HCC's win over VRA at Amstelveen effectively ended their hosts' title aspirations, leaving the rest of the season as coronation march for Excelsior. The defending champions saw off HBS at Craeyenhout to go six points clear with five rounds to go, making their defence of the title all but certain. Fellow Schiedammers Hermes DVS kept their hopes of Topklasse survival alive for another week with a narrow win over ACC, but Dosti's win over Punjab at het Zomercomplex keep them four points clear at the bottom. Also still in danger are VOC, who sank to a six wicket loss at home to Quick, leaving them level with Dosti on 8 points.

Jonathan Vandiar's fourth century of the season saw HCC post 269-8 in grim conditions at Amsterdamse Bos, Boris Gorlee providing some fine support with 41. Early wickets put the hosts quickly on the back foot in the chase, and despite the efforts of the in-form Peter Borren and Eric Szwarczynski, who put on a century partnership for the fourth wicket, a disciplined effot in the field ensured HCC would comfortably defend the total.

Meanwhile at Craeyenhout Excelsior reeled in HBS after the hosts got off to a flying start with the bat. Jaron Morgan and Cory Rutgers put on a brisk 75 for the first wicket before the latter was forced to retire owing to a broken finger. Morgan pressed on to make a quickfire 84 but wickets kept falling at the other end, and when Ingram finally dismissed him with the score on 144-5 the innings rapidly fell apart, HBS eventually rolled for 168.

HBS did not give up without a fight, Berend Westdijk striking twice in two balls after Roel Verhagen and Tim Etman had put on 58 for the 1st wicket, and three more wickets falling in rapid succession as Excelsior wobbled on 83-5, but James Hilditch and skipper Tom Heggleman stopped the rot, compiling a disciplined, unbroken 90-run partnership to see them home.

At the other end of the table Hermes DVS recorded only their second win of the season, bowling ACC out for 143 and completing a nervy chase to claim the win seven down in the final over. Saqib Zulfiqar's battling 71 saw ACC avoid a 2-figure total in the first innings, Kunst and de Klerk each taking three wickets as the visitors struggled to adjust to trying conditions.

Hermes found the conditions little easier, stumbling out of the gate to 25-3, and continuing to lose regular wickets as they edged toward the total. But the efforts of Dan Ter Brakk - who top-scored for the hosts with 37 - and Lokendra Bohra - whose battling unbeaten 30 for them over the line - proved enough for Hermes to double their points tally.

Dosti-United kept four points ahead of them, however, with an away win over Punjab at het Zomercomplex. Fifties from Ali, Minhas and Bamunasinghe had seen Punjab post a solid 246-run target from their fifty overs, but a remarkable turnaround in form for the Dosti batting line up saw the visitors chase down the total with 11 balls to spare.

Vinoo Tewarie and Rahil Ahmed put on a club record 142-run opening stand before Tewarie fell for exactly 50. Ahmed went on to make 83 - his best score in two years, to put Dosti in a solid position. Corne Dry and Vimal Tewarie both struck unbeaten 30s to see them claim the win with six wickets remaining.

The win keeps them four points clear of Hermes ahead of their match-up next week, level with VOC who suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Quick Haag at Hazelaarweg. Jeroen Brand and Geert Mol took 4-31 and 3-22 respectively as VOC were skittled for 113, only Max O'Dowd providing any resistance with a rearguard 49. Quick needed just 22.2 overs to wrap things up before lunch for the loos of four wickets.

The win means little for Quick, who are safe in third place but whose title hopes at this point are merely academic, but for VOC it means they are not yet safe from relegation, with only a two win cushion between them and Hermes and five matches left to play.