Topklasse Live | Round 5 | As it Happened

McKenzie’s first goes through to the keeper, but he hits the next to mid-off and they run a single before discovering that it’s gone to the boundary. Six needed off three. Which he proceeds to deliver, belting the ball back over the bowler’s head and all the way over long off. VOC win by one wicket with two balls to spare!

Woermeijer bowls it. The first is full, angled in, and strikes Harhangi low on the pads as he tries to work it to leg. The umpire’s finger goes up! Ten still needed, and there’s high drama as Jock McKenzie, who injured his hand in the Hermes innings and could not continue, comes to the crease.

Olivier Elenbaas gets the penultimate over. Harhangi fends a throat-high bouncer to backward point and they get one. And edgy one for third man for Hoseinbaks. Another short one, outside off, flat-batted to mid-off for another single. Then a wide. Not what Hermes needed. Hoseinbaks thumps him to long on, just one again. Short again, worked to wide mid-on. Hoseinbaks leaves another short one, called a wide. And when Hoseinbaks thumps the final ball into the covers it goes all the way. 11 off that, and VOC need 10 to win!

Harhangi drives Braat straight back past his right hand for four, and then they hustle two through cover point. Braat retaliates with a slower ball, then a yorker which is driven to mid-on for a single. Hoseinbaks hoicks him away for one more, and another for Harhangi to finish. Nine off it, and it ain’t over yet.

At the Hazelaarweg Hermes are turning the screw, as Aaditt Jain comes down the wicket swinging at Dutt and Statham rather casually takes the bails off. Asief Hoseinbaks heaves his second ball to the backward square boundary and his fourth slips past Statham for four leg-byes, but 30 from the last three looks to be a bridge too far for VOC.

And Sikander does the trick! Van Vliet defends his first, but edges the second to Shinwari, and Punjab win by 6 runs!

Two singles off Musa, and Punjab’s problem is that De Lange and Kingma don’t have to do anything silly. Pushed singles are fine. But then Sikander takes the edge of De Lange’s probing bat, Shinwari does the rest, and Punjab are one wicket away. Punjab need seven as Mees van Vliet joins Kingma.

Schoonheim’s gone, bowled by Braat for 30. Aaditt Jain, so nearly the hero last week, joins Harhangi, and now 46 are needed from six.

Just a single off Saqib’s final over, but four come from Sikander’s next, none of them convincing but all of them precious. Ten needed off four.

De Lange and Kingma still there, Vandiar a menacing presence at silly mid-off as Kamal maintains the pressure. 15 off six overs isn’t a huge ask, it’s the wickets that are the problem for the defending champions.

Schoonheim, who has been here before – once or twice – despatches Woermeijer over long on for six, but later in the over De Kok departs for 28, trying to hit him over midwicket and caught behind off the leading edge. Definitely advantage Hermes at this point.

And there it is! Klein whips Kamal away square, but into the hands of Mohsin Riaz, and he goes for an heroic 92 made from 75 deliveries. A truly massive wicket for Kamal, and Viv Kingma joins De Lange with 20 to get.

66 still required at the Hazelaarweg, off the last ten. De Kok and Schoonheim are looking comfortable enough, and Hermes need a wicket as Olivier Elenbaas returns from the Airport End.

They don’t do that, but they do get rid of De Leede, caught at deep mid-off by Musa for 8. That, of course, is the other way to win, leaving Klein short of partners, but it’s a pretty nerve-tingling way to do it. Floris de Lange the new man, Klein 90*, 25 required.

30 needed by Voorburg now, and a dozen overs to get them in. Saqib’s back from the Pavilion End, but Punjab absolutely have to find a way of removing Klein, on 89* and clearly the key.

The camera at Hazelaarweg is set at a somewhat rakish angle, showing us a largely unpopulated expanse of the covers and an extremely marginal view of the pitch, but it’s enough to show us that De Kok and Schoonheim are picking up what runs they can against Dutt and Woermeijer. It’s a big ask from here, though, especially with five down.

