Several events this week have made cricket The Netherlands' newest winter sport.

A back injury has forced the former Dutch international to quit all forms of the game.

Challenges on and off the field face Dutch cricket as a new four-year cycle begins for the Associates.

The KNCB's new full-time Cricket Development Officer will start work on 5 January.

The KNCB's new CEO talks about his plans for 2009 and beyond.

Calendar photos of the Hermes-DVS women's first team challenge traditional images of sportswomen.

The KNCB's volume commemorating its 125th anniversary is a must for anyone seriously interested in Dutch cricket.

Internationals Caroline de Fouw and Annemarie Tanke air their concerns about the future of Dutch women's cricket.

The inclusion of paceman Dirk Nannes and the return of Ruud Nijman and Mohammed Kashif are the main features of a strong Dutch squad.

Canterbury's Shane Stewart is set to join Hermes-DVS Schiedam for the 2009 season.

The plans for introducing multi-day cricket in The Netherlands have entered a crucial phase.

The international programme for 2009, though busy, still raises concerns for the future.

Saturday's KNCB general meeting gave its blessing in principle, but remained uncertain about the details.

Like other governing bodies, the KNCB may be forced to rethink a planned visit to the Indian city.

Namibian international allrounder Gerrie Snyman will be their new coach, Amsterdam club VRA has announced.

But it's not all good news despite a big increase in ICC funding for 2009.

Rood en Wit's Carstjan Posthuma was one of the giants of his day, and an important pioneer of the game in The Netherlands.

With deeply-held convictions on all sides, the Dutch debate has entered a crucial phase.

Former Dutch coach PJ Bakker adds his voice to those supporting two-day club cricket in The Netherlands.

Proposals put to the Dutch clubs this Tuesday will urge the introduction of two-day cricket in the Hoofdklasse.

Negative reactions from leading clubs have led the KNCB Board to postpone Tuesday's consultative meeting.

But there are some tough challenges on the road to qualification for the 2010 tournament.

The Dutch Board has just advertised its new CDO post as its plans gradually become more concrete.

Dutch cricket's newest club is based in Heerenveen, the first in Friesland for more than a century.

But it remains uncertain after last Tuesday's meeting whether this will happen at club or regional level.

The responses of the clubs to the KNCB's restructuring proposals give little cause for optimism, a report suggests.

In the final article of the series, we consider whether a regional competition would weaken the case for restructuring the club leagues.

Tributes flood in in The Netherlands and South Africa as the Dutch international's death is clarified.

Isn't there a case for returning to the idea of a Reserve League for the second teams of top clubs?

Dutch international batsman Maurits van Nierop has died in Capetown, the victim of a freak accident.

Excelsior '20 in Schiedam and Voorburg are now the proud possessors of grass pitches.

The many challenges of the KNCB proposals must be taken up if the sport is to progress, argues Rod Lyall.

38 players have been named in the full and A squads for training over the winter.

The KNCB has appointed 35-year-old former Dutch and Somerset fast bowler Andre van Troost as its new CEO.

Proposals to introduce a Club Charter system could help the KNCB to transform the culture of Dutch cricket.

The second article in the series examines plans for expanding the sport's base, and for reconstructing social cricket.

Both internationally and domestically, the 2008 Dutch season brought good news and bad news.

In the first of a series analysing the changes proposed for Dutch domestic cricket, Rod Lyall considers the case for multi-day cricket.

HCC beat Quick Haag by 50 runs on Saturday to claim their first Hoofdklasse title since 1985.

Evenly-matched Den Haag rivals Quick and HCC should turn on a great match - weather permitting.

But it's an open question whether the clubs will be capable of responding positively to radical proposals.

The second all-Den Haag final of the season is the result of Quick and HCC's victories over VRA and Excelsior on Saturday.

Saturday's semi-finals pit Quick Haag against VRA Amsterdam and Excelsior '20 against HCC.

Quick Haag are champions on net run rate, but under a rule which makes no sense.

A seven-wicket win over HCC put defending champions VRA Amsterdam into the Hoofdklasse play-offs on Sunday.

Leaders Quick Haag suffered a second successive defeat on Saturday in a thrilling finish at De Diepput.

The play-off and relegation issues remain unsettled on the final weekend of the regular Hoofdklasse season.

Home side HCC secured a seven-wicket victory in the replayed final on Friday evening.

The replayed NT Twenty20 final at De Diepput on Friday evening pits HBS against home side HCC.

The Netherlands took a much-abbreviated ODI against Kenya by six wickets in Rotterdam on Thursday.

The revised programme for next year's Twenty20 tournament gives The Netherlands plum fixtures - and a great commercial opportunity.

A strengthened Dutch squad will take on Kenya in Rotterdam on Thursday.

