Topklasse Live | Round 3 | As it Happened

They can. Good effort. VOC bat all fifty overs, while the visitors will have to make do with a victory as Excelsior win by 66 runs.

Nets in the middle at Hazelaarweg now as the tail look to bat out the overs. De Widt’s gone for a creditable 18, leaving van Wingerden and Harhangi last pair. Can they get VOC past the 250 mark, can they last another over? Edward to bowl it, lets see…

Fifty for Patel cutting Charumbira away to the sweeper for one, they can do it in singles from here. They don’t though, rather Gorlee steps across next over and lifts van Vliet back over his head for six. He isn’t on the field for the win however, bowled round his legs first ball of the next by Charumbira for 121 off 133. It falls to Brown to hit the winning run, a punch out to mid off and a hurried single as HCC win by 5 wickets.

And indeed the Punjab tail swiftly subside after Vandiar’s dismissal, Jacod has Masood caught in the deep, Kumar bowls Kamal and Roy finishes things off pinning Mahmood LBW to complete his five-fer and seal the points for his side as Kampong win by 77 runs.

Well Barresi won’t quite see the Crows home, having taken them to within one hit of victory he gets a rising short ball from Steenbergen that he contrives to fend onto the stumps. Fair to say his 85 was the difference today though. Boendermaker joins Scholte to finish the game off, dinks one into the off side for one or maybe two, overthrows brings five in then and that’s the game. HBS win by 4 wickets.

HCC past 300 meanwhile and it really does look like they’ll chase these with overs to spare. Gorlee is on 111* now, Patel has raced to 47* off 29.

Naqvi gets the younger Jain too, bowled round his legs looking to paddle-sweep. Game’s long gone now but de Widt is still resisting with the tail, van Wingerden with him now.

Another hundred for Vandiar meanwhile, but Kumar gets the big wicket soon after, Vandiar backing away to cut and chopping on for 107. Kamal at nine and Punjab’s hopes all but extinguished.

Barresi still playing a steady hand for HBS, Scholte still with him, Sparta looking short on ideas.

Hundred for Gorlee pushing van Vliet out to long off for one, but it’s been Patel driving the scoring. He’s raced to 32 off 16 and put HCC well ahead in this monster chase.

VOC’s chase falling apart now. Jain falls three short of a well-deserved fifty, given caught down the leg side off Naqvi, to his clear disappointment. Schoonheim lasts four balls before being bowled by Edward. Aaditt Jain in with de Widt now.

A fourth for Roy as Saqib holes out to Bangs deep on the leg side, all down to Vandiar now, who duly creams Roy over midwicket for six first balf of his next over, then repeats the dose two balls later. Masood with him now.

Barresi and Scholte still for HBS, ten overs to get 54 runs. They should get those comfortably if Barresi bats through you’d think.

Etman finds the wicket they wanted, Monty Singh stepping down and driving low to cover to fall for 87. Two overs later and Tim de Kok falls to a leading edge off Naqvi after taking his side past 200. Hope beginning to fade as Tom de Widt joins Jain, who’s now on 46*

Partnership broken at de Diepput too, Mumba has Overdijk caught for 38 at deep third off a spliced leading edge. Patel joins Gorlee, who’s on 95*.

And right after drinks Ingram bags the breakthrough, Zulfiqar down the track but can’t get bat on it and a scrambled stumping sees him gone for 57. Saqib replaces his brother at the wicket.

And a similar situation at Utrecht, with Sikander Zulfiqar and Vandiar well set on 46* and 65* respectively, but the asking rate is almost at tens now with 151 needed off 16 overs.

Monty Singh still leading the resistance at VOC, a dashing 84* off 79 from him thus far, and Jain still with him on 38*. They’ve 15 overs left to get 133 more runs, so some substantial acceleration will have to come shortly one would think.

Manminder Singh breaks the stand as de Beer is caught behind for 20. Scholte joins Barresi, who has another half-century to his name. Work for him to do yet though.

HCC still well in touch with the chase at de Diepput meanwhile, Gorlee driving the scoring with a run-a-ball 87*, Overdijk still with him on 22*.

And indeed, VRA are done for the day. Fletcher goes top-edging a slog-sweep off Jabarkhail before Abhinay, after a spirited rearguard 25, is the last to fall driving Dumon low to cover. What a difference a day makes. VRA handed their first defeat, the Sky Blues go top of the table as Hermes win by 103 runs scratch that, Hermes win by 108 runs. Seems we missed some penalty runs in the first innings there. Incidentally that brings the total first innings runs for the round to 1,401 if you’re counting.

