Topklasse T20 Live | Round 5 | As it Happened

Overdijk concedes six, and Leonard, from the Scoreboard End, and although Iles manages to slice him to the third man boundary, when he tries to hit him over cow he finds Crowley and departs. Fletcher hits an easy return catch off the next, giving Leonard figures of four for 11, and HCC win by 20 runs.

Nashier keeps the resistance going, hitting the returning Crowley for four and then pulling him gloriously over square leg for six. 32 needed from the last three, but Overdijk may well bowl two of them.

VRA’s net run rate is likely to take a pounding here, and that could be crucial when the table resolves itself. So every run the lower order can add matters a good deal, quite apart from any faint residual hope of victory. And Elijah Eales clearly hasn’t given up the fight. He’s getting good support from Nashier, and when he belts young Leijer for six over square leg he reduces the deficit to 50. But then he tries it again, and this time it falls short and Wiggins is under it.

That, you’d think, might be game, set and match – Singh attempts a slog-sweep off Wiggins, and top-slices it out to Leijer at deep midwicket. He made 32 from 27, 18 of them off three balls, and it’s going to need a miraculous recovery from Sheikh and Eales to get VRA back into this game.

Jed Wiggins from the Scoreboard End, and Clayton Floyd’s innings is even briefer than Shariz’s, since he’s given leg-before to the first ball he faces. Chaos reigns at De Diepput.

A tidy over from Crowley, although Singh does play a nice square drive for four when the bowler overpitches, looking for the yorker. Adam Leonard bowls the last of the powerplay, and strikes a major blow by getting through Nidamanuru’s swing and into the stumps. He made two, and HCC are still in this. Shariz Ahmad joins Singh, but very briefly – he, too, is bowled, by the second ball he receives, and HCC are really in this.

Another for Crowley, as Scully is caught by McInerney for five. Nidamanuru in to join Singh. The square boundaries at De Diepput are notoriously short, and Singh finds the temptation irresistible. After a modest blow to find his range, he absolutely smashes Hidde Overdijk’s next two deliveries with towering blows in the direction of the dressing rooms, and quite possibly beyond them. It certainly takes a long time for the ball to come back, if indeed it’s the same one.

Crowley takes the first over, and Shirase Rasool gets things moving with the first six of the VRA reply. But then, off the final delivery of the over, he’s caught by Charumbira. Luke Scully, in as keeper today, joins Vikram Singh in the middle.

Charumbira continues to prove his usefulness in the lower order, despatching Fletcher for another six, and the over costs 19 in total. Eales bowls the last, nine coming from it including a leg-bye. That’s been a very useful stand between Charumbira and Leijer, and it’s given their side a half-decent total, considerably more than seemed likely at 95 for eight.

The HCC innings continues to crumble, Nidamanuru having Leonard caught by Singh for 3. Then Fletcher, who started the rot, returns to remove Crowley, caught by Iles for 16. But six for Patrick Charumbira off Shariz will have lifted the home side’s spirits a little – with three overs left they could still give themselves something to bowl at.

Eales strikes an important blow, bowling McInerney for 34. Adam Leonard joins Crowley.

VRA well on top at the halfway mark, with Shariz Ahmad having removed Banerjee, caught by Nidamanuru, for 5, and Vikram Singh getting today’s captain, Hidde Overdijk, caught by Udit Nashier for 2. McInerney’s still there on 26*, partnered now by Daniel Crowley.

HCC have lost another in the powerplay, and again Fletcher’s involved, this time catching Staal for 31 off the bowling of Thomas Iles. Shirsak Banerjee has joined McInerney in the middle.

Engelbrecht on strike: two to deep midwicket, two more to long on. Nine from four. One to deep midwicket. Eight from three. Kaplan on strike: six over long on makes it two from two. The batters chat a mid-pitch chat. And a drive to extra cover gives Voorburg the brace they need. Kaplan finishes with 81* from 52, Engelbrecht 64* from 43, the partnership worth 146. That, my friends, was a very fine game of cricket.

