DHS stops St Charles on Theobald Oval
Durban High School (DHS) welcomed an in-form St Charles College, the recent winners of the Eston One Insurance Night League, to the Theobald Oval on Saturday for a 50-over clash.
After winning the toss, DHS captain Semal Pillay opted to bat first, but the early returns were poor. Omar Ismaeel, usually a steady performer up front, was bowled by Tristan Montile for four and his fellow opener, Ethan Cooper, followed soon after for a single, caught off the bowling of Montile.
Then, Montile bowled KZN u16 star, Josh van Biljon, for a duck. At 16/3, DHS had stumbled out of the gate. The captain, though, took on the responsibility of repairing the innings, and Josh Loots helped him add 57 for the fourth wicket in 14.3 overs.
Kaiyuran Naidoo got rid of Loots, caught for 21 after a 46-ball stay. Pillay, though, continued on, making his way to 49 before having his patient 76-ball knock, which had included seven fours, ended by Brendon Sunguro.
By then, DHS had progressed to 123/5 after 31.2 overs. Taine Havemann, who had shared in a 50-run partnership with Pillay, was still out in the middle, though, and he took charge of the DHS innings.
Sfundo Mthembu, Bayanda Majola, and Jared Havemann each racked up scores in the teens, while Taine Havemann played the anchor role. He was eventually the ninth man out, dismissed for a well-played 74 from 93 deliveries, with eight fours, yet another victim of Tristan Montile.
Only three more runs were added before the Saints’ opening bowler secured a five-for by bowling Sibusiso Msibi for two. DHS had tallied 226 all out.
Without his regular new ball partner, Rowen Rajah, who is on duty with the SA Emerging u19 team, Montile did a tremendous job of shouldering the responsibility of being entrusted with the new ball and finished with 5 for 36 from 8.5 overs.
Zimbabwean international, Brendon Sunguro, was a touch on the expensive side on a ground that doesn’t easily give up runs, but he still snared 2 for 58 from 10 overs.
In reply, St Charles lost Connor Riley early to Taine Havemann for a single, but Cian Fortmann and captain Marcell Wellmann steadied the innings with a stand of 54 for the second wicket before Dilhan Naraidu trapped the dangerous Fortmann in front for 15.
Then, with the total on 76, he had the on-song Wellman caught by Semal Pillay for 46 from only 36 balls, which had included five fours and two sixes.
Kwanele Nqayi didn’t last long before he was bowled by Pillay for four, and Naraidu, then, struck again, once more teaming up with Pillay to have Rico Honiball caught for 27, which had included three fours. With his departure, St Charles was in a tricky position on 100 for 5.
They navigated it well, for a while, with Sunguro and Clarke adding 37 for the sixth wicket before Sunguro was LBW to the express pace of Bayanda Majola for 26, which had come for just 28 balls, four of which were dispatched to the boundary.
Clarke went on to make 17, but the Saints’ run chase lost steam as no other batsmen made it into double figures.
Naraidu did most of the damage, returning the superb figures of 4/24 from nine overs, which included three of the Saints’ top four, while Jared Havemann snared 2 for 8 in 4.4 overs with his leg-spin, and Bayanda Majola returned 2 for 48 from his pace.
St Charles were all out for 163 after only 34.4 overs and DHS had, in the end, posted a handsome 63-run victory.
Scores
Durban High School 226/10 (Taine Havemann 74, Semal Pillay 49, Joshua Loots 21, Tristan Montile 5/36, Brendon Sunguro 2/58); St Charles College 163/10 (Marcell Wellmann 46, Rico Honiball 27, Brendon Sunguro 26, Dilhan Naraidu 4/24, Jared Havemann 2/8, Bayanda Majola 2/48)
Durban High School won by 63 runs
