Maritzburg College edges out Clifton in thrilling last-ball storybook finish
After an epic century from opener Daniyaal Klinck inspired Clifton College to 245/6 in their limited-overs match against Maritzburg College at the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday, the visitors needed every ball of their 50 overs to sneak a one-wicket win.
With the visitors needing four to win, Luke Venter smashed the final delivery of the contest for six to snatch victory for College in a breathtaking finish.
Clifton captain Shiraz Perumal‘s decision to bat first paid dividends. The home side lost Yusuf Ahmed early to College captain Reece Willson, but Klinck and Muhammed Malek combined for a second-wicket stand of 62 before Malek departed for 23.
Matters, though, became tougher for College as Klinck and Hayden Drieselmann took it to the visiting bowlers. In a W100 loss to Northwood on Wednesday, Klinck had looked in fine form, hitting a six and four fours, seemingly with effortless ease, before losing his wicket for an entertaining 27 from 16 balls. On Saturday, with more time to pick his shots, he pushed on to score a superb century.
He and Drieselmann advanced the Clifton total by 147 runs in just under 30 overs. Their third-wicket stand finally ended on 214 when Kyle de Bruyn bowled Klinck for 126. The left-handed opener had faced 156 balls and struck 14 fours and two sixes.
With less than five overs remaining in their innings, Clifton’s batsmen hit out, but it cost them some wickets, with De Bruyn ensuring the home team didn’t pick up too big a late boost. He also accounted for Drieselmann, caught by Luka Puddu for 57, which included four fours and a six.
With De Bruyn capturing 4/42 in eight overs, Clifton finished with 245 runs on the scoreboard.
Sadly for De Bruyn, he didn’t enjoy similar success with the bat, and the opener was out in the third over of College’s reply. Akhil Bharath and Dax Jursa immediately repaired the damage, however, and batted their side into the contest with a big 125-run second-wicket partnership in just over 28 overs.
As so often happens, however, once it ended, both batsmen were soon out. Bharath was the first to go, caught and bowled by Keegan Watson for 57 from 82 balls. He’d hit four fours and a six.
Ten runs later, Daniel Rea removed Jursa for the innings’ top score of 62. That left College on 140/3 after 33 overs. A short while later, that became 147/4 when the dangerous Luka Puddu followed, another victim of Keegan Watson.
Luan van der Merwe, who has been a strength for the Red, Black, and White in the middle order, once again delivered, weighing in with 38 from 41 deliveries as the visitors clawed their way past 200. When Van der Merwe fell, bowled by Daniel Rea, Maritzburg College had reached 206/6 after 44.4 overs. The contest was balanced on a knife’s edge.
It appeared, however, as if it was going to be Clifton’s day when they claimed three more wickets, with two of them going to Rea and one to George Gooch, to leave College with no margin for error on 229/9 after 48.3 overs. They needed 16 to win and only nine deliveries to score those runs.
“Cometh the hour, cometh the man”, and in this instance, that man was Luke Venter. He went for it and, with a stunning six off the final ball, lifted College to 248/9 and a morale-boosting win. His match-winning contribution was 17 not out from only seven balls.
Daniel Rea starred for Clifton. Coming on as the first change bowler, he knocked over 5/39 in 10 overs, while Keegan Watson returned 2/35 from seven.
Summarised scorecard
Clifton College 245/6 (Daniyaal Klinck 126, Hayden Drieselmann 57, Muhammed Malek 23; Kyle de Bruyn 4/42); Maritzburg College 248/9 (Dax Jursa 62, Akhil Bharath 57, Luan van der Merwe 38; Daniel Rea 5/39, Keegan Watson 2/35). Maritzburg College won by one wicket.
