Topklasse Live | Round 9 | As it Happened

And indeed it doesn’t last another. Driven for three, five wides down leg, short ball pulled for a couple, dot and then an emphatic six pulled over square from Zaidi to wrap it up. He finishes unbeaten on 70*, Shariz on 45* as VRA win by 5 wickets.

Brown and Crowley back presumably to bowl the final five, but a tall orderfor them with just 24 to defend. Shariz and Zaidi can afford to just knock it around, and that looks the plan Shariz brings up the century parnetnership just nudging Crowley into the leg side. Zaidi in more of a hurry though as he carves the next up over cover for four. Beamer three balls later is deflected up to third for a no ball plus a couple, and though Shariz can’t put the free hit away that over has thoroughly settled the game you’d say.

Floyd to bowl his final over now, and first ball Shariz takes a knee to him and slog-sweeps over backward square for four. Zaidi at the other end is two awayfrom a half century. Floyd finishes with a tidy but wicketless 0-30 from his ten. Teun Leijer on from the City End, and Zaidi brings up his fifty pushing him through the covers for one. All looking rather placid now. Six overs to go, 28 needed.

Trijzelaar into his final over, is turnedoff the hip by Shariz for a couple behind square to take the hosts past 150. He finishes with figures of 3-25 from his ten, an exemplary spell but it looks like it may not be enough. 54 to get in 12 overs, Floyd has 2 overs left, Crowley and Brown five between them. Pekin bowling loopy offspin at the other end for now though.

This partnership beginning to become a problem for the visitors, half century stand now as Shariz punches Floyd out to long on for a single. Run rate no issue as yet. Both bats in the twenties.

Zaidi’s started positively, though somewhat incautiously. Hundred comes up with an indise edge across the stumps off Brown chasing a wide one. VRa need a partnership here. Crowley back and driven for three first ball through long off by Zaidi, outfield slower than usual today. All a bit nervy now.

And another for Trijzelaar as Cassidy gets a feather edge on the cut and this time Patel makes no mistake. Zaidi in with Shariz now, Trizelaar’s figures currently 3-10 in 4 and he must be sniffing a five-fer here now. VRA very much on the ropes.

Trijzelaar continues after the break and Smal reprieved on 29 as Patel puts down a tough chance standing up, palming it into the air but losing track of the ball. It matters not, Smal falls two balls latergoing after a wide one, to what one imagines was quite a good catch by Floyd bat backward point. Shariz Ahmad in and off the mark at once, but next ball Nidamanuru goes too, pulling straight to midwicket. Jack Cassidy in and advantage HCC again.

Floyd takes over from Crowley. And an inordinate amount of faffing about interrupts the 12th. Not clear what the issue is. State of the ball perhaps? Anyways after a good six or seven minutes we’re apparently able to continue, which we do. Trijzelaar replaces Brown now, and Smal and Nidamanuru push on for a much-needed half-century stand which will take us through to drinks.

Something of a recovery as Smal and Nidamanuru take them past fifty, uneventful bar Nidamanuru copping one on the back of the helmet earlier from Crowley, possibly distracted by a seagull, HCC appeal for something, maybe thinking he gloved it? End result is a concussion check, which Nidamanuru presumably passes, and brings up the team fifty next over with a swivel-pulled six off Brown to end the 11th.

Smal takes Crowley for back to back boundaries through the off side, but it’s another for Brown in his next as Padda miscues a drive to Trijzelaar at mid on. Nidamanuru in with Smal now.

Maiden from Crowley on Padda, then Brown gets the early breakthrough next over. Angled into Cassidy and nibbles away, squared up, edged, gone. Doesn’t wait for the finger. Smal at three.

And we’re back. Sam Cassidy opens with Padda for the hosts, Josh Brown takes the new ball. Wide outside off to start, then overpitched and driven for four three balls later. The next couple of deliveries keep alarming low outside off though, signs this may not be a straightforward chase. Crowley shares the new ball.