Bowling The Netherlands out for 121 in the second innings, Kenya won by an innings with an hour to spare on the second day.

Kenya took the first-innings points on the first day of their Intercontinental Cup match against The Netherlands on Saturday after bowling the Dutch out for 126.

The Dutch governing body plans an overhaul of its domestic cricket programmes this autumn.

A fine second-wicket stand ensured an ODI victory for The Netherlands over Bermuda on Friday.

The fourth play-off place is not the only issue unsettled with two rounds to go.

The real lesson of the Twenty20 qualification is that a great deal has to change in Dutch cricket.

Almost the whole of the victorious Belfast side will take on the Bermudians in two ODIs this week.

And with the national side away in Belfast, the Hoofdklasse may be even more unpredictable than usual this Sunday.

KNCB severely reprimanded for playing Ryan ten Doeschate in ODI although he was not in their registered squad.

Three play-off places in the Hoofdklasse are virtually settled, but the battle for fourth spot is growing intense.

But confusion over the rain rules marred a Saturday programme disrupted by the weather.

Full rounds of fixtures on Saturday as well as Sunday make this a vital weekend for all the contenders.

The KNCB has advertised for a successor to departing Director Maarten Westermann.

The Den Haag club will have home advantage in its 130th year, with EUR 10,000 to play for.

Four teams eye the final play-off place as Quick, HCC and Excelsior all win again.

Wins against Excelsior and Hermes-DVS are vital for sides hoping to overtake them in the Hoofdklasse.

A solid performance in all departments gives the tourists a third ODI win against The Netherlands on Monday.

Worcestershire and Netherlands batsman Alexei Kervezee is out of this week's Intercontinental Cup clash.

Last-over defeats for their closest rivals put Hoofdklasse leaders Quick Haag four points in front.

An open letter from Rod Lyall to Dutch cricket supporters.

Saturday evening will see four fascinating duels with places in the finals day at stake.

This week's clash between Excelsior and Hermes-DVS has implications for the teams above and below them.

The Netherlands women came close to a shock victory on Thursday, but the West Indians came back to win again.

But the former KNCB chairman's bid to return to the ICC Executive Board is unsuccessful.

The West Indies women retained their unbeaten record in the first ODI, but their hosts made a fight of it.

The West Indies women began the Dutch leg of their tour with a seven-wicket win in Utrecht on Tuesday.

It was a day of surprises in the Hoofdklasse on Sunday, but Quick go back to the top of the table.

Despite a last-over defeat by the Cavaliers, there were clear signs of improvement in Utrecht on Saturday.

The top batsman is also unavailable for the European Championships in Dublin.

HCC will meet Sparta in the only all-Hoofdklasse clash.

Top-of-the-Hoofdklasse HCC take on Hermes-DVS in the pick of Sunday's matches.

Rod Lyall proposes a fundamental shake-up at the top end of Dutch domestic cricket.

Nick Statham returns for The Netherlands in a key Intercontinental Cup clash in July.

The Netherlands' Alexei Kervezee will be playing for Worcestershire for at least two more seasons.

Seven-wicket victories kept Quick and HCC well out in front on Sunday.

The invitation eleven proves too strong as the national side begins the build up to the Belfast qualifier.

With half the regular season left, the lines of battle are clearly drawn.

All eight quarter-final places can be settled this week, though in the Rotterdam pool there's another round to go.

The Dutch national coach reflects on the recent High Performance course, selection procedures and the winter programme.

A Dutch eleven is set to take on a 'Cavaliers' side full of overseas talent.

With just one loss in nine games, the Amsterdam club are again favourites for promotion.

On a day of Hoofdklasse extremes, HCC ran up 355 against VRA, and Excelsior bowled out VOC for 32.

Four ODIs and two Twenty20 games in early July will form the Dutch leg of the European tour.

Twenty20 games against overseas players and A-team matches against France are part of the tournament build-up.

But rain threatens to disrupt another fascinating round of fixtures.

The threat of bad weather and other events in the Amsterdamse Bos combine to force the change.

Excelsior '20 ended Quick Haag's unbeaten run on Sunday, with HCC among the beneficiaries.

Maarten Westermann, KNCB director, will not be renewing his contract when it expires in September.

But there are some tough fixtures too for the rest of the chasing pack.

A one-day game on Thursday and two Twenty20 games on Friday give fringe players a chance to impress.

Wins for Quick, HCC and HBS mean that Den Haag clubs occupy the top three Hoofdklasse positions.

HCC's visit to Nieuw Hanenburg is the pick of this Sunday's Hoofdklasse fixtures.

With a full round of eight matches scheduled for Friday evening, the competition is ready to go.

Wins for both Schiedam sides and defeat for VRA as the battle for play-off places begins to sharpen.

