Soni’s inspired innings drives Glenwood to big win at St Charles
St Charles College welcomed Glenwood High to Pietermaritzburg on Saturday for a limited overs showdown. The visitors sure made themselves at home, rolling to a 73-run victory, despite an outstanding bowling effort from Stefan Veldsman.
Batting first, Karabo Ntsieng and Nathan Moodley laid a solid foundation for Glenwood, with an opening stand of 40, but they were dismissed a ball apart, with Ntsieng making 21 and Moodley 12.
Cian Fortmann and the aforementioned Veldsmann then tore through the Glenwood batting, with 40 without loss quickly becoming 47/5. Soon, matters darkened for the Green Machine, who fell to 56/6. Everything was going the way of the home team, but Kreesan Pillai and Glenwood captain Ntando Soni turned the tide.
It was another 23.2 overs before Saints enjoyed further success. By then, though, the state of the game had changed. When Pillai was caught by Covhan Baaitjies off the bowling of Stefan Veldsman for 39, he and Soni had added 112 runs. Pillai’s knock lasted 72 deliveries and included four fours.
Soni, who had been responsible for the decision to bat first, helped add another 17 runs to the Glenwood total before becoming the ninth man to depart, run out for 70 from 85 balls, with four fours. His innings had transformed the visitors’ batting effort.
Glenwood finished with 192 all out after 47.1 overs in the middle. Stefan Veldsman sparkled for the home team, sending down nine overs and snagging 6/37. He was well supported by Cian Fortmann, who knocked over 3/26 in 8.1 overs.
This season, Glenwood’s strength has tended to lean towards its fielding and bowling, and that paid dividends on Saturday. Saints struggled to construct any telling partnerships.
Both openers, Cian Fortmann and Kwanele Nqayi, were out before they had made it into double figures, with Fortmann being caught by Olwami Zondi off the bowling of Bandile Mbatha for five, and Nqayi falling victim to a run out for eight.
Saints’ skipper Marcell Wellmann and Rico Honiball held up the Glenwood attack for a while, but Daniel Gunawardena then bowled Honiball for 10, leaving the hosts on 47/3.
Wellmann struck two fours and a six, but he was out to Kressan Pillai, also caught by Zondi, for 26. Disastrously for Saints, Matthew Thiselton and Stefan Veldsman were out on the same score, 61, both to the off-spin of Kyle Bryan, which left the home team tottering, with six wickets down.
Only seven runs later, Bryan also accounted for Matthew Gerber. At 68/7, St Charles was staring down the barrel.
Rowen Rajah and Covhan Baaitjies resisted and put on 38 for the eighth wicket before Bandile Mbatha got through Rajah’s defences, reducing Saints to 106/8.
Baatjties soon followed, bowled by Pillai, for the innings’ second-highest score of 23. Just over three overs later, St Charles was dismissed for only 119.
Kyle Bryan was special for Glenwood, snaring 3/14 in 10 overs, with four of those being maidens.
Bandile Mbatha captured 3/29 in 7.4 overs. Kreesan Pillai was also instrumental in Glenwood’s win, adding a return of 2/27 in 10 to his crucial 39 runs, and Daniel Gunawardena was miserly, claiming 1/13 in six overs.
Scores
Glenwood High 192/10 (Ntando Soni 70, Kreesan Pillai 39, Karabo Ntsieng 21; Stefan Veldsman 6/37, Cian Fortmann 3/26); St Charles College 119/10 (Marcell Wellmann 26, Covhan Baaitjies 23; Kyle Bryan 3/14, Bandile Mbatha 3/29, Kressan Pillai 2/27) Glenwood High won by 73 runs.
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