Shariz bowls a maiden at a crucial moment (just a bye off it), and they have to be content with three singles off Nidamanuru’s next. Trijzelaar, however, twice smacks Shariz back over his head for six in his (penultimate) over. A single for Peskin off Nidamanuru brings up the 200, and although Peskin’s run out for 25 by Smal’s return, pushing for a second, and Trijzelaar ditto, this time the return from Zaidi, HCC can regard their total as at least a partial escape,

But Crowley pulls Nidamanuru into the hands of Ibaad Zaidi at deep midwicket and departs for 25. Justin Trijzelaar the new man.

Peskin lifts Abhinay over midwicket for six, remarkably the first of the innings. Nidamanuru back at the City End, Shariz from the other, and the batters are happy to milk them. Five overs left, and six an over gets them past 200.

Peskin off the mark, cross-batting Abhinay back straight and all the way to the boundary. His stance is so open that it might fairly be described as a demi-Chanderpaul, but it enables him to help Crowley get the total past 150.

Wicket for Abhinay, as Brown, on 21, tries to hoick him over deep mid-on and is caught by Smal. 200 looks a very long way off now, as debutant Jaydan Peskin joins Crowley.

Definite quickening of the tempo now, Patel pulling Nashier out towards the famous tree for another boundary. But that’s the spinner’s craft: Patel makes to cut the next, and gets a fine tickle to Jack Cassidy. He goes for 35, and Daniel Crowley joins Brown.

Darsh Abhinay replaces Shariz, and Udit Nashier on for Nidamanuru. That brings a slight easing of the leash, boundaries coming off both bowlers, and as they take another drink Patel has moved to 30*, Brown on 14*. Game’s still in the balance.

With some enterprising, sharp running, Patel and Brown get the total past the hundred, but Shariz and Nidamanuru are mostly putting the ball on the spot, and runs aren’t easy to come by.

Do I claim credit/get blamed for this one? On 24, Floyd props forward, and hits a sharp return catch to Nidamanuru, who gratefully accepts. HCC back in trouble, as Josh Brown joins Patel.

Very gradually, Patel and Floyd are digging HCC out of trouble: they’ve now added 36, although it’s taken them ten and a half overs to do it. Not a huge amount of batting to come, and what would be a decent score here? 200 at a minimum, you’d think, maybe 220.

Abid back immediately after the break; much more in control now, and starting with a maiden. Hake, meanwhile, completes his unbroken stint, finishing with 10 – 3- 26 – 2. Shariz replaces Abid at Mulder’s End, Floyd driving a full loosener back on the off side for four to crack the shackles a little. Double bowling change: NIdamanuru on from the City End.

Floyd off the mark with a much-needed boundary through point off Smal, but another maiden from Hake takes them through to drinks, with VRA firmly on top.

Smal, bowling at not much above gentle medium pace, is causinbg all kinds of problems, almost cutting Patel in two with one which doesn’t miss off stump by a lot. Suddenly it’s a different game, with Kloppenburg and Patel hanging on the dear life as Hake bowls another maiden. And now Smal’s got another one through, bowling Kloppenburg! Clayton Floyd in to try to stop the rot.

Double wicket maiden for Hake. And indeed, Johan Smal replaces Abid from Mulder’s End. And my goodness! Staal is caught in two minds, looking to drive, forced to defend on the crease, beaten and bowled! HCC have lost three wickets for three runs in nine deliveries! Yash Patel in at five, with his side reeling.

And two balls later Worden goes, yorked without scoring. Quite a turnaround this, as skiper Teun Kloppenburg joins Staal.

Staal drives Abid through backward point for four, then hits another through mid-off. Ten off what might have been an over too many for the young left-armer. But it’s Hake who gets the breakthrough, Banerjee hitting across the line and sending it straight up in the air, Padda taking the catch at backward square leg. Zac Worden in at three.