So too at Westvliet, where Boissevain smacks Sikander for back-to-boundaries and then succumbs, given LBW. 43 required, Klein on 81*, Stijn de Leede in.

Bang-bang at the Hazelaarweg: Schierhout very unluckily run out by Braat for 74 off his own bowling, and then Arnav Jain’s caught by Ekrami off Woermeijer for 1. De Kok and Schoonheim together now, and the game’s very much in the balance.

Just as we were moving into Too Late to be Useful territory, Sajjad Kamal gets the wicket Punjab so desperately needed, Molenaar lofting him back over his head and Saqib running a LONG way to his left from mid-on to take the catch. He goes for 72, and the partnership ends at 154. But Klein’s still there on 80*, joined by Laurens Boissevain, and with Voorburg needing just 52 more Punjab will have to keep taking wickets, ideally from their point of view one of them Klein.

Van der Meulen doesn’t stay long, Olivier Elenbaas returning to have him caught by brother Ralph at midwicket as he gets in a tangle trying to whip him away. But Schierhout’s still there, on 73* now and batting with Tim de Kok. This has the makings of another VOC thriller.

The partnership’s now up to 140, Molenaar twice lifting Musa for six in that last over. He’s almost caught Klein, his 68* coming from 70 deliveries, while his partner’s needed only 55 for his 72*. Voorburg need another 66 off 18 overs, and just a present Punjab look a very dejected side indeed.

No miracle at the Bermweg. Shaquille Martina completes a maiden Topklasse half-century, and when Reddy bowls a no ball Fraser helps it to the fine leg boundary for the winning runs. Sparta win by 7 wickets.

Klein and Molenaar continue on their merry way, now on 68* and 44* respectively. The batters look completely in charge now, and although Sikander’s trying all his bowling options, the breakthrough’s eluded him so far.

Sheena finally gets Ferguson, as he steps away to make room through the leg side and sees his middle stump uprooted. Fraser in to join Martina, but ACC need to find a massive turnaround here!

VRA go back to the top of the table as the HCC collapse is complete, Floyd getting Overdijk caught by Tom Iles for 11 and Shariz trapping Teun Leijer in front to finish with four for 24. VRA win by 134 runs.

Braat gets the much-needed breakthrough, Bettelheim driving a delivery which gets up on him a little into the covers and caught by Klijnhans for 69, made from 77 balls. Jason van der Meulen in to join Schierhout, who’s on 53*.

Klein and Molenaar are definitely getting their side back into the game at Westvliet, both batters hitting Saqib Zulfiqar back straight for boundaries. A couple off the final ball of that over, which costs 13 in all, take Klein to 51*, made from just 38 deliveries. Molenaar has 31*.

Blankestijn finishes it off, Singh edging shoulder-high to Van Troost’s right. Ralston’s figures are the best in the top flight since Steven Smidt’s eight for 14 for Quick Haag a decade ago. Excelsior win by 97 runs.

HCC on the brink as well: Shariz removing Crowley for 11 and Charumbira first ball. Leonard in with Overdijk, who’s on 10*, and Shariz has three for 22.

At Thurlede it’s Blankestijn who breaks the stubborn stand between Barresi and De Mey, the latter brilliantly caught by Verhagen at first slip, diving low to his right. He goes for 9 off 40, and that triggers the return of Ralston, who with his very first ball finds the edge of Barresi’s bat, Van Troost doing the rest. All that hard work up in smoke, as Singh joins Boddendijk. Before the over’s out Ralston grabs another, Boddendijk bowled all ends up. And now Ralston has seven for 11!

Drinks at the Hazelaarweg, with Schierhout on 41* and Bettelheim one short of his fifty. VOC still have a long way to go, but they’re almost exactly on the rate they require, and Hermes really need to break this partnership soon.

Fifty for Ferguson at the Bermweg, capped by a six over cow from the bowling of Guy Sheena, and Sparta are cruising towards their target. Martina’s on 25*, Ferguson on 56*, and the stand’s worth 75.

Klein has evidently decided that aggression’s the answer, lofting Shafiq over mid-off and then, after a no ball from Niaz, hammering the free hit into the sightscreen. He follows that up with a four through the covers, and suddenly he’s on 26*.

