Topklasse Live | T20 Round 3 | As it Happened

Shankar holes out to Smal off Nashier, bringing Luuk Kroesen in to join Heggelman with 50 needed off 19 deliveries and two wickets standing. Abid returns, Heggelman rather cheekily reversing to turn him through backward point for four. The NRRs are tightening with every game, and every run could be vital down the line, so this last-ditch partnership could be very valuable. Nine come off Abid and six off Nashier, and it’s Visser who bowls the last. Kroesen drives him to long off and it’s another catch for Lees, and young Jens Blankestijn goes first ball, caught by Turmaine at backward point. VRA win by 33 runs.

Balbirnie finishes with a remarkable five for 14, and it’s left to Turmaine to continue his work by removing Baker, caught behind by Scully for 8. Sanjit Shankar in to join Heggelman.

Another for Balbirnie as Niels Etman holes out to Smal at long on, bringing Umar Baker to the crease. And then Ren van Troost falls in rather similar fashion, except this time it’s at long off, where it’s Lees who’s under it. Tom Heggelman in to join Baker, but it’ll take a huge effort if Excelsior are to get over the line here.

Jan-Wieger Overdijk removes Navjit; Drummond had eased him over backward square for six but later in the over Navjit goes for the big heave and is bowled. Crowley then accounts for Drummond, who clips him off his pads to  at midwicket and departs for 37. But at that point HBS only needed 18 to win, and with the scores level Boris Gorlee comes on himself, his first ball hammered over extra cover by Nic Adendorff to give HBS their first win of the competition and HCC their first defeat. HBS win by 5 wickets.

Four balls later he takes a return catch to remove Stan van Troost, who’s succeeded by big brother Rens. It’s all falling apart for Excelsior.

Well, it was nicely poised until Ingram ran down the wicket at Balbirnie, missed, and was stumped by Scully. Niels Etman in at five, and things are swinging VRA’s way.

Verhagen goes, surviving a leg-before appeal from Balbirnie but then trying to plant him back over his head and into the far distance and holing out to Smal instead. His 38 came from 25 deliveries. Stan van Troost joins Ingram, who’s on 20* from 18. The match is nicely poised.

Yash Patel replaces Doram from the Scoreboard End, Drummond cutting him to the point boundary. Navjit lives a little more dangerously, hitting in the air behind square, but he still gets the four, and ten come from the over. Jan-Wieger Overdijk, who earlier bowled two steady overs, returns from the Sportlaan End.

Ingram’s looking imperious, pulling Visser in front of square for four, then driving his next back on the off side for another. But it’s Verhagen who smashes the final ball of the over flat and straight on the on side for six. 16 off the over. It’ll be the spinners who have to win this for VRA.

Doram’s clearly the danger man, and Drummond and Navjit Singh treat him with considerable respect. Young Thijs Vrolijk’s on from the Sportlaan End, and after an initial over which conceded just two singles, his second produces nine, two of them admittedly in the form of byes. 45 required from nine.

Udit Nashier bowled Hart for 6, but Verhagen’s now batting with Ingram. He’s hit four fours in reaching 20*, and one senses that this is a pretty crucial partnership for the Schiedammers.

Daniel Doram into the attack from the Scoreboard End, with HCC really needing to staunch this flow of runs as HBS have reduced the equation to 72 from 13. But Walbrugh and Drummond don’t need to play big shots; helped by a wide, they nurdle seven from the first five deliveries. The last strikes Walbrugh on the pad as he goes forward, and the finger goes up. He finds it hard to believe, but he has to go. Huge wicket for HCC, and the fielders’ smiles acknowledge the fact, as well, perhaps, as the thought that they might have been a bit fortunate there.

Excelsior have started their chase in the Bos, helped by five wides off Ashir Abid’s first delivery to Michael Hart. The next is guided down to the third man boundary, and Verhagen adds a four as well, driving him wide of mid-on.

Reece Mason smacks Hidde Overdijk’s first ball for six, but then he’s caught by Patel off the third. He opened with Tobias Visée, who begins with two boundaries off the final two deliveries. Crowley to bowl the second, from the Scoreboad End.