With keeper Jack Cassidy standing up for Abid, Banerjee survives an appeal for a stumping down the legside, but it may have been more a doomed attempt at preventing the wide call. Staal continues to hit in the air, causing no end of frustration to Hake and his teammates. Honours about even after these early exchanges: Abid and Hake haven’t been able to pick up a wicket, but they haven’t allowed HCC to get off to an absolute flyer. Staal 19* off 27.

Staal continues to play attacking shots, not quite middling an onside blow off Hake but getting three for it anyway. Abid strengthens his legside field, but it doesn’t stop Staal lofting him over mid-on for another boundary. Banerjee much more circumspect at the other end.

Tonny Staal and Shirsak Banerjee open as usual for the Lions; Ashir Abid takes the first over from Mulder’s End. Staal heaves his third ball through midwicket for a couple, then lifts the next squarer for four. Sharad Hake to bowl the second.

And my sources tell me that VRA have won the toss and asked HCC to have a bat. Start at 11:45.

And we’ve lost pictures. Hope it wasn’t anything I said . . .

I’m reliably informed that there will be an inspection at 11:15, with a view to a possible 11:45 start. They do, of course, have an hour’s leeway before overs start coming off.

The entire pride of Lions has exited stage left, presumably to start their warm-up. No sign of any VRA players on screen as yet.

We’re clearly going to have a delay start, since the HCC players, still in warm-up gear, have just drifted past the pitch. Some prodding of the latter, not a lot of urgency about any of it. To be fair, there’s no sun and not a lot of wind (on my side of Amstelveen, at any rate), so any necessary drying will take time.

There may be some concern about a damp patch on the edge of the square, well away from today’s pitch, because the groundsman’s been putting down a cloth, just on the edge of the camera shot.

I can tell you that the covers are off in Amstelveen and the stumps are in. The umpires are walking contemplatively around the outfield, presumably checking the ground’s fitness after yesterday’s rain.

Oh, and I missed the obvious: no Boris Gorlee for HCC today. Not sure why.

Both clubs have, as tends to be the way these days, declared their elevens in advance of the toss, although they’re obviously provisional at that stage. Teun Leijer back from illness for the Lions, and there’s a first Topklasse game for young South African Jaydan Peskin. No real surprises in the VRA team as announced, unless the fact that they haven’t brought in a specialist opener to replace Vikram Singh counts as a surprise. Both Cassidys play, as do Ashir Abid and Sharad Hake.

And done it is. Niazi finished it off with a four as Rotterdam win by 5 wickets.

Correction: the momentum has not been arrested in the slightest. Despite the wickets Rotterdam continue hammering away at about ten an over, looking in a hurry to get this done.

Gondal and Zulfiqar hit the gas again, Kothari and Jabarkhail both come in for more tap. The introduction of Jamil arrests the momentum abruptly though as he removes Gondal for 70 and then new man Sikander Zulfiqar three balls later. Niazi joins Saqib.

A maiden Topklasse wicket for Daniel Doyle-Calle, as Riaz caught by Statham for 10. Must confess absent a stream I genuinely don’t know what he might be bowling. Saqib Zulfiqar joins Gondal.

So that leaves events at Rotterdam as the day’s last going concern. We’ve learned that RCC are indeed after a revised target of 165 in 36 overs, so good guessing from me there. Riaz and Gondal have taken them to 93-2 without further loss, and the former brought up a half-century.

And the chase comes to a premature end at just one over old, umpires confer with one another, the captains, lots of wiping of the grass and pointing at shoes, I think we can guess what’s coming and … yep Match Abandoned.

More sees off four balls from Kingma, gets off strike to leas Zalpuri one to survive, which he does. Harhangi back at the other end though, and all over next ball as More is last to fall for 37-ball 14. High drama indeed as VOC win by 9 runs!

