Topklasse Live | Round 3 | As it Happened

And all done at Craeyenhout too. And in style. Worden on 109, drops to the knee, pumps Goedeke over the on side for a walk-off six. Took him a while to reacclimatise but that’s an emphatic innings from him. Five balls to spare as HCC win by 4 wickets.

Well quite a climax. Shariz dropped off Elenbass at mid on, and the punishment is immediate. Back to back fours. Job done. VRA win by 6 wickets.

Banerjee gone pinned LBW by a full floater from Goedeke. Floyd in. Tense.

Just three off Dutt for the 47th, pressure on. Braat to bowl the 48th with one in the pocket, Shariz gets away with one on the on side as the catch goes down. Oli Elenbaas back for the 49th.

Kloppenburg steps across to van Ooosterom, but not far enough, top edged slog is held and he goes for 43. Patel in but cleaned up three balls later, HCC stumbling, all on Worden. Banerjee with him now.

Twist in the tail here as Cassidy is bowled by Braat for 91. Thakur in to join Shariz, 20 needed from the last four. Kothari bowled out but everyone else still has overs. Dutt to bowl the next.

This partnership looks increasingly decisive as Kloppenburg uppercuts Del Bianco for six. Worden brings up his ton two ballls later stealing a single off a miscued flick, the rest of his innings has looked way more convincing though. 23 needed from 4, advantage HCC.

Less so here, where the hosts are still cruising home. Cassidy into the 90s, Shariz still with him and singles seem to be on offer everywhere. 23 needed off the last five.

Worden closing in on a ton, but Kloppenburg forcing the pace as he slog-sweeps de Mey for six. Looks set to go down to the wire, this.

And the inevitable has arrived. Ingram last to go holing out off Saqib for 90, Zulfiqar finishes with 4-46 as Rotterdam win by 136 runs. That was not close.

200 almost up for VRA too, but way less to do. Very much the hosts’ game to lose from here. Cassidy into the 80s, Shariz still with him on 23*. 40 to get from the last 8, Elebaas back from the City end.

200 up for HCC first ball of the 41st as Worden strokes de Mey out through cover for one. Has set up a tense denoument here, asking rate creeping up towards 7s but Worden well set now on 86*. Kloppenburg looking steady enough with him too. Goedeke from the other end.

Buys gone, big top edge off Zulfiqar and Sikander takes it himself. Ingram playing a lone defiant hand here. He’s on 68* now, Geert Swaenepoel with him.

Gorlee takes a knee to de Mey and puts him well back over midwicket for six, but the next floats up a little fuller into the pad and no hestitation from the umpire. Kloppenburg in with Worden now, who’s on 70*.

Fifty for Cassidy lifting Elebaas over midwicket for four. Braat still at the other end, but Hermes need to make soething happen here.

Sharma goes, caught behind at the second attempt off Saqib. Roy in, but not for long, LBW last ball of the same over. Buys at nine, Ingram on a run-a-ball 44 but this game is dead as a dodo.

Staal goes for 68, inside edge off Goedeke, off the pad and gathered into the gloves. Gorlee at four, Worden on 60*, HCC still well set despite that wicket you’d say. Boddendijk from the other end.

Breakthrough here, Singh doesn’t quite connect trying to loft Kothari over mid on, where Nick Statham, 51 years young, tracks back and plucks it out of the sky one-handed. Singh gone for 46, Shariz at five. Smal nursing a niggle we’re told.

Staal and Worden still, the latter clips de Mey into the on side for one to bring up his half century. HCC have the platform thanks to this century partnership. HBS looking for some inspiration.Van Oosterom from the other end.

Another down, Jacod goes cutting Mumba up to deep point. Sharma joins Ingram, who is scoring quick enough to keep a glimpse of hope alive.

Lovely drive through extra from Cassidy off Kothari to bring up the hundred. He moves into the twenties, Singh on 35*. Jamil from the other end.

Fourie falls before the end driving Islam uppishly and caught on the off side, but the result was long decided. Price in and seals it next over clipping van Vliet off his pads for a couple, van der Meulen unbeaten on a brisk 36 as VOC win by 5 wickets. That’s your headline I’d say.

Staal goes to fifty stroking Goedeke out to long off for one, then Worden takes a knee next ball and slog-sweeps for six. Solid partnership so far, HBS need a breakthrough. De Mey into the attack.

The crushing weight of scoreboard pressure telling now as Bangs holes out off Tariq. Lots of cricket left to play but this game is long gone really. Ingram in.

