Topklasse Live | Round 8 | As it Happened

They’re back on at the Zomercomplex too, and the hosts are one down already, Asad Zulfiqqar chasing a wide one from Hart and that’s cut up and down deep third’s throat.Riaz joins Usman.

The worst possible start for HBS: Arnav Jain starts from the Pavilion End to Reece Mason, who cuts the fourth ball straight into the hands of Seelaar at slip. Tim Drummond to the crease.

Voorburg finish with a flourish as van Beek dumps Dutt inside out over extra for six on the final ball if the innings. He finshes on 41 off 27, and VRA face a daunting chase after lunch

Bukhari the man hitting out while everyone else is getting out at Bermweg, he’s lifted Sparta to an imposing 275, finishing on 38* off 29 while Doram and Overdijk kept fresh faces coming at the other end, finishing with figures of 4-47 and 3-45 respectively. .

Flurry of wickets at the back end at “t Loopveld too, Raza soldiers on but gets little support from the tail.He finishes unbeaten on 42, Victor Lubbers pick of the bowlers with 4-31..

Hoornweg is run out, gallantly trying to get back for a second to keep Edwards on strike and beaten by the return from long on. That brings last man Pierce Fletcher to the crease, but it’s Edwards who does the damage, smashing Adendorff for six over square leg off a no ball, although he misses the free hit delivery completely. Then he tries to sweep once too often, the ball’s too full, and his off stump’s uprooted. He goes for 84, made from 72 deliveries, and HBS need 273 to win.

Direct hit from Rasool cuts a fine innings short as Shariz is run out for 41, but Engelbrecht and van Beek keep the runs flowing..

Double breakthrough at the Zomercomplex too, as Bhatti gets the big man for 78, Ingram looking to flick off his pads and a spiralling leading edge comes down for Asad Zulfiqar behind the wicket. Niels Etman falls to Bhatti soon after more conventionally caught behind as Excelsior stumble toward the death. Stan van Troost id joined by Rens.

Schoonheim goes, holing out to Barresi at straight long off off Adendorff. Asief Hoseinbaks in at nine. And two balls later he’s gone, trapped in front trying to work the ball to leg. Max Hoornweg the new man, with Edwards on 70*.

Del Bianco and De Mey have managed to cut out the boundaries in the last five overs, Edwards and Schoonheim restricted to ones and twos, assisted by the occasional wide. Edwards on 67* now, Schoonheim on 7*.

Wickets falling at the death at Bermweg too, Hidde Overdijk gets Tarr ramping a low full toss to Vandiar at deep fine for 137 off 138, and the dangerous Khalid Ahmadi then goes six and out as he holes out two balls later. Kroesen in with Bukhari now .

200 up for ACC too now but they’ve lost a few along the way, most notably Potdar well caught behind off Lubbers for 88, Piyaranga clinging on to a thick outside edge. Hans and now Kumar too have departeded, the latter driving Lubbers to cover to bring Konlechner in to join Raza..

Double breakthrough at the Zomercomplex too, as Bhatti gets the big man for 78, Ingram looking to flick off his pads and a spiralling leading edge comes down for Asad Zulfiqar behind the wicket. Niels Etman falls to Bhatti soon after more conventionally caught behind as Excelsior stumble toward the death. Stan van Troost id joined by Rens.

Back to the action here at the Bos, where Levitt finall falls for 115, miscuing a slog-sweep off Dutt and held by Visser at deep midwicket. Van Beek joins Shariz, who’s on 25* Visser at the other end..

Edwards reverse-sweeps De Mey to go past 50 for the 21st time in his Topklasse career, with Seelaar looking to give positive support until he lunges forward at De Mey and hits another return catch, this time head-high and to the bowler’s left. Easy-peasy for De Mey, and Seelaar departs for 9. Jelte Schoonheim in, with VOC in danger of not capitalising fully on their great start..

Abid into the attack and draws a rare false shot from Levitt, inside edged across the stumps, but that’ll bring him his hundred. That shot aside it’s been an impressive one too. And on Shariz now demonstrates the shot Levitt was going for, craxcking on drive through long on for four.

