One of the constant features of the Dutch domestic programme in recent seasons, since the introduction of play-offs in 2007, has been a semi-final between Quick Haag and VRA Amsterdam: the two clubs have met at this stage in each of the three years that the play-offs have been contested, with the tally standing at 2-1 in the Amsterdammers’ favour.

Both sides will have their eyes firmly set on the top four again this year as the new-style Topklasse gets under way, although their situations may at first sight appear to be contrasting.

VRA, defeated finalists last year, are in the remarkable position of having a top eight which comprises seven national squad members and their new coach: Wesley Barresi and Vinoo Tewarie have both been named in the A squad, while Eric Szwarczynski, Tom Cooper, Atse Buurman and Adeel Raja are all in the full squad. Add in coach Tim Muir, and that’s a batting line-up to send shivers down the spine of many opposing attacks.

With skipper Peter Borren, Szwarczynski, Cooper and Buurman virtual certainties for Oranje, much will depend, of course, on how effectively the club is able to exercise its right to rearrange its fixtures when the national side is away: their match against HCC at De Diepput on 16 May, for example, when the Dutch play Middlesex at Lord’s, seems certain to be an early casualty.

The attack, by contrast, has been weakened by the return of Ben Goedegebuur to VOC Rotterdam, Victor Grandia’s transfer to Dosti Amsterdam, and the retirement of Mangesh Panchal. On the other side of the balance sheet, Masood Khan has transferred from Rood en Wit, and is likely to share the new ball with Sohail Bhatti. With himself as third seamer and a triple spin attack comprising Muir, Raja and Tewarie, Borren will still not be short of bowling options.

The squad will also include 17-year-old allrounder Emile van den Burg, who until now has played senior cricket for Quick Nijmegen while turning out for VRA’s junior teams, and another promising young allrounder in Khalid Qasimyar. Nick Wories, Leon Turmaine and Mansoor Tarake are other teenagers who will probably play most of their cricket in the Seconds but may well get their chance in the Topklasse as the season progresses.

For Quick Haag, the bad news is that Edgar Schiferli seems likely to miss virtually the entire season because of the knee injury which has forced his premature retirement from international cricket. His experience and commitment will be sorely missed, but Somesh Kohli’s new-ball partner may be the promising Farshad Khan, who was the leading wicket-taker in the Overgangsklasse last season with 41 wickets at 12.12.

He is likely to slot into a seam attack which also includes, as well as Kohli, Jeroen Brand and Henk-Jan and Geert Maarten Mol, while the new coach, off-spinner Jonathan Boult, will spearhead a spin department alongside left-armer Thijs van Schelven and off-spinner Lesley Stokkers, both of whom are, like Kohli, members of the national A squad.

That’s a well-balanced attack despite the loss of Schiferli, but the question is whether the batting will be able to perform more consistently than it did in the latter part of last season. It certainly doesn’t lack experience, with the Mol brothers, Stokkers, Brand, Bob van Gigch, and the veteran Alex Pototsky, while Stijn Allema will be available for the full domestic season, having withdrawn from the national set-up earlier this year. The club will also be looking to the left-handed Boult to make a substantial contribution with the bat.

Quick, too, have a crop of talented youngsters, including national youth squad members James Gruijters and Steven Ekelmans, both of whom made their Hoofdklasse debuts last season, Rogier Rooda and Joost van Schelven.

In what seems certain to be a tight Topklasse competition, Quick will be hoping that the loss of Schiferli doesn’t torpedo their chances of reaching the play-offs for the fourth successive season, while VRA will know that their batting strength will make them one of the early favourites for the championship which has eluded them for the past two years.