4 March 2024
(Feature photo: Ben Hockly strikes the first of nine fours in his century against Michaelhouse, credit: Justin Waldman Sports Photography)
Hilton College visited the Roy Gathorne Oval on Saturday for a limited overs showdown with their good rivals, Michaelhouse. Thanks to a century from opening batsman Ben Hockly, and a strong performance in the field, the visitors came away with a 75-run victory.
Hockly rewarded his captain Ethan van Heerden‘s decision to bat first by doing justice to the late great Hilton old boy, Mike Procter, for whom a minute’s silence was observed before the start of the match.
It wasn’t a smooth start for the visitors, who lost Robert Burman and Jayden Roux early on. However, when Charles Swart joined Hockly at the crease, the visitors slowly took control of the contest.
It was tough sledding, but the duo dug deep to spend 36.3 overs together, during which time they added 127 runs. Swart, in a support role, was eventually dismissed in the 43rd over, bowled by Ross Moller, for 45 runs.
Kyle Christie lasted only two balls, before he became the victim of a run out. Then, just eight runs later, Hockly was out. He had scored exactly 100, from 134 balls, with nine fours and a six. His diligent effort had set the stage for James Ogilby and Netanzi Denenga to provide the Hilton batting effort with a late boost.
They joined forces with the total on 170/5, with 4.4 overs remaining. Neither managed a boundary, but they still added 32 runs to take the visitors to 202/5 after their 50 overs. Denenga contributed 20 from 20 and Ogilby 11 from 10.
Michaelhouse captain Cameron Strudwick was miserly, sending down nine overs and conceding only 11 runs, while Ross Moller was the most successful of the home side’s bowlers, claiming 2/52 from his 10.
Requiring just over four runs per over to win, Michaelhouse lost Ethan Muir and Dylan Hewlett with only 17 runs on the board. Michael Spencer cracked three fours in an innings of 19, but he was out with the total on 40. Four runs later, Seb Hofmeyr followed him off the field as ‘House slipped to 44/4.
Hilton’s opening bowlers, Netanzi Denenga and Ethan van Heerden had done the damage, removing two batsmen each.
Murray Hall-Jones stopped the rot – at least on his end – but Hilton continued to make inroads. Hayden Hewlett made 19, but he was run out, and 10 runs later Cameron Strudwick was run out, too. That left Michaelhouse on 96/6.
Then, they lost Luke Mitchell on 115, and only two balls later it was the top scorer, Murray Hall-Jones, who was out, caught by David Hill off Denenga for 56 from 65 deliveries.
Michaelhouse managed 12 more runs before Denenga ended their innings by bowling Jean-Luc Rey for five.
SCORES
Hilton College 202/5 (Ben Hockly 100, Charles Swart 45, Netanzi Denenga 20*; Ross Moller 2/52); Michaelhouse 127/10 (Murray Hall-Jones 56; Ethan van Heerden 3/17, Netanzi Denenga 3/28, Kyle Christie 2/19) Hilton College won by 75 runs.
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