Until, that is, Turmaine gets under a big drive, and Baker at straight midwicket is under it when it descends. Kroesen bowls the last, and Lees plunders a four and a six as well as a couple of twos and a a brace of byes. They scurry a three off the final delivery, and Excelsior will be looking for 150.

What did I say about squandering that start? Luuk Kroesen bowls Balbirnie as he sweeps the ball into his leg stump, then Verhagen removes Nashier, caught by Rens van Troost. But Lees and Turmaine keep hustling, getting the total towards 150.

All over at ’t Schootsveld, Recordon and Berry finishing it with 22 balls to spare. Recordon finishes with 64* from 47 and Berry 63* from 42, and VOC win by 8 wickets.

Umar Baker gets both openers in the space of three balls, Van Luin caught by Verhagen for 22, then Scully leg-before for 60 from 41 as he goes back deep in his crease. And next over Ingram takes a return catch from Zamaan Khan. Jack Balbirnie in to join Johan Smal, and VRA need to make sure they don’t squander that excellent start.

There’s too much happening elsewhere, but meanwhile Recordon and Berry are steadily steering their side home. They’ve both got half-centuries now, Recordon on 55* from 41 and Berry on 53* from 34.

The runs continue to flow, and considering how much they’ve been at a premium all day in the Bos, this opening stand is pretty remarkable. Scully’s gone to 50*, from 37 deliveries, with Van Luin now on a more sedate 17*.

That’s massive. Vandiar tries to smash Vink over midwicket, gets under it, and Tim Drummond’s under it when it re-enters the atmosphere. He made 25 from 20, and Hidde Overdijk joins Alphonse.

We should note that Tobias Visée and Stephan Vink are both in the HBS side today as well as Adendorff, and Vink comes into the attack from the Sportlaan End. A couple of tidy overs from him, though he can’t prevent Vandiar from planting him once into the Bosjes van Pex.

At the halfway stage Recordon and Berry are still there, on 46* from 29 and 31* from 21 respectively. 52 needed from the last ten.

By the end of the powerplay VRA’s openers are still there, going at better than nine an over, Scully having caused a long delay by depositing Baker into the jungle beyond long on.

Recordon and Berry settle to their task, boundaries coming pretty freely, three of ‘em for Recordon from Victor Lubbers’ second. He’s on 27* now, Berry on 23*. Salland in serious need of a breakthrough.

Another at Craeyenhout, as Patel gets a leading edge to Manjinder Singh and is caught by Walbrugh at extra cover. Jonathan Vandiar in to attempt the rescue.

Luke Scully again on the warpath, dominating the strike and racing to 21*. Van Luin’s had just three deliveries so far, but VRA have been helped by a flurry of wides as well.

HBS really mean business today: Kloppenburg caught by Manjinder Singh off Julian de Mey without scoring, then the same fielder takes Daniel Doram for 1 off Adendorff. Yash Patel in to join Alphonse with HCC reeling.

Lively start to VOC’s chase: Francois Fourie swings Gopinath through square leg for four, and pulls Bartholomew wide of mid-on for the same result. Four wides and two more boundaries (both for debutant Pieter Recordon) in the over, but then Gopinath bowls Fourie through the gate for 10. Lane Berry in at three.

And they’ve started at Craeyenhout, where HBS won the toss and invited HCC to have a bat. An early strike by Nic Adendorff, Shirsak Banerjee edging his fourth ball to keeper Martijn Scholte. Tein Kloppenburg in to join Ratha Alphonse.

In the final match of the day in the Bos, VRA have won the toss and will bat.

A pretty eventful final over, bowled by Harhangi. Starts quietly with a single apiece for Nasir and Bharathi, then Nasir’s dropped at long on and they get another. Wide down the leg side, then Bharathi attempts a legside ramp and plays the ball into his stumps. Nasir’s run out next ball, then there’s nearly another run-out off a wide, and they get two off the final delivery. That’s a rather better outcome for Salland than this morning’s.

