Topklasse Live | Round 5 | As it Happened

That’s too big an aask, and although Nashier finishes it with a straight drive for four, they have to be content with six off it, and Voorburg win by 12 runs.

Just four off Islam’s last over, so they need 19 off the final one from Van Vliet.

Adam Madgwick is struck on the pad first ball, the umpire’s finger goes up, and amazingly, VRA have lost three wickets in three balls. Hake in to join Nashier, aand plays out the rest of the over. Nashier hasn’t given up hope, though, driving Van Vliet through mid-off for four, and with two overs left VRA need 23. Nashier retains the strike with a single.

Thakur hits Jaynul islam to Glover at mid-on, bringing Abhinay in to join Nashier. This could still go either way. Or maybe not, as Abhinay repeats Zaidi’s mistake, looking for a second and run out aas the return beats his desperate dive.

The pressure tells, as Zaidi pushes for two and is beaten home by the return. A very valuable 38 from him, but VRA are up against it now as Thakur joins Nashier. This is looking like a mirror-image of Thursday’s game against Kampong.

Plenty of scampering by Zaidi and Nashier keeps the game alive for VRA – 38 required off the last five.

Bangs picks up a third, Ralph Elenbaas caught by O’Dowd for 13, and then Sahil Kothari makes to pull Roy and gets an edge through to Van den Berg. Kampong win by 25 runs.

Padda swings across the line at Khawaja and is bowled for 74. Nashier in to join Zaidi, with the game swinging back Voorburg’s way.

Dutt hammers Roy over long on for six, but when he tries to repeat the dose he doesn’t fully get hold of it, and Bangs takes the catch. Dutt gone for 59 off 40, and that’s pretty much settled any remaining doubts.

Khawaja returns and concedes just three off his over, but eight off Mohsen keeps VRA more or less in touch with the required rate.

Aryan Dutt is another who has been struggling for runs, but coming in at eight today he’s produced a 34-ball 50* which, if it hasn’t quite been enough for victory – and one shouldn’t quite rule that out, I guess – it’s brought his side closer than one might have expected an hour or so ago.

So 72 needed off the last 10, with Padda on 66* and Zaidi on 18*.

Braat goes to 52, but then he falls to one of the most amazing pieces of action you’ll ever see: Dutt drives Jacod back hard, the bowler dives to his right and as he gathers the ball he throws down the stumps at his end, giving Braat no time to react. Truly stunning.

Brown cleans up Hoseinbaks, Price left on 20*, and HCC win by 55 runs.

Padda gets his fifty with a single off Van Vliet, and now he begins to bat a little more freely. He’s gone to 57*, and VRA need 89 off 14 overs.

Van Wingerden bowled by Floyd for 5. Hoseinbaks the last man.

Dutt declares his intentions by pulling Bangs onto the covers below the scoreboard for six, and in Jacod’s next over Braat brings up his fifty. A rearguard action, but an admirable one. 90 needed off nine.

They’re back on in the Bos, and three off the rest of Islam’s over get VRA marginally back in front on DLS. Ibaad Zaidi in now with Padda’ who’s on 49*.

A hard-earned half-century to Elenbaas, but then he pulls the next ball he receives from Buys straight to Jacod at square leg and departs for exactly 50. Braat still there on 45*, joined now by Dutt.

Malik gone, bowled by Kloppenburg for 4. Van Wingerden in to join Price.

Shariz gets a tickle from Jaynul Islam’s first ball through to Croes, and that couldn;t have come at a worse time for VRA, as it’s startd raining and the covers are on. With that wicket the DLS par score goes from 133 to 147, so at this precise moment the scores are tied. Shariz made 19, and Padda’s on 49*.

They take another drink in Schiedam, with Elenbaas now on 44* and Braat on 41*, the partnership worth 84.

Crowley returns to remove Harhangi, caught by Entrop for 21. and three balls later Trijzelaar gets Fourie, caught by Brown for 18. That’s a huge turnaround, with Price and Upadhyaya now at the crease. Except that Upadhyaya hits a return catch to Trijzelaar, and VOC are on the ropes.

Shariz settles things down while Padda proceeds inexorably towards a maiden Topklasse fifty. Jaynul Islam back from Mulder’s End, but the over goes for nine, inducing Croes to run down the pitch at one point to give his bowler some advice. The odds definitely favour VRA at this stage (not that I’m a betting man).

