Dutch-born batsman and leg-spinner Dan ter Braak will return to Sportpark Harga this season to play for Hermes-DVS Schiedam, the club his father Rob was playing for at the time he was born in 1991.

It was for Hermes, then playing in the Eerste Klasse, that Ter Braak senior made his first-team debut at the age of fifteen in 1978. He moved across the city to rivals Excelsior ’20 in 1985, playing for the Thurlede club in the Hoofdklasse for four seasons before returning to Hermes and gaining promotion with them in 1990.

He then played two more years for Hermes and ended his Dutch career with two seasons for Sparta 1888, last appearing in the Hoofdklasse in 1994.

In all he took 177 wickets in 155 Hoofdklasse matches at an average of 24.76, and made 2365 runs at 17.01. His highest score was an unbeaten 114 for Sparta against Kampong in Utrecht in 1994, while his best bowling figures were five for 23 for Hermes-DVS against Sparta at Sportpark Harga in 1992.

Thereafter the family moved to New Zealand, where Dan and his younger brother Ross learned their cricket with Auckland club Takapuna.

Dan is now an established member of Takapuna’s first team and, along with teammate and Dutch international Max O’Dowd, played a key role in their Auckland two-day championship victory in 2015-16, their third in seven years. In 2012 he also helped them to New Zealand's national club championship.

He enjoyed a successful season with English club Hertford in the Hertfordshire Premier League in 2015, averaging 37.89 with the bat in all league matches.

Ter Braak will strengthen the top of the Hermes batting order, which was far too dependent on international Stephan Myburgh and veteran Nick Statham last season.

And his presence will add an extra dimension to the matches between Hermes-DVS and VOC on 6 May and 25 June, since his Takapuna teammate Max O’Dowd will be playing for the Rotterdam club.