Ralston’s 19^th over is a great one for Voorburg: a six to start, two off a no ball and four from the free hit, and 17 from it in all. 13 required from the last, to be bowled by Niels Etman.

Bob Entrop finds himself at the crease a little earlier than he might have hoped, but he’s quickly off the mark with a single. But Fletcher traps him in front with the first ball of his second over, bringing Conor McInerney in to join Tonny Staal.

Lubbers bowls his last at a crucial stage, and although he goes for a string of twos and a couple of singles, eight from it leave Voorburg needing 30 off the last two. One for 23 from his four is a great return for Lubbers.

Meanwhile, Kaplan and Engelbrecht have both brought up their half-centuries, and Voorburg need 38 from the last three.

Immediate drama at De Diepput, where Jed Wiggins clips the first ball of the match, bowled by Ben Fletcher, straight to Vikram Singh at midwicket!

Uncharacteristically, Ingram bowls a no ball, but Engelbrecht can only extract a single from the free hit. 13 from the over though, another little victory for Voorburg. And nine from the next, when Ralston returns. 59 needed from the last five.

About to get under way at De Diepput, where HCC have won the toss and elected to bat. One notable feature: the home side have included Bob Entrop, who last played in the first team, I reckon, in 2010. Put it this way: when he last played in the top side, Jeroen Smits was still keeping wicket.

Ingram returns to bowl the twelfth and concedes six in ones and twos, which counts as a win at this stage. The squeeze is on, as it was against VRA yesterday, but Excelsior will have to break this partnership if they’re to gain the upper hand. Still, Blankestijn’s gone for only 20 from three overs, and the asking rate is creeping up.

Etman switches to the Paddock End, Jens Blankestijn having replaced him at the other, but there’s no hiding place as Kaplan smacks him into a garden beyond midwicket. Westvliet, incidentally, is looking prettier every year, as the trees mature. At the halfway mark Voorburg need exactly 100 from the last ten. Anybody’s game.

Engelbrecht gets things back on track with back-to-back sixes off Etman, the first a scoop over fine leg, the second a well-timed blow over long off.  17 from that over, but with Lubbers conceding just five from his third the game is perfectly poised.

And gets the priceless wicket of Levitt, who drives straight and a little uppishly, for Stan van Troost to take what may well have been a very good catch, judging by the reaction of the fielders. But maybe they’re just delighted to see the back of Levitt, whose 28 came from 12 deliveries and who was looking very dangerous indeed. Kaplan joins Gigani, and Lubbers and Niels Etman have slowed the scoring rate appreciably. Even more importantly, Etman now has Gigani, caught by brother Tim at square leg for 20.

Ingram starts by conceding four singles, but then Levitt hits him twice over square leg for a four and a six. Ralston gets another over, but Levitt and Gigani pick up another three fours from it, and suddenly 198 doesn’t seem quite so far off. Victor Lubbers from the Paddock End.

Jason Ralston starts from the Pavilion End to Levitt and Gigani and it’s a liquorice allsorts kind of effort, a Gigani drive through extra occasioning another delay or Water Event. A constant peril in Dutch cricket. Like violence in Greek tragedy it all happens offstage, but you know it’s there. 15 from the over, and Voorburg are into the Alpine foothills.

Michael Molenaar has taken over containment duties from the Pavilion End, pretty successfully until Van Troost somehow manages to top-edge him over the keeper’s head for four. De Lange, too, keeps things relatively quiet when he returns from the Paddock End, a comparatively modest eight coming from his over. Between them they’ve contrived to get the rate below ten an over, and things definitely improve when Van Troost skies Molenaar to Levitt at deep midwicket and departs for 47. Derek Mitchell succeeds him.

After which Verhagen goes harder, higher and further for a fourth in a row. Brutal stuff, this. Engelbrecht completes an outstanding set with a string of singles, 26 off four by him is a great effort. Especially considering that 90 have come from the other seven overs. Van Vliet returns, and removes Verhagen when his lofted drive falls into the hands of Ryan Klein at long on. His 70 came from 39 deliveries and included four fours and five sixes. Lorenzo Ingram joins Van Troost, who’s made 35* from 29.