Sikander Zulfiqar and Vandiar still, finding the rope on occasion as Vandiar shuffles down the track now to slap Gopinath back over his head for six here, but nowhere near enough to stop the asking rate escalating further. Still almost 200 to get in 22 overs.

Fifty for Monty Singh meanwhile, and a fifty partnership between him and Arnav Jain. This pair are keeping VOC in the game for now, but will likely need to double this stand in good time if the hosts are to hold a hope. There’s some notional batting to come, but it currently ranges from formless to void…

VRA in for another early finish you’d think, though not the sort you celebrate. Turmaine gone now, caught by the keeper standing up to Woermeijer. And Ruffel’s come on gone, back and across to the same bowler and pinned in front. Fletcher joins Abhinay.

Breakthrough at Craeyenhout meanwhile as Malik has Mason caught in the gully for 33. All hopes on Barresi again for the hosts, can he hold the lower order together to get them over the line this time? De Beer at six.

That may calm some nerves, White skies one off Mumba and is caught for 39 off 35. Gorlee still there though with a half-century to his name. Overdijk with him now.

HCC still well on course at de Diepput meanwhile, White takes Floris de Lange for 16 in three balls in the 20th, Gorlee keeping pace and just one away from fifty now. When do Voorburg start to worry?

VOC likewise lost another before drinks, Oberholzer caught backward point off Etman, and the asking rate steadily climbing. Arnav Jain in with Singh now.

Things are looking little better for Punjab, who have lost Riaz caught off Roy in the on side for 13. Sikander Zulfiqar in with Vandiar now.

VRA’s collapse continues meanwhile as Scully chips Braat to Kothari at midwicket before drinks, whereafter Zaidi, having slapped a shoulder-high wide full toss for six a few balls earlier, is smartly stumped off Jabarkhail for 13. Abhinay and Turmaine now trying to salvage something from the innings.

Barresi and Mason looking to stabilise things at Craeyenhout, take the Crows to 74-3 at drinks. Looks like Tim Ferguson coming on to bowl now.

HCC aren’t gonna die wondering, still on the attack and well up with the pace after Gorlee takes Mees van Vliet for 20 runs in the 13th. He’s on 34* now, White on 16 and both going at about a run a ball.

Meanwhile at Hazelaarweg Chris Oberholzer and Monty Singh have the beginnings of a partnership. Naqvi and Niels Etman operating for Excelsior.

Well it’s no batter’s afternoon it seems, wickets tumbling all over. Musa Ahmad the next to go at Utrecht, caught in the covers off Roy. Jonathan Vandiar the new man. Bangs from the other end.

Speaking of real trouble, VRA have lost their stand-in skipper now too – Smal miscuing Elenbaas to mid off. Scully in with Zaidi now.

And Snoep is gifted another wicket as Botha drives him uppishly into the hands of cover, Barresi in at five and HBS in real trouble of a sudden.

Staal goes for a 28-ball 46 guiding de Leede down the throat of short third, but HCC continue to attack with the bat. Ollie White edges his first ball wide of the slips for four, then follows up with a more convincing boundary through point a few balls later. Hatzoglou back into the attack.

HBS stumbling too now after a bright start, Scheepers has Del Bianco caught-and-Bowled, bagging a simple return catch off a leading edge, and a few overs later skipper Snoep claims the big wicket of opposite number Walbrugh, the latter slapping a hit-me ball straight to midwicket. Botha in with Mason now.

VOC losing wickets in a hurry too, Recordon goes top-edging a pull off Ralston, caught second slip. Jannet goes in the next, another top-edged pull, this time off Blankenstijn and coming down somewhere around midwicket, safely pouched. Oberholzer and Monty Singh for VOC now…

And sure enough another goes down next over, Cassidy loses his off peg to Elenbaas and gone for 27. Zaidi to the middle and blocks out the over.

VRA suddenly two down as well, as Elenbaas bowls Peiris, round his legs I reckon, keeper was blocking my line of sight I’m afraid. Next over Numair strikes to remove Gouge, edging to first slip. Could be a tricky chase for VRA’s weakened batting line-up, this. Smal at four and he’ll be key you’d think.

Punjab have lost their first too as left-armer Kumar gets one to straighten from over the wicket, swinging into Minhas’ pads and no hesitation from the umpire. Musa Ahmad at three and slaps his first ball to the rope through cover-point, but loses another partner first ball of the next, Butt bowled by Alex Roy’s first delivery off an inside edge there I reckon. Riaz at four and off the mark last ball of the over driving square to the rope.

