Topklasse Live | Round 7 | As it Happened

Meanwhile, in the Amsterdamse Bos, Nidamanuru on 92*, tries to hit Malik over deep mid-on, and a diving, sprawling catch (by Van der Meulen? Spies? I can’t tell) ends the innings, and VOC win by 3 runs! VRA lost three wickets for no runs in five balls, with just four needed for victory.

Jabarkhail begins with a wide, Van der Merwe takes a double and a single, then Mason picks up two before cutting late to the third man boundary to level the scores. He pushes the penultimate delivery into the vacant midwicket area, they take the single, and HBS win by three wickets with one ball to spare! Van der Merwe finishes with an unbeaten 70*.

Dutt bowls Klein, and with Mason joining Van der Merwe they need 11 off the last.

Abhinay’s caught by Spies off Harhangi with four still needed, and then Madgwick goes next ball, leg-before. really, you couldn’t make this up!!!

They scurry a two off Dutt’s first delivery, then off the next Botha’s bowled. Game, set and match, you’d think, as he departs fora magnificent 132, made from 122 deliveries with 14 fours and a six. Kyle Klein comes in with 15 required off 10 balls.

Malik back from the City End, but he can’t get the breakthrough, and VRA need seven from 18 deliveries.

Back to back fours for Botha contribute to 13 off that Elenbaas over, and it’s down to 17 off two. Botha 130*, Van der Merwe 66*.

Botha obliges, cutting on the up and sending a wideish delivery from Elenbaas to the point boundary. Then an edge from Van der Merwe off Dutt runs to third man for another four, and HBS need 30 off three. We couldn’t be headed for another tie, could we?

It’s wickets, not runs that matter in the Bos; if VOC can’t remove Nidamanuru, VRA will win. He’s on 84* now, and the home side require 20 off six.

Seven off Olivier Elenbaas, but crucially Van der Merwe is dropped! by Rushmere behind the stumps. Another five from Dutt, and the equation’s 45 off five, with Botha on 111* and Van der Merwe on 57*. HBS need boundaries.

Just two off Hoseinbaks’ next, and now it’s Harhangi back from Mulder’s End. And he rearranges Nashier’s stumps – does this game have a twist or two yet? Darsh Abhinay in to join Nidamanuru, who’s on 78*.

Fifty for Van der Merwe, and with Botha now on 106*, these two have added 116 for the sixth wicket. 57 needed off seven.

Van der Meulen back from the City End, and Nidamanuru pulls him for four – that’s what VRA needed. Then Price bowls a head-high full toss which Nidamanuru deflects for four, and they get a couple off the free hit. 13 off the over including three byes, which is not what VOC needed. Just 36 off ten now, Nidamanuru on 76*.

Century for Botha, off 99 deliveries, though almost certainly in a losing cause. Van der Merwe on 40*, but HBS still need 73 off nine.

Fifty for Nidamanuru, he’s on 53* now. 66 off 15; at three an over VRA are just below the required rate. They need the occasional boundary.

Botha on to 91* as they take another drink, Van der Merwe on 30*. 92 needed off 11.

Nidamanuru on 49*, 72 required off 17 overs.

Klein finishes it with a boundary, and Voorburg win by six wickets.

Botha 80*, Van der Merwe 21*, but with 112 still required 14 overs the incline’s getting steeper all the time. And Braat’s got plenty of bowling to choose from.

Hoseinbaks gets one past Zaidi, clipping the off bail. Nashier in to join Nidamanuru, but this is a movie we’ve seen before. An awful lot depending on Nidamanuru now.

On the other hand . . . Another catch by Swanepoel, this time off Jacod, removes Croes for 61, Rippon now joining Klein in the middle.

Van der Merwe giving Botha great support, and as long as these two are together HBS are not quite out of it. Botha now on 75*, Van der Merwe 19*.

Just when it seemed that VRA were thoroughly on top, Price removes Shariz, caught at cover by Hoseinbaks for 28. Nidamanuru’s on 43, Ibaad Zaidi the new man.