Van Troost keeps the momentum up, lifting Michael Levitt over the midwicket boundary for six, and only Engelbrecht is cutting out the boundaries effectively. His first three overs have gone for 20, parsimony personified in the context of this game. Floris de Lange disappears back over his head twice, bringing up a 28-ball fifty for Verhagen, who adds a third next ball, this time definitely into the water and triggering the mid-innings drinks break.

Gavin Kaplan into the attack, and he gets the breakthrough as Etman, having hit him for another boundary, makes to drive and is bowled for a nine-ball 18. Unsurprisingly, Engelbrecht replaces Kingma, but Stan van Troost twice scoops him over 45, the second time quite violently and probably into the water again. No more boundaries, but a steady flow of ones and twos to complete a very satisfactory powerplay for Excelsior. Verhagen now on 33* from 18.

Seven from Van Vliet’s over, including a sweet straight drive for four by Etman which the bowler almost gets a hand to but not quite. Then Verhagen gets into the act, lashing Kingma behind point for another four, followed by another as he stands tall to a lifting delivery and smacks it over point. A little tickle fine makes it three in a row, and a meatier shot fine as Kingma comes round the wicket makes four. A dot, but then a lofted blow back over the bowler’s head goes all the way. 22 off the over!

Excelsior won the toss and elected to bat, Tim Etman and Verhagen opening as usual. Likewise as usual, Viv Kingma starts from the Paddock End, bowling with good pace but dropping one short to Etman and disappearing over backward square. Money for old rope, that. And a fairly long delay, perhaps while they fish the ball out of the drink. The final ball of the over’s a brutal yorker, just about dug out by Etman. Mees van Vliet from the Pavilion End.

Braat bowls Shinwari with the final delivery, and Hermes-DVS win by 33 runs.

Skipper to skipper with the scores level, and Barresi smacks Snoep over long on to move to 49* from 33 deliveries and ensure the points. HBS win by six wickets with eleven balls to spare.

Just seven off Dutt, and when Saqib holes out to Thapliyal at midwicket and departs for a 47-ball 66 it really is as good as over. Surely too much for Shinwari and Yasir Usman to do.

Malik returns to bowl the 15^th, and he does what he needed to do: De Villiers pulls him behind square, straight to the man, and he’s on his way before the catch is taken. His 42 came from 22 balls; Barresi has 31* from 24 as Klein joins him, and it may be too little too late for Sparta.

A great over by Braat concedes just four, and now it’s 52 from three. Dutt to bowl his last.

Fifty for Saqib, and Punjab need 56 off the last four overs. It’s a big ask, but this game has all the makings of a great finish.

De Villers and Barresi are making light work of this chase at the moment: De Villiers has 30* from just 15 deliveries, Barresi 28* from 21. Malik still has an over left, but he’ll need to bowl it soon.

Saqib seems pretty comfortable, reaching 41* from 31, with Fawad Shinwari offering solid support. Needing a wicket, Braat turns to Elenbaas to get him the breakthrough.

HBS are well behind the asking-rate at the halfway mark, although a De Villiers six off Umar Baker has helped the cause somewhat. And the target being 124 means that they only need 70 off the last ten. Sparta have to keep taking wickets.

The Zulfiqar brothers have been trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck, but it leads to Sikander’s downfall when he hammers Thapitlal to long on and goes for 14. Saqib’s on 22*, and that’s the cue for the mid-innings drink.

Another one gone at the Bermweg: Walbrugh takes two boundaries off a Fraser over, but when he makes to hook the last of the over it goes straight up, and Mudford’s under it when it comes down. That’s a very big wicket indeed, but it brings Wes Barresi in to join De Villiers.

