Whatever criticisms might legitimately be made about the level of the Hoofdklasse, the quality of some grounds or, occasionally, the spirit in which games are played, nobody could accuse the Dutch competition of being dull. And the interest has only been enhanced by the introduction of play-offs this season.

With more thunderstorms ensuring that Excelsior's ground was once again unplayable, the four matches that went ahead this Sunday produced one sensational result, a surprise, another nail-biter, and one of the most remarkable individual bowling performances of recent years. Not bad for well under 300 overs of cricket!

The sensation came at ACC's ground in Amstelveen, where the struggling home side at last produced something to cheer their supporters up, pulling off a remarkable 23-run victory over HCC. In what was to be the pattern of the day, the visitors won the toss, elected to field, and then fell short chasing a modest target.

ACC’s innings was twice interrupted by rain, being cut from 50 overs to 34 after a three-hour break and then to 33 after a further, shorter interruption. They managed to make 135 for six, Rehan Younis producing his best effort of the season so far with 47. Maurits Jonkman was the most successful of the HCC bowlers with three for 39.

An adjustment under the Duckworth/Lewis system raised the target to 142. HCC began steadily in pursuit of this, but once Zulfiqar Ahmed had bowled a crucial spell, taking three for 16 including the priceless wicket of Shane Deitz, they were unable to score at the necessary rate and finished on 119 for seven.

Given their recent form, Voorburg's 30-run win against Quick Haag was less of a shock, but it nevertheless will have raised some eyebrows in Den Haag. Put in to bat in a 39-over match, Voorburg achieved the highest total on what was again a bowlers' day, making 208 for seven.

Tim de Leede, who has at last struck a rich vein of runs now that he is free of the captaincy, made 75 not out after his successor John Sist gave the side a good start with 35. Mohammed Rafi contributed 36, while Darron Reekers took three for 42 for Quick.

Jeroen Brand (36) and Sean Clingeleffer (38) set their side off well in the chase, but thereafter wickets fell steadily, Ehtisham Chaudry Mohammed picking up three for 36, and Quick were finally bowled out for 178, 30 short, with two overs left.

The greatest tension came around the corner at HBS, where VVV, yet another side who put their opponents in, failed by just seven runs to secure the points. In a match which similarly started late and was cut to 38 overs, VVV did well to dismiss their hosts for 152 after they were 79 for one at one stage.

Veteran Steven Visee was the top scorer with 51, while his son Tobias, back in an opening slot, contributed 29 to the side’s good start and shared a 61-run stand with Taco Risselada (32).

Without both coach Gareth Hopkins and Dutch international Billy Stelling, HBS were compensated by the presence of Alexei Kervezee, and although he only made 15 it was his contribution with the ball which proved decisive. He began by dismissing the dangerous Mudassar Bukhari, and then came back towards the end to collect two more wickets and bring VVV to the brink of defeat.

But the reliable Mohammed Sadiq had completed another valuable half-century, and although VVV's ninth wicket fell with 19 still needed, Sadiq brought them to within six of the HBS total before he was finally caught behind off the bowling of Berend Westdijk.

The bowling performance of the day, however, and quite probably of the season, was at Amstelveen, where VRA's Sohail Bhatti, playing only his third Hoofdklasse game, produced the extraordinary figures of seven for 8 off seven overs.

The VRA batsmen again failed to take full advantage of a good start in an innings which was cut to 31 overs due to a long break for rain after just six overs had been bowled, opener Tjade Groot top-scoring with 37 as the leaders were dismissed for a modest 142. Messrs Duckworth and Lewis adjusted this to 144, setting Hermes a target of 145 to win.

But Bhatti struck twice in the first over and then three more times in his initial five-over spell, reducing Hermes to 24 for five. Only Nicky Statham remained standing among the wreckage, and he and Ruud Nijman then set about restoring the situation with a steady partnership for the sixth wicket which was ended in the most unfortunate circumstances.

A terrible misunderstanding between the batsmen saw Statham, who had made 34, sprinting for the bowler’s end as VRA keeper Wesley Barresi hurled the ball at the stumps. Statham appeared to have made his ground but the umpire saw things differently, and with his departure Hermes' last hopes receded.

Bhatti came back to collect two more wickets, and although Nijman and Pieter Seelaar showed some further resistance Eric Szwarczynski eventually had the latter caught and bowled to finish off the innings.

Voorburg have moved up to third in the table as a result of their defeat of Quick Haag, who are now in fourth with HBS Den Haag and (despite their defeat this week) Hermes-DVS breathing down their necks. VVV and Excelsior '20 remain within reach of the top four, but HCC join ACC in the relegation zone, and their chances of making the play-offs now seem remote.