Elenbaas and Braat are batting very sensibly against the spin of Buys and Jacod, but it’s hard to see them achieving the sort of gear-change they need to get Hermes back in contention. They’re now on 31* and 27* respectively.

Exactly 100 required with 19 overs left. This game has all the indications of going down to the wire.

Nidamanuru plays Glover into the off side, looks for a single, is sent back, slips, and is beaten by the return to Croes. The game’s back in the balance as Shariz Ahmad joins Padda.

Elenbaas and Braat still battling away, as Jacod comes into the attack. Realistically, it looks like an NRR damage-limitation exercise at this stage, with with 177 needed off 25 overs.

The match has been abandoned, apparently following an incident involving a player and a spectator on the boundary. No doubt we will learn more in the coming days.

Cassidy goes, lofting the returning Glover out to Jaynul Islam and departing for 44. Nidamanuru in to join Padda.

Brown back from the Airport End, and VOC are seemingly finding runs no easier to pick up than HCC did. Harhangi and Fourie, though, are still there.

Hundred up for VRA, and they’re staying in touch with the required rate at least, with plenty of wickets in hand. A six by Cassidy off Mohsen, lofted over the covers, certainly helps the cause. He’s on 44* now, Padda on 34*.

Statham chases a lifting delivery from Bangs, edging it high to Van den Berg behind the stumps. Braat joins Elenbaas as Hermes appear to be sliding towards another defeat.

HCC fight back with a double strike by Floyd: Butt caught by Staal for 20, then Van der Meulen caught and bowled for 1. Big wicket that, and now Harhangi’s joined by Francois Fourie.

No sign of a breakthrough as they take a drink in the Bos, with Padda now on 25* and Cassidy on 31*.

Lachlan Bangs from the Pavilion End, and after a big shout for LBW against Jamil, the batter falls to an extraordinary one-handed catch by Van den Berg, who sticks out his glove to grab a low take off a fine edge. Nick Statham in at six.

Kloppenburg on, and he strikes immediately, Montague caught by Trijzelaar for 21. Harhangi in at four.

Waseem Mohsen on from the City End, Cassidy stroking him through cover point for four. Cassidy and Padda are looking pretty confident at this stage, with Don Glover operating now from Mulder’s End.

Rushmere’s weird season continues, as he makes to drive Peinaar Buys and edges to Roy at slip. He goes for six, and Hermes are in serious trouble as Olivier Elenbaas joins Jamil.

No sign of a resumption as yet at the Zomercomplex. Still unclear what happened to caause the players to leave the field.

Justin Trijzelaar and Casper Snoeck into the attack now, but Butt and Montague are looking well set.

Not one but two wickets at the Loopuyt Oval: Kumar bowls Ostling for 14 with a beautifully-pitched full delivery, and then Doyle, on 21, edges Roy over second slip and Jacob leaps high to grab the catch at full stretch. Rushmere in to join Mussayab Jamil.

Singh hammers Islam over long on for six, but the next one’s right on the money, Singh plays around it, and is bowled. He made 26, and is succeeded by Sam Cassidy .

Kooistra gone, caught by Worden off Crowley for 18. Caleb Montague in to join Samir Butt.

We have a situation at the Zomercomplex. After that first over there appears to have been some discussion among the players, some shouting off camera, and the players have left the field.

What you don’t do when bowling to Singh is give him any room, and when Islam does he’s lashed through cover point for another boundary. Padda, on the other hand, comes down the wicket to Khawaja and lofts him over mid-on for another.

Kooistra immediately goes onto the attack, as he did against Voorburg, and VOC make a positive start to chasing a comparatively small target.

Alex Roy and Shashank Kumar share the new ball for Kampong, bowling to Ash Ostling and Daniel Doyle-Calle. .

Jaynul Islam from Mulder’s End for Voorburg, Singh driving him through the covers to get off the mark. Lovepreet Padda takes three off Farhaad Khawaja to do likewise.

Kent Goedeke from the Equestrian Centre End as Rotterdam begin their chase, Musa Ahmad cutting his first ball to the point boundary, then sweeping his four in front of square for four more. Joris van Oosterom to bowl the second.

First to restart are VOC, Bart Kooistra taking a four off Josh Brown’s second delivery to get things under way. Daniel Crowley to bowl the second.

Two more for Singh, Van Vliet bowled and Farhaan Khawaja caught at mid-on, and in between Klein is trapped in front by Thakur. Singh finishes with six for 52, his second five-for of the season.