HBS in early trouble as well, and it’s Ahsan Malik doing the damage: Mason caught by Scheepers at midwicket, and then Botha holing out to Martijn Snoep at deep backward square without scoring. Matthew de Villiers in to join Walbrugh with some work to be done.

A double blow by Elenbaas: after Minhas slices him for four he gets one to lift to Musa, who cuts him hard to Woermeijer at deepish point. And two balls later he removes the always-dangerous Jonathan Vandiar, inside-edging to keeper Nick Statham. Two massive wickets for Hermes! Saqib Zulfiqar in at four.

The chase has started at the Bermweg as well, Bukhari’s opening over marred only by a couple of wides. Scheepers from the Pavilion End, a little unfortunate as Reece Mason edges him past the stumps for four.

They’re back on at Loopuyt Oval, Aryan Dutt bowling the first over to Shoaib Minhas and Musa Ahmad, who sweeps his fifth ball for four. Tries it again next ball, misses, and Dutt is absolutely convinced he has his man. The umpire disagrees. Olivier Elenbaas from the Railway End.

Klein gets Singh in the final over, and Sparta have to settle for a fairly modest 123. They’ll have to bowl well to defend that.

Doyle does it in style: back-to-back fours off Musa Ahmad and a dab to third man take him to 99*, and then a drive into the covers gives him a couple. Just 56 balls for the century, with seven fours and five sixes. Olivier Elenbaas contributes a quick 14*, and Hermes have the highest total of the day.

Scheepers is another to fall in the deep, caught on the cover boundary as he gets under a swipe at Botha, but his 38-ball 45 has given Sparta something they might conceivably bowl at. Singh is joined by someone who could have a key role in defending their total, Ahsan Malik.

Doyle’s speed between the wickets isn’t matched by Braat’s, and when he’s called back for a tight second the Hermes captain is well short of his ground. The Spanish international continues unfazed, however, reaching 90* with two overs left.

It’s all over at the Bos: Udit Nashier stumped by Verhagen off Kroesen, and then Niels Etman and Lubbers removed Demari Prince and Ben Fletcher to give Excelsior their second win in 24 hours and a fairly damaging blow to VRA’s cup hopes. Excelsior win by 52 runs.

Doyle and Ostling extended their stand to 104 before Ostling hoisted Saqib Zulfiqar to Musa Ahmad at wide mid-on and departed for 38. Doyle has gone on to 80*, made from just 47 deliveries in what is pretty definitely the innings of the day so far. Two balls later, Sikander Zulfiqar catches Dutt to give his triplet brother a second for the over, and Braat joins Doyle in the middle.

Even more next ball, when Clark tried to hit Boddendijk over long on and did not wait for the catch to be completed before sadly departing. Scheepers and Cameron Fraser added 25 before the latter lofted Henrico Venter to Botha at long off. Manminder Singh in to join Scheepers.

Luuk Kroesen into the attack, and it’s another symmetrical dismissal as fellow-wrist spinner Shariz tries to hit him into the middle of next week and holes out to Mitchell in the deep. VRA’s miseries continue.

Doyle goes on the attack, greeting Suleiman Tariq with three successive sixes to race towards fifty. Great support from Ostling, and Hermes have the basis of a much more significant total.

It’s a struggle for Sparta at the Bermweg: Bukhari was bowling trying to sweep the first ball he received from Julien de Mey, and then Sam Ferguson was caught behind by Del Bianco off Benno Boddendijk for 6. Clark’s still there, on 26*, partnered now by Juandre Scheepers, but HBS are well on top.

No Eales rescue today, as one Sydney pace bowler rmoves another as VRA’s allrounder tries to work Ralston square on the off side and plays on. VRA now deep in the mire as Clayton Floyd joins Shariz, who’s on a run-a-ball 12*.

Kamal removed Klijnhans, caught by a Zulfiqar for 10 in the fourth over, but since then Doyle and Ostling have been taking things along, Doyle currently on 27* from 23 deliveries.