Rotterdam two down now as Ahmad is caught off Jabarkhail for 22. Riaz at four, Rotterdam about 1/2 way there already I reckon.

And they’re back! Botha and Mason opening, Glover takes the new ball. Starts with a wide outside off, next one’s a tad tighter and brings an expansive swipe from Botha, thick edge to slip and gone. Walbrugh in early.

More continues to eke out runs, abbetted by the occiasional wide, but can’t keep the strike at the end of the 30th, leaving Zalpuri to survive and over of Hoseinbaks, which he does. Kingma back at the other end. 11 needed.

Another falls as Kingma bowls Kumar for 2. Last man Zalpuri joins More, and the top order’s hell-for leather approach looking a bit reckless in retrospect…

Things are happening at Craeyenhout. We’re told the Crows will be chasing a revised target of 161 in 20 overs, which sounds about right.

Gondal and Ahmad still progressing serenely, DDC is having a bowl, Kothari from the other end. Ahh and now Sam van Giezen replaces Doyle, fifty comes up for Rotterdam, who I’d guess are chasing about 165 in about 35 overs.

Kampong’s chase suddenly looking wobbly as Harhangi removes Ingram and van den Harten in the space of three balls. Sharma joins More as Kingma returns to the attack. Just 21 to get now though, if VOC had gotten a ways north of 150 this might have been tense.

Kampong’s chase suddenly looking wobbly as Harhangi removes Ingram and van den Harten in the space of three balls. Sharma joins More as Kingma returns to the attack. Just 21 to get now though, if VOC had gotten a ways north of 150 this might have been tense.

Gondal and Ahmad have steadied things somewhat after the early wicket. Still not clear if they’ve lost overs or if so how many. I suspect they likely have though. Do get in touch if you have concrete info, I refuse to believe they’re chasing a reduced target in fifty overs that makes no sense.

Kampong look happy to spend wickets getting this chase done ASAP, Bangs takes six more off Butt before holing out next ball. Jacod is bowled by Hoseinbaks next over, which has put the brakes on some. Ingram and More in the middle now and no runs off the bat in the last couple.

They’re finally back on at the ‘plex, where we’re told Rotterdam will be chasing a reduced target of 165 in a full fifty overs. Err, yeah so I don’t think that’s right. We’ll try to find out what if any effect the rain has had on the chase for you, in the meantime I can report than Ralph Elenbaas has bowled Shoaib Minhas with the fourth ball of the chase. Gondal joins Musa Ahmad in the middle.

And they’re back on at Hazelaarweg, vd Burg hits Hoseinbaks for six first ball back, but the introduction of Samir Butt next over brings an end to his stop-start knock, caught van der Meulen three short of fifty. Bangs in and it’s clear they won’t be slowing down, bags his first maximum off Hoseibaks in the next.

They’re back on at Hazelaarweg, Hoseinbaks into the attack. Couple off his first ball, three dots, and they’re back off at Hazelaarweg.

Covers on at Craeyenhout now too.

And seems they were right to worry, the rain has driven them off at Hazelaarweg still 8 and a bit overs short of a game.

No signs of a resumption at the ‘plex as yet. Weather does seem to be worse in the south (it’s very wet in Belgium right now, and that’s where the weather is coming from)

Meanwhile at Hazelaarweg van den Burg looks to be in a hurry. He’s on 39 off 32, Jacod with him in the teens. Expect they’re worried about a potential washout with 10 overs to go before a guaranteed result. Can’t get Fletcher away in the 11th though, just one off it. Van der Meulen from the other end now.

Khawaja dutifully gets Klein onto strike, and his reward next ball is to be sold up the river when Klein backs out of a risky single, only to be reprieved when the bowler, van Oosterom, fails to collect the throw. Anothe bit of stop start before Klein finally finds the single he needs squeezing one out toward point. A maiden century for him from 111 balls. Khawaja carves the next over backward point for four, before slicing out to Wlabrugh at third trying to repeat the shot. Voorburg finish on 266-7, expect a short turnaround for the HBS chase if the rain doesn’t worsen.