De Leede goes for 26, caught by Swanepoel in the covers off Roy. But a classic case of too little, too late for Kampong one suspects, with Croes on 59* and Ryan Klein the new man.

Botha reaches fifty with a boundary off Ralph Elenbaas, then adds another to third man off Dutt. Hikmatullah Jabarkhail into the attack, and Botha hits him through midwicket for another boundary. But this may be another NRR damage limitation exercise for HBS now, even though Botha’s on 65*.

Ethan Price into the attack at the halfway mark, with VRA needing 102. Three singles, then Shariz puts a juicy full toss away through midwicket. Starting to look as if VRA might evade that banana skin.

De Lange tries to drive Jacod, maybe beaten in the air, and is bowled for 61. That brings Bas de Leede in to join Croes, who’s on 53*.

Kuhn’s done by Dutt, getting an inside edge into his stumps and looking very surprised. HBS in deep, deep trouble now as Van der Merwe succeeds Kuhn.

VRA into three figures, with Nidamanuru taking on the bowling and Shariz keeping up the other end. The skipper’s now on 37*, and the field is beginning to scatter.

Voorburg were cruising until Roy turned to O’Dowd, and De Lange smacked him for three successive sixes, over midwicket, wide mid-on (going past 50 in the provess) and in front of square leg. That changed the complexion of the game completely, and now Jacod’s coming in for some tap as well. De Lange 61*, Croes 52*.

Kothari, economical as ever, is wheeling away from the Railway End, but Botha takes a liking to Elenbaas, running him down to third man for four, then pulling a full toss behind square for six. But then he bowls Del Bianco, knocking back his off stump. Heino Kuhn in at six.

That, however, is exactly what VOC are doing, as Cassidy chases a wideish, fullish delivery from Malik and Montague scoops up a very sharp chance. Shariz to the crease, with VRA again looking a little shonky.

Gert Swanepoel into the attack, but De Lange and Croes are on 35* and 26* now, and they need just a little over three an over. Very hard for Kampong to create scoreboard pressure..

But Walbrugh’s gone, caught at cover point by Ostling off Ralph Elenbaas for 37, and next ball Goedeke is run out by a piece of quick thinking by the bowler. Goedeke pushes into the on side, looks for a single that was never there, and Elenbaas gathers and throws down the stumps as Goedeke struggles to get back. Disaster for HBS! Lucas del Bianco in to join Botha.

Ahsan Malik into the attack from Mulder’s End, with Nidamanuru and Sam Cassidy in a rebuilding phase for VRA. They think they’ve got Nidamanuru caught behind off Malik’s first, but the umpire’s not paying it. Maiden over, aas VOC apply the pressure

Facing by far the biggest chase of the day and needing in excess of five and a half an over, HBS are already a little behind the rate, but it’s vital that they don’t lose more early wickets. Botha has knuckled down to the task; this isn’t the day for one of his swashbuckling 40s. But it’s Walbrugh who’s the key to success for the Crows.

De Lange and Croes, having seen off Kumar and Roy, are now facing Bangs and Jacod. De Lange, certainly the most improved player in the competition, has moved comfortably along to 21*.

Things are moving quickly in the Bos: Padda hits a rather more straightforward return catch to Harhangi and departs for 12, then Smal, having reached 12 in fours, is caught at point by Harhangi off Van der Meulen. Worse still from VRA’s viewpoint, Singh then slashes at Upadhyaya and is caught at backward point for 18. VOC aren’t out of this!

Wicket at the Loopuyt as well: De Mey falling to a very fine caught-and-bowled by Braat, taking the ball low and left-handed on the follow-through. Lehan Botha joins Walbrugh.

Levitt lifts Kumar effortlessly over midwicket for six, but two balls later he drives into the covers and Bangs takes a low catch. Gone for 13, Croes the new man.

With a single off the edge Patel reduces the requirement to three, and when Mumba replaces Sikander he drives him through extra for the winning boundary. HCC win by five wickets.