ACC’s gallant pursuit ends in gallant failure: Mishra’s caught by Rehmat off Sohail Bhatti, and with 22 needed off the last, bowled by Minhas, a single for Tibo Balk brings Hans on strike with 21 required off four balls. He gets a two, but then he’s stumped by Asad Zulfiqar for a 19-ball 42. A single and a dor, and Punjab win by 17 runs.

Some late consolation for Voorburg, as Hart, having reached 52, comes down the pitch to De Lange and is caught by Van Vliet at long off. Stan van Troost comes in for the obsequies, smacking Philippe Boissevain over square leg to level the scores, then taking the winning single. Ingram remains on 31*, and Excelsior win by 8 wickets.

Mussayab Jamil gets Bartholomew, brilliantly caught by Harhangi at fine leg, and two balls later Raxworthy falls as well, suckered into hammering a full toss to Berry at deep mid-on. Elam Bharathi in to join Ghulam Nasir.

You have to hand it to Raza and Hans: they have absolutely not given up this battle. Hans hits Mohammad Shafiq for a six and a four, but then Raza hits across the line and is bowled for a 17-ball 38. Arnav Mishra joins Hans, who has 24* from 9. 48 needed from four overs.

Not under any scoreboard pressure, Hart and Ingram are continuing to pick off the runs, Hart reaching the halfway point by driving Floris de Lange back straight for four. Just 34 needed.

The procession continues, as Paulbritto’s bowled by Hoseinbaks for 6. Bartholomew and Raxworthy together now.

Kumar hits Tariq for six over square leg, but then he’s caught next ball by Rehmat Zulfiqar at cover. Mahesh Hans in at six. Raza has meanwhile moved briskly on to 25*.

It’s almost as if ’t Schootsveld is on some kind of delayed-action replay from ’t Zomercomplex: another for Hoseinbaks too, with Lubbers leg-before for 23. But now Salland are really on the slide again, as Ottachchige’s caught by Jain off Harhangi.

Another for Tariq: Potdar caught by Minhas at cover for 39, and the ACC challenge might be said to be subsiding as Aryan Kumar joins Raza.

In the Bos Musa’s trapped Verhagen in front, but that brings Lorenzo Ingram in to join Hart, and now Excelsior need just 68 from 15 overs.

Big wicket for Sulaiman Tariq: Hobson clips him off his pads, but straight to Hussain at midwicket. He starts for a run, and then jogs off sadly, having made 37 from 20. Anis Raza joins Potdar.

Ganesan and Lubbers still in charge at the moment: Ganesan has reached a 31-ball 42*, his skipper 18* from 16. Tim de Kok has used six bowlers in ten overs, Jain the most effective with one for 9 from two.

Michael Hart and Verhagen have started off in pursuit of a much less challenging target, facing Musa and Kamal.

ACC are attempting to take a leaf out of the HBS book here (you’ll remember they came very close to catching ACC’s 200-plus total). Hobson’s made 26* from 14, with three fours and a six, with Potdar on a run-a-ball 20*. That’s not enough, but it’s a decent start. On the other hand, the Punjab attack is a lot savvier than ACC’s was.

Talha’s gone, caught off Arnav Jain for 21, and Victor Lubbers is in to join Ganesan, who’s reached 21*.

Verhagen picks up his third, Sajjad Kamal caught by Rens van Troost, and Voorburg again fail to reach three figures. Advantage Excelsior.

Two wickets for Luuk Kroesen, De Lange down the pitch to him and holing out to Blankestijn at long off, then Mees van Vliet beaten and stumped by Stan van Troost. This all has something of the feel of those old-fashioned two innings games where both sides were bowled out twice in one day, often for a total of under 150 runs.

Ganesan and Talha Ahmed Khan again open for Salland, facing Siebe van Wingerden and Arnav Jain. Talha goes onto the attack, hitting three fours and a six off Van Wingerden.

In the second game at ‘t Schootsveld, Salland have again won the toss and elected to bat. Burhan Niaz into the side for VOC, along with debutant Pieter Recordon. Gul Ahmad Nasir replaces Reinder Lubbers for Salland.

Ingram gets one past De Leede’s bat and into the stumps. Two Boissevains together at the crease now, or they were until Roel Verhagen came into the attack and Philippe edged him to Stan van Troost. Floris de Lange joins Laurens Boissevain.

