Topklasse Live | Round 4 | As it Happened

Hoseinbaks pushes into the covers and, desperate to get Aaditt back on strike, they go for the quick single. Ingram gathers, runs towards the stumps, and throws the wicket down before Hoseinbaks can make it. Aaditt’s devastated, but Excelsior win by 3 runs.

The first shapes in, and off the pad to fine leg, where the chase is unsuccessful. Advantage VOC, but then Harhangi gets under his attempt to hit a winning six and Ingram’s there at long on. Four still required, off four balls, and the last pair together!

Another two, then two leg-byes. Blankestijn retaliates with a full delivery and one that shapes away. Harhangi pushes a single to mid-on, and then they hustle another two. Eight needed! Niels Etman to bowl the last.

15 needed off two now, Aaditt and Harhangi having kept their side in the hunt with some excellent running of ones and twos. This ain’t over yet! Blankestijn to bowl the penultimate over.

And there it is: Arnav slashes at a wideish delivery from Niels Etman, and Verhagen snaffles the catch. He goes for 29, and Harhangi comes to the wicket with 32 still required.

Etman’s switched to the Pavilion End, and VOC remain well off the pace. Arnav Jain’s moved to 19*, Aaditt’s on 5*. 59 off 10 isn’t a massive ask, but there are only three wickets in hand, and it would take a complete change of tempo for them to get there. Luuk Kroesen into the attack.

No actual confirmation yet, but it’s looking very much as if that’s it at the Bermweg. If so, and the live card is to be believed, Sparta win by 11 runs.

Watery sunshine in Rotterdam now, VOC need 66 from 13/78.

They’re still off at the Bermweg.

Finally, the rain’s arrived at Hazelaarweg. The umpires confer, but decide to keep them on for now. Maybe they reckon it’s just a passing shower, and indeed it’s already eased. VOC are well behind on DLS, so Schoonheim goes after Etman. It’s counterproductive, though, since he’s caught by Ingram at wide mid-on. He didn’t really have a choice, but the effect is to put VOC further behind as the brothers Jain are united in the middle.

Niels Etman on from the Airport End, and immediately rewarded as Schierhout, on 46, tries to hit him over long off and is caught by Ralston. Jelte Schoonheim in as VOC chase falters.

Schierhout now on 41*, and somehow the rain’s still staying away from the Hazelaarweg. 83 required from 17, or if you prefer, 102.

And just to rub in how untimely that wicket was, the rain’s back and the covers are going on again. More overs off, perhaps, weather permitting a resumption, and Punjab’s hole getting ever deeper. They’re still behind on DLS.

They’ve bowed to the inevitable at Westvliet. Match abandoned.

All that graft comes to nought as Cameron Fraser returns, gets one to cut away sharply and finds the edge of Vandiar’s probing bat. Mudford takes the catch, and Vandiar goes for a 54-ball 13. Shinwari in to join his captain with 76 still needed.

VOC in real trouble now, as Ingram, on for Ralston from the Airport End, sneaks one past Van der Meulen’s bat and into off stump. Schierhout’s still there on 29*, joined by Arnav Jain.

Heavy going for Vandiar and Zulfiqar, and now they need 89 from 23 overs if the rain stays away. Their danger, of course, is that they’re still behind on DLS, so they need to accelerate without losing further wickets. Tom Hoornweg into the attack.

Braat goes, caught by Tom de Leede off Philippe Boissevain’s bowling for 11, Doyle now on 86* . . . AND they’re off for rain again.

No interruption at the Hazelaarweg, but another wicket for Ralston: Tim de Kok bowled as well, for 2. Ralston has four for 14, all bowled, and Schierhout’s on 20* as he’s joined by Jason van der Meulen.

They’ve resumed at the Bermweg, too, with the innings reduced to 45 overs and the target now 157. Vandiar and Zulfiqar still finding runs hard to come by.

They’re back on at Westvliet, and Olivier Elenbaas has gone, caught behind off Molenaar for 13. There will have been a further reduction in overs, we imagine, but not sure as yet how many. Braat now in with Doyle, who’s on 64*.

The rain’s reached Capelle as well, with Vandiar and Zulfiqar still engaged in a rebuilding exercise. But those wickets mean that if they’re unable to continue, Sparta are well ahead on DLS.

A very cautious start by Schierhout and Fourie, but then Fourie plays on to Ralston and goes for 8, Taylor Bettelheim clean bowled next ball. Ralston on a hat-trick but McKenzie doesn’t have to play his first delivery; Schierhout still to get off the mark at the other end. And then Ralston makes it a triple wicket maiden, as McKenzie too finds the pace too hot and edges into middle and off. Sensation at the Hazelaarweg!

