VOC bested VVV in the first of three Relegation/Promotion playoffs, chasing down 155 in 35.1 overs for the loss of four wickets.

Having won the toss and elected to field, VOC restricted their hosts to 155 as VVV were bowled out with a ball to spare. Dirk van Baren's return of 3-43 was the pick of the bowling as several VVV batsmen got starts but failed to kick on. Runs were hard to come by given a sluggish outfield, forcing the batsmen to take the riskier arial route, but nonetheless VOC were the happier side at the break, though their efforts in the field were marred by an unfortunate injury to Paul Brous, who broke his thumb in the act of catching Shahrukh Akhtar.

An opening partnership of 84 between Maarten van Ierschot and Tim Ruyters layed the foundation for the VOC chase, and after van Ierschot departed one short of his half century, the first of Saqib Iqbal's four wickets, Ruyters pressed on with Jeandre Jumat. Ruyters was eventually to fall just after passing the milestone, stumped off Iqbal for 51, but there was no way back for VVV. Iqbal would strike twice more, Dirk van Baren nicking behind and Jumat holing out trying to finish the match in style with the scores level, but Pieter Seelaar would see his side home with a fine cover drive, to take first blood in the best-of-three series.

The two sides will meet again at VOC next Saturday, with a decisive match scheduled for Sunday at the same venue should VVV level the score.