The Zulfiqaring continues to the end, Asad finishing with 72* from 41 deliveries, with five fours and five sixes, Rehmat 32* from 15 with one four and three sixes. Even at ‘t Zomercomplex, that will take some getting.

Big moment in the Bos: Musa edges Baker, Roel Verhagen claims the catch, Excelsior celebrate, the umpires confer, and the finger goes up. Reluctantly, Musa trudges off, having made 29 at a run a ball. Philippe Boissevain joins Stijn de Leede, but things are not going Voorburg’s way today.

ACC were getting thoroughly Zulfiqared, which is ironic considering that they learned their cricket at Het Loopveld. But then Raza gets the breakthrough, Sikander caught by Thomas Hobson for a 23-ball 41. Asad’s on 48* from 31, and Rehmat Zulfiqar comes in.

Two boundaries for Musa off Umar Baker, and then there’s a delay as Kulkarni is struck painfully amidships by Blankestijn. He’s OK, but then he runs down the pitch at Baker, and Ingram takes a simple catch at straightish midwicket. Kulkarni seems reluctant to go; maybe he thought it was a bump ball. But go he must, and Voorburg have some rebuilding to do.

Any thought that the momentum might be swinging is quickly dispelled by Sikander Zulfiqar, who takes two fours off Mahesh Hans and then hits Arya for six. Asad joins the party, and suddenly he’s on 39* from 22, Sikander on 24* from 15.

First wicket down for Voorburg, Gigani caught by Heggelman at mid-off off Jens Blankestijn for 13. Kulkarni in to join Musa.

Ahmadi finishes it with a six, hammering Gopinath back over his head, and Sparta win by six wickets.

Ferguson reaches 50, but then he chases a quick delivery outside off from Victor Lubbers, and edges to Ottachchige. Goes for 51. Balwantsingh in, takes a single. Four needed. Lubbers to Kroesen, again chases a wide one, and Ottachchige takes a very good catch this time, one-handed and diving to his right. Ahmadi in to join Balwantsingh.

I guess it couldn’t last: Minhas is caught by Shreyas Potdar off Devanshu Arya for 42. From 15 deliveries. Mohsin Riaz joins Usman.

They’ve started again in the Bos, Voorburg having won the toss and electing to follow on bat first. Niels Etman bowls the first, Gigani starting with three doubles. Tom Heggelman from the other end, bowling to Musa.

Two fours and a six for Shoaib Minhas off Reddy’s first, and then another six off the first ball of his second. And again two deliveries later, following that up with three boundaries. Punjab off and running, periodic searches of the undergrowth permitting. Minhas has 40* from 13 deliveries.

Ferguson and Kroesen largely content to push the singles, although when Elam Bharathi offers him a full toss Ferguson has no hesitation in launching him over midwicket for six. Just 17 needed with five overs left.

Isaac Konlechner takes the first over for ACC, Yasir Usman striking Punjab’s first boundary of the innings and then the second. Joseph Reddy to bowl the second.

Sparta seemed to be cruising, but Clark has reached well outside off stump to try to loft Gopinath over cow and finds Raxworthy in the deep. He goes for 28, and Joost Kroesen joins Ferguson, who’s on 32*.

Isaac Konlechner takes the first over for ACC, Yasir Usman striking Punjab’s first boundary of the innings and then the second. Joseph Reddy to bowl the second.

A quick turnaround for Voorburg, although apparently not as quick as it might have been: usually reliable sources at the Bos inform us that the start will be delayed because lunch is not yet ready.

Three boundaries off Bartholomew’s first over, one for Clark and two for Ferguson, mean that Sparta are well in control at the end of the powerplay.

As one door closes, another opens. ACC have won the toss at Het Zomercomplex, and Punjab will have a bat.

Turmaine has the last word, Kamal holing out to Van Luin, and VRA win by 19 runs. Not sure what one can say about that, except that the VRA bowlers stuck to their task well and the Voorburg batting was less than inspiring. To put it mildly.

