Topklasse Live | Round 4 | As it Happened

Needing 19 off the final over, bowled by Waseem Mohsen, Rotterdam can only manage 8, and Voorburg win by 10 runs. 460 runs for eight wickets in 50 overs. What a shame we weren’t all able to watch it. But many thanks to the admirable Tim de Leede, who kept me posted throughout. Any mistakes were mine, not his!

21 required off nine balls . . . Saqib 50*

18 off those two, so it’s still on! Saqib Zulfiqar and Burhan Niaz the men at the crease.

Rotterdam need 85 off seven overs, but it looks unlikely with five down.

But then Ralph feeds Kloppenburg a leg-side full toss, and he needs no encouragement to smash it over midwicket for the winning six. He finishes on 51*, as does Staal, and HCC win by 7 wickets.

Ralph Elenbaas goes for just two singles off his next, and brother Olivier then returns from the Van Hogenhoucklaan End. Kloppenburg tries unsuccessfully to smack him into that thoroughfare, and has to be content with a single. A very good over, that.

They could pick them up in singles, but that’s not either of these batters’ style, and Kloppenburg slog-sweeps Kothari for six over square leg. He’s obviously keen to finish it quickly, going after Kothari again in his next over, but initally with less success. Then, after Staal brings up his half-century, Kloppenburg smacks another, in front of square this time. After a long delay he does it again, and HCC need just eight to win.

Staal now on 46*, Kloppenburg on 16*, and HCC are on the brink of two very valuable points.

Rotterdam aren’t out of this, though, needing 127 off the last 15 overs with eight wickets in hand.

Abhinay bowls the penultimate over, and Kumar turns the first ball square for a couple. There’s a conference, the advice apparently being to give the ball more air. Which he does, but the second time Kumar’s waiting for it, and strokes him into the covers for the two which ensure that Kampong win by 1 wicket! You really couldn;t ask for a better finish than that!.

A single apiece and an unsuccessful appeal for LBW off Shariz’s last, and Kampong need four.

A single, a bye and three wides in Nidmanuru’s next over, and they need 6 off three.

Yet another skied catch – I’ve never seen so many in a single day. This time it’s Gorlee, gone for 25 as he’s caught by Braat at mid-on off Kothari. Staal on 37*, Kloppenburg in.

Swanepoel twice pulls Shariz in the 46th over, the first going all the way to the boundary, the second producing a couple. And the deficit’s down to 10.

Despite the appearance of an injury earlier, Dutt in putting in a handy spell, just 7 from his four overs so far, and, paired up with Sahil Kothari, they’ve slowed the scoring rate significantly.

While there’s life there’ s hope: Swanepoel and Kumar hang in there, but 21 are still needed, and they’re starting to run out of overs.

Scoreboard pressure tells, as it was always likely to: Musa Ahmad the first to go.

All over at Craeyenhout. In a last hurrah Van der Meulen plants Goedeke in among the bean bags beyond the midwicket boundary, but then the spinner pins Hoseinbaks to pick up a well-earned five-for. Van der Meulen 75*, but HBS win by 162 runs.

Jacod, on 33, tries a reverse sweep, top-edges to the keeper, who takes the simplest of catches. Kumar in to join Swanepoel for the last rites.

A fourth wicket for Goedeke, Schoonheim this time, another to get under the ball and sky a catch for the bowler, who drops back to take it. Asief Hoseinbaks the last man. .

Gorlee pulls Herrington for six, and with Staal now on 30* off 27, HCC seem to be cruising. That one went a long way, one suspects into a distant walled garden, repository of many cricket balls over the years.

Levitt out for 70, as Voorburg give their visitors something to think about.

Roy joins the sky-high club, hitting Abhinay back over his head only to be caught by Thakur, and then Buys is trapped in front next ball. The End is Nigh for Kampong, it would appear.

Malik goes after Boddendijk and is caught at deep mid-on for 20. He and his skipper have an exchange of words as he departs. And in the next over Upadhyaya skies Goedeke to Mason at backward point. Van der Meulen the unhappy witness to all this, now on 60* but running out of partners. And it gets worse when Van Wingerden it caught at point first ball.