First wicket down at de Diepput as Tom de Leede takes Wiesmeier’s off stump with what looks like an off-cutter that shoots low through the defense. Gorlee joins Staal, the latter seemingly undaunted as he uppercuts Mumba over Gully for six, then whips him away square for four a few balls later. He’s raced to 38 off 21, clearly understands the assignment here…

HBS have made a brisk start to a more manageable chase at Craeyenhout meanwhile, Ahsan Malik having a tough time of it early. He’s driven straight by Mason for four in his first, then cut behind point by del Bianco in his next, then gets another boundary against his figures courtesy a misfield next ball. Scheepers schares the new ball.

Chase underway at Hazleaarweg too, Janett clips Ralston off his pads for four through square fourth ball, but that’s the only scoring shot so far. Blankenstijn starts with a maiden to Recordon at the other end.

They’re back on at Utrecht too, Butt and Minhas opening, Jacod and Nana share the new ball. Minhas finds the first boundary of the the day carving the latter over the covers for four in the second over, but they’ll need a few more of those. Just one over for Jacod up top it seems as Kumar replaces him immediately.

They’re back on at the Loopuyt too, Numair opens the bowling and slot from him second ball, whipped away over midwicket for a one-bouncer by Cassidy. Low full toss from Ralph Elenbaas gets the same treatment in the next, then two balls later he’s driven for four more, then lifted over mid-off for another boundary, then another through midwicket. Cassidy enjoying himself it seems, Sachin Peiris his opening partner today.

First action of the afternoon session is at de Diepput, Victor Wiesmeier opening with Tonny Staal. Tom de Leede opens the bowling for the visitors, down leg second ball and flicked fine by Wiesmeier for four. Staal finds his first boundary off Mumba first ball of the next in similar fashion, positive start for the hosts, but then it would have to be…

Sparta the only side not to bat out their overs, as Boddendijk removes Malik and Snoep is run out. This one could go down to the wire, I reckon.

Runs a lot harder to come by at the Loopuyt Oval, but you never know what a total’s worth until both sides have batted. And the Hermes attack has been very effective so far.

Stan van Troost, too, reaches a maiden Topklasse century, and Excelsior join the 300 club. We can’t remember an occasion when three sides passed 300 batting first. Van Troost finishes on 107*, Rahaley on 43*, and the Thurlede faithful will be breathing a little easier now.

Jacod finishes with an unbeaten, 39-ball 46, Roy with 29* off 16, and Punjab, too, have a mountain to climb.

A flurry of wickets for Josh Brown as Voorbug chase quick runs: he gets Kulkarni for 23, Mumba for 22, and Tom de Leede for10, finishing with four for 76, but 328 is a massive target.

Musa removes Ingram for 68, but Jacod goes onto the attack, on 43* from 36 now, batting with captain Alex Roy at the death.

Van Troost 82* with three overs left. Rahaley on 23*.

There’s some wag left, nevertheless, Baker and Malik batting into the last five overs and taking the total up to 200.

Statham gone for 25, caught behind by Cassidy off Fletcher, and Ralph Elenbaas follows the same way next ball. Braat’s still there, batting now with debutant Dewald Dumon.

De Lange hits out once too often, holing out to Overdijk at deep midwicket off Josh Brown. But that has been a superb 104 from the young man, and he has set up a Voorburg total of 300-plus. That’s now in the hands of Mumba and Kulkarni, and they reach it with three overs left.

Ingram’s gone to 66*, Jacod on 20*, and Kampong have an outside chance of reaching 300 again.

Another fifty for Stan van Troost, and when Harhangi returns he smacks him for six. With six overs left he’s on 63*, Rahaley on 20*. Solid effort from Excelsior here.

Signs of the Spartan tail wagging are snuffed out, as Manminder Singh, having reached 16, slog-sweeps at De Mey and is caught by Elmar Boendermaker. Baker’s still there, joined now by Ahsan Malik.

Statham and Braat pushing towards 200, which is probably the minimum Hermes need. Fletcher has two overs left for VRA, Ruffell three and Turmaine one, if Smal doesn’t want to use a sixth bowler..

A maiden Topklasse century for Cedric de Lange, but Venter has removed Melville, caught by Staal for 42. Carl Mumba comes to the crease, and De Lange’s gone to 103*.

Half-century for Ingram, who has now joined the select company who have made 6000 runs in the top flight. He’s on 51*, Jacod on 13*, and Puinjab will have a chase on their hands.

But no century for Van Tonder today, as Jelte Schoonheim gets one through his defences and bowls him for 97. Sam Rahaley the new man.

De Mey has Scheepers caught by Boddendijk for 13, and Sparta in real trouble now.