Immediately after the second drinks break De Kok brings up the 200, but Del Bianco’s looking pretty lively, giving the VOC captain a very effective bouncer to think about. These are crucial overs if HBS are going to have a chaseable total to pursue. It helps their cause that De Kok, relatively new at the crease, is getting a lot of the strike, while Edwards remains on 48* from 45. Pote having returned and completed his ten, De Mey is on at the Pavilion End, and with his first delivery he gets through De Kok’s indecisive shot and traps him in front and on the crease. Pieter Seelaar joins Edwards.

Oh dear, is that a no ball for too many outside? Think it might have been. Four leg byes off it too as Singh trudges back to his mark. Free hit is full and whipped off the toes over the square rope for six, Levitt into the 80s and VRA in a bit of a state.

I would, m’lud, like to draw attention to the ‘should’ in my 30-over post. Niaz doesn’t last long, spearing the ball uppishly back towards Del Bianco, who dives to his right to take the return catch centimetres from the ground. Tim de Kok in to join his predecessor as captain.

Potdar’s lost another partner, Ahmed caught behind off Nasir, but he’s into the 80s now as he’s joined by Raza. .

Tarr brings up his ton edging Venter wide of vacant slip for four, looked fairly intentional, but if not it’s the first false shot in a while from him. Clark’s still with him on 21*.

Tom Heggelman falls three short of fifty, nicking Sikander behind. Etman joins Ingram, but feathers through behind in Sikander’s next. Ingram still there though looking imperious thus far. He’ll resume on 73* after drinks.

No century for Berry today: on 82, he makes to cut Del Bianco and gets a bottom edge into off stump. That victory is much more than moral. Burhan Niaz in to join Edwards.

Klein’s return lasts just one over, and then there’s a double bowling change, with Lucas del Bianco on from the Airport End and Azzam Khan from the other. Edwards appears to enjoy Khan’s off-spin, sweeping him to the boundary and, a little less characteristically, hoisting him wide of mid-on for another four. A little moral victory for Del Bianco as he get Edwards fishing outside off, but moral victories count for little out there. Still, only two off the over, and that’s a rather bigger achievement at this stage. VOC should be on course for a very big total here, with Berry now on 78* and Edwards continuing to attack Khan. He gets away with a possible stumping, though, advancing down the wicket, missing, and Scholte unable to gather the ball. Three fours and a scooped two take him to 29*

Fifty for Potdar too now, but he’s lost Kuhn, who’s cut Sherzad straight to point for 54. Rahil Ahmed in, ACC have a platform but do they have the depth to capitalise?.

Still pretty sloppy from the hosts, Singh now spearing a wide down leg and overstepping next ball. 17 extras the total now. Nidamanuru finds a wicket at the other end though, Musa playing across the line and struck on the front pad. Finger goes up. Shariz joins Levitt, who’s on 62*.

Tarr still looking entirely at ease, slams a long-hop from Doram away over the on side for six to move into the eighties. Charumbira into the attack now..

This is a pretty tidy spell from De Mey, but Berry cuts him behind point for another four. HBS are fielding like demons for the most part, but so effective are Berry & Co. at fiending the gaps that 94 of VOC’s runs have come from boundaries. Klein back from the Pavilion End.*

Fifty for Kuhn driving Serzad through extra, and the hundred up for ACC next over. Been a good recovery from the hosts, Lubbers looking a little short of options..

Fifty for Levitt, but Singh finally finds the breakthrough for the hosts, pegging back Croes’ off stump and gone for 40. Musa Nadeem in at four and Singh beats his outside edge first ball. Heads picking up in the field? Nidamanuru from Mulder’s end now.

A single for Berry takes him past fifty for the fourth time this season. Then back-to-back fours off Adendorff, the first a rather fortunate edge fine to third man, the second clipped away in front of square. But Adendorff gets his revenge, albeit against the offender’s sidekick, bowling Jain for 46 as he plays a rather nondescript push towards midwicket. Little relief for HBS, though, as Scott Edwards strides to the wicket. And Berry’s on 59*, from 43.

