28 October 2024
(Feature photo: Brendon Sunguro, courtesy of Justin Waldman Sports Photography)
St Charles College hosted Hilton College on Saturday for a limited overs clash on the St Charles Oval. A tightly-contested game, largely dominated by the bowlers, unfolded, with Saints grafting hard for a three-wicket win.
At first, there appeared to be plenty of runs in the pitch, with Hilton getting away to a solid start. Robert Burman and Ben Hockly shared an opening stand of 47 before Hockly was caught by Rowen Rajah off the bowling of Cian Fortmann for 27 from 33 balls just before the conclusion of the first 10 overs.
That wicket by Fortmann, though, started a sticky period for the visitors. They slipped from 47 without loss to 59/5 after 17.2 overs as Fortmann and Brendon Sunguro made inroads for St Charles.
Jayden Roux and Ethan van Heerden, then, slowed the Saints’ success, sharing a partnership that lasted 13 overs and produced 55 runs. It ended with Van Heerden being caught by Fortmann off the left-arm spin of captain Marcel Wellmann for 19 from 30 deliveries.
Roux helped advance the total to 126 before his stubborn resistance was brought to an end. He had made 39 from 76 balls and struck five fours. Wellman trapped Luke Campbell in front two runs later, reducing Hilton to 126/8.
Hilton added another 22 runs before they were bowled out for 148 after 44.2 overs.
Saints’ skipper Marcel Wellmann shone, snaring 4/25 from nine overs, while Cian Fortmann performed superbly, too, knocking over 3/21 in 10. Brendon Sunguro, also, did a good job, picking up 2/36 from his 10.
Unfortunately, for Fortmann, he wasn’t unable to replicate his success with the ball when he opened the St Charles innings with Connor Riley. He was caught behind by Ben Hockly off the bowling of Netanzi Denenga for a duck.
Scoring was difficult. After 10 overs, Saints had reached only 17/1.
Riley and Wellman, showing good situational awareness, playing to weather excellent spells from Denenga and Ethan van Heerden, rather than worrying about the run scoring rate.
In the 13th over, Riley fell to Luke Campbell, having scored 16 from 43 balls. He had batted slowly, but in the context of the game he had performed an important job. Five runs later, Campbell accounted for Wellmann, too. His innings brought a pedestrian 12 runs from 41 balls, but Riley and Wellmann had helped set the stage for the batsmen to follow.
Rico Honiball became a third victim of Campbell in the 17th over, which left St Charles on a precarious 46/4. Relief was on its way, however, as Brendon Sunguro replaced him out in the middle.
The Zimbabwean international didn’t allow the bowlers an opportunity to dictate to him. He, instead, dictated to them, going on the offensive to score a critical 45 from 35 balls, with four fours, which gave Saints the momentum they so desperately needed. No other batsmen, from either team, managed to score more runs than the number of balls they faced. Sunguro and Thando Zama had added 47 from 53 deliveries.
The contest was far from decided, with the hosts on 96/5 in the 26th over. They had plenty of overs to play with, but matters could change quickly with the loss of a wicket or two, and the departure of Kwanele Nqayi, with the total on 102, further unsettled the St Charles’ reply.
Rowen Rajah, though, supported Zama well. They advanced the total to 134 before Rajah was caught by Hockly off Van Heerden’s bowling for 18, after he and Zama had shared a 32-run stand.
Zama continued to stand strong and he was there at the end, unbeaten on a vital 31 from 51, when St Charles passed Hilton’s score in the 40th over, with three wickets in hand.
Luke Campbell did his best to undermine the Saints’ reply, capturing 4/51 in 10, while new ball bowler, Netanzi Denenga, bowled superbly, returning figures of 2/19 from his 10 overs.
Scores
Hilton College 148/10 (Jayden Roux 39, Ben Hockly 27, Marcel Wellmann 4/25, Cian Fortmann 3/21, Brendon Sunguro 2/36); St Charles College 149/7 (Brendon Sunguro 45, Thando Zama 31*, Luke Campbell 4/51, Netanzi Denenga 2/19).
St Charles College won by 3 wickets.
Results in the open age group were evenly split 2-2, while Hilton enjoyed much the better of the u15 matches. St Charles ruled the u14 age group, with their very exciting u14A team adding another win to a long list of victories.
RESULTS
2nd: Hilton won by 56 runs
3rd: St Charles won by 15 runs
4th: Hilton won by one wicket
15A: Hilton won by 7 wickets
15B: Hilton won by 8 wickets
15C: Hilton won by 113 runs
14A: St Charles won by 40 runs
14B: St Charles won by 8 wickets
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