There are eight games scheduled as the Hoofdklasse resumes this weekend: three on Saturday (matches which were rained off in May), and a full round of fixtures on Sunday. But with rain predicted for the weekend, it is anybody’s guess how many of the matches will be completed.

Saturday’s match at home to HBS Den Haag will give VOC Rotterdam an opportunity to reduce their deficit at the top of the table to two points, and the advantage of playing on their own turf wicket should ensure that they duly complete the win. As always, a great deal will hinge on HBS’ ability to claim early wickets: with Michael Dighton showing awesome form, and Maarten van Ierschot and Bas Zuiderent also making consistent runs, VOC have the most productive top order in the competition.

But their opponents on Saturday have a useful attack, and with Billy Stelling having bowled well in the later stages of the European Championship this could be an interesting contest. HBS will also be hoping that coach Grant Elliott and internationals Alexei Kervezee and Stelling are able to master the VOC bowling, with its good balance of seam and spin.

VOC are at home again on Sunday, this time to Quick Haag. Quick’s short-lived challenge for a leading role in the competition faded badly just before the break, but they remain a well-balanced side who are capable of causing problems for any opponent on their day. The younger members of the squad, such Lesley Stokkers, Jeroen Brand and Thijs Fischer, are gaining in experience all the time, and an upset here is not out of the question. But here too home advantage seems to tip the balance in VOC’s favour.

Leaders VRA Amsterdam are also at home on Sunday, to Hermes-DVS Schiedam. It was Hermes who ended VRA’s unbeaten run in Schiedam in June, but the defending champions are a different proposition on their own turf, and it would be an ever greater sensation if Hermes were to pull off the double. Their batting has been extremely brittle all season, and while the visit to Amstelveen will no doubt offer them a good track, the VRA attack is in good form, and the home side’s batting line-up is likely to be too powerful for the Schiedammers.

HCC are another of the top sides with a double weekend, meeting Hermes in Schiedam on Saturday and then playing at home against Rood en Wit the following day. Despite their improving form before the break, Rood en Wit are likely to find the Hagenaars too much of a handful, and this should be a secure two points for the home side. Rood en Wit’s batting has again been weakened by the loss of Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk – this time the absence may be permanent – and the bowling has not proved able to trouble any of the leading sides.

The Hermes game, however, is another matter: form again suggests that HCC should run out winners, with their attack comprising Mark and Maurits Jonkman, Jason Fenwick, Feiko Kloppenburg, and spinners Jacob-Jan Esmeijer and Ed Sleijffers likely to be the decisive factor, but Hermes have proved that they can produce a shock once this season, and are capable of punishing any complacency.

The third of Saturday’s games pits VCC against Excelsior ’20 at Voorburg. VCC are without question the unluckiest side this season, but on the basis of the old truism that you make your own luck, it must be acknowledged that their problems have come from their reliance on Tim de Leede and Ryan Le Loux with the bat. Excelsior likewise depend a good deal on Mark Cleary and Daan van Bunge, but other members of the side have contributed in key situations, and unless Voorburg give an improved team performance the Schiedam side must start favourites.

VCC then play HBS at Craeyenhout on Sunday, in a game that the home side will have to win if they are to have any chance of staying in touch with the leaders. Given that HBS have performed more consistently than Excelsior this season, what applies to Saturday’s match is even more true of Sunday, and it will come as no surprise if Voorburg come away from the weekend empty-handed.

Excelsior, on the other hand, will be at home to VVV Amsterdam on Sunday, and with the Amsterdam side rapidly running out of games in which to pull clear of Rood en Wit and make sure of staying in the Hoofdklasse, their batsmen will be determined to take advantage of Thurlede’s short square boundaries. Led by Mark Cleary, however, Excelsior’s bowlers will be equally keen to keep VVV’s dangerous batting line-up quiet, and it seems likely that the home side’s batsmen will be more than a match for the VVV attack.

This weekend’s tips:
Saturday: VOC, HCC, Excelsior.
Sunday: HCC, VRA, VOC, Excelsior, HBS.