Del Bianco removes Singh, big swipe across the line and enough turn to take it away from the bat a tad, outside edge high and snaffled by Khan behind point. Khawaja joins Klein, who’s on 99* with an over to come.

Kampong have lost their first, meanwhile, a first wicket of the season for the returning Vivian Kingma who has Vieler caught behind for 6. Jacod in with van den Burg now, who has raced into the thirties.

Ryan Klein closing in on a century now, already passed his previous personal best of 92 as he fetches Del Bianco from outside off for four through the on side. Singh still with him on 22*. Klein needs 4 for his ton, three overs to go we think, the early lunch having spared us from losing any overs I reckon.

Del Bianco, the ultimate allrounder, since he bats, opens the bowling, comes back at the death to bowl dibbly-dobbly stuff of a short run, AND sometimes keeps wicket, returns, but Klein’s on 85* and Harshdeep’s on 20*. It’s going to be a tough ask for HBS.

Well, there you go! Nor sure who’s making a liar of whom, but they’re back out at Craeyenhout, with HBS still batting. Harshdeep Singh the new man, Klein now on 79*.

Well, there you go! Nor sure who’s making a liar of whom, but they’re back out at Craeyenhout, with HBS still batting. Harshdeep Singh the new man, Klein now on 79*.

I understand that lunch is being taken at Craeyenhout, which presumably means that the Voorburg innings is closed. Depending on how long the rain continues, HBS will start a chase once they get back on, which will of course be DLS adjusted. But the outlook for the afternoon isn’t great, to be honest.

Rushmere was caught for 118, made from 112 deliveries, Jabarkhail 1*. You read it first here!

Minhas bowled Sam van Giezen (I’m pretty sure) without scoring. Rushmere 110*.

OK, I haven’t been twiddling my thumbs while they’re off, and I can tell you that Saqib Zulfiqar trapped Numair in front for 3, at which point Rushmere was 109*. Watch this space!

Minhas finally removes Rushmere, caught at point, but at this point we’ve lost picture as well, so I’m afraid I can’t tell you what’s going on at all.

Glover pulls the first ball of Goedeke’s final over to Azzam Khan at deep square leg, and departs for 29. Klein’s on 75*, but now the rain’s back, and this time they DO go off, and the covers ARE on.

Ingram returns to dismiss Fletcher, and Kampong will have to make 142 to take the points and stay at the top of the table. Jacod finishes with three for 25.

Still Rushmere and Numair.

Glover, gaining in confidence all the time, hits Goedeke for back-to-back boundaries, and with Klein now on 67″, Voorburg have the basis for a very solid total.

The online scorecard has now frozen, not entirely surprisingly, but Rushmere is still there, and his celebration on reaching his century left no doubt about what was going on. We’ll update you when we can..

Bangs comes back and has Malik caught behind for four. Last man Pierce Fletcher joins Kingma.

Cas Merkus gets a first bowl in the Topklasse. Tall, blond and tousled, looking a bit like Boris Johnson at a distance (all right, my eyesight’s not what it was, don’t hold it against the lad), oversteps with his second delivery and is pulled by Klein to fine leg for four. The free hit delivery disappears over midnwicket for six, and Klein has a half-century. He’s now moved on to 63*, Glover on 15*.

Another blow for Hermes, as Rushmere pushes Shafiq into the covers, Elenbaas comes looking for a single, is sent back, slips as he turns, aand has no chance of making his ground. He goes for 11, with Rushmere on 97*. The scorers have given Rushmere out, which is going to make commentary problematic, but it’s definitely Elenbaas who’s gone. Roy Numair the new man..