Ingram returns to bowl Nidamanuru as he makes to cut, and Excelsior are exerting a pretty effect squeeze. Nidamanuru made 7, and Elijah Eales comes it to try to rescue his side, along with Shariz.

Clark has been mostly the aggressor as Sparta work to rebuild, Mudford relatively subdued until he tries an ambitious scoop off Klein and is caught behind by Lucas del Bianco. And who should succeed him but Mudassar Bukhari?

Klijnhans and Doyle have made a good start against Muhammad Shafiq and Sajjad Kamal, mostly happy with ones and twos at this stage.

And a big wicket for Excelsior, Niels Etman benefiting from a fairly wild swing from Singh, who edges the ball into his leg stump. He goes for 18, Shariz in at four to join Sheikh, who falls in the next over, an inside edge off Lubbers well taken low by Verhagen. VRA in a spot of bother as Nidamanuru joins Shariz.

A great start for HBS, as Lehan Botha opens from the Schollebos End and with the final delivery of his first over induces the nick from Shaquille Martina to Barresi at slip. Will Clark in to join Riley Mudford, with Kyle Klein to bowl the second.

Ralston is developing decent pace from Mulder’s End, his second over conceding just a single. Ingram gives way to Niels Etman from the other, and then Victor Lubbers replaces Ralston. But Singh and Sheikh make steady if moderate progress to the end of the powerplay.   

And at the Bermweg, where we welcome South African exchange umpire Stacey Lackay, Sparta will bat first after Martijn Snoep won the toss.

At Loopuyt Oval Hermes will again bat first, this time by choice after Braat wins the toss.

Ingram starts from the City End, and after Shirase Rasool hits him for six over wide mid-on he gets his revenge, bowling the right-hander with his next delivery. Abul Sheikh in to join Vikram Singh, with Jason Ralston to bowl the second over.   

Experience tells for Excelsior, as Ingram does what he he has done for them so often, his 47* coming from just 32 deliveries, while Mitchell chips in with 19* off 16 to see their side to a total which, if not colossal, means that VRA will need to bat well to claim the points.  

Fourie duly reaches his fifty, but when Thapitlal switches to the Pavilion End it’s Bettelheim who finishes it with a four heaved away to cow and then a mighty six back over the bowler’s head.  VOC win by 9 wickets with 39 balls to spare.

Ingram has been punishing the VRA attack, moving briskly to 28* from 20 deliveries with Mitchell offering quiet support at the other end. He could see Excelsior to a solid total it they don’t get him quickly.  

No sooner written (when will I learn?) than Thapitlal does for Schierhout with what looked suspiciously like a waist-high full toss. He can only thump it as far as Ostling at deep midwicket and departs for 37. Taylor Bettelheim joins Fourie, who’s on 49*.

A third for Shariz, as Van Troost attempts to slog-sweep a delivery which is too full and is bowled. Derek Mitchell joins Ingram for what could be a crucial partnership, Ingram despatching Shariz over midwicket for four, but Excelsior will be glad to see the back of the googly exponent, whose four overs have brought three for 20.

Two balls later it’s Verhagen who goes, punching Shariz low to Sheikh at point, bringing Lorenzo Ingram to the crease to join Van Troost. Shariz is bowling his side back into the game, that double-wicket over followed by another which concedes just three singles. Udit Nashier at the other end now.

Dutt on for the fourth over, and extravagantly swept by Fourie to the fine leg boundary. The next one’s squarer and a much better shot, followed by a dab to third man for another four, and VOC don’t seem inclined to hang around. NRR could be important when it all comes down to the wire.

Spin from both ends at the Bos, Clayton Floyd and Shariz Ahmad operating in tandem. But Etman brings up his half-century and Excelsior continue on their merry way, some of the stroke-play a little agricultural but the score continuing to mount, until Verhagen gets under a straight blow off Shariz and is caught in front of the sightscreen by Vikram Singh. His 28 came from 23 deliveries; Etman, on 53* from 33, is joined, after the mid-innings drinks break, by Stan van Troost.