Van Tonder and Van Troost are mostly content to push the singles, but that has taken them to the verge of 200, and Van Tonder to the verge of a maiden Topklasse century. He’s on 97* from 103 deliveries. Van Troost on 34*.

Another for Abhinay, as Kothari is caught by Turmaine for 9. Statham is joined by skipper Sebastiaan Braat.

A very useful fifty partnership between De Lange and Melville piles on the agony for HCC. De Lange’s gone to a career-best 90*, with his partner on 30*.

Suleiman Tariq returns from the Pavilion End, and he gets Chaturvedi, driving uppishly into the covers and caught by Musa for 12. Pierre Jacod in at seven.

Or indeed, three, as Gary Barresi snaffles a return catch to remove Balwantsingh. Wheels coming off for Sparta.

One brings two at Craeyenhout: first Boorer, having gone to 51, holes out to Botha at midwicket off a jubilant Barresi, HBS’s answer to Nathan Lyon, and next over Klesse, on 28, cuts hard at Rossouw and is smartly caught by Del Bianco. That brings Prithvi Balwantsingh to join Juandre Scheepers.

Van Tonder needs some running repairs on that hand, but he’s gone on to 70*, Van Troost is on 19*, and Excelsior have a decent platform. Siebe van Wingerden operating from the Pavilion End, in tandem with Janett.

Ruffell returns to remove Doyle, caught behind by Cassidy for 74, and then Darsh Abhinay bowls Zulfiqar for 21. Feestvarken Statham in now, together with Sahil Kothari. Still a long way to go for Hermes.

To his great disgust, Kaplan clips Crowley to Overdijk at midwicket and goes for 46. That brings Henry Melville in to join De Lange, who’s gone to 72*. Yash Patel into the attack with Crowley now.

Berry goes for 53, caught by Tariq off Mahmood, but Bangs continues in company with Ingram. He goes to 85, but when he tries to belt Shoaib Minhas over long on he finds the fielder instead, and has to depart. Chaturvedi the new man.

Past the halfway mark, with Boorer, now on 48*, and Kyle Klesse building a useful third-wicket stand. ut De Mey and Boddendijk are keeping things fairly quiet.

Spin from both ends at the Hazelaarweg, and it’s Arnav Jain who gets the breakthrough: Verhagen given caught behind by Bharaj a.k.a. Monty Singh for 28. He’s not wild about the decision, and takes a long time to depart. Antum Naqvi in to join Van Tonder, but his stay is brief. He reaches 14 before falling to a return catch by Scott Janett, diving a long way to his left to grasp the ball centimetres from the turf. Van Tonder, meanwhile, has gone to 50*, joined now by Stan van Troost.

Doyle’s duly gone past fifty, and Hermes have gone into three figures. The Spanish international is on 60* now, Asad Zulfiqar on 11*.

De Lange goes past fifty as well. Venter into the attack from the Van Hoenhoucklaan End, and Kaplan lifts him over point for six. A single brings De Lange on strike, and he follows suit, the left-hander pulling powerfully over square leg. That takes him to 65*, Kaplan on 19*.

Drinks at Maarschalkerweerd as well, Berry having gone to his half-century and Bangs closing in on one as well.

Now it’s Reece Mason purveying spin from the Scoreboard End , with Benno Boddendijk taking over at the other. With the sun peeping through at Craeyenhout the stand’s extended to 85 before Steenbergen, on 39, lifts Boddendijk to De Beer at deep mid-on. That much-needed wicket is the cue for a drink.

Verhagen now on 27*, Van Tonder, despite his injured hand, on 34*.

The breakthrough comes from the wiles of Turmaine, who bowls Ostling for 29. Doyle on the brink of another half-century, now 49*, Asad Zulfiqar his new partner.

Crowley and Oliver White, and it’s the latter who removes Hatzoglou for 59, taking a smart return catch, low to his left. Kaplan in at three, and in his company De Lange has moved on to 46*. Another solid start for Voorburg.

Aaliyan Mahmood on now from the University End, Musa Ahmad from the Pavilion. But the two Australians look solid: Barry’s gone to 45*, Bangs on 30*.

Still spin from the Scoreboard End as Julien de Mey replaces Rossouw, but it’s the seam ofSellin de Beer from the Sportlaan End. Steenbergen and Boorer continue to hold firm.

Schoonheim on for Harhangi now. But Verhagen and Van Tonder are settling in, the latter lifting Jain effortlessly over midwicket for six.

VRA still looking for a breakthrough, with Ashir Abid on from the Pavilion End and Leon Turmaine from the other. Doyle has begun to unwind, and he’s now on 37*, with Ostling on 15*.