150 up for VOC, almost home. Van der Meulen has kept them on track at a pace, picks up a couple flat-batting van Vliet through mid on for, VOC on the brink of a remarkable yet seemingly effortless win.

Relatively unperturbed progress at the Bos too. Oh wait nevermind as I type the second wicket falls, Zaidi agiven LBW to Ralph Elenbaas. Cassidy at four.

Relatively uneventful at Craeyenhout where Staal and Worden bring up a half century partnership. Goedeke and Boddendijk now for HBS.

Edwards pops up a return catch for Shafiq off a leading edge, and new man Bangs top-edges a sweep off Gondal in the next. 357 looking a long way off as Jacod makes his way to the middle.

VOC wobbling suddenly as Montague pulls de Lange to midwicket, then two balls later Harhangi slams back a tough return catch which de Lange somehow catches with his hands rather than his face. Van der Meulen and Fourie in.

Fifty up here at the Bos, some rather adventurous running between the wickets but little else of note to report. Elenbaas on at the city end.

Hundred up for VOC and fifty for Kooistra, but he won’t get much further. Guilty of ball-watching perhaps as Montague commits to a tight single, late to set off and run out by a distance for 54. Hrahangi at four.

Apologies for putting the knockers on Max O’Dowd, who, after I praised his fluency, has now nicked off to Mumba. Desperate times, Edwards up to three.

Slow going at Creayenhout as Staal and Worden dig in after the early wicket, still Del Bianco and van Oosterom for the hosts.

Kampong have the start they need, long way to go though. O’Dowd seems to have found some fluency though as he takes Mumba for three boundaries in the sixth. Still Shafiq from the other end.

Looking on for a quick finish as Montague carts a rank full toss from Rippon over the on side for six. Big upset inbound?

First down here as Braat nicks off the VRA skipper, Zaidi at three. And Hermes would very much like a second there, insistent appeal on Singh for something first ball of Dutt’s next, given wide.

Back on at the ‘plex, where Damien van den Burg and Max O’Dowd are opening for Kampong as they attempt to scale the latest mountain in Rotterdam’s increasingly impressive range. Mumba and Shafiq share the new ball.

Back on at Craeyenhout too, and an early breakthrough as Del Bianco, having been taken for back-to-back fours, nicks off Trijzelaar for 8. Worden at three joins Tonny Staal.

No rest for the wicked, we’re back on here too. Aryan Dutt takes the new ball, Nidamanuru and Singh for the hosts. Six from the first over, all coming in the form of a lovely lofted drive over mid off and the rope. Braat from the other end, first ball beats Singh’s outside edge, oohs and ahhs.

VOC have lost their first in the chase, Samir Butt hacking across the line at van Vliet, maybe a hint of an inside edge, more than a hint of the top of off. Montague in with Kooistra now.

A proverbial captain’s knock from Braat, who made a vital 44 and put on 58 for the last two wickets, has given Hermes some hope of putting VRA under pressure. Shariz the pick of the bowlers with 3-54.

They’re back on at the Hazelaarweg, Bart Kooistra and Samir Butt the new opening combination, facing Jaynul Islam and Van Vliet. A promising start chasing a modest total.

Two balls later Sikander holes out as well, caught by Edwards for 86. Bangs picks up Shafiq in the final over, but that’s small consolation for a Kampong attack which has been comprehensively taken to the cleaners.

A flurry of runs, mostly from Klein, gets HBS to a very decent total indeed, Klein putting icing on the cake by thumping Floyd’s final deiivery over long on for another six. He finishes on 40*, but it’s Del Bianco’s 84* which was the real key.

Mumba brings up the 350, but then he gets under a massive blow and his caught at wide long on by Jacod for 17. Sikander on 86*, nine balls left as he’s joined aby Mohammad Shafiq.

Klein thumps Floyd into the trees beyond long off and then high and handsome over midwicket, and that’s serious damage from an HCC perspective. Del Bianco 73*, Klein 25*.

This could prove to be Rotterdam’s biggest total yet, with Sikander now in full cry. There’s a setback, though, as Niaz goes for broke off Bangs and holes out to Kumar at deep backward point. But Sikander’s still there, on 77 off 49, as he’s joined by Carl Mumba.

Some comedy action at Craeyenhout, as Del Bianco and Klein push for two, a wild throw bisects the pitch, Klein dives unnecessarily for the crease and breaks his bat in the process. But Del Bianco’s on 71*, and HBS will have something to bowl at.

Schoonheim finishes it, last man Jaynul Islam caught by Harhangi. That’s a great effort by VOC, and a very disappointing one from Voorburg, for all that they’re fielding five Dutch internationals.

