but Arya breaks the partnership a few overs later and Steenbergen gets a leading edge to mid off to fall for 31. Fraser in with Scheepers.

Excelsior lose their first, Kroesen looking to guide Harhangi through third and edging through. Ingram in.

White goes, flashing at a wide one from Kamal and edged to slip. Molenaar and Kulkarni in now.

Hermes two down, Boddendijk has Ostling LBW. Klijnhans in with Statham now.

Another down here too. Gorlee been stuck for 12 balls and goes after a bouncer, miscues the pull and Nashier holds a juggled catch at short square. And another! As I type that’s a speccie from Fletcher off his own bowling. Full and met with a cracking straight drive at ankle height, Fletcher horizontal and somehow scatches the ball as it passes below. HCC in deep trouble as Crowley comes to the crease.

De Lange steps out to Kamal to flick over square for four, but next ball looks to repeat the trick and gets a leading edge looping to mid on.

27 without loss after the powerplay, Arnav replaces Aaditt.

Fifty up for Sparta meanwhile, Steenbergen driving the scoring.Kothari comes into the attack.

Gigani goes, aims an expansive drive at Kamal and edges through to the keeper. Oliver White joins de Lange.

They’re underway at the Loopuyt too, and Lucas del Bianco, having relinquished the gloves, has a wicket in his first. Ekrami falling over a full one trying to work it to leg and plumb. Statham in with Ostling now. Boddendijk from the other end.

Leonard follows Staal, never had the measure of the pitch and prods a simple catch to Nashier at mid off off Eales. Banerjee at four.

Slow start at Thurlede, Kroesen and Mitchell have eked out just 20 runs from the first 8. Still Jain and McKenzie.

Another for Sayed, takes Mudford’s middle stump. Ferguson in.

And we’re underway at the Bos, Adam Leonard and Tonny Staal opening for HCC, or rather they were. Last ball of the first over is short and angled down leg from Fletcher and Staal looks to help it down through fine, too fine, into the gloves and gone. Gorlee at three, Eales shares the new ball.

More than solid start for VCC, Gigani takes a knee to Shahzad and pumps him over the on side for a one-bouncer to bring up the half century stand, powerplay goes to VCC.

They’ve got the leaf-blower out at Loopuyt. Could be a while yet.

First wicket of the day falls at ‘t Loopveld, Sardha gets on strike fourth ball and regrets it, a peach from Sayed first up takes a feather edge through to van der Merwe. Mudford joins Steenbergen.

Underway at Thurlede too, Luuk Kroesen opening with Mitchell, Aaditt Jain opens the bowling with Jack McKenzie.

And we’re underway at the Zomercomplex, Tariq and Shahzad share the new ball, Gigani and de Lange open for the visitors. Gigani finds the rope with a thick edge wide of the slips last ball of the first, Shahzad produces a maiden to de Lange for the second.

VRA win the toss and pit HCC in to bat.

Looks like a delayed toss at Hermes too, lot of water came down in the past 24 hours, hope to have some details shortly.

Sparta win the toss and will bat first at ‘t Loopveld.

Punjab win the toss at the Zomercomplex and invite Voorburg to bat first. Floris de Lange returns as skipper for VCC.

VOC win the toss and elect to bowl.

Yesterday’s storms have left their mark on the run-ups, but plenty of optimism here at the Bos. Aiming for a toss at 11 for an 11.30 start.