It goes from bad to worse at De Diepput, with Kloppenburg, after taking a four and a six off Shariz, bowled by him for 13. Patel follows without scoring, run out by a direct hit from Shariz, and now it’s in the hands of Hidde Overdijk and Daniel Crowley to try to dig their side out of the hole they’re in.

Barresi and De Mey have at least stablised the innings somewhat, almost doubling the total and seeing the back of the rampant Ralston. Victor Lubbers into the attack now, joined by the returning Blankestijn.

The runs are flowing now at the Hazelaarweg, Schierhout and Bettelheim seeing off both Elenbaas brothers. Braat turns to Jabarkhail and Dutt, but Bettelheim’s on 32* from 34 deliveries and looking ominous, Schierhout content to provide support at the other end, until he climbs into one from Jabarkhail and pulls him over square leg for six.

A third for Shafiq, Kaplan, immediately after lofting him for four wide of mid-on, is caught on the crease by one that keeps a little low, and is bowled for 18. Ryan Klein – who didn’t bowl in the Punjab innings – in at five. But Burhan Niaz gets into the act by trapping Croes in front for 13, and now the crisis is really serious for Voorburg.

Sparta’s progress, by comparison, has been relatively sedate, despite their loss of Balwantsingh, caught by Momen Khan off Arya for 2 and Riley Mudford, bowled by Sayed for 1. Since then Ferguson and Martina have been rebuilding the innings, now on 26* and 13* respectively. Reddy and Kothari operating for ACC now.

HCC another chaser in difficulties: Eales has removed Gorlee for 5 and Fletcher’s got Wiggins for 10, both caught by Teja Nidamanuru. McInerney’s battled his way to 10* from 32 deliveries, batting now with Teun Kloppenburg, back from South Africa and playing for the first time this season. And as I prepare to tell you this, Fletcher grabs his third, McInerney caught by Floyd for 10.

Another one gone at Thurlede: Del Bianco hooks at a lefting delivery from Ralston and is caught by Luuk Kroesen behind square. Barresi’s managed a single, but Ralston has five for 10 and HBS need a miracle as Julian de Mey joins his captain.

Last to resume are VOC and Hermes, with Schierhout and Fourie facing the brothers Elenbaas. It’s Ralph who gets first blood, Fourie chasing a wideish delivery and edging to Statham behind the stumps. Schierhout and Taylor Bettelheim have avoided any further perils, but it’s cautious stuff at the moment.

Drama too at Westvliet, where Shafiq has had Gigani caught at mid-on by Sikander Zulfiqar for a duck, and then, three balls later, gets Levitt caught by Riaz at point. Noah Croes in to join Kaplan, with Voorburg also in trouble.

I really do want to update you on what’s happening elsewhere, but this is truly dramatic: Ralston pins Walbrugh in front in his next over, and with his following delivery he adds the scalp of Kyle Klein, also leg-before. Klein protests before leaving the crease and as he plods off, but that’s not going to do him any good. Del Bianco in on a hat-trick, but survives to the end of a double-wicket maiden. Ralston currently has four for 10.

Looks even better now, as after some fiddling with the field Matt de Villiers clips the third ball he faces off his toes to Luuk Kroesen. Two for Ralston, and HBS in all sorts as Barresi joins Walbrugh at the crease.

Excelsior’s pace attack is looking to ensure that HBS’s task isn’t an easy one: the Crows race to 21, but then Botha swings at Ralston and Stan van Troost has to wait a very long time before the top-edge descends into his gloves. Niels Etman replaces Blankestijn at the City End, and his fourth delivery comes off the edge, low to Verhagen at slip. Mason doesn;t look wholly convinced, but he has to go, and 163 looks a better total than it did five minutes ago.

Levitt and Gigani get the Voorburg chase under way at Westvliet, Ahmad Shafiq bowling the first from the Pavilion End. Just a single off it, Sajjad Kamal from the Paddock End.