Minhas takes 11 off four Buys deliveries to move to 141, but when he leans back to drive the returning Kumar through cover he doesn’t get on top of it and is caught by Roy. Sikander’s on 55* as Burhan Niaz joins him.

Navjit gets under a slog-sweep off Teun Kloppenburg and is caught by Patil, making ground to hisleft, departing for 24. Del Bianco, meanwhile, has brought up his fifty, joined now by Kyle Klein.

Two more run-outs add to Hermes’ misery, and it’s left to skipper Braat and Sahil Kothari to try to get them past 200. It’s a long way down from 124-0!

Two wickets in two balls for Hoseinbaks, Van Vliet and Floris de Lange both trapped in front, and Voorburg’s collapse is almost complete. Hoseinbaks finishes with four for 42 from his ten overs.

Astonishingly (although perhaps not really), Minhas and Sikander have put on 99 in ten overs, and it looks as if Rotterdam will cruise past 300 for the third game in a row. Not sure that’s ever been done in the limited-overs era, or perhaps ever. Minhas now on 128*, Sikander on 54* from 34 deliveries.

Goedeke’s gone for 42, holing out to Overdijk in bovine territory off Trijzelaar, bringing Navjit Singh in to join Del Bianco. Since then, Del Bianco’s gone on to 40*, and he needs to stay there pretty much to the end if HBS are to set a decent target.

Except that Mohsen holes out to Schoonheim off Price, and now VOC are thoroughly on top. Mees van Vliet joins Swaroop.

A double breakthrough for VOC as well: De Leede caught by Harhangi off Asief Hoseinbaks for 49, and then Klein bowled sweeeping at Ethan Price. Suddenly Voorburg are in real trouble, and it only gets worse as Michael Rippon is caught behind off Hoseinbaks for three. Mohsen and Swaroop with a lot of work to do.

Another double breakthrough for VRA: Statham run out by a direct hit from Johan Smal, fielding under the famous tree, and then Olivier Elenbaas falls to a brilliant catch by Vikram Singh at point. Hermes squandering a very good start here!

Minhas brings up his fourth Topklasse hundred with two sixes off Jacod, and now Rotterdam are really motoring. Almost immediately they pass 200, with Minhas on 115* from 110 deliveries. Skipper Sikander Zulfiqar currently keeping him company.

Ditto at Craeyenhout, where the stand is now over fifty, Goedeke on 38*, Del Bianco 30*. Nothing extreme, just solid batting.

Different story at the Hazelaarweg, where De Leede and Klein are still in charge: De Leede on 47* on his return to the Topklasse, Klein on 18*.

One brings two brings three in the Bos: first Ostling departs for 60, pulling Shariz to Ibaad Zaidi. Then Rushmere falls to the Shariz googly, and hey presto! Aryan Dutt miscues Darsh Abhinay to Shariz at cover. The collapse appears to be on.

Rotterdam once again looking like making a big, big score, as Saqib lifts Buys over the square leg boundary and Minhas heaves Jacod off the back foot over extra cover for four, adding another through 45 later in the over. He’s on 83*, but as I write that Saqib goes for 41, caught by Ingram at point off Buys.

Goedeke and Del Bianco putting together a very useful stand here, now on 32* and 20* respectively. Trijzelaar and Floyd return, but the batters are picking up singles pretty easily, with the occasional boundary thrown in.

Doyle swings across the line to Shariz Ahmad and is bowled. VRA have the breakthrough at last, as Doyle departs for 64 David Rushmere, he of the 169 and 0, in at three. Nearly he of 169, 0 and 0, as he’s dropped at slip first ball. Next over, Ostling brings up his half-ceentury with a lovely straight drive.

Things were looking ominous for VOC, but then Levitt, who had done all the hard work, drives Spies uppishly into the covers, and Harhangi takes the catch. He goes for 43, banging the ground with his bat in frustration, and Ryan Klein joins De Leede in the middle.

Fifty for Minhas as well, and he’s moved on to 57* now, with Saqib on 19*. Pienaar Buys into the attack for Kampong.

Overdijk back, switching to the Scoreboard End, but Del Bianco turns him sweetly to the fine leg boundary. Still Vrolijk from the other end.

Doyle brings up his half-century with VRA still looking for a breakthrough: Ostling’s on 34* at the other end, but Hermes will need to accelerate from here if they’re to set a challenging total.

