For many years a T20 tournament has been played at VCC as the opening of the cricket season between the four major cricket clubs in the Hague region: HBS, HCC, Quick and VCC. This year the tournament will take place on Sunday, April 20, Easter Sunday. For the second year in succession, the namesake of this battle of The Hague titans is the company Next Communications.
So after the Easter breakfast there will be a great opportunity to see the first real games. Because that’s how far it’s come by now. The Next Communications T20 Cup is seen as the last test before the league gets underway. A good chance to see whether the winter training has borne the desired fruit, or whether the overseas in the southern hemisphere have been able to work on good form.
With the prospect of an aggravated relegation from the Top League (No. 9 and 10 in the final rankings immediately relegate and No. 8 plays a promotion/relegation game against the big league champion), every club will be keen to start the league well.
HBS
HBS has especially shopped in South Africa: in addition to the stayers Walbrugh, Kyle Klein and Barresi, and the returning Botha, South Africans Sellin de Beer, Heino Kuhn, Jayden Rossouw and Roelof van der Merwe also join the Crowes’ selection. Add to that the return of HBS’ers Tobias Visee and Navjit Singh, and add that to familiar names like Van der Meij and Mason, and it will be clear that HBS is a serious contender for a high spot in the final Top Class standings. Talents such as Khan, Boendermaker, Joris van Oosterom and Martijn Scholte, if not all overseas are already available, may yet get a place in the first at the T20 Next Communications Cup.
HCC
HCC did not deviate from policy and did as all years with two overseas (Ollie White (where do we know him from ;-)) and Josh Brown) and overseas an exchange player, Jaydan Peskin. They saw Patient Charumbira (VCC) leave and Laurens-Jan Lagas quit. Returning are Clayton Floyd (from VRA) and Henrico Venter (from HBS). Mark Wolfe comes over from ACC and Dinand de Hommel (transferred from Hermes DVS). The experience and continuity comes from familiar names like Boris Gorlee, Tonny Staal, Hidde Overdijk and combined with the talents Shirsak Banerjee, Teun Leijer and some promising youngsters, HCC has a nice and recognizable team again.
Quick
Quick boasts some very experienced players such as Jeroen Brand, Bob van Gigch and G.M. ‘Doc’ Mol. However, the Hague side, which finished runner-up in the big league in 2024, is in the process of rejuvenation, with the likes of Faas Keppel, Casper Dekeling and Stijn de Leede, who came over from VCC. Promotion to the Top Class is not a firm objective, but competing at the top of the big league is.
VCC
Finally, host VCC will again have to miss its four internationals often, given the extensive international schedule in 2025. In their absence, South African Gavin Kaplan (last year’s top-class batsman with the most runs) and Carl Mumba (who played test cricket for Zimbabwe) will have to take the team in tow. The selection is further supplemented by Australian Henry Melville (Melbourne University), Patient Chirumbira (HCC) and Udit Nashier (VRA).
The matches will be played on VCC’s beautiful main field at Sportpark Westvliet. The first match will be played at 10:30, the final will begin at 15:00. Entrance is free.
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