Swanepoel is caught behind first ball, and then Edwards finally falls, holing out to Ostling at mid-off off Jabarkhail for 131. Ingram, reportedly having pulled a quad muscle, returns to keep Kumar company for the last few deliveries. Jabarkhail the pick of the Hermes bowlers with three for 53.

Malik picks up another, Floyd caught by Fourie for 6. But Gorlee stays to end end, making 37* off 23 with three sixes, and HCC fall just short of the magic 200.

A little flurry of wickets in the Bos as well. De Leede, having reached 85, gets one that lifts on him from Singh, and can only biff it to Nidamanuru in the covers. Don Glover, after pulling Singh off his eyebrows for four, is caught by Abhinay next ball. Mees van Vliet joins Klein.

In a very eventful final over from Saqib, Klein top-edges to point and is caught by Minhas, then Del Bianco, pushing for a second, is beaten by the throw from Burhan Niaz. Finally, Martijn Scholte is stumped by Roushan Singh, and HBS may end up 20 or so short of what they would have wanted.

Kloppenburg tries to dab Malik down to third man, and is bowled for 29. Clayton Floyd joins Gorlee.

A flurry of wickets at Loopuyt Oval as Kampong try to press home their advantage: Sharma caught by Kothari off Braat for 11, Alex Roy leg-before to Jabarkhail, and Buys gone in the same way. Edwards now on 125*.

De Leede on 77* now, looking to get Voorburg past 250. Singh back from the City End.

Another for Van Wingerden, as Worden is caught by Harhangi for 55. Gorlee makes a delayed entrance, joining Kloppenburg. Who’s doing his best to accelerate the scoring, with 23* off 14 so far.

Edwards squeezes Braat out towards point to bring up his sixth Topklasse century. Tushar Sharma lending him valuable support at the other end.

Mumba back, and Klein hammers him over extra cover for six. HBS will need a few more like than in the final three overs.

Siebe van Wingerden gets the breakthrough, bowling Entrop for 29. Worden now on 54*, joined by Teun Kloppenburg, who will clearly need to get the scoreboard moving.

Goedeke hits Shafiq back straight, but he gets under it and Riaz takes the catch. He goes for 41, and Kyle Klein joins Del Bianco.

Croes goes after Nashier, but hammers the ball straight to Nidamanuru at deep mid-on, doesn’t wait for the catch to be completed and departs for 65. De Leede, on 58*, is joined by Ryan Klein.

A double blow for Kampong: Ingram retires hurt, clearly favouring one leg, and then Pierre Jacod turns Dutt straight to Hikmatullah Jabarkhail at 45. Tushar Sharma in to join Edwards, who’s on 91*.

De Leede goes past fifty as well; they’re on 63* and 53* now, and largely content to milk the spinners.

Goedeke on 31*, Del Bianco 14*, and HBS will need a big finish from here, given Rotterdam’s batting power.

Bangs tries to hit Kothari over the wide mid-on boundary, but Olivier Elenbaas is there to snaffle the catch. Lorenzo Ingram joins Edwards, on 87* now..

On 90, O’Dowd dabs at a Kothari delivery and is bowled – a strangely low-key end to a very confident innings. Edwards, on 85*, is joined by Lachlan Bangs.

You begin to wonder what a par score might be here: Worden and Entrop are on 38* and 15* respectively, but they’re going to have to change gear at some stage if they’re to get anywhere near 200.

Fifty for Croes, De Leede on the brink of one as well, as Abhinay switches to the City End. But the batters are happy to push him around for comfortable singles.

Saqib Zulfiqar into the attack, and Walbrugh, on 67, sweeps his fifth ball to Burhan Niaz at backward square leg. Lucas del Bianco joins Goedeke.

The runs really flowing now, and the stand is up to 132, O’Dowd on 73*, Edwards 75*. They’ve seen off Kothari, Olivier Elenbaas back from the Railway End. Dutt still operating from the other.

Worden has gone on to 25*, but it’s still slow progress at the Hazelaarweg. Ethan Price into the attack.

Udit Nashier on from Mulder’s End, but Croes and De Leede’s stand is up to 74, and they’ve given their side a very useful platform.

Sulaiman Tariq removes Botha, who cuts him to Shoaib Minhas at point and departs for 21. Walbrugh is on 49*, and there will be a lot of relief at Craeyenhout to see him back among the runs. Joined now by Kent Goedeke.

