Topklasse Live | Round 16 | As it Happened

All over at last, Minhas into the attack and reckon he’s had Staham dropped behind the poles there. No matter, two balls later he’s stumped. Punjab win by 69 runs.

Was fun while it lasted, looks to fetch Shahzad from outside off, big top edge and the keeper collects. Five for Shahzad, Woermeijer goes for 20, Jabarkhail last man.

Woermeijer enjoying himself out there, taking a particular liking to Saqib’s legspin. Twice puts him back over his head for four and then a hard run three, the in his next twice whips him round the corner for four behind square.

A fourth for Shahzad as Elebaas sweeps him into the hands of backward square. Woermeijer in.

The drinks break has broken Hermes’ concentration, it seems. Elenbaas falls LBW to Shahzad shortly after the resumption, and two balls late Braat miscues a sweep to midwicket. Ostling is trapped high back in the crease by Saqib first ball of the next, and given after a long and insistent appeal. Staham in with Ralph Elenbaas now as the shadows lengthen.

Ostling and Elenbaas take the hosts through to drinks without further loss, Elebaas going at a decent rate too of a sudden on 39* off 37. With 130 needed off 15 though more acceleration will be required.

Harhangi brings out a flashing drive through the covers for four off Brown, but next ball edges low to slip and it’s all over. HCC win by 62 runs .

Zulfiqar falls miscuing Kamal to mid-on, having made 34 off 58. Elenbaas in with Ostling now and they seem keen on batting out the overs if they can. Game’s starting to drag a bit though, to be honest. Ahh well as I type I have to say that’s a rather fetching cover drive from Elenbaas there off Sikander.

Smal loses another partner at Westvliet, Levitt back and extractas a top edge from Thakur which is taken somewhere behind square on the leg side. Turmaine in for the final push with three still needed, but fittingly it’s Smal that hits the winning runs first ball of the next, savagely pulling Charumbira over the square rope for four. He finishes unbeaten on 91* as VRA win by 3 wickets.

Collapse continues at de Diepput, Schoonheim the next to go failing to clear long on off Leijer. Harhangi last man, and Jain decides he may as well have a hit himself, a rather attractive wristy flick over the midwicket boundary for six there. won’t make a differnence now though.

Meanwhile at Westvliet Cassidy holes out to midwicket off Charumbira for a brisk 30, but the wicket’s likely come too late for the hosts. Thakur joins Smal with just 18 needed.

Some suddenly urgent running has seen Kampong climb to within a single hit of the win and title meanwhile as they accelerate into the final stretch. And there it is! Jacod the man to hit the winning runs as he slams a drive back straight past Boddendijk, away to the rope for four, the match and the title! Kampong win by 5 wickets and secure their place as 2025 Topklasse Champions!

Kothari’s run himself out here attempting a nonsense single after bunting barely a yard wide of the keeper, with Zulfiqar briefly encouraging him. Very silly stuff, but the product of pressure on suspects. Ostling’s now batting himself into a bit of a hole too, currently on 1* off 8. Nine runs off the last five overs, almost 200 still to get, chase going nowhere.

A procession of a different kind at de Diepput, where Singh’s departure has prompted a colllapse. Crowley cleans up Recordon and van Wingerden in consecutive deliveries next over, before Leijer nicks off Aaditt Jain in the next. Schoonheim in at ten.

Jacod seems suddenly in a hurry, fetches Boddendijk from outside off to pull hard to the rope in front of square for four, then guides the next through third for four more. Get the confetti ready…

Cassidy brings up the 200 brushing Nashier off his pads for a single out square first ball of the 44th. Smal still there on a composed 79* off 103. Probably no space for a century now but a fine knock nonetheless.

Beginning to look like a triumphal march at Craeyenhout, albeit a slow one. Edwards on a rather sedate 32* off 58 seems intent on walking it in. Barely over threes needed, Kampong can already see the silverware waiting.

Huge wicket at de Diepput meanwhile, slow and swinging in full from Leijer, Singh overbalances on the flick, and it’s into the base of middle and leg off the inside edge. He goes for 75 with VOC still barely half-way to the target. Arnav Jain in.

Kamal replaces Haider here, and Zulfiqar pulls his second ball away hard through square for four. He’s starting to find some fluency, but Kothari’s still stuck in single figures at the other end. Tariq looks set on bowling his traditional ten on the bounce, into his 8th over now.

