Dedekind’s six wickets leads Maritzburg College to win over Westville
Surely disappointed about missing out on the KZN Schools SA20 final on Friday, Maritzburg College put that behind them to hand Westville Boys’ High a three-wicket defeat on Goldstone’s, in Pietermaritzburg, on Saturday.
The Griffin had enjoyed an excellent pre-season, beating Hans Moore, Paarl Boys’ High, and Noordheuwel, and finished with a dominating draw against Helpmekaar in their four matches at the Paarl Boys’ High Cricket Festival.
College had, also, started strongly, winning both of their games at the iHlobo Festival at Kearsney and their first two matches of the Schools SA20 final. Unfortunately for the Red, Black, and White, they misfired against Hilton College on Friday morning, and that cost them a place in the title decider. On Saturday, though, they returned with typical College gusto and mettle.
Westville won the toss and chose to bat first, but their top order produced inconsistent contributions. Each of the top five made some sort of start, but opening batsman Bhaskar Sewlal‘s 18 was their best score.
Karl Dedekind did most of the damage, accounting for three of those five batsmen. He was, however, far from done and would go on to record a decisive and superb return of 6/48 from 9.4 overs.
Tristan Delvin, though, wasn’t one of Dedekind’s victims. In fact, no one was able to dismiss him. He stood strong, striking two fours in an unbeaten 52 from 74 balls. Unfortunately for the Griffin, though, Sewlal’s 18 was their next-best batting effort. After 39.4 overs, they were all out for 136.
No Maritzburg College bowlers besides Karl Dedekind took more than one wicket, but the figures of those who picked up one told a story. Reece Willson went at only 2.2 an over and returned 1/13 from six. Daniel Nadasan finished with 1/14 from five, conceding only 2.8 per over, and Dom du Toit snared 1/9 from five, giving up only 1.8 runs per over.
Nadasan, then, gave the home side’s reply exactly what it needed with a telling innings up front. The opener took charge, making 47 from 74 balls, with six fours, before he was caught by Kyle McGough off the bowling of Tristan Delvin. His dismissal left College on 63/2. It was, though, the middle wicket in a bit of a hiccup in the host’s response, which saw them stumble from 61 without loss to 64/3.
When College lost two wickets on 104, they were seven down, but Sphamandla Dzanibe (20*) and Dom du Toit (19*), then, saw them home, sharing an unbroken stand of 33 runs to take their side to victory with four overs to spare.
Ewan du Toit caused the Maritzburg College batsmen all kinds of problems and nabbed 4/16 from 10 overs. Delvin followed up his batting heroics with a solid 2/30 from 10. But the day belonged to the hosts.
Summarised scorecard
Westville Boys’ High 136/10 (Tristan Delvin 52, Karl Dedekind 6/48); Maritzburg College 137/7 (Daniel Nadasan 47, Sphamandla Dzanibe 20*, Ewan du Toit 4/16, Tristan Delvin 2/30). Maritzburg College won by three wickets.
