Soni steers Glenwood to victory at Northwood
Glenwood visited Northwood on Saturday for a limited-overs clash on the Robin Smith Oval. It turned into a good day for the visitors, who tallied 188 all out and then bowled out the Knights for 133 to score a solid 55-run win.
The Green Machine were expertly led by their captain and SA Schools’ opening bowler, Ntando Soni, who made telling contributions with both the bat and ball.
He called the coin flip correctly and chose to bat first, but Glenwood lost Karabo Ntsieng early.
Krian Jugoo, who replaced him out in the middle, likes to play strokes and he played some good ones in his knock of 49 from 70 balls, striking seven fours and a six, before falling to Kyle White, but Jugoo had helped his side add 64 for the second wicket, lifting the total to 69.
When Kressan Pillai was caught off Luke Allen for 19, Glenwood skipper Soni made his way to the crease. He’s become a valuable contributor with the bat in 2024 and, once again, he delivered a crucial knock. In just 52 balls, he hit six fours and made 47 to give his side’s batting effort a sharp boost.
Bandile Mbatha, who, like Soni, was recently included in the Dolphins’ Khaya Majola Week team for a second year in succession, did his bit by adding 25 runs, coming in at number seven.
With only seven balls remaining in their 50 overs, Glenwood was bowled out for 188. Northwood opening bowler Mason Storm caused the visitors problems, capturing 4/43 in 8.5 overs, while Kyle White and Ben Erasmus bowled tidily and claimed two wickets apiece. White finished with 2/22 from 9.3 overs and Erasmus with 2/33 from 10.
On the Robin Smith Oval, 188 is a decent effort, and that became crystal clear when Soni extracted good bounce and carry, and struck in the first over of Northwood’s reply, bowing Alistair Duncan for one.
Tuswa Phetwa and Mfana Shange kept Glenwood at bay for a short while, but Mbatha ended their partnership, which was worth 19 runs, when Phetwa was caught off his bowling for three.
Kyle White joined Shange in the middle and together they put their heads down and grafted hard, adding 63 runs for the third wicket before Shange was caught by Krian Jugoo off the bowling of left-arm spinner Sibonelo Phewa for 56. His stubborn stay had lasted 103 balls and included six fours and a six.
Shange’s dismissal left the Knights on 86/3 and still very much in the contest, but his removal precipitated a collapse as another three batsmen followed in quick succession.
The wickets were shared around. Mbatha got rid of Ross McGlashan for a duck, Phewa ended Thomas Oosthuizen‘s brief innings for one, and off-spinner Kyle Bryan brought about the end of Mason Storm for another duck.
With Northwood on 91/6, Glenwood was firmly in the driver’s seat. But Luke Allen and Kyle White advanced the home team’s total to 111, which is when Nelson struck…twice.
Soni had Allen caught by Mbatha for seven and then removed Jordan Matthews with the very next ball. At 111/8, Northwood was in deep trouble, although Kyle White continued to defy the Glenwood attack. He helped advance the host’s total to 128 but, then, became the ninth man out, LBW to Soni for a fighting 53 runs from 83 balls, six of which he’d hit for four.
Soon, it was over, with Northwood all out for 133 after Soni grabbed his fifth wicket. The Glenwood skipper shone, finishing with the sparkling analysis of 5/15 from 8.4 overs, which included two maidens.
Sibonelo Phewa snared 2/30 in six, and Bandile Mbatha took 2/40 in nine. Kyle Bryan tied the Knights in knots, claiming 1/14 in 10 miserly overs.
Both Shange and White batted well for Northwood, but the other nine batsmen mustered only 18 runs between them, and that was simply not enough.
Summarised scorecard
Glenwood 188/10 (Krian Jugoo 49, Ntando Soni 47, Bandile Mbatha 25, Mason Storm 4/43, Kyle White 2/22, Ben Cilliers 2/33); Northwood 133/10 (Mfana Shange 56, Kyle White 53, Ntando Soni 5/15, Sibonelo Phewa 2/30, Bandile Mbatha 2/40, Kyle Bryan 1/14).
Glenwood won by 55 runs.
