Kearsney powers to win over Hilton, Clifton handles Glenwood
There was a run feast on the AH Smith Oval on Saturday, where Kearsney College hosted Hilton College in a 50-over clash.
The visitors, after winning the toss, opted to bat first and, after a rickety start, piled on the runs.
Ben Hockly, who recently represented SA u19 Emerging in Zimbabwe, entertained in a brief stay, with his eight balls producing 15 runs, including two fours and a six, and Simon Steyn did his bit, making 28, but it was Charles Swart and Jayden Roux who scored the bulk of the visitors’ runs.
Swart, who struck a century against Paul Roos Gimnasium during the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week, added another one, grafting hard for 103 runs from 129 balls, with 15 fours and a six, while Roux narrowly missed out on a ton, making 90 from 97, with eight fours and two sixes.
Although Swart and Roux shared a partnership of 109, Kearsney did a good job of keeping the duo in check, with those runs coming off of 160 deliveries.
Ben Erasmus and Roux combined for 73 runs for the fifth wicket, with Erasmus hitting 22 off 20, and, in the end, Hilton posted a healthy 272/6.
Ryan Browning led the Kearsney bowling attack, knocking over 3/32 in seven, while Ross Coetzee, although he went wicketless, bowled economically to put Hilton under pressure, conceding only 35 runs from his 10 overs.
The home side started slowly in response and lost the hard-hitting Jack O’Donovan for five just before the fifth over. Keegan de Jager and Cameron Veenstra took the total to 49 before De Jager was caught and bowled by Jayden Roux for 21. That brought Ross Coetzee out to the middle to join Veenstra. They were the dangermen.
Undaunted by a stiff target, Veenstra and Coetzee went after the Hilton bowling. They spent 197 balls together and tallied 210 runs. When Coetzee was out, with seven overs remaining, he had made 111 from 106 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes, in his 100th match for the Kearsney 1st XI. The total was 259 and the job was almost done.
Hilton managed another wicket, with Matthew De Oliveira departing cheaply, but Murray Weyer struck two fours in an unbeaten 10, and Veenstra finished on 104 not out, from 111 balls, with 16 fours, as Kearsney charged to an impressive six-wicket win with four-and-a-half overs to spare.
Benoit Rey provided a spot of sunshine for the Hilton attack, picking up 2/42 in eight, but it was Kearsney’s day behind the centuries of Coetzee and Veenstra.
At the Riverside Sports Club, Glenwood elected to bat first against Clifton. It was an innings that promised more than it delivered.
Five batsmen made at least 20, but none advanced beyond the 36 scored by opening batsman Karabo Ntsieng. Their highest partnership was 45, between Ntsieng and Krian Jugoo for the second wicket, but all six of the Clifton bowlers picked up wickets.
Opening bowler Callum Watson led the way, capturing 3/46, while fellow seamer Gabriel Vermeulen knocked over 2/38. Captain and left-arm spinner, Shahzaad Perumal, snared 2/33 as Glenwood was bowled out in 48.2 overs for 217.
SA u19 paceman Ntando Soni, batting at seven, contributed 31 from 38 deliveries, while the aforementioned Krian Jugoo made 27, and Sibonelo Phewa, the number nine batsman, weighed in with a useful 23.
Clifton made a poor start to their run chase, falling to 27/3 in the early going, which included the wicket of the in-form Tim Saulez. They appeared to be in trouble as Glenwood bowled well up front. But Shahzaad Perumal produced a captain’s knock to turn the tide and he was well supported by Zach Williamson.
Together they stole the impetus away from Glenwood, with Perumal going on to a superb 102 not out, while Williamson’s valuable contribution was 59 runs. Lawson Dinsdale joined forces with Perumal to see Clifton to an impressive six-wicket victory, finishing unbeaten on 31.
Summarised scorecards
Hilton College 272/6 (Charles Swart 103, Jayden Roux 90, Simon Steyn 28, Ross Browning 3/32); Kearsney College 273/4 (Ross Coetzee 111, Cameron Veenstra 104*, Keegan de Jager 21, Benoit Rey 2/42)
Kearsney College won by six wickets.
Glenwood 217/10 (Karabo Ntsieng 37, Ntando Soni 31, Krian Jugoo 27, Sibonelo Phewa 23, Callum Watson 3/46, Shahzaad Perumal 2/33, Gabriel Vermeulen 2/38); Clifton College 218/4 (Shahzaad Perumal 102*, Zach Williamson 59, Lawson Dinsdale 31*, Ntando Soni 2/34)
Clifton won by six wickets.