As long as Jacod and Roy are there, though, Kampong still have hope, and they’ve reduced the margin to 32 with 15 overs left. It’s always all been about the wickets.

Worden pulls Elenbaas effortlessly for six, but when he tries to do it again he misses, and bails and stumps go flying. Boris Gorlee joins Staal, who has 23* off 13 at this stage.

Fifty for Van der Meulen, almost certainly in a losing cause: he’s on 56* now, Malik on 20*.

Shariz traps Sharma in front, bringing Alex Roy in to join Jacod. Still a long, long way to go forKampong.

De Lange goes for 125, off God knows how many (or few) balls, and Bas de Leede joins Levitt.

Back on at De Diepput, and after Tonny Staal smacks Olivier Elenbaas for four and six in the first over, Josh Brown goes first ball, cutting Braat to Herrington at point. Last week’s hero, Zac Worden, in at three.

Bangs skies Hake to Nidamanuru in the covers, and still VRA have kept the door open. Still 55 needed as they take another drink, with Tushar Sharma supporting Jacod. Talk about fluctuating fortunes!

Price tries to reverse, down on one knee, struck on the pad, and the umpire’s finger goes up. Falling apart for VOC now, as Ahsan Malik joins Van der Meulen.

A third century for young De Lange, on 104* now, Levitt on 66*.

Fourie gets to 24, then skies Boddendijk high towards point, where Walbrugh makes no mistake. The bowler sinks to his knees in a gesture of triumph and/or relief. Since then, Price has been supporting Van der Meulen, who has gone on to 38*.

Imagine not being able to see this! De Lange’s raced to 83*, Levitt 63*. Rotterdam will need all their batting power to match this.

Herrington comes and goes, but Braat plays another fine captain’s knock, lofting Crowley over point to go to 43 in the final over. He’s then bowled, trying to hit him over midwicket, but he’s got his side up to a total they might have some slim chance of defending..

Nashier into the attack, but he drops too short, and Jacod pulls him twice through the leg side for four. Jacod and Bangs have got the Kampong innings back on track – there’s little or no scoreboard pressure, and VRA are in serious need of another wicket.

Van der Meulen and Fourie are building a much-needed stand with Benno Boddendijk and De Mey operating now, but the asking rate’s approaching nines, and it’s probably more about NRR damage limitation than anything else.

Half-centuries for both openers: De Lange 56*, Levitt 52*.

Brown returns to remove Statham, drifting one in and striking him low on the pad. He made a very valuable 40, and Oliver Herrington joins Braat.

Nearing halfway at Westvliet, and Rotterdam yet to pick up a wicket. De Lange now 42*, Levitt 40*.

Thakur returns, bowls one down leg, Ingram chases it, and Madgwick takes a splendid catch, diving to his right. Ingram’s disgusted, chucking his bat away in frustration. Bangs in at six, but VRA are right on top now.

Van der Meulen does his best to give the innings some momentum, pulling Del Bianco high over square leg for six, but then Butt drives square but uppishly, and Mason takes the catch. Francois Fourie in to join his captain.

Statham and Braat are battling on, but boundaries are few and far between, and now there are only eight overs left.

Voorburg are experiencing technical difficulties, we understand, so it’s back to the carrier pigeons. Who tell us that Levitt is on 21* and De Lange on 32*.

By drinks, with O’Dowd and Ingram beginning to look set, the air was seeping out of VRA’s balloon. But Singh returns from the Pavilion End, and he gets the first ball after the break to jag back enough to take O’Dowd’s off stump. He goes for 32, and Jacod joins Ingram in the middle.

Del Bianco lets one go down the leg side, Harhangi chases it, and Martijn Scholte dives miles to his right to take a very fine catch. VOC really up against it now.

51-year-old Statham is saving Hermes’ blushes somewhat, on 19* now. But the rate’s under three an over (just), and there’s going to have to be an acceleration fairly soon if they’re going to set a defendable total.