Worden and Floyd appeared to be restoring some sanity to proceedings, despite Minhaas bowling three maidens on the trot, but now Floyd has steered the ball straight to Shafiq, crouching at slip, and HCC still need four runs as Yash Patel joins Worden. Sometimes small totals are the hardest to chase . . .

Dutt and Braat take the new ball for Hermes, De Mey and Walbrugh getting the HBS reply off to a promising start.

Levitt and De Lange make a steady start against Kumar and Roy at Maarschalkerweerd.

They’re back in the Bos, Padda smacking Upadhyaya back over his head for six, then easing him through midwicket for four more.

We-e-e-e-e-ll, Wprden hits a Sikander full toss through the covers for four, but then Josh Brown, sent in to steady the ship, skies Minhas straight up in the air, and Shafiq at slip accepts the catch. Clayton Floyd the next.

This is extraordinary! After Minhas bowls a maiden to Worden, Staaal nicks off to Sikander, and HCC have gone from 99 for none to 104 for three. Surely Rotterdam can’t turn this around?

All good things come to an end, as Kloppenburg chases a wide one from Sikander and is brilliantly caught by stand-in keeper Mohsin Riaz, diving a long way to his right. Boris Gorlee in at three. And he goes first ball, trapped in front. Zac Worden in at four.

Fifty for Kloppenburg, off 29 deliveries, and then he hammers Tariq back over his head for another six. The next ball but one disappears over midwicket again. Kloppenburg now on 65*, Staal on 31*. HCC need another 22.

Kloppenburg, treating this like a T20 now, heaves Sulaiman Tariq high over midwicket for six, 17 in all coming from his first over. Having hit Shafiq and Mumba out of the attack, the HCC openers have moved on to Sikander Zulfiqar and Tariq. Big NRR turnaround in the offing here.

Boddendijk bowls a waist-high full-toss to Jamil, who pulls it to Van Oosterom at midwicket, then he traps Statham in front at the end of the same over. Goedeke bowls the last, and Braat and Sahil Kothari take a dozen from it. Advantage Hermes at the innings break.

Honestly, this is getting silly: they’ve quietly restarted at the Zomercomplex while the first innings are finishing elsewhere, and HCC have raced towards the halfway mark, Kloppenburg hitting four fours and two sixes in his 32*, Staal three boundaries in his 20*.

Spies, who’s a big, strong lad, thumps Shariz over long on for six, but then he’s bowled for 20, trying to hit Nashier into the equestrian centre a long way beyond square leg. Malik ends on 44*. Four for 35 for Singh, three for 26 for Nashier.

Van der Harten plays on to Glover, trying to turn him to leg, and in the next over Roy punches Aaditt Jain to point, where Bas de Leede accepts the catch. Shashank Kumar edges the next to Croes, and Kampong are all out for 190. A very convincing effort by Voorburg’s bowling unit.

Dutt caught at long on by Heino Kuhn, also in the HBS side today, off Boddendijk for 10 as Hermes try to squeeze every last drop out of the fabulous start they were given by their openers. Mussayab Jamil joins Braat.

Malik and Spies do exactly that, as VRA again have a problem finishing off an innings. Malik now up to 42*, as Shariz returns.

Van der Harten, now 35*, and Roy working hard to get Kampong’s total up past 200, which you’d think is the bare minimum they’ll need.

And now Van Oosterom’s trapped Olivier Elenbaas in front without scoring. Sebastiaan Braat in to join Dutt.

On the subject of going across, Hoseinbaks steps well outside off to slog-sweep Nashier, but only into the hands of Ibaad Zaidi at backward square. Ludwig Spies the last man.

Ostling also misses his century: on 94 he’s struck on the pads by Goedeke, and the umpire gives it. Ostling doesn’t think much of the decision, and to be fair he did shuffle quite a long way across. But he’s gone, and Aryan Dutt’s in to join Rushmere. Two balls later Rushmere cuts him to point and is caught by Reece Mason for 14.

With with first ball of his final over Rippon bowls Sharma for 26. Alex Roy joins Van der Harten.

