28 January 2025
Under the leadership of Kyle White, the Northwood 1st XI is in a healthy place. They’re playing confident, assured cricket, and that brought them a third win over Hilton College in just over a week.
They had scored successive T20 win over wins over Hilton twice at the regional finals of the KZN Schools SA20 competition with only three balls remaining in both matches, but Saturday’s meeting on the Robin Smith Oval was a limited overs contest and the Knights produced a more emphatic victory.
Hilton opted to bat, but they found the going a tough trudge. The openers, James Ogilby and Alex Pitman made 24 for the first wicket in six overs, but Northwood soon slowed Hilton’s progress to a snail’s pace.
Pitman made 23 runs but, unfortunately for Hilton, he was run out. That proved to be the visitors’ highest score. Stewart Falconer came closest to matching the opener, weighing in with 20.
Disciplined bowling has been a trademark of Northwood’s attack, and it was, once again, on point.
Left-arm spinner Jordan Matthews has been at the forefront of the Knights’ success, and he was superb on Saturday, sending down 10 overs and snaffling 3/14. His was not a solo effort, though. He enjoyed strong support.
Connor Leclezio claimed 1/19 in 10, Ben Cilliers 1/22, also from 10, and Kyle White 0/3 from four overs. That miserly bowling heaped massive pressure on Hilton’s batsmen, who completed their 50 overs on only 110/8, with Northwood conceding only four boundaries.
Opening bowler Sechaba Gude gave Hilton early hope of pulling off a surprise win by removing David de Bruyn and Tuswa Phetha before three overs were done.
Ross McGlashan and Kyle White, then, turned the tide in the Knights’ favour. Both are in good form, and they played the way the pitch demanded, respecting the bowling and taking only what was on offer. They added 55 runs for the third wicket from 118 balls.
After McGlashan fell to Benoit Rey for 31, White and Alistair Duncan guided Northwood to victory with 15.5 overs to spare. The captain finished unbeaten on 50, which included four fours and a sweetly struck straight six. Duncan played his part with 17 not out.
Sechaba Gude captured 2/20 from five overs, while Benoit Rey was tidy, snaring 1/19 in 10, and Luke Campbell went for only 12 runs from his eight overs, but the Knights, in the end, cruised to another win.
Scores
Hilton College 110/8 (Alex Pitman, Stewart Falconer 20, Jordan Matthew 3/14); Northwood School 111/3 (Kyle White 50*, Ross McGlashan 31, Sechaba Gude 2/20). Northwood won by 7 wickets.
It’s been about three-and-a-half years since former Proteas’ fast bowler Mornantau “Nantie” Hayward took charge of cricket at Northwood and his leadership has produced steady results that have becoming increasingly impressive.
Under Hayward, there is strong depth through the various age groups, and Northwood certainly enjoyed the better of the results on Saturday, which has not often been the case in the past against Hilton, which has a solid cricket pedigree.
RESULTS
2nd: Northwood won by 62 runs
3rd: Northwood won by 9 wickets
4th: Match tied
16A: Northwood won by 8 wickets
16B: Northwood won by 5 wickets
16C: Northwood won by 37 runs vs Westville
16D: Michaelhouse beat Northwood by 7 wickets
15A: Northwood won by 8 wickets
15B: Northwood won by 22 runs
15C: Northwood won by 123 runs vs Hillcrest
15D: Northwood won by 50 runs vs Westville
15E: Amanzimtoti beat Northwood by 23 runs
14A: Northwood won by 5 wickets
14B: Hilton College won by 6 wickets
14C: Hilton College won by 34 runs
14D: Northwood won by 7 wickets
14E: Northwood won by 4 wickets vs Westville
BASKETBALL
Northwood held off a valiant challenge from Hilton College in Durban on Saturday to record a 75-59 victory over the visitors. That result was not unexpected. The Knights are a formidable team.
However, Hilton’s competitiveness through the age group might have surprised some. In fact, the visitors won slightly more games than their hosts.
Northwood held the edge in the open age group, winning six of the seven matches, but Hilton won three of the five u16 games, and four of the five u15 contests and u14 games.
While Northwood, Maritzburg College and Westville, have been the pacesetters in recent times, perhaps it is time to pay close attention to Hilton.
RESULTS
1st: Northwood 75-59 Hilton College
2nd: Northwood 29-28 Hilton College
3rd: Northwood 13-19 Hilton College
4th: Northwood 28-20 Hilton College
5th: Northwood 19-16 Hilton College
6th: Northwood 29-21 Hilton College
7th: Northwood 22-14 Hilton College
16A: Northwood 14-18 Hilton College
16B: Northwood 31-20 Hilton College
16C: Northwood 21-19 Hilton College
16D: Northwood 17-20 Hilton College
16E: Northwood 18-20 Hilton College
15A: Northwood 27-47 Hilton College
15B: Northwood 21-17 Hilton College
15C: Northwood 19-26 Hilton College
15D: Northwood 9-17 Hilton College
15E: Northwood 16-20 Hilton College
14A: Northwood 15-32 Hilton College
14B: Northwood 12-20 Hilton College
14C: Northwood 16-22 Hilton College
14D: Northwood 16-13 Hilton College
14E: Northwood 6-18 Hilton College
WATER POLO
With the Hilton College 1st team away at the St Andrew’s College Shield, where they were the best of the KZN sides, Northwood instead faced Hilton’s arch-rival, Michaelhouse, on Saturday in Durban.
Northwood showed they’re a dangerous side and bounced back from a loss to DHS the weekend before to run out comfortable 11-6 winners over a Michaelhouse side that had given Kearsney’s powerhouse 1st team a tough workout the previous weekend.
The Northwood u15A and u14A teams faced both Hilton and Michaelhouse, with Northwood winning both u15A matches, but going down at u14A level.
RESULTS
1st: Northwood 11-6 Michaelhouse
2nd: Northwood 7-8 Hilton College
3rd: Northwood 5-4 Hilton College
4th: Northwood 7-4 Hilton College
5th: Northwood 4-5 Hilton College
6th: Northwood 8-2 Hilton College
7th: Northwood 9-4 Ashton College 1st
15A: Northwood 7-5 Michaelhouse
15A: Northwood 9-7 Hilton College
14A: Northwood 3-10 Hilton College
14A: Northwood 2-11 Michaelhouse
14B: Northwood 2-8 Hilton College
14B: Northwood 1-10 Ashton College u14A
14C: Northwood 9-5 Virginia Prep 1st
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