Clifton outplays Northwood as rain interrupts KZN fixtures
Clifton College enjoyed a strong showing at the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week and the momentum they built up there has continued in the KZN season. Fresh off a six-wicket win over Glenwood, coach Brandon Scullard‘s charges handed Northwood a 107-run defeat on Saturday at the Riverside Sports Club.
The toss went Clifton’s way and they chose to bat first in the limited-overs clash. Although they lost a wicket in the early going, they kicked on, with a number of batsmen playing themselves in and adding bits and pieces to the total while opening batsman Byron Ward played the anchor role.
He accumulated, by far, the highest score of the match, and his innings of 75 runs off 106 deliveries proved to be a difference-maker. He also showed a flair for punishing loose bowling, which was reflected in the boundaries he struck, two fours and five sixes, and the Riverside Sports Club field is not a small ground.
Lawson Dinsdale, batting ninth in the order, made a valuable 23 not out, while Tim Saulez weighed in with 21. Clifton’s innings, though, lasted only 43.3 overs. They were all out for 204.
David de Bruyn, who was brought on late, as the seventh bowler used by the Knights, enjoyed the most success, capturing 4/49 in 10 overs. Kyle White bowled with penetration and economy, picking up 2/24 in 10, while Mason Storm also did a good job, claiming 2/21 in six.
Northwood’s chances of overhauling Clifton’s 204 were struck a serious blow early in their innings, when they were reduced to 15/3, with all-rounder Tim Saulez claiming two of the three wickets.
Opener David de Bruyn and Dolphins’ u18 batsman Mfana Shange advanced the total to 38, but Shange was, then, caught off the bowling of Blake Johnson for seven.
Sixteen runs later, the visitors suffered a big blow when De Bruyn fell, caught off the left-arm spin of Clifton captain Shahzaad Perumal for 23 from 44 balls, which included three fours. His knock would turn out to be the highest score of the Northwood innings.
Kyle White and Ross McGlashan resisted for a while, but when White was LBW to Johnson with the total on 70, that dismissal was a precursor to a mini-collapse, with Nqobani Mokoena and Mason Storm exiting in quick succession as the Knights slumped to 79/8, well out contention.
Ben Cilliers and McGlashan stubbornly stood firm, taking the score to 97 before they were both dismissed on that total. Cilliers was the first to depart, LBW to Shahzaad Perumal for 13, and McGlashan followed, the last man out, for the innings’ second-highest score of 20, a victim of Shiraz Perumal.
Clifton had recorded an emphatic 107-run victory. With Northwood making less than a hundred, the Clifton bowling attack boasted some handsome figures.
Shiraz Perumal snared 3/23 in 9.3 overs, while Shahzaad Perumal tied Northwood in knots, knocking over 2/11 in seven. Tim Saulez, with the new ball, did an excellent job, capturing 2/12 in six, while Blake Johnson took 2/29 in six, and Callum Watson, the only other bowler used by Clifton, took 1/22.
Coach Brandon Scullard declared himself very happy with the way that his charges are playing at present. Their results are proof of good complementary cricket, with the team functioning well as a unit, and, with only two members of the squad in matric, they’ll be a team to watch in 2025.
St Charles College vs Glenwood High School
In Pietermaritzburg, rain began falling in the afternoon, which brought an early end to the clash between St Charles College and Glenwood High, with the contest interestingly poised.
Batting first, the Green Machine posted 182/8 in their 50 overs, led by Bandile Mbatha‘s unbeaten 42 off 60, 32 from Krian Jugoo, and 31 from Nathan Moodley.
Saints’ skipper Marcell Wellmann snared 3/38 with his left-arm spin, while Tristan Montile claimed 2/10 in five overs.
When the St Charles’ innings was brought to a premature end, they had reached 107/4 after 24.4 overs.
Cian Fortmann and Connor Riley shared an opening stand of 51 before Fortmann was caught by Ntando Soni off the accurate off-spinner Kyle Bryan for 34 from 41, with five fours. Riley, the third man out, made 25.
Bryan sent down nine overs and picked up 2/33, while Sibonelo Phewa did a fine job, capturing 1/18 in seven.
Summarised scorecards
Clifton College 204/10 (Byron Ward 75, Lawson Dinsdale 23*, Tim Saulez 21, David de Bruyn 4/49, Mason Storm 2/21, Kyle White 2/24); Northwood School 97/10 (David de Bruyn 23, Ross McGlashan 20, Shiraz Perumal 3/23, Shahzaad Perumal 2/11, Tim Saulez 2/12, Blake Johnson 2/29). Clifton won 107 runs.
Glenwood High School 182/8 (Bandile Mbatha 42*, Krian Jugoo 32, Nathan Moodley 31, Marcell Wellmann 3/38, Tristan Montile 2/10); St Charles College 107/4 (Cian Fortmann 34, Connor Riley 25, Rico Honiball 21*, Kyle Bryan 2/33). Match abandoned.