For O’Dowd, as he eases Kothari to mid-on for a single. Edwards in on 40*, and Hermes really, really need a wicket.

Runs really are at a premium at the Haelaarweg, where Worden has reached 15*, although its taken him 60 deliveries to get there. Upadhyaya finishes with three for 17 from his spell, Van der Meulen into the attack.

Viraj Thakur and Dash Abhinay on now, but Croes and De Leede bring up the hundred for Voorburg. They’re on 24* and 22* respectively.

A large goose appears, pecking its way steadily from short third man to fine leg as De Mey takes strike to Gondal. Dunno whether that unsettled him, but he holes out to Shafiq in the covers and departs for 35. Lehan Botha in to join Walbrugh, who’s on 37*. The goose continues on its stately way.

A troublesome partnership at the Loopuyt Oval as well, with O’Dowd now on 34* and Edwards on 29*. And that will be drinks.

Another for Upadhyaya, who’s bowled unchanged from the Airport End, Banerjee going in almost identical fashion to Staal, another catch for Malik in the slips. Bob Entrop in after a 16-year gap, with his side in a bit of a crisis.

Still Gondal from the Equestrian Centre End, both batters now on 35*.

And another for Singh, as Mohsen clips him to Thakur at mid-on. Since then Croes and Bas de Leede have set about rebuilding the Voorburg innings, three wickets having fallen for just 8 runs.

Malik on from the Pavilion End, and Worden and Banerjee are finding the going pretty heavy against VOC’s seam attack. Worden 9* off 32, Banerjee 2* off 14.

O’Dowd on to 29*.

Fifty up at the Zomercomplex, and Walbrugh is beginning to look a lot more settled at the crease. Steady rather than breakneck, but this stand could be ominous for Rotterdam.

A one-two in the Bos: Levitt, on 28, edges Singh through to keeper Madgwick, and then, off the first ball of Hake’s next, De Lange drives uppishly into the covers and Shariz Ahmad does the rest. He goes for 20, and Noah Croes joins Waseem Mohsen in the middle.

Upadhyaya gets his man: Staal, having just driven him square for four, edges the next to second slip, where Ahsan Malik takes the catch. Shirsak Banerjee in at four.

Steady progress by De Mey and Walbrugh, enlivened by De Mey despatching Mohammad Shafiq for six.

Breakthrough for Hermes, Van den Berg edging Elenbaas to keeper Rushmere and departing for 22. Scott Edwards joins O’Dowd, who’s on 14*

Levitt and De Lange picking up where they left off against Rotterdam on Thursday. Vikram Singh replaces Nidamanuru from the City End, lively start, but when he strays onto leg stump Levitt turns him round the corner for a single.

A solid start by Van den Berg and O’Dowd for Kampong, making steady progress against Olivier Elenbaas and Braat.

Upadhyaya gets one to life alarmingly off a length to Staal, who makes to play it. VOC are convinced it took something, go into a big celebration, and then realise that the umpire is unmoved. General disbelief, but that won’t make any difference. Pretty quiet apart from that moment of excitement.

First boundary of the morning in the Bos, Levitt driving Nidamanuru sweetly through the covers.

Early wicket on the other side of Rotterdam as well: Azzam Khan run out by Muhammad Gondal. Tayo Walbrugh in at three, joining Julien de Mey in the middle.

Tonny Staal and Josh Brown open for HCC, Roman Harhangi starting from the Pavilion End. Just a couple of wides off it, and there’s another from Ramdas Upadhyaya. But then Brown drives square but uppishly, and he’s caught by Samir Butt at point without scoring. Zac Worden in earlier than he would have liked.

Kampong are batting at the Loopuyt Oval, but I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you.

Sharad Hake starts from Mulder’s End, bowling to Michael Levitt; Cedric de Lange the non-striker. Good, tight opening over, a maiden as Levitt is forced to defend or play firmly into the covers. Teja Nidamanuru from the City End.

And likewise, Noah Croes has decided to bat first on winning the toss in the Bos.

Tayo Walbrugh has won the toss at the Zomercomplex, and unsurprisingly perhaps, has elected to bat.

The news from the Hazelaaarweg is that Jason van der Meulen has won the toss and invited HCC to have a bat. Bart Kooistra returns for the home side, while Bob Entrop and Casper Snoeck are in for HCC. It will be Entrop’s first game in the top flight since . . . 2010!