Del Bianco is being a seaming allrounder again today, and he’s on now, replacing Klein from the Sportlaan End. Butt and Harhangi are digging in, but VOC falling behind the required rate all the time.

After that shaky start O’Dowd and Ingram are slowly getting on top, now on 22* and 8* respectively. Nidamanuru has replaced Singh, and Thakur on for Hake.

Levitt and Cedric de Lange at the crease. That’s all we know, folks.

Bad news for Hermes (and potentially for the Dutch): Dutt, obviously hampered by a leg injury, hammers Floyd back over his head and is caught by Staal at long on. The Sky Blues might struggle to bat their 35 overs here, as Sebastiaan Braat joins Statham.

Curious scenes at Craeyenhout: Montague drives Klein square, and HBS celebrate what they are obviously convinced is a fair catch at point. Montague stands his ground, the umpires confer, and eventually the catch, by Goedeke, is given. Montague departs, Harhangi joins Butt. One misses the nineteen DRS replays.

More trouble for Hermes: Clayton Floyd into the attack, sends one down leg, and Elenbaas, on 24, swings in into the hands of Josh Brown. Aryan Dutt joins Statham.

VOC have started their chase at Craeyenhout, Samir Butt taking just a single off Klein’s opening over. Caleb Montague the non-striker; Joris van Oosterom sharing the new ball.

184 looks a much better total now than it did half an hour or so ago, and VRA are definitely up and about, as Australian commentators are wont to say. There’s an insistent but wildly optimistic appeal for caught behind as Ingram feels for one leaving him off the pitch from Singh, but the umpire’s not having any of it. .

HCC’s young Lions in full roar now, with Thijs Vrolijk bowling in tandem with Trijzelaar. Big shout for leg-before against Elenbaas, but it was clearly too high. A third of the overs gone, and Hermes up against the wall as Trijzelaar bowls a maiden to Statham.

VRA strike early, Van den Berg driving uppishly at Hake and Nidamanuru taking the catch at a deepish mid-off. Scott Edwards joins O’Dowd in the middle. And now it’s two, as Edwards chases a lifting delivery from Singh and is well caught by keeper Madgwick. VRA are fighting hard here.

Another one goes at De Diepput: Doyle plays all over and around a full delivery from Justin Trijzelaar, and is comprehensively bowled. Nick Statham joins Elenbaas with his side in real trouble.

Good news from Westvliet: they’ll be starting a 25-over game at ten to four.

They’re back on at Maarschalkerweerd, Shaarad Hake bowling initially to Van den Berg, with O’Dowd the non-striker. A not-entirely-convincing three wide of mid-on gets the board moving. Vikram Singh to bowl from the University End.

Daniel Doyle-Calle and Olivier Elenbaas have the task of rebuilding the Hermes innings, and they’re helped when Josh Brown oversteps, Elenbaas despatching the free hit to the square leg boundary.

Two more sixes for Klein off Upadhyaya, but off the first ball of Malik’s last Del Bianco holes out to long on and goes for 79. Klein his a brace of twos to reach 40, but is then caught at straightish long off trying to belt another six, so it’s Reece Mason who faces the final delivery and is run out trying to force a second. The Crows go in for lunch thoroughly in command.

They’ve started at De Diepput, and started sensationally, Teun Kloppenburg diving yards to his right to take a return catch to remove Ash Ostling off the first ball of the match. Then, off the third ball of the next over David Ruchmere fences at one outside off stump and is equally well caught by keeper Yash Patel. Disastrous nine balls for Hermes.

Klein gets a high full toss from Upadhyaya which he absolutely pulverises into the trees beyond long; he thought it might haave been a no ball, but the umpires disagree. The runs flow fast now, Del Bianco hitting Harhangi for four and then six over square leg, and we have another 300+ total. Del Bianco on 75* with three overs left.

Siebe van Wingerden belatedly into the attack, and Goedeke, having gone on to 63, lashes him straight to Samir Butt at deep midwicket. Del Bianco has reached another fifty, and he’s on 53* as he’s joined by Kyle Klein.