They’ve resumed at Loopuyt, VOC starting their chase with Ryan Schierhout and Francois Fourie, initially facing Olivier Elenbaas from the Scoreboard (or Railway) End. Three singles off it. Braat shares the new ball from the Pavilion End.

Verhagen gets some momentum into his innings by clattering Elijah Eales’s first delivery over long on for six. It looks like a pretty good track at T20I-deprived VRA, and Excelsior seem set to make the most of it. Etman has cruised to a 23-ball 43* by the end of the powerplay.

Hermes’ subsidence becomes near-terminal, as Schoonheim gets Statham caught behind by Francois Fourie and bowls Elenbaas in the space of three deliveries, and then Niels Woermeijer skies Arnav Jain to De Kok at mid-off. Zaffar Chaudhary is run out pushing for a second in McKenzie’s final over, and the home side are all out for 118. The old warhorse Jelte Schoonheim finishes with three for 27.

Etman and Verhagen looking comfortable against the two left-armers, Abid and Ben Fletcher. Etman’s done most of the scoring, and indeed, most of the facing, but as I write that Verhagen, taking a single to Fletcher, is hit by the return and collapses in a heap. He’s OK to continue, though, and VRA continue to look for a breakthrough.

Further damage for Hermes, as Braat top-edges an Aaditt Jain delivery and falls to a tumbling catch by Schoonheim as backward square. Nick Statham joins Ralph Elenbaas with VOC clearly holding the upper hand.

In Schiedam, Ostling has gone in rather strange circumstances: hitting Aaditt Jain into the covers, he dropped his bat at the non-striker’s end, turned for a second without it, and was beaten back by McKenzie’s throw. Ralph Elenbaas in with Braat now.

In the Bos Excelsior have won the toss and elected to bat. There’s a bit of a delay while they sort out the camera, but eventually they get under way, Ashir Abid starting from the City End to Tum Etman and Roel Verhagen. Etman pulls his second delivery behind square for four, the next finer for a couple. Then an on drive produces another boundary, and it’s a good start for Excelsior.

Another for Hoseinbaks, as Doyle holes out to Schierhout in the same way and departs for 40. Olivier Elenbaas in to join Ashley Ostling as VOC start to make inroads. But he’s immediately bowled by Schoonheim, and now the balance has shifted strongly the visitors’ way. Skipper Braat in at six.

Dutt is quick to take command, pulling a short ball from Aaditt Jain in front of square for the first six of the innings, although Asief Hoseinbaks manages to confine both batters to a string of singles until Doyle, very rapid between the wickets, hustles a three to extra cover. And then he gets Dutt, who doesn’t quite get hold of a lofted cover drive and is taken by Schierhout in the deep.  His 21 came from 17, Doyle now on 35* from 30.

Tim de Kok rings the changes – Jelte Schoonheim on now from the Pavilion End, and lofted through the covers by Doyle for three. And he gets another, to midwicket this time, later in the over. Arnav Jain switches to the Scoreboard End, and he’s immediately rewarded with a wicket as Klijnhans goes back to clip him into the covers and sees the dreaded finger go up. His 6 came from twice as many deliveries, and he’s succeeded by Aryan Dutt. By the end of the powerplay Doyle has reached 25*, made from 22 deliveries.

Aaditt Jain immediately replaces his big brother, showing some brisk pace but conceding eight from his over as Doyle starts to go after him. It’s Doyle who’s on the attack today, cracking McKenzie to the long off boundary to complete another good over for Hermes.

VOC having inserted their hosts, Chris Klijnhans and Daniel Doyle open for Hermes as usual, Arnav Jain taking the first over from the Pavilion End. After a leg-bye Jain gets a couple past Doyle’s bat, and it’s a maiden to start. Jock McKenzie from the Scoreboard End, first run for Klijnhans with a push to midwicket, then a rather streaky boundary for Doyle as he edges to third man. Solid start from VOC.

All seems set at Het Loopuyt Oval, where there’s a 10:00 start, although we don’t yet know the result of the toss.