An early wicket for VRA: Staal flashes at Fletcher, and Luke Scully takes a straightforward catch. Boris Gorlee in to join McInerney.

Sam Ferguson and Prithvi Balwantsingh out in the middle in the Scarlet and Black battle at the Bermweg, Ferguson taking strike against Izhaan Sayed from the Schollebos End. Sayed has him fishing rather outside the off stump, but the first over’s a lively mix of shorter and fuller deliveries, and just a couple for Ferguson through midwicket. Spin from the other end in the person of Devanshu Arya.

Action too at Thurlede, where Jason Ralston starts up from the Chalet End, bowling to Lehan Botha. Botha and Reece Mason looking comfortable against Ralston and Blankestijn so far.

HCC have started their chase at De Diepput, Ben Fletcher bowling from the Van Hogenhoucklaan End, initially to Conor McInerney. A maiden to kick off. Elijah Eales to Tonny Staal from the Scoreboard End.

A stand-out effort with the ball from van der Meulen gives up just one run in the 48th while claiming Elenbaas’ wicket, but new man Nick Woermeijer hit back taking Jain for back-to-back fours in the 49th, then putting van der Meulen over the rope on the full in the last, 21 runs off the last two overs a fair return for the tail. 262 will be the target and, most encouragingly for Hermes those runs have come all the way through the order.

Some fine death bowling from Fraser and a comedy run-out keeps ACC under the 150-mark, though even 145 is an impressive recovery from where they were. Won’t be enough though without a heroic bowling effort or a Spartan collase you’d think.

Saqib into the nineties heading into the last over but loses yet another partner as Niaz holes out to long off off van Vliet. Shafiq in, and two balls later Saqib takes a knee to sweep van Vliet round the corner to move to 96* with one ball remaining. He can’t make contact on the final ball, won’t get the ton, but does pull off the cheeky relay-run single to the keeper using the exact technique that I’ve long advocated, even more praiseworthy IMO.

Well it was fifty and out for Dutt who was caught behind off Aaditt Jain the over after bringing up the milestone, but Braat added another quickfire 27 before falling to Hoseinbaks for 77 off 82. He’s done a fine job for his side though, Statham and Ralph Elenbaas now have to make the most of the final four.

A precipitous decline for VRA it’s been, as Leonard picks up the last two wickets in the space of three balls, holding VRA to 206 with four overs unused. Quite the collapse from 150-odd for three.

The ACC tail have put up a fair bit of fight too, and the psychologically significant 150 mark from here.

Etman goes for a crucial 32 off 40, sold a dummy by Ingram and run out by Klein’s direct hit. Ingram himself is last man out, clean bowled by Klein while swinging for the fences. The two were the only Excelsior bats to make double figures and HBS will be happy enough with their work, but 164 is still a tricky chase at Thurlede.

Shinawari kicks in a handy 22 off 21 before being pinned LBW by de Lange, Saqib still there and into the seventies now. Niaz with him and 200 up with six overs to go.

McInerney’s left arm spin has precipitated something of a late collapse at de Diepput, first Smal goes eight short of a ton, bowled missing a slog sweep, then Eales drives hard and low to extra and is well caught, before Udit Nashir carves into the hands of backward point. Scully and Iles together for the last five.

Fifty for Braat off the 55th delivery he’s faced, pulling Harahngi behind square for couple. Dutt brings up his own half century in the next, tucking Arnav Jain to leg for one. A rather less flashy half ton, coming off 94 balls, but at least as important in the context of the game.

After putting on a face-saving, if perhaps not game-saving partnership, RAza and Sheena both fall victim to Umar Baker in consecutive overs, Raza clean bowled missing a reverse sweep and Sheena likewise castled just trying to flick a full ball to leg. Khan and Syed in now.

Fifty for Ingram, and he’s finally found some support in Etman, who seems happy to play some shots as he swivel-pulls Botha for six over square. HBS might yet find themselves with a tricky chase on their hands if this partnership persists.

Three wickets with basically the same ball for Molenaar, dug in short again, top-edged pull again, caught in the deep again. Sikander gone, Shinawari in.

