As the Hoofdklasse season enters its final weeks, it is beginning to look as if the battle for fourth place is largely between two teams, Voorburg and Hermes-DVS Schiedam, which were generally unfancied before hostilities began back in May.

With the two sides scheduled to meet in the last round on 26 August they may go into that game knowing that a play-off slot is at stake, but such are the imponderables that they could both still be pipped at the post by Excelsior ’20, coming up fast on the outside.

Voorburg have the easier task this week, at home to VVV Amsterdam. They fought hard against VOC last Sunday, but playing without Safaraz Gondel and having failed to take wickets in the early stages of the VOC innings they were batted out of the game by a fine partnership between Bas Zuiderent and Xavier Doherty.

But Voorburg’s attack, especially at Westvliet, remains a threat – it is the batting which continues to give cause for concern. Ryan Le Loux, Tim de Leede and Mohammed Rafi remain crucial, and the side relies heavily on a big stand between two of these batsmen if they are to make a substantial score.

VVV, too, performed well against VRA last week, and had the game virtually won when, after a long break for rain, a sudden batting collapse cost them the points. Mudassar Bukhari is emerging as one of the most effective allrounders in the competition, and VRA were lucky to get him early last Sunday.

Replacement coach Rauf Wain is settling back into the side, and did well against VRA with both bat and ball. Knowing that they are not out of the relegation woods, VVV will certainly not be a pushover for Voorburg, and a good battle is in prospect.

Hermes, on the other hand, must take on second-placed VOC in Rotterdam. With coach Pankaj Joshi at last showing signs of batting form and Nicky Statham continuing to make runs despite an injured thumb which kept him out of this week’s Intercontinental Cup match, the Hermes batting looks a little more substantial than it did a few weeks ago, and their steady seam attack, with Pieter Seelaar’s left-arm spin for variety, has the capacity to test the Rotterdammers.

But VOC just go on winning, and continue to breathe down the necks of leaders VRA. Their side now has a more settled look, and with Xavier Doherty rivalling Mark Cleary’s all-round performances for Excelsior, they are the team most likely to deprive VRA of a third successive Hoofdklasse title.

Excelsior, meanwhile, will be at home to bottom-placed ACC, whose chances of avoiding the return to the Eerste Klasse are looking increasingly remote. Two wins in their last two games would give Excelsior a slight chance of making the final four, not least because they have played fewer games than any other side in the competition.

ACC saw the points snatched from their hands by Quick Haag last Sunday, and must now pick themselves up if they are to have any chance of escaping relegation. Even another defeat this week will not necessarily settle the issue provided VVV and/or HBS Den Haag lose their last two matches and ACC are able to beat HBS at home in their final game, but a win against Excelsior would obviously ease the pressure a little.

Cleary, however, remains a major threat to any side, and with Rashid Amin in the attack and a batting line-up which is capable of running up big scores, Excelsior would be serious contenders for the championship if they could redeem a frustrating season by making the four – and if Cleary isn’t already back in Australia during the play-offs.

In a round where every match has profound implications for the final four placings or the relegation battle, or both, VRA are away to third-placed Quick Haag. The champions’ defeat in the Twenty20 Cup semi-final last Saturday really hurt, but VRA are a different proposition in the longer form of the game and remain determined to finish the regular season in the top spot.

Seamer Sohail Bhatti has proved a valuable replacement for the absent Victor Grandia, and with Peter Borren back in the attack the leaders have the bowling to contain Quick’s powerful hitters. Ryan Maron has been in splendid form with the bat since he took over an opening spot, and his century against VVV last Sunday made him the leading run-scorer in the competition.

Quick’s batting, for all its potential, has been suspect all season, and will need to be at its best if they are to turn home advantage into the win that would consolidate their position in the four. They know that they are not yet certain of a place in the play-offs, and face a tricky visit to VVV on the final Sunday of home-and-away matches.

This, then, should be the game of the day, and it could go either way.

The two most enigmatic sides in the Hoofdklasse meet at Craeyenhout in the remaining game of the round. HCC’s loss to Excelsior last week virtually ended any thought of reaching the final four, galling for a club which saw itself as a leading contender for the title when the season began. But they still have the players to beat any side in the competition, provided they perform as they are capable to doing.

HBS Den Haag have been even more inconsistent, and they are well aware that two defeats could consign them to the Eerste Klasse next season. A win against HCC would certainly ease that pressure, and mean that ACC could not catch them even if the latter were to win when the clubs meet on 26 August.

This week’s prognostications: VOC, Excelsior, Voorburg, HCC, Quick Haag.