A confident start by De Leede, who has hit four fours in reaching 24*, with Levitt on 37* at the other end. De Kok has tried Asief Hoseinbaks, and turns now to debutant Ludwig Spies, who concedes just a single in his first over.

And at the Zomercomplex Lachlan Bangs gets a wicket in his first over, Gondal getting under a pull and skying the ball to Gert Swanepoel at deep fine leg. Saqib Zulfiqar joins Minhas, who’s now on 37*.

Another wicket at Craeyenhout: Thijs Vrolijk into the attack from the Sportlaan End, and De Mey pulls his second delivery to Brown at deep square leg. Lucas del Bianco joins Goedeke, who’s on 11*.

Ostling on 24* and Doyle on 36* as they take some refreshment in the Bos. After a couple of indifferent starts by Hermes, the Old Firm is asserting itself here, where the bowlers aren’t getting a lot of help from the conditions.

A drink at Craeyenhout as well, with De Mey and Goedeke still in occupation. Honours fairly even in this one so far.

Roy’s still having trouble with his line to Minhas, who clips him neatly to the square leg boundary. Still the metronomic Kumar from the other end, whose eight overs have gone for just 18 runs. They take a drink with Minhas now on 31*.

Udit Nashier replaces Hake, but Doyle and Ostling are still there, and VRA need a breakthrough as the runs start to flow.

Another wicket at the Hazelaarweg as well, as Van der Meulen has Croes caught by Samir Butt for 13. And in comes Bas de Leede to join Levitt.

Justin Trijzelaar and Clayton Floyd on at Craeyenhout, and initially the fours keep coming. But then Botha, who’s gone to 40, goes after Trijzelaar, skies him out to midwicket, and Boris Gorlee takes the catch. De Mey’s still there on 10* as Kent Goedeke comes to the crease.

Kumar gets his reward for a tightly-controlled spell, as Musa loses patience and swipes across the line, the top edge flying behind square on the on side and keeper Van den Berg running a long way to his right to snaffle the catch. He goes for 23, and Muhammad Gondal joins Minhas.

Jason van der Meulen and Jelte Schoonheim into the attack, but Voorburg’s two Dutch internationals are settling in ominously: Levitt now on 19*, Croes on 12*.

Botha quick to get things moving, taking three fours off Brown: first his punches him square, and then in his next over he pulls him through square leg and guides him to third man. Then he does it thrice more, twice through point and one through the covers, to race to 26*. De Mey happy to be a spectator at the other end.

Viraj Thakur on for Singh, and concedes the first boundary of the morning as Ostling hits his first delivery through midwicket. Otherwise very quiet in the Bos.

Alex Roy replaces Jacod, but when he strays onto Minhas’ leg stump he’s lofted down to the fine leg boundary. A couple of wides in the over as well, as Roy struggles to find his line.

A solid start for the visitors at the Hazelaarweg, with Levitt now on 15* and Cedric de Lange on 10*. And as I write that De Lange goes, caught by keeper Caleb Montague off Harhangi. Noah Croes in at three.

A big wicket at Craeyenhout, as Walbrugh fishes at Overdijk outside the off stump, get an edge Yash Patel does the rest. The skipper’s run of poor form continues, gone for 1, and Lehan Botha joins De Mey.

Quiet start in the Bos, Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle Calle cautious against Sharad Hake and Vikram Singh.

Michael Levitt, fresh from his Pro Series century on Wednesday, doubles up, taking fours off both Roman Harhangi and Ethan Price to get Voorburg off to a promising start.

Josh Brown from the Scoreboard End at Craeyenhout, and a boundary here as well, albeit off the edge of Julian De Mey’s bat and down to the third man boundary. Tayo Walbrugh to face Hidde Overdijk for the second.

Shashank Kumar takes the first over, bowling to Musa Ahmad. Shoaib Minhas at the other end as usual. Kumar starts right on the money, but his last is in the slot and Musa smacks him over cover for four. Pierre Jacod to bowl from the Equestrian Centre End.

And Tayo Walburgh makes it a full set. HBS unchanged; no Crowley for HCC today, replaced by Thijs Vrolijk.

Rotterdam another side chossing to have a bat on this sunny morning. Both sides are unchanged for this top-of-the-table clash at the Zomercomplex,

Noah Croes has also called correctly and elected to bat. Bas de Leede into the side for Voorburg, we’re told.

In the Amsterdamse Bos, Sebastiaan Braat has won the toss and elected to have a bat. For Hermes, Ralph Elenbaas plays for the first time in this campaign, Hikmatullah Jabarkhail making way for him. Udit Nashier returns for VRA, replacing Jack Cassidy.