DHS cruises past Hilton, Maritzburg College holds on to beat St Charles
Durban High School vs Hilton College
Durban High School’s Theobald Oval was like a furnace for the visit of Hilton College on Saturday. Yet, in extremely taxing conditions, DHS opening batsman, Ismaeel Omar, showed admirable resolve to score an unbeaten century and guide School to an impressive eight-wicket win.
DHS captain Josh van Biljon chose to bowl first and was swiftly rewarded for that decision by opening bowler, Taine Havermann, who got rid of Hilton’s openers, Barack Munawa and Ben Wilson, whose partnership has been one of the strengths of the team, within the first three overs.
James Peattie and Hilton captain Robert Burman hung tough, though, and spent almost 20 overs together, rebuilding the innings. Josh Morley ended their 78-run stand when he had Burman caught by Seth Edwards for 45, which included six fours.
Peattie and Obakeng Motsepa continued the good work, though, advancing the total by another 45 runs before Motsepa was bowled by Tristan Quail for 21.
That left Hilton on 129/4 in the 30th over. Soon, though, that became 142/7 in the 34th over, with Peattie the seventh man out for the innings’ top score of 50. He had faced 95 deliveries, hitting two fours and a six.
Sange Qangule ensured Hilton didn’t go quietly. He went on the attack, blasting four fours and two sixes in a 34-ball stay that brought him 48 runs. His wicket was the last wicket to fall, with Qangule another victim of Taine Havermann, but he had helped Hilton to 219 all out after 48.1 overs.
Havermann finished with a telling 4/39 from 9.1 overs, while Seth Edwards snapped up 2/11 in five. Up front, Havermann’s new ball partner, Bonga Maphanga, claimed 2/36 from 10.
The DHS openers, Ismaeel Omar and Suliman Jadwat, then set their side up for victory with a 111-run opening stand in just over 28 overs, which, in the energy-sapping heat, took a heavy toll on the visiting side.
When, at last, Obakeng Motsepa bowled Jadwat for 44, Josh van Biljon made his way to the crease, and matters didn’t improve for Hilton. Together with Omar, the DHS skipper tacked on another 107 runs for the second wicket in 103 balls.
With only two runs required to win, Van Biljon was bowled by Sechaba Gude for 57 from 64 balls, six of which he struck for four, and another for six. It was way too little too late for Hilton, however, and DHS eased to an emphatic victory.
Omar was unbeaten on 105 from 124 balls. His innings had included 16 fours and a six.
Motsepa was the pick of the visiting bowlers, returning 1/26 from seven overs.
St Charles College vs Maritzburg College
St Charles College hosted Maritzburg College on the SCC Oval on Saturday in a Pietermaritzburg derby that has delivered some thrilling contests in recent years. This one was no different, with College sneaking a tight one-wicket victory.
The toss went the way of the home team. They chose to bat first but produced an uneven performance. Nine players visited the crease, six of them made only single-figure scores, and another, captain Thando Zama, made 10. However, the other two, Ryan Clarke and Lebo Mokoena, excelled.
Saints were forced onto the back foot in the very first over when College captain Reece Willson bowled Caleb Sharp for a duck. Zama was in and out quickly, but that brought Clarke to the crease.
Then, Keegan Vermaak departed for two, Owen Widdows followed for five, and Connor Simpson for six, which left St Charles searching for traction on 59/5 in the 21st over. At last, though, Clarke found a solid partner in Mokoena.
They settled in, grafted hard, and kept College at bay, adding 118 runs for the sixth wicket in 28.1 overs. It took a run out to part them, with Mokoena exiting in the 49th over for 50. He had faced 96 balls and hit three fours.
Clarke stayed until the end and blasted the last ball of the innings for four to go to his century. He finished on exactly 100 not out, having faced 131 deliveries and struck 10 fours to help Saints to 186/7.
Reece Willson was the pick of the Maritzburg College attack, knocking over 3/38 from 10 overs. Luke Venter claimed 1/30 from nine, and Akhil Bharath clamped down on the St Charles’ run-scoring rate by conceding only 12 runs from his six overs.
College made a steadier start to their innings than St Charles, but their openers, Akhil Bharath and Kyle de Bruyn, fell within five balls of one another, leaving the visitors on 27/2 in the eighth over.
Luka Puddu and Dax Jursa quickly steadied the innings with a sound 47-run third-wicket stand in 57 balls. After Puddu departed for 20, Jursa and Luan van der Merwe boosted the College total by a further 42 runs before Jursa was caught and bowled by Kaiyuran Naidoo for 44, which featured five fours.
Reece Wilson joined Van der Merwe, and they continued to keep the Saints’ bowlers at an arm’s length until the 45th over, when, with balls running out and runs needed, he was run out by Jack Richards for 52. He’d faced 80 balls and stroked three fours.
Still, on 167/5, Maritzburg College was well positioned to push forward to victory. Ryan Clarke and Jayden Saville, however, almost stole the game for the hosts.
Clarke bowled Dom du Toit before Saville accounted for Rory Schirge, Ethan Fabre, and Greg Hoskings in a shade under three overs. When Hoskings exited, College was on 183/9. They needed another four runs to win. Luke Venter joined Reece Willson at the crease.
It was Venter who, at last, clinched a heart-stopping win for the Red, Black, and White, sending the second ball of the final over from Clarke to the boundary. Willson was on 14 not out.
Jayden Saville excelled, knocking over 4/26 in eight overs, while Kaiyuran Naidoo was miserly, snaring 2/18 from 10. Victory, though, belonged to Maritzburg College.
Summarised scorecards
Hilton College 219/10 (James Peattie 50, Sange Qangule 48, Robert Burman 45; Taine Havermann 4/39; Seth Edwards 2/11, Bonga Maphanga 2/36); Durban High School 220/2 (Ismaeel Omar 104*, Josh van Biljon 57, Suliman Jadwat 44; Obakeng Motsepa 1/26). Durban High School won by eight wickets.
St Charles College 186/7 (Ryan Clarke 100*, Lebo Mokoena 50; Reece Willson 3/38); Maritzburg College 190/9 (Luan van der Merwe 52, Dax Jursa 44, Luka Puddu 20; Jayden Saville 4/26, Kaiyuran Naidoo 2/18). Maritzburg College won by one wicket.