Jacod bowls the last, the stand having reached 36 (equal highest of the innings), and off his first Hake holes out to Bangs at deep midwicket. So Abhinay’s left on 40*, having batted with great composure, quite a lot of scampering, and a certain amount of luck. And 184 is a lot more than VRA looked like making at 132 for eight.

The carnage continues, Goedeke reaching his half-century, then smacking Price for back-to-back boundaries. He’s now on 59*, Del Bianco 41*.

They’ll be starting a 35-over match at De Diepput at 2:30, HCC having won the toss and elected to field.

An irritating little stand for Kampong, this, especially when Abhinay slaps Gert Swanepoel over mid-on for four. VRA may yet give themselves something to bowl at.

Make that 300: the tempo has increased sharply as the boundaries start to flow again, Goedeke on 41* now, Del Bianco on 29*. The partnership’s worth 72 already.

Kumar back from the University End, Madgwick playing him with consummate correctness and respect. Keeper Van den Berg, meanwhile shows where his mind is by practising his foreward defence between deliveries. And when Madgwick drives Ingram uppishly, the veteran jumps athletically to his right to grab a very good return caatch. Sharad Hake the last man.

Goedeke and Del Bianco, on the other hand, are building on their inheritance, and as they take another drink at Craeyenhout HBS should be looking at a total well in excess of 250.

Abhinay and Madgwick are looking reasonably comfortable against Ingram and Bangs, content to pick up whatever singles they can.

Another down at Maarschalkerweerd, and Ingram collects his first of the season as Nashier edges low to Roy at slip. Adam Madgwick joins Abhinay.

With two comparatively new batters at the crease Price, now back from the Scoreboard End, and Upadhyaya haave managed to stem the flow of runs somewhat, although when Price overpitches Goedeke strokes him crisply to the midwicket boundary.

Nashier and Abhinay set about digging their side out of the hole they’re in, and by the time they take another drink they’ve added 19. Still a very long way to go, though!

Fifty for De Mey, and he celebrates by thumping Jason van der Meulen back over his head for six. But he pulls the straight to Siebe van Wingerden at deep midwicket, Van der Meulen beginning his celebration while the ball is still in flight. Lucas del Bianco in at five.

VRA now in deep trouble, as Buys angles one past Zaidi’s bat and into his stumps, then has Thakur caught by Scott Edwards in his next over. 3-9 for Buys, as Darsh Abhinay joins Udit Nashier.

It’s all happening at Craeyenhout: Botha pulls Schoonheim for six behind square, then scoops the next for another. Then he lofts Hoseinbaks over his head for four, but when he tries to clear long on three balls later he doesn’t get all of it, and Harhangi’s there at long on to take the catch. But 73 off 44 is some innings, and as Kent Goedeke joins De Mey, VOC need some quick wickets to get back into the game.

Early lunch at De Diepput, after which they’ll have another look.

The ground is taking its time drying out at Westvliet, and the latest news is that there will be an inspection at a quarter to two.

Pierre Jacod takes over at the Pavilion End, and his third delivery eludes the edge of Shariz’s bat and clips the top of off. Shariz stands there in disbelief, then departs with VRA now in a spot of bother. Viraj Thakur the new man.

Hundred up at Craeyenhout, and after a drink Jelte Schoonheim takes over from Malik. De Mey’s batting with much more freedom now, but when Botha unleashes his Tasmanian devil impression (the spirally one from the cartoon Tazmania, for which I have an irrational fondness), he can’t get the ball away. The stand’s up to 96 now, Botha on 52*, de Mey 36*.

Pienaar Buys on from the University End, and when Nidamanuru tries to hit him over the top he succeeds only in finding O’Dowd on the extra cover boundary. He goes for 15, and Ibaad Zaidi joins Shariz.

Ramdas Upadhyaya, playing his first game in the firsts this season, on now from the Scoreboard End, and De Mey finally finds the boundary. But will Botha in full cry at the other end, he doesn’t need to do anything silly. Not silly, but when Asief Hoseinbaks replace Upadhyaya, De Mey pulls him hard and square for six. After which Botha brings up his half-century with a push into the covers – it’s come from 30 deliveries, with six fours and two sixes. The Crows have built themselves a very promising perch.