Dramatic stuff at the Haazelaarweg, where VOC have lost three wickets in six deliveries without adding to the total. Harhangi’s run out without scoring, Price follows, leg-before to Jacod for 29, and then Asief Hoseinbaks goes first ball, bowled by the returning Kumar. Ahsan Malik and Viv Kingma, turning out for the Bloodhounds for the first time, together now.

Klein goes after Mason, lofting him over long off for six, then check-sweeping him square for four. He moves to 45*, and he’s now Voorburg’s main hope of doing the same to HBS.

Ditto the Hermes innings, Kothari cutting Shafiq throat-high to Mohsin Riaz at point. But Rushmere’s still there, on 93* now, and with support from Ralph Elenbaas he’s got the total past 150. They probably need another 100, though, to put Rotterdam under any real pressure.

Fourie trapped in front by Jacod, and the VOC innings shows signs of subsiding as Roman Harhangi joins Price.

Finally Kaplan goes, clipping Boddendijk off his toes but only to Goedeke at midwicket and departing for 59. Don Glover joins Klein, who’s on 31*.

Shafiq, having switched to the Equestrian Centre End, pins Statham in front for 2. With Rushmere on 80* and clearly the real hope for Hermes of setting Rotterdam something serious to chase, Sahil Kothari is the new man.

Montague caught behind by Damien van den Berg off Jacod for 24. Francois Fourie in at six.

Fifty partnership comes up between Kaplan and Klein, with Mason having replaced Goedeke from the Sportlaan End. All three matches actually proceeding more or less in convoy at this stage.

Halfway through Hermes’ innings, and Rushmere’s on 79* not, with Statham content to hold up the other end. Minhas into the attack from the Zuiderparkweg End, from where it’s been spin all the way so far.

Montague and Price bring up the hundred at the Hazelaarweg, where, not for the first time, runs are proving a little harder to come by than they are elsewhere. Still and all, VOC have a platform from which to set Kampong a challenging target.

And a half-century for Kaplan on his return to the Topklasse: he pushes Boddendijk into the covers to go to 49, but the return ricochets off the stumps at the non-striker’s end and they take a second. 50* off 53, as he’s slowed down a little after his opening flurry, conscious, no doubt, of the need for a more cautious approach after the loss of Mohsen and Rippon. Very responsible batting.

Another for Saqib, and a rather fortuitous one, as he drags one down, Chaudhary pulls, and Mumba at mid-on drops back to take the catch. Nick Statham in to join Rushmere, who’s on 63*.

Hundred up at Craeyenhout as well. Kent Goedeke has been twirling away from the Sportlaan End, tidy enough without ever looking really threatening, and Kaplan and Klein are making steady progress. .

Van der Meulen goes for 2, caught by Ingram off Zalpuri, and Ethan Price joins his fellow-overseas, Montague, in the middle. VOC will need these two to put together a decent stand.

Chaudhary, whose first top-flight match – for Hermes’ Schiedam rivals, Excelsior – was back in 2004, is not exactly lacking in experience, and he’s giving Rushmere some solid support. The total’s into three figures now, as they take a drink at the Zomercomplex.

Benno Boddendijk on from the Scoreboard End, three singles and a wide coming from his first, quite sharp over. But Kaplan and Klein have some rebuilding to do after those two quick wickets.

And a wicket for Saurabh Zalpuri, De Kok caught off his bowling for 27. Jason van der Meulen in to join Montague.

Jamil lasts just two more balls, edging Saqib Zulfiqar to Shoaib Minhas at slip. That brings Zaffar Chaudhary to the crease, Rushmere bringing up his fifty with a single off Tariq soon afterwards.

They actually braved the rain at Craeyenhout, never leaving the field, and Mohsen cut Van Oosterom’s next ball to Reece Mason at point. And in the youngster’s next over Michael Rippon goes in a very similar way, without scoring, to pitch Voorburg into deep trouble. Ryan Klein in to join Kaplan, and Van Oosterom has three for 26.

Lorenzo Ingram on at the Hazelaarweg, and with his second ball he bowls Butt for 25. Caleb Montague in to join De Kok.

