Clifton’s tail rescues draw vs Lions, Maritzburg College and Noordheuwel share the spoils
After top scoring for Clifton College in both of their innings in their first match of the Fasken Time Cricket Festival, against Jeppe, while batting in the lower order, Hayden Drieselman was moved up to open for the Durban school in their two-day match against the Lions Invitation XI, on St David’s Temba Bavuma Oval, on Saturday.
That proved to be a good decision. Once again, he led the way for Clifton, hitting nine fours in an innings of 71 from 85 balls as he guided the score to 104 before he was the sixth man out in the 29th over.
At the opposite end of the batting order, Shiraz Perumal did much as Drieselman had done against Jeppe, weighing in with an undefeated 54 from 81 deliveries, with seven fours and a six. He was responsible for shepherding Clifton to a decent 204 all out after they had slipped to 112/8 and, then, 160/9.
Muhammed Malek added 23 and Caleb Naicker finished with 16 not out, but six batsmen made five or less, which left Clifton with a first innings’ total of 204 all out.
Opening bowler Kurt Losch, from Steyn City, knocked over 3/30 in nine overs, while Helpmekaar‘s Anrich Liebenberg captured 3/32 from 17 economical overs.
The Invitation side’s batsmen were more consistent in their reply, which helped them to a slight first innings’ lead of 10 runs. Helpmekaar’s Kyle Swanepoel played patiently for the innings’ highest score of 69, which came from 115 balls and included nine fours.
Opener Bafana Mthunzi, from Queen’s High, lent strong support, making 40 from 82 balls at the top of the order. In total, eight of the 11 batsmen made it into double figures, and those bits and pieces helped the Invitation side slip past Clifton’s tally.
Shiraz Perumal picked up 3/66 from 19.5 overs with his spin, while opening bowler Tim Saulez returned 2/28 from eight, and Blake Johnson snapped up 2/47 in 15.
Batting a second time, Clifton stumbled out of the blocks, with none of their opening three batsmen bettering seven runs. Tim Saulez and Zach Williamson partially patched up the innings, but Cohen Naidoo lent it some proper substance with a knock of 51 from 87 balls, with nine fours.
The Lions Invitation team was on top, though, and they reduced Clifton to 103/7. That became 128/8, but the Durban boys once more pulled off a superb rearguard fightback.
Muhammed Malek made 48 from 68, with five fours, before he was run out by Kurt Losch. Shiraz Perumal, meanwhile, followed up his first innings fifty with 31 and Clifton stretched their second innings to 216 all out.
Losch led the attack with 2/28 from 10, while Reaal Harriram claimed 2/44 in eight, and Anrich Liebenberg bowled tidily to take 2/52 in 20.
Batting a second time, the Lions reached 148/6 before the match was called a draw. Bafana Mtunzi and Kyle Davies provided their innings with a solid platform, combining for 56 for the first wicket before Blake Johnson had Mtunzi caught for 29. Davies stuck around until the total had reached 118. Then, the Northwood learner was bowled by Gabriel Vermeulen for 46.
Shiraz Perumal then put the brakes on any thoughts the Lions had of a late charge to victory, snapping up three wickets for 26 runs in six overs.
Maritzburg College vs Noordheuwel
On Geir Oval, Maritzburg College and Noordheuwel also played to a draw.
College captain Chad Mason chose to bat after winning the toss and the Red, Black and White started well before a mid-innings collapse had them in big trouble. Late innings’ heroics from Kyle de Bruyn helped them to a decent total, however.
Llewelyn Sutherland continued his good form with the bat, making 64 from 91 balls, with 10 fours, while Mason was his usual dependable self, adding 35 from 62.
After losing their second wicket on 116, College crumbled to 132/9 before De Bruyn, with 45 from 58 balls, with seven fours, rescued the Pietermaritzburg school, with a 55-run last wicket partnership lifting them to 187 all out.
Ruan Strauss was the cause of the collapse, knocking over 5/24 in 11 overs, while Damian Hopkins picked up 2/28 in 9.5 overs.
Noordheuwel posted 227 all out in response to lead by 40 runs on the first innings. Corné Botha spearheaded their batting efforts, striking 10 fours and a six in his 73 from 96 deliveries. Opener Wander Roolvink made 37, which included four fours and two sixes, while his opening partner, Ethan Smith, scored 29. Strauss showed his all-round chops, grafting hard for 32.
It seemed that Noordheuwel would take a big first innings lead, but when Botha was the fifth man out, with the total on 200, their innings lost impetus and the last six wickets went down for the addition of only 27 runs.
The spin of Mason had plenty to do with that. In 18.3 nagging overs, he snared 6/42. New ball bowler Sam Hughes added two sticks, finishing with 2/23 from seven.
In College’s second innings, Mason continued his fine form, top scoring with 75 as the KZN boys tallied 243/8. Mason’s innings, which lasted 108 balls, included eight fours.
Up front, opener Daniel Nadasan played patiently for 52 from 132 deliveries, with six fours, while Reece Willson and Luka Puddu weighed in with 22 each.
Sutherland missed out, but, with scores of 66 and 132 against St John’s, plus his first innings’ 64, he was later named the Batsman of the Tournament.
Gerhard Roolvink, the seventh bowler employed by Noordheuwel, enjoyed the most success, picking up 4/58 from 13 overs, while Marius Penning removed two College batsmen for 57 runs from 17 overs.
Noordheuwel had reached 110/4 in their second innings, still 94 runs short of their victory target, when the match ended in a tame draw.
Ethan Smith made 31 before being run out by Brendon Senzere, who was also the most successful of the College bowlers, taking 2/40 in 8.4 overs. Mason didn’t add any more wickets, but his 0/27 in 10 overs kept Noordheuwel from attempting a late run at victory.
Ruan Strauss made another useful batting contribution of 25 runs.
Summarised scores
Clifton College first innings 204/10 (Hayden Drieselman 71, Shiraz Perumal 54*, Muhammed Malik 23, Kurth Losch 3/30, Anrich Liebenberg 3/32); Lions Invitation XI first innings 214/10 (Kyle Swanepoel 69, Bafana Mthunzi 40, Shiraz Perumal 3/66, Tim Saulez 2/28, Blake Johnson 2/47); Clifton College second innings 216/10 (Cohen Naidoo 51, Muhammed Malik 48, Shiraz Perumal 31, Kurt Losch 2/28, Reaal Hariram 2/44, Anrich Liebenberg 2/52); Lions Invitation XI 148/6 (Kyle Davies 46, Kyle Swanepoel 30, Bafana Mthunzi 29, Shiraz Perumal 3/26)
Match drawn
Maritzburg College first innings 187/10 (Llewelyn Sutherland 64, Kyle de Bruyn 45, Chad Mason 35, Ruan Strauss 5/24, Damian Hopkins 2/38); Noordheuwel first innings 227/10 (Corne Botha 73, Wander Roolvik 37, Ruan Strauss 32, Ethan Smith 29, Chad Mason 6/42, Sam Hughes 2/23); Maritzburg College second innings 243/8 (Chad Mason 75, Daniel Nadasan 52, Gerhard Roolvink 4/58, Marius Penning 2/57); Noordheuwel second innings 110/4 (Ethan Smith 31, Ruan Strauss 25, Brendon Senzere 2/40)
Match drawn
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