Alas, they’re off for rain at Westvliet. I guess we just have to be pleased that they’ve got past the minimum ten overs.

Another for Ahmadi: young Samir Butt sees his off stump uprooted by a yorker and goes without scoring. Sparta maybe starting to sense the win as Zulfiqar joins Vandiar.

A quick changeover at the Hazelaarweg, Jason Ralston opening with a maiden from the Airport End to Ryan Schierhout. Victor Lubbers takes the second over, to Francois Fourie.

And indeed, Ahmadi’s pace gets the breakthrough, Riaz strangled down the leg side and caught by Mudford for 20. Samir Butt joins Vandiar, and you can’t rule out an upset here.

Wicket for Philippe Boissevain, as Ostling’s caught by Floris de Lange for 10. Olivier Elenbaas in to join Doyle, who’s on 41*.

Ralston chops McKenzie into his stumps, uprooting the middle peg, and McKenzie has four for 15. Schoonheim three for 28 as Excelsior are going to have to produce one of their run-grudging defences of a low total if they’re to take the points back to Schiedam.

The wind isn’t helping the bowlers at the Bermweg, where Sparta have already contributed seven wides to Punjab’s total. Ahmadi looks lively, though, as he comes on from the Schollebos End, but Riaz and Vandiar are laying the foundations of a crucial partnership.

There’s a gale blowing at the Hazelaarweg, but even with its assistance Etman is unable to clear the boundary off Schoonheim, instead finding Aaditt Jain in the deep. Jens Blankestijn the last man.

A VERY smart piece of work by McKenzie as Etman taps the ball back to the bowler, who gathers, turns and throws down the stumps with Kroesen out of his ground. Jason Ralston joins Etman, and Excelsior in danger of not batting the overs here.

McKenzie returns from the Pavilion End and promptly removes Lubbers, who skies his first delivery to Schierhout at deep midwicket. Niels Etman joins Luuk Kroesen with some work remaining to be done by Excelsior.

Klijnhans and Doyle have made a brisk start in what is effectively a T20 game (though with different fielding restrictions, of course), but Molenaar has just removed Klijnhans, caught behind by Noah Croes for 18. Ashley Ostling in at three.

A wicket at the Hazelaarweg as well: a promising stand between Kroesen and Lubbers is broken when the former falls to an excellent return catch by Aaditt Jain, diving to his left. He goes for 16, succeeded by brother Luuk.

Musa and Riaz haven’t been hanging about the the Bermweg, but now Musa chases a wideish delivery from Snoep and edges to Faizan Bashir, departing for 14. Enter Jonathan Vandiar.

They’re under way at Westvliet, Mees van Vliet bowling the first over to CP Klijnhans (back in an opening role) and Daniel Doyle. Michael Molenaar to bowl the second.

And Minhas goes without scoring, hanging the bat to Snoep’s fourth delivery and edging through to Mudford. He doesn’t even look at the umpire. Mohsin Riaz in at three.

They’re back at the Bermweg, Umar Baker starting from the Pavilion End to Musa Ahmad, Minhas the non-striker. Martijn Snoep himself from the Schollebas End.

Another for Schoonheim as Van Troost holes out to Hoseinbaks. Victor Lubbers in at seven.

Verhagen goes. Lifts Schoonheim straight into the hands of McKenzie at deep square leg and departs for 53. That brings Joost Kroesen in to join Van Troost,

Verhagen goes past 50 for the 17th time with a deft sweep off Hoseinbaks. Schoonheim operating now from the Pavilion End.

No, they’ve decided it’ll be 23 apiece.

Not only have they decided to get a start at Westvliet; they’ve tossed, Voorburg won it, and elected to field. They’ll be playing between 20 and 22 overs a side; the calculators, slide rules and astrolabes are out!

Hoseinbaks gets what is still the big wicket of Ingram, down on one knee sweeping, struck on the full, and given get before. He stumps off with 13 to his name, and is succeeded by Stan van Troost. Verhagen, who just slog-swept Hoseinbaks for six over cow, now on 44*.

Excelsior, meanwhile, have reached the halfway point without further loss, Asief Hoseinbaks bowling from the Airport End. Verhagen now on 34*, Ingram on 12* as they take a drink.

Snoep and Hoornweg play out the remaining overs against Minhas and Musa, Snoep contributing a more than useful 23*. No doubt those two bowlers will soon be putting on the pads to start Punjab’s chase of what is still a fairly modest total.

