After just two completed rounds of Topklasse matches, there just might be a pattern building up in the table, but Sunday’s games – or at least, the three that will be played – may give a firmer indication of how the competition is set to develop.

HCC’s home match against VRA Amsterdam will be postponed, presumably to June, because seven players from the two squads will be engaged in the CB40 encounter at Lord’s, and absences will affect two of the games which will go ahead.

Hermes-DVS Schiedam will be without skipper Nick Statham and spinner Pieter Seelaar for their visit to Haarlem, where hosts Rood en Wit will be at full strength. Statham has been a superb form so far, but coach Shanan Stewart has contributed just one run in two innings and the Schiedammers will need him to play a fuller part with the bat in the captain’s absence.

On the other hand, the fact that Stewart bowled a full ten overs on Thursday is a bonus – he was unable to bowl at all last season – and with a strong and experienced second team, and players like Sebastiaan Braat knocking on the Topklasse door, Hermes are better placed than some to withstand the loss of two key figures.

Despite a fine individual effort by coach Enoch Nkwe Rood en Wit suffered a second loss on Ascension Day, and the fact that they were bowled out for 81 by VRA will be a cause for concern. Fairly strong on paper, the batting has yet to deliver, and the side will need to pick itself up quickly if it is not to lose contact with the leading pack.

ACC are another side to have lost twice, and they too have problems with their batting. They will be without Mudassar Bukhari when VOC Rotterdam visit Het Loopveld on Sunday, and his bowling will certainly be missed – since he has registered two ducks with the bat, his contribution in that department has been limited, to put it mildly.

For VOC, the loss of Bas Zuiderent will be more of a problem, but the Rotterdam side will have coach Michael Dighton, whom they have declined to release for the Middlesex match. Exchange player Joe Carroll looks like a real asset with eight wickets in his first two games, and he has certainly added bite to the VOC attack.

The ease of their victory over Quick Haag on Thursday indicates that VOC will again be a force to be reckoned with, and they seem likely to have too many guns for ACC despite the Amsterdam side’s varied attack. That said, the latter made Hermes-DVS work hard for their win, and unless the Loopveld pitch has hardened up a good deal they may make life difficult for VOC as well.

The only match which is unaffected by absences is the one at Thurlede, where Excelsior ’20 will entertain Quick Haag. With Daan van Bunge unavailable for the national side’s visit to England Excelsior will be at full strength, and like neighbours Hermes they will be looking to consolidate their position near the top of the table with a third straight win.

Coach Ed Cowan is clearly a very fine batsman indeed, and with an attack which is workmanlike without being truly fearsome Excelsior have a side which will undoubtedly mount a spirited defence of its title.

Quick, on the other hand, have been very disappointing so far, and coach Jonathan Boult will need to receive a lot more support from the rest of the batsmen if they are to work their way clear of the lower reaches of the table.

The decision to bat first evidently misfired badly on Thursday, and on a Thurlede turf pitch which apparently played extremely well last week they will hope to do much better this time.

Having posted an encouraging four out of four on Thursday, the crystal ball is back in favour, and the tips for Sunday are (again): VOC, Excelsior, Hermes. But Dutch cricket has a way of digging you in the ribs every now and then, just to stop you from getting complacent!