Singh back from Mulder’s End, and Upadhyaya, looking very uncomfortable when he digs it in, makes to pull, awkwardly, and succeeds only in edging it into his stumps. Asief Hoseinbaks the new man.

Van der Harten and Sharma are still there, their partnership approaching 50; they’re on 27* and 26* respectively. But runs are hard to come by: Rippon has bowled nine overs from the University End and conceded just 23.

They equal but don’t pass it, as Ostling plays Van Oosterom to point, Doyle (on 95) hesitates for a moment as they go for the single, and his dive fails to beat Boddendijk’s return. Ostling is on 87*, David Rushmere the new man.

Udit Nashier on, Price pulls his first delivery in front of square for four, but doesn’t get hold of the next and is caught by Johan Smal at midwicket. He goes for 43, and Ramdas Upadhyaya joins Malik.

brown begins his final over, Shafiq tries to hit him over extra, doesn’t get all of it, and Kloppenburg takes the catch. Sulaiman Tariq the last man. Three balls later Adyaan edges to slip, where Kloppenburg dives low to his right to take the catch. A five-for for Brown, and Rotterdam are all out for 120!

A very useful stand developing between Van der Harten and Sharma, they’re both on 18*, and Croes has turned to Tanveer Khawaja in search of a breakthrough.

HBS are racing through their overs, but still the runs pile up, Doyle going to 90* and Ostling to 78*. Van Oosterom returns from the Pavilion End. The Hermes club record for the first wicket is 207.

Nidamanuru finishes his ten-over spell with two for 39, but Price and Malik get the total up to 150, giving their side a faint hope of reaching a defendable score. Price now on 36*, Malik on 14*.

Rotterdam are having one of those days, or HCC are. Or both. Brown bowls Niaz, then Mumba is caught behind off Trijzelaar. And now Saqib has gone, flashing at Brown outside off stump and giving his fourth catch of the innings. He made 35, and now it’s Adyaan Rauf Tariq in to join Ahmed Shafiq at the crease.

They take the stand past 150, as Van der Merwe returns from the Railway End. But even by just pushing him around they’re able to take six off the over, and Doyle’s gone to 69*, Ostling on 66*.

De Lange, on the other hand, is really cleaning up, sneaking one past Bangs’s bat and bowling him for 15. Four for 10 at this point, with Tushar Sharma in to join Van der Harten.

Another for Nidamanuru: Harhangi goes for a reverse slog, there’s a big appeal for leg-before, and the umpire gives it. Harhangi looks unhappy, but he’s got to go. Price is on 29*, joined now by Ahsan Malik.

The cricket gods are great equalisers: Sikander’s caught by Floyd off Trijzelaar for 5, and Rotterdam are very much on the back foot. Burhan Niaz in at seven.

Van Vliet is really struggling here: he’s conceded 24 wides (including multiples) and five no-balls in five overs, nearly a quarter of Kampong’s total. That’s without counting the free hits. Bangs and Van der Harten digging in.

Nidamanuru still operating from the City End, Price using his feet and driving him back through mid-on for four. Vital that VOC build a partnership here.

The tempo quickens appreciably as both batters reach their half-centuries; Ostling on 55*, but Doyle has moved past him to 57*. Klein back for the Crows, but they’re still searching for that elusive first wicket.

Gondal lashes Trijzelaar over cow for six to move to 44, but then he chases a wide on and edges through to Patel. Sikander Zulfiqar joins brother Saqib with a lot of work to do. But we saw what he’s capable of on Saturday!

No big innings from Edwards today: he gets to 9, then edges De Lange to keeper Croes. De Lange now has three for 11, and Kampong sink further as Robert van der Harten joins Bangs.

A wicket for Shariz as Montague, on 27, pulls hard, Madgwick takes the ball down the leg side, there’s a bid shout, and the finger goes up. Must have been a very faint bottom edge. Roman Harhangi joins Price.

Hundred up at the Loopuyt Oval, as Julien de Mey comes on from the Pavilion End. Ostling on 48*, Doyle on 36*, Hermes in the box seat.