The re-jgged order hasn’t really worked out for VRA today, as Shariz falls to a top-edged sweep off Klein to belatedly bring Cassidy to the crease. Been a positive partnership since though, Cassidy rapidly to double figures and Smal into the sixties. Malik returns.

150 up for Kampong as Bangs carves Boddendijk over the covers for four, but next ball picks out deep square leg and departs for 25. Jacod in. Edwards still there on 20*.

Zaidi doesn’t last long, tries to pull Nashier away square but bottom-edges into his own stumps. Nidamanuru comes in and belts his first ball for six back over Nashier’s head, but he too falls in Nashier’s next over popping a leading edge to misdwicket. Shariz in to join Smal with VRA just wobbling slightly.

Another down here, Haider ove the wicket to Dutt but angles it in almost from behind his head, gets the result he wanted, into the pad and draws the finger. Kothari in.

Fifty for Monty Singh, leading edge off Brown running away behind point for a single. And hundred comes up for VOC in the next over and Singh celebrates by smashing Leijer over the midwicket rope for six. Long way to go still from here though. And a ball hunt commences…

Big wicket at Craeyenhout too as Imgram edges Botha toward first slip, Del Bianco gets across and takes it himself full stretch. Bangs in to join Edwards.

First down here, and it’s a big one. The wiley old Tariq temps Doyle into trying to clear the midwicket boundary, doesn’t get near enough of it. Asad Zulfiqar in, but 267 just got a lot further away.

Not for the first time this week, Patrick Gouge has been needlessly run out. Only himself to blame this time looking for a tight second off Charumbira. He goes for 61, Zaidi up to four today joins Smal, who’s on 41*.

As suspected Kampong are over the hump, the title less than three figures distant now. De Mey and Botha currently tasked with derailing them.

VOC slip further as Brown takes van der Meulen’s off pole with a full inswinger. Singh, on 35*, is joined by Recordon.

Chase is on here, Dutt and DDC for the hosts. 267 they’ll need for the win. Wide first up but no runs off the bat in Haider’s first. Tariq shares the new ball.

VRA are ceratinly half way, anopther well-desereved Topklasse fifty for Patrick Gouge, he and Smal closing in on a century stand and making batting look a lot easier than it did this morning. Charumbira and Nashier looking for the breakthrough.

Ingram down the track to de Mey and away over long on for six. Edwards still with him. Scorecard’s on the blink it seems so do get in touch if you’ve detailed info on the state of the title chase. I’m guessing they’re close to half way now though with plenty of batting to come..

The hosts have the best of the back end here, Shinwari running himself out in the penultimate over looking for an unlikely two, before Braat strikes twice in the final over as Zulfiqar and Shahzad hole out down the ground off successive balls. Hermes hold Punjab to 216-8 in 48, expect that will tick up a tad in the interval.

VOC lose their third, Jannet edging Overdijk to first slip for 29. Van der Meulen joins Singh.

Vieler’s obdurate innings is ended when he misses a sweep aimed at Rossouw and gone for 25. Kampong in no real hurry today it seems. Ingram to the middle to join Edwards, who’s on 7* off 15.

Gouge brings up the fifty partnership lifting Mumba back over his head for a straight four. VRA alumnus Udit Nashier into the attack.

Oli Elenbaas has arguably expended more energy warming up than he has fielding in the last couple of overs, but it pays off for him. Braat throws him the ball for the 45th and he clean bowls Riaz second ball, Riaz walking all the way ouside off stump trying to access fine leg, Elenbaas goes full and straight and gone for 69. Shinwari in.

Smal takes back to back boundaries off almost-certainly Michael Levitt, Pulling hard through square and then lacing him through the covers. That’s enough for Croes to swap him out for Mumba after Usman Malik’s next over.

Double blow at de Diepput as Crowley has de Kok caught behind off a top edged pull, the gets one to pop off a length at Oberholzer who fends to gully. Monty Singh at four.

De Mey into the attack, Berry takes him inside out over cover for four, but a couple of balls later de Mey strikes back, leading edge low to his left and a great diving catch to snaffle the return. Edwards in.

Riaz and Zulfiqar back out there, Braat takes the ball. Still abit slippy it seems as one rolls out the back and well away down leg for five wides. A few balls later Zulfiqar whips him away off the pads over backward square for six. Dutt from the other end, insistent appeal for LBW on Riaz as he misses the reverse, but no joy.

And Singh’s miserable season continues as he goes back to one he shouldn’t have from Klein squared up and struck in front. Finger up and gone. Smal at three.