Fifty partnership for Ingram and Heggelman, and an important one for the visitors. Hussain and Saqib Zulfiqar for the hosts now.

Doram gets the breakthrough for HCC, Ferguson cross batted low on the back foot, sneaks on under the back and pinned in front. Clark in with Tarr now, who’s enjoying himself. Reverse sweeps Floyd for four, then two balls later goes the other way for four more. Hundred up.

The hundred comes up off the last ball of the 17th, and with that they take a drink. A maiden from Adendorff when they resume, but then Berry’s down the wicket to De Mey, one-two and over the fence, into the jungle beyond. No point in looking for that one; leave it to the alligators. Scholte, meanwhile, is doing terrific work behind the stumps, twice casting off a glove and hareing after the ball down to the fine leg boundary. Both times he manages to save one precious run. Berry’s gone past Jain; he’s on 49*, his partner on 42*. Looks ominous for HBS.

VCC keep ticking along after drinks, still helped along by the occasional wide from the hosts. Singh brings himself on, taking over from Visser at the city end.Short first up and pulled behind square by Croes for a couple. Tidy for the rest, couple of tight singles, but VRA need a breakthrough. Turmaine at the other end, Levitt skips down the track to him fourth ball and drives high and straight over water for six to bring up the hundred.

Venter on last over before drinks, and Tarr gets after him. Fetches one from sixth stump and swung away over midwicket for six, then two balls later cuts behind square for four more.Goes to fifty second ball back cutting Floyd sqaure for one, Ferguson goes harder and finer next ball for four, then four more two balls later. Doram back from the other end.

Potdar and Kuhn still rebuilding for ACC.Gopinath now for Salland and Kuhn strokes him out through the covers for a couple. Fifty up.

Berry goes after Pote, driving him square, turning him fine, then pulling him in front of square for three successive boundaries. He’s bowled well, but this could be a case of an over too many. Especially when he loses control of the ball completely and it flies over Berry’s head: they run three as it runs down to fine leg, although he manages to restrict Jain to a single off the resulting free hit. Nic Adendorff on for Klein from the Pavilion End, but he can’t prevent Berry driving him sweetly through the covers for four, then guiding him to third man for another. Julian de Mey replaces Pote, and Jain slashes his final delivery behind point for yet another boundary. VOC well on top, with Jain now on 41*, Berry on 26*.

Visser back from the city end, back of a length and slapped away behind square for four by Croes. Some sort of issue here, Visser not happy with the run-up. They’r on with sawdust and a leaf blower. and we’ll break for drinks.

Tariq still for Punjab, Ingram rocks back and pulls him over backward square for four to take Excelsior past fifty.Lots of rebuilding still to do though, Mahmood at the other end.

Fifty up for Sparta too now, Floyd into the attack and a strange squatting sweep shot from Tarr clears backward point for four.He’s into the thirties, Ferguson still with him.

Berry gets off the mark with a push through mid-on for a couple; a little inside edgeish, but safe enough. Klein’s developing decent pace, no doubt encouraged by the departure of O’Dowd. Jain, though, continues unabated, playing Pote twice through the legside for back-to-back fours. Martijn Scholte responds by coming up to the stumps, hoping to restrict his movements. But Berry’s having trouble getting Klein away, until he glides him down to third man for a single. A very good spell from him, if wicketless.

Speaking of intra-squad training, VRA scorer Kate Holdsworth observes that 9 of the 15 players picked for the WC Qualifier squad playing in this match. Dutt back and better from him, maiden on Croes for the tenth. Four more for Levitt first ball of the next however, driving Abid wide of long on. He’s into the twenties now. Croes takes VCC past fifty in the next lofting Dutt over mid-wicket for a one-bouncer.

Potdar and Kuhn rebuilding for ACC, Nasir into the attack for the visitors. Salland are without their German contingent today, intra-squad training we’re told..

