Asides

Rod Lyall 10/07/2023

Double victories for Excelsior ‘20 and VOC Rotterdam on Saturday ensured that both sides reached the finals day of the T20 Cup on 15 July, although they had to wait until Sunday, and the match between HCC and Punjab, to learn exactly where on the table they would finish.

VOC began their weekend at the Hazelaarweg with a 26-run victory over Punjab, who were dismissed for 119 as they chased a total of 145 for nine, Asief Hoseinbaks taking three for 24 and Jelte Schoonheim three for 18.

Schoonheim’s 19-ball 26 had earlier been a significant contribution to his side’s score, along with top-scorer Burhan Niaz’s 36, while Sikander Zulfiqar’s 38-ball 50 received insufficient support from the rest of the side.

Schoonheim claimed two more wickets when VOC took on VRA Amsterdam in their second game, crucially breaking a third-wicket partnership of 113 between Tyler van Luin and Johan Smal, the latter caught by Tim de Kok for 48.

Van Luin stayed to the end, making an undefeated 80 in VRA’s total of 161 for five.

Francois Fourie and Peter Recordon gave VOC’s reply a great start with an opening stand of 83, and after they had both been dismissed and Lane Berry had joined them in the dug-out, Niaz and Arnav Jain knocked off the remaining runs to give VOC the win with five deliveries to spare.

Whether these two victories would be sufficient to propel the Cup holders into the semi-finals still hinged on the outcome VRA’s match against HCC, since a win for the Amsterdammers would bring them level with VOC and with a superior net run rate.

But after restricting HCC to 145 for seven, Teun Kloppenburg top-scoring with 40, VRA suffered an early collapse, Shirase Rasool, Luke Scully and Van Luin all falling by the time seven runs were on the board, and although Smal again battled hard with a 30-ball 51, at 81 for six it looked as if VRA’s challenge was over.

Mitch Lees fought a rearguard action with a defiant 38, supported by Leon Turmaine, but 16 were needed from Daniel Crowley’s final over, and with both Lees and Turmaine run out only one run was added to the score, and HCC won by 14 runs.

At Thurlede, meanwhile, Excelsior’s matches would not only determine whether they would take part in the finals day, but also who would be relegated to next year’s Hoofdklasse T20 Cup.

On Friday evening HBS Craeyenhout had lost by 42 runs to Sparta 1888, which meant that they could still be overtaken by ACC, Excelsior’s first opponents, and also that they could drop below both Salland and ACC if they suffered too heavy a defeat at the hands of Excelsior in the second match at Thurlede.

Sparta’s total of 203 for five was built of the contributions of their three overseas players, Garnett Tarr making 49, Sam Ferguson 47 and Will Clark 55, and although Tayo Walbrugh made a gallant 86 for HBS it could get them no closer than 161 for seven in reply.

So everything depended on ACC and HBS’s results against Excelsior, and ACC’s hopes were raised by a disciplined performance in the field, which restricted the Schiedammers to 107 for nine; Devanshu Arya’s four overs conceded only 14 runs, and Mahesh Hans claimed two for 4 in two overs, including the wicket of top-scorer Stan van Troost (21).

But two wickets for Jens Blankestijn and a run-out soon reduced ACC to 7 for three, and although Thomas Hobson (23) and Anis Raza (32) battled hard, Arya and Ammar Zaidi were left needing 16 from Niels Etman’s final over.

Ten came from the first four deliveries, including a six by Zaidi, but then he was run out off the fifth, and Excelsior squeezed home by 4 runs.

ACC’s survival now depended upon HBS’s effort against Excelsior, and when the home side posted a substantial 155 for two, Roel Verhagen making an unbeaten 69, and HBS slipped to 14 for three inside four overs, there seemed a possibility that they would fail to reach the 66 they needed to stay ahead of the Amsterdammers on NRR.

At this point Walbrugh and Nic Adendorff appeared to abandon the chase, contenting themselves with reaching that intermediate target, and they needed only another 13 when Adendorff was run out attempting an unnecessary second run.

Ferdi Vink, however, helped Walbrugh achieve safety for his side, and the innings closed on 79 for five, enough to keep HBS up and send ACC down.

Net run rate was also significant when HCC played host to Punjab on Sunday in the final round robin match: having contained the Lions to 120 for nine, Punjab needed to reach their target in 16 overs to better their hosts’ NRR and move into top slot.

They began promisingly, Shoaib Minhas making a 29-ball 41 not out despite the loss of two early wickets, but rain intervened after 8.2 overs with Punjab on 54 for two.

They were ahead by 8 runs on DLS and therefore took the points, but the difference was insufficient to take them ahead of their rivals on NRR.

Next Saturday’s first semi-final will therefore pit HCC against fourth-placed VOC, while Punjab will take on Excelsior in the second.