Another for De Lange as Vieler is bowled around his pads for 14, and it’s mostly the bowlers who are having the better of today. Scott Edwards joins Bangs with another rescue job on his hands.

Nidamanuru replaces Singh, and he gets the fourth, Fourie hitting him straight back and the bowler reaching above his head to take a gentle catch. Ethan Price in to join Montague, and the two overseas restart the rebuilding: the runs are coming at a fair clip, but can VOC bat the overs?

It was Musa whose wicket was the second to fall, not Gondal; apologies for misleading you! And it’s Gondal who is now working with Saqib to rebuild the Rotterdam innings, with Clayton Floyd and Justin Trijzelaar on for HCC.

Kent Goedeke replaces Van der Merwe, but Ostling’s moved to 39* and Doyle to 22*, and Hermes will be very happy with the situation at present.

Cedric de Lange on from the Pavilion End, and Jacod holes out to Michael Rippon at long off. Voorburg have the upper hand here, with Lachlan Bangs joining Vieler, although Van Vliet losing his radar doesn’t help their cause.

Another for Singh as Van der Meulen, who had just played him down through the gully for four, goes after a wide one moving away, and edges to Madgwick behind the stumps. He goes for 16, Francois Fourie batting now with Montague. Shariz Ahmad on from Mulder’s End, somewhat earlier than usual.

Riaz goes without scoring, brilliantly caught down the leg side by keeper Yash Patel, who flings himself to his left to take another of the season’s great catches. Rotterdam in unaccustomed difficulties as Saqib Zulfiqar has joined Gondal in the middle.

The introduction of Van der Merwe, and now of Benno Boddendijk, has not (yet) secured a breakthrough: Ostling on 27*, Doyle on 20*.

Another failure for Max O’Dowd, who makes to drive Mees van Vliet on the up and hits him to Cedric de Lange at cover. He made 4; Pierre Jacod the new man.

Who else but Vikram Singh to get the breakthrough in the Bos. A double, in fact, as Butt goes caught behind by Madgwick for 25, and Kooistra is caught by Lovepreet Padda at cover three balls later for 5. 21 wickets for Singh now, and it’s Caleb Montague and jason van der Meulen working on a recovery for VOC.

Musa is pinned on the crease by Crowley; the umpire has a good long think about it, mostly over height, I suspect, but then the finger goes up. Mohsin Riaz in to join Gondal.

Ostling and Doyle, on the other hand, are going along quite happily, to the extent that after seven overs Walbrugh plays today’s trump card, bringing on Roelof van der Merwe, no less, from the Railway End. They quietly push him around to the extent of four singles.

Wicket at Maarschalkerweerd as well: Van den Berg, having hit three fours and that six in reaching 25 off nine balls, edges Jain through to Noah Croes and departs. Karel Vieler in to join O’Dowd.

Crowley removes Minhas in his first over, caught by Tonny Staal for 1. Muhammad Gondal the new man, and he goes onto the counter-attack, slog-sweeping Kloppenburg behind square for four. Josh Brown into the attack after four overs.

Teja Nidamanuru is the odd man out this morning, inserting VOC. And it’s a lively start, debutant Shayan Moodley putting a foot outside the return crease, the no-ball going for four and the free hit for six. VOC off to a flyer, with Samir Butt on 25* off 10 deliveries

Damien van den Berg goes big in Don Glover’s opening over at Maarschalkenburg, driving him square for four off the second delivery, then lofting the last over extra cover for six. Things are quieter when Aaditt Jain bowls the second from the University End.

Rotterdam have won the toss at the Zomercomplex and elected to bat. Teun Kloppenburg starts from the Equestrian Centre End, Musa Ahmad off the mark immediately with a single. Then Shoaib Minhas tucks him to midwicket for another. Daniel Crowley to bowl the second.

AAAAND . . . Hermes have won the toss and elected to bat. Ostling and Doyle open as usual, Kyle Klein taking the first over from the Pavilion End. Initially bowls a fourth/fifth stump line, Ostling not interested, but he’s forced to defend when Klein attacks the stumps. Joris van Oosterom from the Railway End.