Big wins the order of the day in KZN
Durban High School vs Kearsney College
A superb unbeaten 100 by Semal Pillay wasn’t enough as the Clifton College 1st XI recorded a comfortable eight-wicket victory over DHS on the Theobald Oval on Saturday.
The KZN under-16 star played an outstanding innings in the face of a disciplined performance by the Clifton bowlers. His excellence, however, was counteracted by two superb all-round contributions from Shahzaad Perumal and Tim Saulez.
Perumal shone with an unbeaten 84 and 3 for 32 in 10 overs, while Saulez’s contribution of 68 not out and 3 for 26 was just as effective and important.
DHS had elected to bat first after winning the toss, and while their first four batsmen made it into double figures, they were made to graft by the Clifton bowlers. Only Pillay played with any freedom.
His century came from 121 balls, but the fact that he struck only four fours was testament to a disciplined and accurate effort from the visitors’ attack.
Opening batsman Ismaeel Omar made 28 from 48 balls, while Sfundo Mthembu added some impetus towards the end of the DHS innings, with 28 from 22 balls, which helped the Horseflies to 212/9 after their 50 overs.
Tim Saulez, who earlier this season set a Clifton 1st XI highest score record with 166 against Volkskool Heidelberg, showed off his all-round talent with an economical three-wicket haul, and Shahzaad Perumal kept up the good work with his left-arm spin.
Shiraz Perumal picked up 2 for 46 in 10, while Huzaifah Badat put DHS under huge pressure, despite not picking up a wicket, with his return of 0 for 35 from 10 overs.
Clifton, needing 213 to win, produced a controlled and effective response, rolling to victory in the 44th over with only two wickets down.
Batting at three, Shahzaad Perumal made 84 from 103 balls and struck nine fours. Saulez, who joined Perumal with the score on 77 for 2, was 68 not out from 80 deliveries, which included five fours and the only six of the match.
Together, he and Perumal shared an unbroken stand of 136.
Maritzburg College vs Glenwood High School
If there is one team in KwaZulu-Natal that is hard to predict, it’s the Glenwood 1st XI. After powering their way to a big win over a strong Hilton College team two weeks ago, they were well beaten by Westville Boys’ High last week, and then comprehensively outplayed by Maritzburg College on Saturday.
Visiting Pietermaritzburg, the Green Machine put up only 108 all out on Goldstone’s, with none of their batsmen making it to 20. It wasn’t as if one College bowler did the damage either. The wickets were shared around.
Chad Mason led the way for College, snaring 3 for 17 from 8.5 overs. Sphamandla Dzanibe did a stellar job, picking up 2 for 14 in four overs, and James Wiggil was miserly and wicket-taking, capturing 2 for 11 in his four overs.
It was a tough slog for Glenwood, and it took them 40.5 overs to reach their 108. However, when the home team set about their run chase, it looked like a different pitch as the opening pair of Liam Armstrong and Caleb Thomas took the game to the Durban boys.
Thomas was slightly the faster, striking an unbeaten 53 from 50 deliveries, while Armstrong weighed in with an undefeated 43 from 58, to see College to a 10-wicket win after just 17.3 overs.
Northwood School vs Kearsney College
At Northwood, Kearsney College were every bit as dominant against the Knights as College was against the Green Machine.
The home team won the toss and elected to bat, which was surprising given the overcast conditions and a track that was clearly going to offer the bowlers some assistance.
They were in trouble from the start as they folded in front of a clinical performance by Kearsney’s opening bowlers, Ryan Browning and Sandiswa Yeni, who set Northwood back on their heels, with Browning, especially, proving dominant.
He bowled his full complement of 10 overs, three of them maidens, and knocked over 4 for 24. Yeni also got in on the action, claiming 2 for 37 in nine.
They received telling support from Ross Coetzee, who snapped up 3 for 18 from his 10 overs of spin as Northwood were skittled for just 107.
Hayden Bishop and Dylan Wiggett then hit cruise control and steered their team to a 10-wicket win, with Bishop unbeaten on 60 and Wiggett on 32 when the Knights’ total was overhauled.
Summarised scorecards
DHS 212 for 9 (Semal Pillay 100*, Ismaeel Omar 28, Sfundo Mthembu 28, Tim Saulez 3 for 26, Shahzaad Perumal 3 for 32, Shiraz Perumal 2 for 46); Clifton College 213 for 2 (Shahzaad Perumal 84*, Tim Saulez 68*) Clifton won by 8 wickets.
Glenwood 108 all out (Chad Mason 3/17, James Wiggil 2/11, Sphamandla Dzanibe 2/14); Maritzburg College 111/0 (Caleb Thomas 53*, Liam Armstrong 43*) Maritzburg College won by 10 wickets.
Northwood 107 all out (Evan Fouche 28, Ryan Browning 4/24, Ross Coetzee 3/18, Sandiswa Yeni 2/37); Kearsney College 108/0 (Hayden Bishop 60*, Dylan Wiggett 32*) Kearsney College won by 10 wickets.
