9 January 2024
Day two of the iHlobo Cricket Festival was kind to the KwaZulu-Natal schools, who all won, with Clifton and Kearsney recording particularly emphatic victories. Michaelhouse and DHS were made to work a little harder, but in the end they, too, were convincing winners.
Clifton College vs Uplands College
Clifton College had a very short second day at the iHlobo Festival, being hosted by Kearsney College in Botha’s Hill, with their match against Uplands College lasting just less than 25 overs. It brought the Durban school an eight-wicket victory, which was their third win on the trot at the festival, and already their fifth victory of 2024.
In warm-up matches before the event, Clifton had held off St John’s Harare to claim a narrow three-run win before an easier 48-run victory over Falcon College.
Not much went right for Uplands on Tuesday, although the toss went their way. In retrospect, it might have been better if they had lost it because, after electing to bat, they were skittled for only 33 in 16.1 overs.
Opener Leam van Zyl, with seven, was their top scorer, while first-change bowler Gabriel Vermeulen laid waste to the Uplands innings, capturing 5 for 5 in 3.1 overs.
Shiraz Perumal also shone, snaring 3 for 9 in three, while Tim Saulez picked up 2 for 8 in five with the new ball.
Incredibly, the wickets continued to tumble when Clifton batted as Van Zyl removed Byron Ward and Rivan Moodley with only one run on the board. From there, though, Caleb Naicker took charge, making 19 from 24 balls to see his side to victory in 8.4 overs.
Kearsney College vs St Alban’s College
The hosts, Kearsney College, comfortably dealt with St Alban’s College, cruising to a seven-wicket victory.
The Pretoria school put up 124 for 7 in their innings, with Matthew Ward making 40 before he was run out. Boago Motlhabedi contributed 24 not out and Patrick Weir weighed in with 20.
Matthew Lamplough claimed 2 for 11 in three for Kearsney, whose bowlers kept a tight leash on the St Alban’s batsmen throughout their innings.
The home team then romped to 125 for 3 in their run chase to record a third iHlobo Festival win in a row.
Opener Cameron Veenstra finished with an unbeaten 55, while Matthew De Oliveira made 29 and Jack O’Donovan 26.
Michaelhouse vs St John’s College
Michaelhouse faced St John’s College of Harare on the AH Smith Oval in a T20 match and came away with a four-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare to also extend their festival record to a perfect three from three.
The Zimbabwean side tallied 138 for 7, with opener Takudzwa Nduku smashing three sixes and a four in his 35 from 47 balls, which was the top score in their innings.
Luke Wright continued his big hitting, also launching three deliveries over the boundary and adding a four, as he clubbed 29 from just 13 deliveries, while Kian Blignaut weighed in with 26 from 25.
Oliver Davis was the pick of the Michaelhouse attack, knocking over 3 for 22 in his four overs. Ethan Muir claimed 2 for 24 in three, while Ross Moller kept the St John’s batsmen quiet, finishing with 1 for 13 from four.
In reply, Michaelhouse made 139 for 6 in 17.5 overs, with Muir, unbeaten on 33, and Luke Payne, 15 not out, seeing their side to victory with an unbroken stand of 53 runs.
Michaelhouse made a lively start, with Seb Hofmeyr and Michael Spencer putting on 43 for the first wicket in a shade over five overs before Hofmeyr fell for 17 at a run a ball. Spencer went on to make 25 from 21.
Michael Blignaut did a tidy job for St John’s, snapping up 3 for 20 in four, while Kian Blignaut took 2 for 18 in his four. Michaelhouse, though, played aggressively throughout, even after wickets fell, and their approach was rewarded with a win.
Durban High School vs Falcon College
Durban High School, beaten by Michaelhouse on day one, tasted victory against Falcon College.
The school from Matabeleland batted first and while a number of their batsmen made starts none of them turned those into substantial scores.
Darren Ncube, with 24, and Reed Merick, with 21, were the only batsmen to make it into the twenties. Their total of 136 all out was not too bad, though, if one considers how much trouble Falcon was in on 39 for 5 after 14 overs.
Taine Havermann spun a web around the Zimbabweans, capturing 4 for 28 in 7.4 overs, and he was well supported by Bhavesh Naicker, who removed three batsmen at a cost of only 11 runs from his five overs.
DHS opener Omar Ismael then set his side on course for victory with an undefeated 57 from 79 balls, which included four fours and a six.
Bradley Wentzel, though, caused the DHS batsmen all sorts of problems, knocking over 5 for 38 in 8.3 overs. But Taine Havermann then provided the steadying influence that DHS badly needed and he, together with Ismael, saw the Durban boys to a five-wicket victory with an unbroken partnership of 94.
Summarised scores
Uplands College 33/10 (Gabriel Vermeulen 5/5, Shiraz Perumal 3/9, Tim Saulez 2/8); Clifton College 34/2 after 8.4 overs (Caleb Naicker 19*, Leam van Zyl 2/20) Clifton won by 8 wickets.
St John’s Harare 138/7 (Takudzwa Nduku 35, Luke Wright 29, Kian Blignaut 26, Oliver Davis 3/22, Ethan Muir 2/24); Michaelhouse 139/6 (Ethan Muir 33*, Michael Spencer 25, Michael Blignaut 3/20, Kian Blignaut 2/18) Michaelhouse won by 4 wickets.
Falcon College 136/10 (Darren Ncube 24, Reed Merick 21, Taine Havermann 4/28, Bhavesh Naicker 3/11); Durban High School 137/5 (Omar Ismael 57*, Taine Havermann 40*, Bradley Wentzel 5/38) DHS won by 5 wickets.
St Alban’s College 124/7 (Matthew Ward 40, Boago Motlhabedi 24*, Patrick Weir 20, Matthew Lamplough 2/11); Kearsney College 125/3 (Cameron Veenstra 55*, Matthew De Oliveira 29, Jack O’Donovan 26) Kearsney won by 7 wickets.
Leave a Reply