And we’re back on at de Diepput too, Jannet and de Kok for VOC, the former starts posistively, two, four, six over midwicket in the first. Overdijk shares the new ball.

Back on at Westvliet, Gouge up the order to open with Singh looks like, and I think that’s Levitt opening the bowling the scorers seem to be at a loss. Wide mars a maiden to Singh, looks like Klein from the other end.

Berry doing what he does, backs away to drive Botha through the covers for his third boundary, going at well over a run a ball. Vieler happy to play the junior role for now, but gets one he likes the look of overpitched outside off and puts it away square.

Yep, ten more overs to take us to 48. Will be DLS adjustment at the break presumably, but probably nothing major.

Clearing up here and word is Punjab will bat a bit more, early lunch having saved some time. Will bring you the numbers when we have them.

Well Sparta have done their best to make a meal out of this meagre chase, Kyle Klesse feeding first slip a catch off Rahaley as the sixth wickets falls with the end in sight, but nowhere near enough on the board. Malik in to join Scheepers, and the latter finishes it off next over driving Ralston back staright for four. Excelsior slip further into relegation danger as Sparta win by 4 wickets.

Kampong have already set off in pursuit of the total and the title, Karel Vieler opening with van den Berg, with O’Dowd taking a well-earned break today. Van den Berg doesn’t last long though, big shot off Rossouw miscued high into the off side and gone for eight. Lane Berry at three.

They’re off again, but not before Minhas is caught by Jabarkhail off Woermeijer for 97 and Sikander Zulfiqar is caught by Woermeijer off Dutt. Riaz is on 54*, but that might well be the end of Punjab’s innings.

Another for Ralston: Ahmadi caught by Rens van Troost after skying him into the covers. And now Vaid’s belted Karson Edward into the covers, Tim Etman taking the catch. Could Sparta really throw this away?

Runs flowing freely at De Diepput, but Patel’s catching-practice knock ends when he finds Van der Meulen at long on and departs for 71. Overdijk takes over the hitting role, and after he’s run out Brown follows suit, smacking Harhangi for back-to-back sixes. Then Crowley, deceived by a slower delivery, looks for a bye to the keeper, most unwisely, and is run out as well. Leijer’s caught at point first ball, and the innings is over.

Sparta have lost two more wickets – Martina suckered by a full toss into giving Rahaley a return catch, Boorer caught behind off Ralston – but they’re past the halfway mark and cruising.

Fletcher returns to remove Mumba, who holes out to Nidamanuru at long off. But Klein, in company now with Nashier, goes to 50, and takes the total to 200. He then smacks Fletcher for a four and two sixes, and suddenly Voorburg are motoring. Ruffell bowls a tight final over, though, cutting out more boundaries, and Voorburg have something to bowl at. Klein finishes on 74*.

Patel races past fifty, driving Aaditt Jain through the covers for four, then swinging a full toss away behind square for another. A lofted shot over long on takes him to 52*. Not content with that, he hoists Van der Meulen over cow for six more.

They’re back at the Loopuyt Oval, Minhas and Riaz resuming a stand which is already worth 120. Not sure if there are any overs off, but it’s not unlikely. Fifty for Riaz, Minhas on 95*.

Boddendijk and Rossouw extend their stand to 49 before Rossouw attempts a frantic reverse swing off Ingram and is trapped in front. He goes for 20, Boddendijk on 32*, and Kampong face a rather more demanding chase than they have become accustomed to.

Defending 79, Excelsior get a great start. Steenbergen, in bat-chucking mode, smacks Ralston’s first through the covers for four, but the second flies high towards mid-off, and Joost Kroesen covers a lot of ground from mid-on to take the catch. Lukas Boorer in to join Shaquille O’Neill Martina. But Excelsior have precious little to play with.

Jason van der Meulen a late entrant to the attack, but Patel swings him high and handsome over midwicket for six. That one went a long way! And it takes a while to come back. Tries agaon, doesn’t get hold of it, and the reactions suggest a catch is put down. Van der Meulen’s not happy, but he responds by splattering White’s stumps all over the place; he goes for 85, with Patel on 38*. Hidde Overdijk in at eight.

Fifty for Croes, and definite signs of acceleration as we get into the closing overs. Two boundaries through square leg for Croes off Thakur, but the bowler gets his revenge as he goes for another, fuller this time and he misses, bowled to 62. Klein’s on 25* as he’s joined by Carl Mumba.