VRA stumbling a sudden as Wiggins claims two consecutive wickets, the spin allrounders Shariz and Floyd both back in the shed now as Eales joins Smal in the middle, the latter in the seventies now.

Fifty for Saqib but he loses another partner, another back of a length ball from Molenaar climbs on him and another top edge held by Levitt in the deep. Sikander joins his brother, Floris de Lange’s legspin from the other end.

Fifty partnership between Raza and Sheena now, has restored some respectability to proceedings. Manminder Singh into the attack, first ball slips out and arrives head-high, Sheena puts away the free hit for six..

Ingram loses another partner at Thurlede, Julian de Mey into the attack and holds a leading edge from Lubbers in his follow through. In his next over he has Luuk Kroesen stumped for a duck, and Excelsior are seven down still a run short of three figures. Niels Etman joins Ingram, who’s on 43*

Hundred partnership for Nidamanuru and Smal, but McInerney finally outs an end to it as the VRA skipper is caught for 39. Shariz Ahmad joins Smal, and the latter seems undeterred as he puts Wiggins over the fence in the next over.

Speaking of Handy partnerships, Dutt and Braat are still going for Hermes, determined to repair the sides’ reputation for DDC-dependency it seems. They’ve driven de Kok to his sixth and seventh bowlers, Hoseinbaks and Harhangi and for the hosts now. Braat takes a liking to the latter, taking him for four over square leg and the six down the ground in the 28th. They’ve a platform now, if they can use it…

The depth of Punjab’s batting looks to be telling again, another handy partnership developing at Westvliet between Zulfiqar and Vandiar, still another Zulfiqar to come of course in skipper Sikander. Kingma back for third spell looking for the breakthrough, no joy thus far.

Raza and Sheena trying to dig ACC out of the hole they stumbled into out of the gate, first substantial partnership of the match takes the visitors past fifty, Sheena getting them there with back-to back sixes off Max Hoornweg, first high and straight then flicked over backward square. They’ll need a lot more of that sort of thing to post something competitive from here though.

Nidamanuru and Smal still for VRA, they’ve taken them to a solid 122-2 at the half-way point, Smal has notched his half-century and Nidamanuru is just starting to accelerate too after a very watchful start. HCC in dire need of a breakthrough now.

The regular tick of wickets continues at Thurlede, as Kroesen hangs the bat outside off and is caught behind off Boddendijk. Victor Lubbers joins Ingram, who’s holding the innings together as best he can on 39*.

VOC are through the dangerous Hermes top order now as Schoonheim has Klijnhans caught in the deep for just six. Braat to the middle and blocks out the maiden with his side in a spot of bother now, Dutt still there with an obdurate 13* off 30-odd to his name.

A promising partnership for Punjab broken again, back of a length from Molenaar and just seems to get a bit big on Riaz, who whips a thick top edge up into the deep behind square and is caught by van Vliet for 11. Vandiar in at five to join Saqib Zulfiqar.

Fifty partnership between Nidamanuru and Smal now, the latter very much driving the scoring as he brings up the milestone with a six off Charumbira.

ACC’s day isn’t getting any better. Snoep bowls his ten straight from the top, finishing with figures of 3-15 having nicked off Zaidi since we last checked in on Bermweg. Fraser returns to the attack, now in partenrship with Khalid Ahmadi who relieved him earlier. Raza in with Sheena now.

Singh and Barresi combine again at Thurlede, and it’s a similar ball that gets van Troost, clubbed to midwicket again and Barresi takes it diving to his left. Joost Kroesen in with Ingram now.

The big wicket has fallen at Hazelaarweg meanwhile, cracking ball from Aaditt Jain to get it too, swinging back in from a fourth stump line to take the top of off, DDC treats it with nothing like the respect it deserves and his slog across the line is nowhere near it. He’s back in the shed for 40 off 38, Klijnhans and Dutt have since taken them to drinks at a more sedate pace.

Excelsior lose another as Mitchell clubs a hittable ball from Amrit Singh high to midwicket, but not high enough as Barresi claims the catch over his head. Stan van Troost in with Ingram now..

