Preview Topklasse T20: the most exciting competition of the year kicks off
Published at 16 July, 2021The Topklasse T20 competition for men will kick off this weekend: according to many, the fastest, most exciting and flashiest form of cricket! In the Netherlands, 19 clubs are participating this year, who will all play 4 matches over 5 rounds. After this, the game will continue in a KO format, until the finals are played at VOC Rotterdam on August 28!
Here's how the groups are divided:
Group A:
| Group B:
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Group C:
| Group D:
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Commissioner Bart Kroesen on the upcoming T20 competition:
“The Topklasse T20 competition is set up differently this year. The groups will no longer be divided by region, but are divided based on ranking in the last full competition, the one in 2019. Matches will (almost all) be played on Saturday afternoon.
We expect a very exciting competition and are convinced that after the quarter-finals, the best T20 teams in the competition will qualify for the final day of August 28, this year at VOC Rotterdam, where the semi-finals and final will be played on one day.
The fact that the winner of the Topklasse T20 2021 may represent the KNCB in 2022 during the European Cricket League in La Manga, Spain, will of course be a great incentive for the participating teams to bring out the very best in themselves!
Dosti unfortunately withdrew from the competition this week, so Group C continues with four members. The schedule will remain relatively unchanged.”
Captain of the defending champions VRA, Peter Borren:
"We, at VRA, are really looking forward to attempting to defend the Topklasse T20 title we won last year. It will prove to be an exciting competition I am sure. With the Netherlands team playing in the T20 World Cup in October, I am sure there will be lots of local talent keen to step up and show the national selectors they have what it takes."
Qui Vive debuts at highest national level of T20
New in the Topklasse T20 this year is Qui Vive from Amsterdam. The team captain, Rohit Jhamb, says he is very much looking forward to this first meeting:
"This team are the first 11 Quivivians who will be representing Qui Vive as a club at a level which is the highest level national T20 competition for us to achieve in this format. Although Qui Vive lost the Eerste Klasse championship by 1 point 2 years ago, it did have a silver lining after all as we now are playing against some of the top cricket clubs in the Netherlands.
The first match against HCC will be on their home ground. So I will let the feeling sink in and we wish for your support and best wishes for us to make a huge impact... We are playing against the best that Dutch cricket has to offer."
Winner heads to Spain for ECL cricket
As competition leader Kroesen already pointed out, the winner of the final on August 28, will play in Spain next year. A huge prize to compete for, given the high level and prestige that comes with this tournament. In the last season played in 2019, it was VOC Rotterdam that won the final against SG Findorff. The KNCB therefore has a reputation and title to defend in the upcoming edition and is confident that this way, the best team will be sent to this tournament on the Iberian peninsula.
Follow the Topklasse T20 competition in the coming weeks via the social media, YouTube, website and Matchcentre of the KNCB!