Some very welcome resistance from Boddendijk and Rossouw against Gopinath and Bangs. They’ve added 21 precious runs, giving themselves something to bowl at in the process.

White on to 74*, Patel on a brisk 19*, Arnav Jain and Oberholzer providing spin from both ends.

Debutant Vaid gets a bowl at the Bermweg and finishes the Excelsior innings off, bowling Ralston and having Karson Edward caught by Klesse with consecutive deliveries. Two for none from four deliveries isn’t a bad way to start a Topklasse career.

Runs still at a premium at Westvliet: Croes has got to 45*, but it’s taken him 71 deliveries to get there, and 200 looks a long way off at the moment. Thakur into the attack.

Even more now, Joris van Oosterom having stepped back to make room cutting at Gopinath, and played on. But Del Bianco’s still there . . . er, no he’s not, as he cuts Gopinath to point, where Jacod takes the catch. He goes for 45, and last man Rossouw joins Boddendijk.

The radar wasn’t lying: a heavy shower in Schiedam drives the players from the ground, with Minhas on 87* and Riaz on 48*. Covers on, but the rain has eased already. Not stopped, but eased.

Mason skies Jacod to backward square, Kumar taking the catch, and then Julien de Mey edges Gopinath to Roy at slip. Catching practice, that, and HBS are back in trouble.

Christian Oberholzer gets the breakthrough, Wolfe trying an extravagant slog-sweep and bowled for 20. White’s still there on 59*, joined now by Yash Patel, who’s been promoted to seven.

A smart piece of fielding from Patrick Gouge at deep midwicket is too quick for Kaplan, who’s run out for 32 after having done the hard work. Then Turmaine bowls Henry Melville, and a lot now depends on Croes and Ryan Klein as VRA look to cash in on their efforts so far.

That stand having been broken, Excelsior’s slide resumes. Rens van Troost edges Max Hoornweg through to Boorer and walks, looking back briefly to check with the umpire. Then Stan of that Ilk pushes Snoep in front of square and is beaten by a direct hit from Hoornweg – no dive, no stretch to ground the bat. Lazy? Despairing? Not great cricket, anyway, ceertainly not with his side in such trouble. Since then, Ralston and Gijs Kroesen have set about salvaging what they can from the wreckage.

Hikmatullah Jabarkhail into the attack, but Riaz and Minhas are unperturbed, Riaz lofting him for six over extra cover, then pulling him over midwicket for four. Two more boundaries off his next, and Punjab are beginning to motor: Minhas 76*, Riaz 32*, and Hermes need a breakthrough.

Del Bianco and Mason similarly rebuilding the HBS innings, on 31* and 16* now. Pierre Jacod on from the Scoreboard End.

Fifty for White as he and Wolfe continue to dig HCC out of trouble. But just at the moment there’s some concern about the state of the pitch at the Van Hogenhoucklaan End, Harhangi having taken a nasty tumble in his delivery stride. The pitch at De Diepput is dropped in every season in what doubles as a football pitch, and that may not be helping here. But after some attention to both pitch and player they’re able to continue. White 53*, Wolfe 17*.

VRA’s bowlers are making life far from easy on what looks like a distinctly autumnal day at Westvliet: Vikram Singh’s bowled eight overs for 21, and Nidamanuru’s two overs cost just 3. Leon Turmaine has replaced Shariz Ahmad from the Paddock End. Kaplan on 30*, Croes on 22*. Graft, graft, graft.

Van Troost the first to reach double figures in Excelsior’s sorry card, joined now by Etman. Progress, though, is painfully slow, just 13 runs having come from the last eight overs. And as I write that Etman pulls Joost Martijn Snoep into the hands of deebutant Vishdweep Vaid at wide mid-on and departs for 12. Rens van Troost joins his little brother.

Fifty for Minhas, who’s hit only three boundaries in a very composed innings so far. Ralph Elenbaas on now from the Pavilion End, having replaced Braat, and Niels Woermeijer from the other. Not a run-rich ground, Loopuyt Oval, and Punjab are taking their time against a disciplined Hermes attack.

Scholte, on 15, props forward to Ingram, doesn;t get over it, and is caught by Jacod in the covers. Reece Mason joins Del Bianco in the middle.

The platform-building came to a temporary end as De Lange abandoned sedateness and tried to slog-sweep Nidamanuru, missing and bowled for 15. Noah Croes and Kaplan see things through to drinks.

White and Wolfe restoring a bit of order to HCC’s innings, White on 38* now as Schoonheim comes into the attack. The New Zealander has taken a liking to Siebe van Wingerden, 20 coming off his first over, but HCC still have a long way to go.