Fifty up for Punjab meanwhile but Voorburg find the breakthrough in the same over. Musa caught behind down the leg side off Kaplan. Was that planned? Croes almost seemed ready for that. Riaz in at three, and Kingma brough back into the attack to immediate effect as Minhas cuts it too close and chops on for 29. Saqib Zulfiqar at four and VCC right back in it.

ACC are still in deep trouble at Bermeg meanwhile, two for Snoep as he first takes Ben van der Merwe’s off stump and then has Aryan Kumar caught at point. The official scorecard currently lists all the ACC bats twice, not sure if they’ll be permitted a second innings but at this stage it sure looks like they could use it. No Rahil Ahmad or Mahesh Hans for the Amsterdammers today either. Zaidi and Sheena in.

Smal and Nidamanuru consolidating for VRA, they’ve added 30 for the third wicket now. Charumbira and young Leijer for HCC.

Another run-out at Hazelaarweg meanwhile, this one more conventional. Elenbaas blocks Aaditt Jain out toward point and sets off for an impossible single, Doyle takes half a step before sending him firmly back. Tim de Kok nails the direct hit with one to aim at and Elenbaas is well short. McKenzie’s earlier reaction run-out has come at a price though it seems, he appears to have injured his hand in the process of deflecting the ball, and didn’t complete his over. Was trying to shake it off so unlikely a break, but he did go off the field and not seen him back since. Dutt in with DDC now, as the latter takes Hemres past fifty lofting Arnav Jain dead straight over his head for six, then depositing Aaditt over backward square for six more in the next.

No such drama at Westvliet however, where Minhas and Ahmad continue to make steady progress. Van Vliet has replaced Kingma, Molenaar still from the other end, he’d been tidy up until his fourth over but now offers wto much width and it twice put away, and gives up 11 off the over.

VRA meanwhile have lost both their openers, Crowley and Leonard with a wicket apiece. Smal and Nidamanuru in now.

Wicket at Hazelaarweg meanwhile and Ostling’s desperately unlucky there. Doyle-Calle slams a straight drive hard back at McKenzie who sticks out a hand and deflects it onto the non-striker’s stumps, Ostling backing up and never stood a chance. Shades of Szwarczynski against South Africa there. Oli Elenbaas in at three to join DDC.

Excelsior have lost their first too, Kyle Klein strikes with the third ball of his third over back, Tim Etman on the drive and it’s through the gap into leg stump. Verhagen in, and Verhagen out. Two in two for Klein and he takes the edge through to del Bianco with his next ball. Ingram in with Mitchell now.

All happening at Bermweg meanwhile. Potdar and Kothari open for ACC, Fraser starts things off with four dots to the former, then a big LBW shout, then a leading edge goes straight up back toward Fraser, who leaves it for Mudford to take comfortably. Snoep backs it up with a maiden, then in Fraser’s next Kothari fends a bouncer to slip and ACC are two down for a solitary run.

Kingma and Molenaar open the bowling at Westvliet, Musa Ahmad and Shoaib Minhas in the middle for Punjab. Steady so far, smattering of ones and twos.

Shirase Rasool and Viikram Singh opening for VRA again, Nidamanuru back too, with Scully replacing Prince as keeper today. They’re batting out of choice we gather, the only team to choose to do so. Crowley and Leonard share the new ball. And a brisk start, 12 for none after 2, Singh responsible for all the runs off the bat so far.

And we’re off, Arnav Jain opens the bowling for the hosts, Ostling and DDC for Hermes. Second ball a chance as Ostling prods and edges between keeper and slip but both only watch it pass, and away for four. McKenzie shares the new ball, and starts with a maiden.

Word from de Diepput is that the hosts will be fielding, but not entirely clear whose idea that was.

Sparta likewise elect to field first.

Popular choice today, VOC win the toss and bowl too.

HBS win the toss at Thurlede and they’ll be chasing too.

And word from Westvliet, where Voorburg win the toss and will bowl first. Levitt, Kingma and Klein back for the hosts, as is Saqib Zulfiqar for the visitors.