Tarr takes another six and a four from Lubbers, but then he chases a wideish delivery and is caught by Ottachchcige for 17. Ferguson continues with a six off Gopinath, and the third overseas player, Clark, adds a four.

More trouble for Voorburg: Cedric de Lange tries to swing Jain around the corner, misses as one hand comes off the bat, and is bowled. Sajjad Kamal in to join Van Vliet, who then tries to do the same to Visser, and suffers the same fate. Send not to know for whom the bell tolls.

Abid back from the City End: De Lange swings ambitiously, but can’t get hold of it. When, after a single apiece, he does, Van Luin runs in from the midwicket boundary, diving forward to take the catch centimetres off the ground. Brother Cedric succeeds him, off the mark with two, then another. 33 needed from four.

They’re back on at ‘t Schootsveld, Tarr and Ferguson opening for Sparta against Reinder Lubbers and Gopinath. Tarr establishes the tone by pulling the last ball of Lubbers’ first over midwicket for six.

Abid back from the City End: De Lange swings ambitiously, but can’t get hold of it. When, after a single apiece, he does, Van Luin runs in from the midwicket boundary, diving forward to take the catch centimetres off the ground. Brother Cedric succeeds him, off the mark with two, then another. 33 needed from four.

Visser keeps it tight: just three singles off his next. But Boissevain swings Turmaine away for four, then hits him back straight for a couple. Eight off the first four balls, but then Boissevain lofts him to Smal at long off, and VRA seem to be back on top. Mees van Vliet joins Floris de Lange.

Boissevain slog-sweeps Turmaine for six, and he and De Lange are keeping Voorburg’s hopes alive. 51 needed from seven overs now.

Salland’s collapse is complete: Elam Bharathi is run out attempting a rather lackadaisical second, and Ahmadi then clean bowls Ruan de Plessis next ball. 82 for two to 118 all out, with Joost Kroesen taking three for 17, Bashir two for 18 and Balwantsingh two for 12. Outstanding fightback by Salland.

Good grief, three in the over for Nashier! Philippe Boissevain is trapped in front and goes for 1. Floris de Lange in to join Laurens Boissevain.

So ragged, in fact, that Kulkarni goes, slow to respond to a Musa call for a single to point and diving too late to beat Van Luin’s throw to keeper Scully. To make matters worse, Stijn de Leede follows in the next over, lofting Nashier to Lees at deep mid-on and departing without scoring. And ditto, Musa reverse sweeps Nashier into the hands of Balbirnie two balls later, and Voorburg are doing their best to throw this away.

The wheels continue to come off at ‘t Schootsveld, Kroesen trapping Bartholomew in front and then, two balls later, getting a disconsolate Reinder Lubbers caught by the dependable Clark at long on. Elam Bharathi and Gopinath together now.

Voorburg are once again in the happy position of not having to rush, and Musa and Kulkarni aren’t. That extends to Eduard Visser going for just a single off his first over, but Musa has a stroke of luck in his second, when he comes looking for a single to short midwicket, striker Kulkarni sends him back, and he would have been out by metres had the throw hit the stumps. As it is, they get a couple of overthrows. The running, in fact, is a little ragged, but they get seven off the over.

It’s all happening at ‘t Schootsveld: Tom Hoornweg bowls Paulbritto as he attempts to plant him somewhere beyond cow, and Fraser Bartholomew joins Reinder Lubbers.

Another wicket for Balwantsingh: Ottachchige, after lashing him through cover point for four, hits him down the throat of Kroesen at long on. Johnson Paulbritto joins Raxworthy, who’s the bext to go, slicing a Kroesen delivery to long off, where Clark takes the catch safely. Raxworthy made 30, and Salland still have some work to do as Reinder Lubbers joins Paulbritto.

Musa twice despatches Nashier wide of mid-on, the first going for four and the second requiring them to run three. Additt Jain on for Abid, and he gets the first breakthrough, bowling Gigani for 12. Nirav Kulkarni in at three.

Balwantsingh into the attack, and Ganesan down on one knee to drive square, holes out to Joost Kroesen at point. His 40 came from 32 deliveries, and now he IS succeeded by Ottachchige, with Raxworthy on 23* at the other end.