It’s tricky keeping up as wickets continue to fall! Another at the Loopuyt, as Gondal gets one from Braat that pops on him, and all he can do is edge it gently to a sort of third leg slip, Zulfiqar running to his left in good time to take it. That’s the cue for a drink.

Another for Roy as Walburgh having got himself into a tangle trying to slog-sweep and taking a blow amidships, nicks off to Van den Berg two balls later, departing for 29. Kyle Klein in to join Del Bianco. Amd while I’m writing that Klein spears a catch to Karel Vieler at point, and HBS too are in a spot of bother. Martijn Scholte the new man.

Drama, on the other hand, is the order of the day at the Bermweg, where Excelsior’s implosion continues. Now it’s Kroesen, who fails to get over an off srive and slices the ball to Kyle Klesse, in the gully, I’m guessing. Stan van Troost and Niels Etman together in the middle, but Sparta are rampant.

Sedateness reigns at Westvliet, where De Lange and Kaplan are quietly building a platform; Singh and Nidamanuru into the attack now.

A short-lived rebuilding: Gorlee tries to belt Arnav Jain over mid-on, gets a top edge, and Singh has to move two steps to his left as the ball goes straight up and down like a Space-X rocket. Then another for Aaditt, as Teun Kloppenburg drives uppishly, straight into the hands of Pieter Recordon at mid-off. HCC again in all sorts.

Elmar Boendermaker goes, flicking Alex Roy’s second delivery to midwicket and snaffled by Scott Edwards. Lucas del Bianco joins Walbrugh, who’s on 27*.

Braat into the attack for Hermes, and he’s immediately successful as Musa chases one outside off, edging to Asad Zulfiqar’s left. Good take by the keeper, and Musa goes for 22. Muhammad Gondal in at three.

Three more wickets at the Bermweg, Van Tonder runs himself out for the second time in 24 hours, this time looking for a run as Tim Etman plays towards point, Shaquille Martina pounces, and Van Tonder slips trying to turn. Next ball, Etman again plays square, this time it’s taken by Malik, but the batter seems to believe he played the ball into the pitch. Clean catch, says the umpire, and Etman reluctantly departs. In Malik’s next Verhagen flicks him off his pads to fine leg, and Steenbergen accepts the catch. Absolute chaos as Stan van Troost joins Joost Kroesen.

Second duck of the weekend for Banerjee, as he edges Arnav Jain to slip and Oberholzer dives to take a low catch. Oliver White in to join Gorlee, and by the end of the powerplay they’ve started a rebuilding process.

Short and sweet, Botha’s contribution today: he despatches Nana in front of square for six, but two balls later he nicks off, Van den Berg untroubled to pouch the catch. Tayo Walbrugh, though, has taken up where he left off, racing to 18* already.

Levitt executes a perfect drive to the extra cover boundary off Ruffell, but two balls later he plays down the wrong line and the bails go flying. Gavin Kaplan the new man.

Boundaries flowing at the Loopuyt Oval, mostly from the bat of Musa Ahmad, who’s again adopting the aggressive role aand has hit three so far.

An early blow for Excelsior too, as Ahsan Malik, operating from the Schollebos End, traps Sam Rahaley in front. The batter does a classic double take, but he has to go. Raynard van Tonder again in earlier than he would like..

An early wicket at De Diepput, as Tonny Staal feels for an Aaditt Jain delivery he could probably have left and Monty Singh doesn’t have to move to accept the catch. Shirsak Banerjee in at three.

Voorburg batting first at Westvliet after winning the toss. Levitt off the mark with a boundary off Peter Ruffell, but otherwise it’s a fairly steady start.

Alex Roy calls correctly and invites HBS to have a bat. Kertan Nana starts from the Scoreboard End, and Lehan Botha’s clearly in the mood: he drives the first ball to the point boundary, then pulls the second wide of mid-on for the same result. The next to last is driven back straight, just on the on side, for another boundary. HBS off and running. Shashank Kumar to bowl the second.

Punjab have won the toss and are batting at the Loopuyt Oval, Olivier Elenbaas starting from the Railway End to Musa Ahmad. His fourth delivery is driven sweetly wide of mid-on for four. Otherwise dots. Aryan Dutt to bowl the second to Shoaib Minhas.

Sparta, on the other hand, have decided to give Excelsior first use of the pitch.

Aha! HCC have won the toss and are batting!