Hatzoglou unleashes at De Diepput, whose bijou dimensions might have been designed with him in mind. He takes three fours and as many sixes off one Brown over and races to a 28-ball half-century. By the end of the powerplay Voorburg have 93, Hatzoglou 55*, De Lange 32*.

A second wicket for Kamal, Van den Berg clipping him off his pads to Masood at forward square leg and departing for 12. Since then, Berry has been rebuilding with Lachlan Bangs; he’s on 24* now. Suleiman Tariq and Kamal still operating for Punjab.

The all-spin new-ball attack continues, and Steenbergen and Boorer continue to rebuild after that early wicket. When Rossouw offers him a full toss, Boorer hammers him through the covers for four. When was the last time a Topklasse game started with ten overs of spin?

Wicket for Aaditt Jain: Kroesen prods forward, feet going nowhere, and gives a straightforward catch to Oberholzer at slip. Raynard van Tonder in at three.

Hatzoglou has joined the party, and he’s now matching young De Lange as Voorburg bring up the fifty. Josh Brown has replaced Overdijk from the Van Hogenhoucklaan End, but De Lange’s gone on to 28*, Hatzoglou on 22*.

Fletcher and Ruffell keeping things fairly quiet at the Loopuyt, with Ostling and Doyle forced to defend much of the time. I gather it’s pretty cold in the Netherlands today, so it could be a good day for the bowlers.

An early strike by Sajjad Kamal, who brings one back on Ratha Alphonse and takes his off stump. He goes for 4, and is succeeded by Lane Berry, joining Damien van den Berg.

Drama at Craeyenhout, where Wesley Barresi takes the second over, and off his second delivery Walbrugh and Del Bianco combine to pull off a stunning catch. Sam Ferguson edges to slip, Walbrugh leaps to his left, scoops the ball up, and keeper Del Bianco completes the catch. Lukas Boorer in to join Jochem Steenbergen.

Roman Harhangi takes the new ball from the Pavilion End at the Hazelaarweg, Luuk Kroesen and Roel Verhagen again opening for Excelsior. Aaditt Jain from the Airport End. Kroesen’s had the lion’s share of the bowling so far, just a single delivery for Verhagen. Quiet start, Harhangi’s second over a very tidy maiden.

HCC having won the toss, Voorburg are batting at De Diepput. Two boundaries from Hidde Overdijk’s first over for Cedric de Lange, back opening in the absence of Michael Levitt, then another off Floris de Lange. Hatzoglou’s at the other end, but who’s the pinch hitter here?

I’m sorry to inform you that the covers are on at Craeyenhout, though they’re coming off now.

Hermes won the toss at the Loopuyt Oval and elected to bat. Daniel Doyle back opening with Ostling in the absence of Aryan Dutt; Dewald Dumon in the eleven for the first time. Ben Fletcher, restored to the VRA side, starts from the Pavilion End, and after a wide he catches the shoulder of Ostling’s bat, the ball flying over the slips for a single. Peter Ruffell from the Railway End.

Similarly, having called correctly, Sikander Zulfiqar has elected to bowl.

HBS have won the toss at Craeyenhout and have asked Sparta to have a bat.

Roel Verhagen has called correctly at the Hazelaarweg, and elected to bat.

Another debutant today is young Tom de Widt, who comes into VOC’s side in place of Ramdas Upadhyaya. Tom Heggelman has been named in Excelsior’s 12, but we don’t yet know whether he’ll play.

A changed balance in the HBS side with Kyle Klein on national team duty; keeper Martijn Scholte comes in, so will Lucas del Bianco revert to being a seamer? Sparta unchanged from Saturday.

Kampong bring in keeper Ratha Alphonse in place of Scott Edwards, while Vikram Chaturvedi comes in for Max O’Dowd. Saqib Zulfiqar returns for Punjab, Aafaan Tariq making way.

A big day for Hermes’ Nick Statham today, as he plays his 500th top-flight match. Only the legendary René Schoonheim has played more. Statham made his Hoofdklasse debut (as the top division was then called) against Bloemendaal on 7 May 1989, so he’s two days short of a 36-year career. He’s made 11321 runs at an average of 25.91. I also happen to think he’s one of the nicest guys in Dutch cricket. We offer him our hearty congratulations.

No news of the toss yet, but Voorburg’s four changes are the inclusion of Patrick Charumbira, Tom de Leede, Floris de Lange and Nirav Kulkarni. HCC bring in debutant Victor Wiesmeier to replace Shirsak Banerjee, and there will be a Floris de Lange on both sides today.