30 August 2023
A mature fifty from Charles Swart was the difference as Hilton College defeated Saint Charles by two wickets, with only three balls remaining, in a One Insurance Night League match at Eston on Wednesday.
Batting first, Saints posted 137 for 7, with Marcel Wellman top scoring with an unbeaten 29. Unfortunately for Saints, too many batsmen got in, but then failed to press on. Cian Fortmann (shown in feature photo) and Sam Brown were both also out in the twenties.
Nic Chantler and Murray Loughor-Clarke led the Hilton attack, with Chantler’s leg-spin delivering a return of 2 for 18 in four overs, while Loughor-Clarke’s seam delivered 2 for 21 in three.
Unlucky dismissal
In reply, Hilton’s opener Ivan Lockem and Luke Watt looked comfortable, but Lockem was somewhat unluckily run out when Brendon Sunguroo unintentionally deflected a drive onto the stumps, with Lockem backing up and outside of the crease.
Watt then gave the Hilton innings a massive boost when he sent five Thabiso Ndlela deliveries to the boundary in succession in the third over to lift Hilton to 31 for 1.
Almost immediately, Saints wrestled back some control. They first ran out Luke Watt for 21 from 11 balls, and Jehan Adonis then claimed two wickets in quick succession to reduce Hilton to 40 for 4.
Crucial partnership
Charles Swart and Nic Chantler then combined in a crucial, responsible partnership, putting on 57 runs before Chantler was sent packing for 18, the victim of a very tight run out call.
Hilton were on 97 for 5, but that soon became 108 for 8 as left-arm spinner Cian Fortmann bagged the wickets of Jared Kitto, with a beautiful delivery that drifted in with the arm and found a gap between bat and pad, and Kyle Christie, who was caught off of a leading edge. Off-spinner Brendon Sunguroo then removed Ethan van Heerden, who holed out to long-on, going for a big shot.
Hilton had only two wickets in hand, but Charles Swart was still out in the middle, undefeated on 35. They also had 20 balls to score 25 runs.
Successive boundaries
In the third last over, Swart sent successive deliveries to the boundary to pull Hilton within range of the Saints’ total on 128 for 8. He was on 46 from 43 deliveries.
Left-arm spinner Cian Fortmann had changed ends, and he very nearly claimed the wicket of Brett Cutting, who spooned an attempted glide to the leg back to the bowler, but it fell just centimetres in front of Fortmann’s outstretched hands.
Cutting and Swart kept their wits about them and kept the scoreboard ticking over. By the time the final over arrived, Hilton needed only four runs to win. Swart duly delivered the winning two runs off of the third delivery of the over, taking him to 51 not out from 47 balls.
SCORES
Saint Charles College 137 for 7 (M. Wellman 29*, C. Fortmann 23, S. Brown 20, N, Chantler 2 for 18, M. Loughor-Clarke 2 for 21)
Hilton College 138 for 8 (C. Swart 51*, L. Watt 21, C. Fortmann 2 for 15)
Hilton won by 2 wickets
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