The weather is unpromising as the first group matches take place on Friday evening.

But the battle for top four places is likely to intensify with this week's fixtures.

Another nine-wicket victory for the Den Haag side keeps them a game ahead of the pack.

Centuries by Tjade Groot and Wes Thomas dominated the top-of-the-table clash in Amstelveen.

Dutch national youth coach Roland Lefebvre talks about his side's efforts in the under-15 championship.

Having retained their ODI status, The Netherlands' top women players prepare for another demanding season.

With full rounds of fixtures on Sunday and Monday, it's another key weekend for the Hoofdklasse.

A last-ball victory or a complete demolition: the outcome in Dutch cricket is the same. Maybe it's time for a change?

With three sides bowled out for under 100, it was mostly the bowlers who dominated Sunday's second round.

Sunday's fixtures again schedule some fascinating match-ups between leading contenders.

There were also decisive wins for VRA and Hermes-DVS in the Ascension Day programme.

Thursday's Ascension Day programme offers some key battles between likely play-off contenders.

A fine all-round performance from Sebastiaan Braat is the feature of Tuesday's practice match.

For champions VRA and challengers VOC the loss of key players makes life harder.

Despite losing to Bangladesh on Saturday, the Dutch squad are making the most of their Caribbean experience.

Voorburg and Quick Haag aim to repeat last year's successes with largely unchanged squads.

On one thing everybody agrees: Dutch cricket has to grow if it is to survive. The problem is, how?

The Dutch opener was in destructive mood as his side beat the minor county by seven wickets.

Although there is good news on the financial front, the problems facing Dutch cricket remain substantial.

Fifth and sixth last season, Hermes-DVS and Excelsior '20 are looking to reach the play-offs this time.

Opposing captains Carl Rogers and Peter Borren lead the way with half-centuries in Rotterdam.

The Minor County will play two games against the Dutch national squad.

Despite solid resistance by the UAE they fall 64 runs short in their last-day run chase.

The Dutch batsman reaches 1,000 Intercontinental Cup runs as his side make 343 for nine.

Day Two in Sharjah ends in high drama as the UAE establish a 2-run lead.

Dismissing The Netherlands for 287, the UAE seized the initiative in their Intercontinental Cup clash.

The KNCB Appeals Committee has cut Adeel Raja's suspension to eight months.

The Netherlands go into their match against the UAE knowing that they must secure outright victory.

Two Den Haag clubs will be keen to do better in 2008 than they managed last year.

Dutch coach Peter Drinnen reflects on the defeat in Windhoek - and looks forward to Sharjah.

A five-wicket haul for Bernie Burger paves the way for Namibia's seven-wicket victory.

The Dutch coach gives his thoughts on the first day's play in Windhoek.

But The Netherlands fight back after a dramatic first-innings collapse.

The Dutch decision to put Namibia in comes unstuck as the home side reaches 322 for five.

The KNCB's 125th anniversary celebrations will get under way on 12 April with an open debate.

Promoted side Sparta 1888 and a new-look VVV Amsterdam may find it tough in this season's Hoofdklasse.

Evenly-matched sides begin a crucial match on Thursday.

The appearance of Gert Wilders' film is causing anxiety to the KNCB.

The Rotterdam side will meet the rest of last season's top four in the first three rounds.

Ireland defeated The Netherlands in the third place play off at the Women's World Cup qualifying tournament.

Spinner Caroline de Fouw shares Player of the Tournament award at Women's World Cup Qualifier.

Lotte Egging takes a hat-trick but The Netherlands go down to Pakistan in the semi-final of the World Cup qualifying tournament.

A brilliant century from South African skipper Cri-Zelda Brits helped South Africa defeat The Netherlands in the final group match of the women's World Cup qualifiers.

Victory over Bermuda has assured the Dutch women's team of a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup qualifying tournament in South Africa.

Dutch skipper Helmien Rambaldo was delighted to get her side’s ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier campaign off to a winning start as they defeated Papua New Guinea by 8 wickets.

The Netherlands will be at virtually full strength for their Intercontinental Cup matches in Namibia and the Gulf.

Plans to reduce the World Cup would be disastrous, and not only for the Associates.

Dutch international batsman Daan van Bunge is again available after a ten-month absence.

The new Dutch coach had his first session with the national squad on Sunday.

Former Shenley Park curator Andrew Clarke takes over at VRA.

The new Dutch national coach has signed a contract during a visit to The Netherlands.

Voorburg II will retain Wassenaar club's Eerste Klasse slot.

Kiwi Greg Todd and Dutch international Mudassar Bukhari strengthen the HBS squad.

Promoted club Sparta 1888 have recruited the former Pakistan international for next season.

But criticism of the KNCB's handling of the appointment process continues to be heard.