Voorburg start their chase, Nihaan Gigani facing Ashir Abid from Mulder’s End and pulling his first delivery for a couple. He takes two more later in the over, otherwise a lively start from Abid. Udit Nashier from the City End to Musa Ahmad.

It was Raxworthy rather than Ottachchige who came in at four, and he and Ganesan have kept up the momentum against Bashir and Joost Kroesen, Raxworthy smashing Bashir back over his head for six. That went a long way, judging by how long it takes to come back. (The biggest six I’ve ever seen was hit at ‘t Schootsveld, by Chris Cairns off Geert Maarten Mol: it cleared the pavilion, bounced at the far end of the car park, and ended up in one of the gardens beyond. Massive, absolutely massive.) So long does this take that they decide to have a drink in the meantime.

Faisal Bashir into the attack, and he gets a much-needed breakthrough, Talha Khan skying him to Clark at deep cover and departing for 17. Ganesan’s on 26*, joined now by Victor Lubbers. And one brings two, as Lubbers drives his first ball to Danish Umar at point. Piyarange Ottachchige in on a hat-trick, which he manages to avert.

Balbirnie picks up where Smal left off, but it’s Lees who takes VRA to three figures with a boundary of the first ball of Van Vliet’s final over. He adds a six off the last, and that is at least a total which the home side’s bowlers might have some prospect of defending.

Faisal Bashir into the attack, and he gets a much-needed breakthrough, Talha Khan skying him to Clark at deep cover and departing for 17. Ganesan’s on 26*, joined now by Victor Lubbers. And one brings two, as Lubbers drives his first ball to Danish Umar at point. Piyarange Ottachchige in on a hat-trick, which he manages to avert.

Het Schootsveld has something of the look of an Australian country ground in midsummer, the greenness of the square standing out against the brownish tinges of the outfield. Ganesan and Talha Khan have been prospering against Clark and Ahmadi: four boundaries for Ganesan already in his 20*, with two for Talha.

Smal continues, until Mulder comes back and bowls him for a 36-ball 40. VRA could ill afford that, just as it was beginning to look as if they might get their total into three figures. Mitch Lees joins Balbirnie.

They’re just getting under way at Het Schootsveld, where Salland will bat first against Sparta, having won the toss. No Bukhari in the Sparta side today, although Khalid Ahmadi returns.  Elam Bharathi and Venkat Ganesan back in the Salland line-up. Will Clark opens from the Railway End to Ganesan, who guides his first ball to the third man boundary. Two balls later he cuts him powerfully square for another four. Useful start for the home side. Ahmadi from the Pavilion End.

And Smal promptly obliges, lifting Boissevain over the boundary for six and adding a brace of twos later in the over. But now Kamal returns to get the breakthrough, Nashier caught behind by Cedric de Lange for 15. Smal’s still there on 29*, joined now by Jack Balbirnie.

Boissevain switches to the other end, and they manage to run another three – still just the one boundary, though. Five come from Mulder’s second, all in ones and twos, and VRA are going to have to change gear rapidly if they’re to set Voorburg any kind of target.

Philippe Boissevain replaces Kamal, starting with a maiden as the VRA hole continues to deepen. Musa returns, and both batters get off the mark, Nashier’s three the second most productive shot of the morning so far. Stef Mulder on for Boissevain and Musa continues to ring the changes and there’s just a single off the over. You have to say, if England now play Test cricket in T20 mode, this is rather the opposite.

And now it’s getting serious for VRA, with Van Luin caught by Philippe Boissevain off Van Vliet for 9. Skipper Johan Smal in to join Nashier, with his side in all sorts.

And a wicket for Kamal, Scully caught by Gigani for 1. Zamaan Khan in a three, with VRA not exactly off to a flier.

Musa Ahmad bowls the first over, as he does regularly in this format, Tyler van Luin opening with Luke Scully for VRA. Single off the first ball, then Scully plays out the rest of a quiet initial over. Sajjad Kamal to bowl the second.

The news from the Bos is that VRA have won the toss and elected to bat. Voorburg are unchanged from last week; for VRA, Mitch Lees returns for the first time this season, with Adam Constant making way.