There’s a hint of rain about in Rotterdam as well, where Sulaiman Tariq has replaced Mumba at the Equestrian Centre End. There’s been a reversal of expectations in the middle, Doyle adopting an unfamiliar sheetanchor role, while Rushmere has raced to 48* off 37. And as I write that, Doyle pulls Tariq to a Zulfiqar at square led and departs for 16. Mussayab Jamil succeeds him, edging his first ball chest-high through the vacant gully area for four.

Kaplan might never have been away, easing his way to 26* off 19, but it’s Mohsen who takes the long handle to Van Oosterom, smacking him over long off for six as a few splashes of rain have them thinking about going off. And indeed, after Mohsen pulls him over midwicket for four, taking him to 35*, that’s what they do, as the covers come on.

Lachlan Bangs replaces More, two coming from his first over, but Butt and De Kok are going along quite nicely. They’re now on 24* and 14* respectively.

Mumba proving quite expensive, as Rushmere deftly tucks him off his pads wide of mid-on for four, then despatches his next through the covers for another. His four overs have cost 33 runs, and Rishmere’s gone to 28* off 23 deliveries.

Van Oosterom gets the breakthrough, Nirav Kulkarni lifting him over midwicket, but finding the fielder, young Can Merkus. He starts to head off, but then hesitates, perhaps because of some doubt about the legality of the catch. Still, he has to go, bringing Gavin Kaplan to the crease.

Decent start for Butt and De Kok against Kumar and More, although Kumar is proving as niggardly as usual, just six coming off his first three overs.

A spot of luck for Rushmere, who edges Carl Mumba past his leg stump and down to the boundary. Later in the over Daniel Doyle-Calle lofts him over extra cover for another four. Hermes need these two to put together a significant stand.

Lucas del Bianco takes the first over from the Sportlaan End, bowling to Waseem Mohsen. who comes down the pitch to his second delivery and wallops it off the edge over slips for four. The next is a more controlled shot, a glance to fine leg, where it’s fielded by our trusty photographer Sander Tholen, who has positioned himself superbly for that eventuality. Joris van Oosterom to bowl the second.

Samir Butt and Tim de Kok open for VOC, Shashank Kumar conceding two to the former in his first over. Aditya More to bowl the second.

And that’s what Hermes emphatically did not need! Muhammad Shafiq starts from the Zuiderparkweg End, and Ash Ostling cuts his second ball just behind square for a couple. But then he tries to do it again, and is bowled. David Rushmere in at three.

And to complete the set, Kampong have put VOC in at the Hazelaarweg.

Tayo Walbrugh has likewise inserted the visitors after winning the toss at Craeyenhout.

Sikander Zulfiqar has won the toss at the Zomercomplex, and invited Hermes to have a bat. Zaffar Chaudhary, Roy Numair and young Sam van Giezen into the Hermes team as replacements for their internationals.

The big news from the Hazelaarweg (well, from the KNCB Match Centre) is that Lorenzo Ingram is in Kampong’s named eleven – which won’t, of course, be definitive until after the toss – and there’s a Topklasse debut for Tiaan van den Hoven, who steps up from the Seconds.

   Rod Lyall  ^10:15
Once again welcome to our live coverage of today’s Topklasse action: just three games for you today, with the match between VRA and HCC being played tomorrow. All three of today’s encounters feature sides significantly depleted by the absence of national team players in Canada, where they’re preparing for a fairly crucial World Cup League 2 series against the hosts and the USA, so it will be interesting to see how Kampong, Voorburg and Hermes manage without three or four key players apiece.

The big news from the Hazelaarweg (well, from the KNCB Match Centre) is that Lorenzo Ingram is in Kampong’s named eleven – which won’t, of course, be definitive until after the toss – and there’s a Topklasse debut for Tiaan van den Hoven, who steps up from the Seconds.