Baker thumps Musa hard and high, just clearing the man at long on. But when he comes down swinging at the next he’s beaten, and Fawad Shinwari demolishes the stumps before he can regain his ground. Tom Hoornweg the last man.

Baker and Snoep are being held down by the Punjab attack, but at least they’re still there. They’ll need to pull the trigger at some point, though, if they are to set a decent total for the bowlers to defend.

McKenzie finishes his spell with two for 11 from six, and is replaced from the Airport End by young Roman Harhangi. That brings an acceleration in the scoring, 11 coming from his first over. Aaditt Jain continues from the Pavilion End.

Some lower-order resistance at the Bermweg, with Baker and Snoep adding some useful runs for Sparta, against Zulfiqar and Minhas.

We understand there’s to be another inspection at 15:30 at Westvliet.

And another for McKenzie, Mitchell chasing outside off stump and smartly taken by Ryan Schierhout, moving to his left at second slip. Lorenzo Ingram in at four, with Excelsior threatening to stumble again.

During the handover McKenzie strikes for VOC, uprooting Etman’s leg stump and bringing Roel Verhagen to the crease.

And another for Niaz as Singh looks to put him back over his head but can’t clear Musa Ahmad in the deep. Snoep in.

Steady start for Excelsior meanwhile, as Aaditt Jain replaces his brother. First chance in the 7th as Etman, having driven Jain handsomely through the off side for four the ball before, miscues the pull and pops a catch toward midwicket, where the chance is spurned.

Sparta lose another as Khalid Ahmadi guides a slower bouncer from Niaz straight to backward point. Baker in.

Activity at Westvliet, but only to add more covers. Whole square decked off now, but doesn’t appear to actually be raining.

Double breakthrough at Bermweg meanwhile as Niaz has Fraser fencing a return catch back for 22, then Tariq has Bashir caught at point next over. Ahmadi in with Manminder Singh now, as the latter rather changes the toone with back to back boundaries off Tariq.

Rain’s cleared off at Hazelaarweg though, and we have a second going game. Spin to start as Arnav Jain opens the bowling to Mitchell, who’s opening with Time Etman. Tidy enough, just one off it, McKenzie shares the new ball.

There’ll be no play at ‘t Loopveld today, Match Abandoned. There’s in principle still scope to reschedule this match though.

Well they’ve got the toss in at VOC, looks like the hosts were planning on having a bowl, but now the rain’s back.

Sun’s out at Bermweg though, where the hosts have crawled past fifty. Fraser and Bashir both in double figures and and a frustrating partnership for Punjab, who may still have half an eye on the forecast.

Covers are back on at Westvliet, look mostly precautionary though.

Optimism at VOC though, toss in ten minutes and a 2pm start if the weather holds.

Early lunch taken at ACC. Inspection in an hour’s time.

Sparta lose their fourth, dug in short by Sikander Zulfiqar and has Latif caught behind. Bashir in at six and Punjab must be thinking there’s just about a chance to skittle the hosts here and get a result before the expected rain…

Inspection in progress at ‘t Loopveld. Lots of prodding at patches around the run-ups again…

Another down at Bermweg, Ferguson goes driving Shafiq to cover. Fraser in.

And Martina’s tough season isn’t getting any easier, Ferguson punches Kamal to Niaz at midwicket, Martina ball-watching as Ferguson charges through, was a pretty dubious single to start with and Martina’s well short as the throw’s rifled in to the keeper’s end. Mudford in, and Mudford out first ball of Kamal’s next as he’s strangled down leg and the finger goes up. Latif in and Sparta may be looking to the skies already here.

We have cricket at Bermweg however, Shafiq and Kamal share the new ball for Punjab, Martina and Ferguson opening the batting.

Early lunch looms at Hazelaarweg, with more weather on the horizon.

And another inspection scheduled for 13.00. Run-ups the worry now.

Indeed we do, Punjab win the toss and field.

Dry at Bermweg now, teams warming up. May have some toss news shortly.

And the first casualty of the day, match abandoned at de Diepput, the teams will share the points.

Inspection at 13.00 we hear.

Inspection at noon we hear, clear for now.

Toss delayed at Hazleaarweg too, and now it’s raining heavily.

Another inspection at noon but little optimism.

It’s raining again.

Toss delayed at het Loopveld too, no word on potential inspections as yet.

Lots of activity at Westvliet, umpires out in the middle, lots of concerned pointing. Sun’s out but very wet out there. Toss delayed, will be a couple of hours yet most likely.

Similar story at Bermweg; toss delayed, inspection at 10.50.

Toss delayed at de Diepput as we wait for the outfield to dry.