Clifton sneaks by Glenwood, lightning ends Michaelhouse vs College
Glenwood and Clifton College shared a splendid battle on Dixon’s Field on Saturday, where runs were hard to come by, but Clifton eventually eked out a thrilling four-run victory.
After winning the toss, the visitors batted first, but they were stung early by Bandile Mbatha‘s dismissal of opening batsman Zach Williamson.
Cohen Naidoo, Rivan Moodley and Shahzaad Perumal all made contributions in the upper teens, but Glenwood’s bowlers dictated matters. It looked especially dire for Clifton when they stumbled from 51/2 to 58/6 as Daniel Gunawardena and Kyle Bryan put the skids on their batting effort.
Callum Watson, in at eight, then played a match-winning innings, and his eighth-wicket partnership with Gabriel Vermeulen, worth 45 runs, proved to be the difference between victory and defeat.
Watson top scored for Clifton, hitting six fours in his 39 from 59 balls, while Vermeulen contributed 20 from 57.
The visitors were eventually all out for 140. It wasn’t a big total, but Dixon’s is a very big field and usually kind to bowlers. Frankly, Clifton should have been pleased with that score, considering the predicament that had found themselves in when they lost their sixth wicket.
Daniel Gunawardena did a fine job with the ball for Glenwood, snaring 3/21 from his 10 overs, while Bandile Mbatha recorded four maidens in his 10-over return of 2/19. Tidy, as always, Kyle Bryan claimed 2/23 from 10.
Glenwood’s pursuit of 141 for victory started poorly. They lost the first four men in their order for only 30 runs as Shahzaad Perumal created havoc among the Green Machine’s batsmen.
Bandile Mbatha put the brakes on the Clifton bowlers, however, as he and Sibonelo Phewa turned 30/4 into 63/5, before Phewa was out for 20 from 27, with four fours.
Kyle Bryan offered Mbatha support for a while, but Shahzaad Perumal sent him packing, too.
There was little else of note from the Glenwood batsmen as Mbatha put up a defiant but lone fight. He was the last man out, bowled by Tim Saulez for 52, with the home team four runs shy of Clifton, on 136 all out. Mbatha had spent 98 balls in the middle and hit four fours.
Shahzaad Perumal shone with figures of 4/26 from 10, while Shiraz Perumal also got in on the act, snapping up 3/27 from his 10.
Rivan Moodley bowled tidily, taking 1/30 in 10, and Tim Saulez, who secured the heart-stopping win, finished with 1/13 from 4.3 overs.
Lightning put paid to the match between Michaelhouse and Maritzburg College, played on the Roy Gathorne Oval in Balgowan, after College had completed their 50 overs.
The visitors had mustered 165/8, with Michael Gibson‘s 44 from 67 balls, which included just two fours, their best effort. Michaelhouse bowled tightly, surrendering only six fours to College, with four other batsmen managing only one boundary each.
Opener Llewelyn Sutherland grafted hard for 33 from 82 deliveries, while Chad Mason also doggedly applied himself, making 29 from 76.
Jean-Luc Rey was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 2/24 from 10 overs, while Nicholas Baker took 1/4 from a single over.
Summarised scores
Clifton College 140/10 (Callum Watson 39, Gabriel Vermeulen 20, Rivan Moodley 19; Daniel Gunawardena 3/21, Bandile Mbatha 2/19, Kyle Bryan 2/23); Glenwood 136/10 (Bandile Mbatha 52, Sibonelo Phewa 20; Shahzaad Perumal 4/26, Shiraz Perumal 3/27) Clifton College won by 4 runs.
Maritzburg College 165/8 (Michael Gibson 44, Llewelyn Sutherland 33, Chad Mason 29; Jean-Luc Rey 3/24, Nicholas Baker 1/4); Michaelhouse did not bat due to lightning.