Big breakthrough for Pote, though, as O’Dowd clips him off his pads and Reece Mason takes the catch at midwicket. Lane Berry in at three.

The Dutt gambit didn’t last long, Visser from Mulder’s End now.Levitt and Croes look well settled, the VRA attack less so. The wides are back. 11 extras so far.

Pote has a shout for leg-before against Jain, but it looked a bit high, then Klein catches the edge but it doesn’t carry to the man at slip. Luck not with HBS just at present. Pote almost gets one through O’Dowd, but Jain has the last word, punching him back straight for another boundary. Then he clips Klein in front of square for yet another, following it up with a cracking drive through the covers. Remarkably, Jain is outscoring O’Dowd here, racing to 26* and looking aggressive even when he doesn’t score.

Hart takes a liking to Shafiq, twice puts him out of the ground but he’s lost another partner as Verhagen drives Tariq to extra. and now he’s run himself out. Punches Tariq into the on side and sets off, direct hit from an as yet unidentified Zulfiqar and gone. Heggelman joins Ingram and Excelsior in all sorts.

It was Victor Lubbers’ idea to bowl first we gather, and he backs it up by nicking Wegener off in his second over. Bartholomew does the same to Hobson in the next over, and ACC in early trouble again. Kuhn in with Potdar now.

Big appeal for caught behind from Klein’s first delivery to Jain, but umpire Van Liemt shakes his head. Plays and misses at the second as well – good carry through to the keeper. First runs come from the last ball of that one, Jain pushing through midwicket for a couple. First runs off Pote a boundary from an O’Dowd on drive, and he gets another through the covers two ball later. Accuracy at military medium doesn’t keep O’Dowd quiet for long. And it’s a pretty quick outfield, as Jain demonstrates with a push to the cover boundary off Klein, following it up with a meatier slash past backward point for the same result. VOC off and running.

Sparta pretty much full strength despite the injury concerns, Bukhari, Malik and Snoep all fit it seems. They’re one down though as Overdijk has Raza caught behind, looks like a bottom edge on the cut. Tarr in with Ferguson now, and takes Doram for back to back fours in the next over.

Levitt gets after Dutt, cutting late and hard to the rope behind backward point, then getting low and pulling for four more behind square.

Michael Hart promoted up the order for Excelsior today, he’s opening with Luuk Kroesen. Or rather he was, Shafiq’s got Kroesen caught slip second ball of the second over. Verhagen at three.

Max O’Dowd and Arnav Jain open as usual for VOC, Swapnil Pote starting up from the Airport End; both teams unchanged from last week. On the spot straight away, bowling full and straight and keeping O’Dowd quiet; indeed, it’s a maiden first up. Kyle Klein to bowl the second..

And we’re off, two minutes early. Levitt and Gigani opening for the frontrunners, Ashir Abid with the new ball, Levitt off the mark with a glance to leg, then five wides down leg fourth ball. Dead on two balls later though, Gigani driving down the wrong line and stumps akimbo. Croes at three. Dutt from Mulder’s end.

ACC batting first at ‘t Loopveld. Not sure whose idea that was.

Sparta having a bat at Bermweg we belatedly hear. Out of choice it seems.

Tariq wins the toss at Zomercomplex and invites Excelsior to bat.

We’re told that at the Hazelaarweg Wesley Barresi has called incorrectly, and Tim de Kok has elected to have a bat.

An inauspicious start to Singh’s coin-flipping career, Voorburg win the toss and bat. “I would have bowled anyway” says VRA’s fiesty young captain..

All sorts of news here at the Bos, where Vikram Singh will be leading the hosts today in his 101st Topklasse game. ” Politics” is the word on the balcony. Logan van Beek back for VCC as preview-readers will know, though rumour has it he may not be bowling. “I might though” he tells us, helpfully. Viv Kingma’s a specialist fielder and lower order go-haver today though, with some sort of twinge. Stijn de Leede makes way for van Beek, VRA the same as last week except for the regime chang. Toss shortly.