Bangs – and drinks – strike, Cassidy lofting a ball on leg stump out to Max O’Dowd at deep square leg. Shariz Ahmad in at five.

A triptych of fours by Botha off Harhangi, the first punched through point, the others driven straight, the first of them nearly knee-capping De Mey in the process. Ahsan Malik into the attack, and Botha smacks him over long off for six. He’s treating us to one of his specials, 42* off 19 in no time at all.

Lachlan Bangs on now from the Pavilion End, but it’s Roy who catches the edge of Cassidy’s bat. Doesn’t carry to first slip, though, He also forces a false stroke from Nidamanuru, the ball lifting on him alarmingly, but it flies down to fine leg for four. Cassidy now on 28*, Nidamanuru on 7*. And they take a drink.

Price’s first three overs cost just a single between them, but now Botha goes after him, lofting him straight for four and then going even bigger, all the way into the trees beyond the cycle path. De Mey the sheetanchor at the other end, with 3* off 26.

Roy gets the breakthrough at Maarschalkerweerd, as Padda gets the faintest of edges through to Van den Berg and goes for 12. Teja Nidamanuru, who’s dropped down to four, is the new man, joining Cassidy on 19*.

Walbrugh not (yet) looking entirely at ease against Harhangi and Price, but it’s time in the middle he needs, and he’s still there. Except now he’s not, because as I write this he spoons an easy catch to Fourie at extra cover and departs for 7. Lehan Botha joins De Mey, as Walbrugh’s miserable run continues.

Padda and Cassidy content to pick up singles after the early loss of Singh’s wicket, but when Kumar strays onto leg stump Cassidy lifts him over square leg. Some initial doubt, but then it’s signalled a six. The next is a overcompenstory full toss outside off stump, but Cassidy can only push it away for a single. Next over Padda flashes at Roy outside off, gets an edge but it beats Van den Berg’s desperate dive and runs down for four.

The news from De Diepput is that there will be no start there before 12:30, which means a shortened match. We’ll keep you posted.

Roman Harhangi starts from the Sportlaan End, Julien de Mey and Tayo Walbrugh again opening for HBS. De Mey off the mark with a single into the covers, and then Walbrugh turns him behind square for a couple. A single in the same area completes the scoring. Ethan Price from the Scoreboard End.

Cassidy off the mark with a drive off Ingram into the covers for three, and after two Ingram overs Alex Roy takes over from the University End. He has some trouble with his line initially, bowling too much down leg, but after a couple of deliveries he adjusts and is driven for four through the covers by Padda for his pains.

Three singles off Ingram’s first. Padda shows some intent against Kumar, using his feet but then forced to defend. And when the bowler gives Singh some width outside off stump (never recommended), he’s crisply struck to the point boundary. The next one, though, is angled in to middle stump, and Singh edges to Roy at first slip, who takes a very good low catch. Sam Cassidy in at three.

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

So they start very nearly on time, Shashank Kumar from the Pavilion End to Vikram Singh. Third ball strays onto leg stump, and Singh tucks him square to get off the mark. Which brings right-hander Lovepreet Padda on strike in his first Topklasse game. Three dots to finish. Lorenzo Ingram from the University End.

Covers off at Maarschalkerweed, too, and the stumps are in, so things are definitely looking up. It seems that VRA will be batting, though we don’t yet know who won the toss.

And indeed, the toss will take place at 11:00 at Craeyenhout, with a view to an 11:30 start.

Yet minutes later, there’s blue sky and the covers are coming off. Voorburg appear keeen to get started!

Still raining at Westvliet, so there’s likely to be a longish delay, one fears.

Things are more promising at Craeyenhout, where the covers are off and the sun is doing its best to shine. There are advantages in having an artificial outfield!

The overnight rain has taken its toll at De Diepput, we hear, and the start will be delayed. More news when we get it.