With all of the top four Hoofdklasse sides taking on lower-placed opposition this Sunday it looks like a relatively quiet weekend, with much attention centred on the relegation battle between VVV Amsterdam and Rood en Wit. But it is precisely fixtures such as these which can play a vital part in the battle for the title, and none of the leaders can afford to slip up.

Co-leaders VOC Rotterdam are the only one of the top four to play at home, where they will take on Excelsior ’20. These sides have not met so far this season – their rained-off match from the first round is scheduled to be played next weekend – and this will be a very interesting game indeed. VOC and Excelsior have a good deal in common, with key players in their top order: Dighton and Zuiderent for VOC, Cleary and van Bunge for Excelsior.

To say that Excelsior had mixed fortunes last weekend would be to risk understatement: they made 346 for three against HBS on Saturday, only to be bowled out for 103 in the return fixture the following day. But Cleary, van Bunge and the rest of the batsmen will relish playing on VOC’s grass wicket, while the home side will need further good performances by spinners Mohammad Kashif and Robbie de Widt, who did their best to turn last week’s game at VRA. Excelsior, on the other hand, will need quick wickets if they are to contain VOC’s powerful top order.

VRA, meanwhile, will have their first experience of Voorburg’s new ground at Westvliet. The trip to the old Voorburg ground was historically one of VRA’s less happy experiences, although they won there comfortably enough last season. Form suggests that the Amsterdam club’s overall strength should be too much for VCC, for whom the key figures remain Tim de Leede and Ryan Le Loux. But this is the kind of tricky match that lie in wait for the top sides, and VRA will need to avoid a repetition of their defeat at Hermes if they are to stay at the head of the table.

HCC will also face a difficult game, taking on Quick Haag at Nieuw Hanenburg. They won comfortably enough in the first round, but with Quick now having coach Faiek Davids in the side (compensating somewhat for the loss of Edgar Schiferli) and the younger players continuing to perform well, this should be a close contest. HCC, on the other hand, have been one of the most consistent sides in the competition, and should be strong enough to register another victory.

HBS, who came back strongly against Excelsior last weekend, will meet the even less consistent Hermes-DVS in Schiedam. The Hermes batting has proved desperately fragile all season, and with coach Pankaj Joshi struggling to regain his early form it took a solid innings from veteran batsman Lou Borrani last week to secure the win over VVV. If they have one of their better days HBS should take this game, but Hermes are much stronger at home and could produce another surprise.

For the sides involved, the clash between VVV and Rood en Wit in Amstelveen is one of the most crucial games of the season. VVV won in Haarlem last Saturday to draw level with their rivals, and can leave Rood en Wit anchored at the foot of the table if they repeat that result on Sunday. With Nolan Clarke returning to strengthen the batting VVV certainly look capable of doing just that, while Rood en Wit’s reliance on Bakas, Nkwe and van Noortwijk in the batting and on Sardha in bowling makes them clear candidates for a quick return to the Eerste Klasse.

This week’s tips (without wishing to attract the attention of the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit, we’d like to point out that we picked eight out of eight last week!): VVV, HCC, VRA, HBS, VOC.