28 January 2024
The Maritzburg College 1st XI visited the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday for a showdown with Clifton College, with both teams seeking a win after suffering setbacks the previous weekend, when College went down to Westville and Clifton lost to Michaelhouse.
The toss went the hosts’ way and they opted to bat first. They made a steady start, with Byron Ward and Cohen Naidoo sharing an opening stand of 32 before Michael Gibson removed Ward for five. Without the addition of a run, Oliver da Costa got rid of Naidoo, who had played an enterprising knock of 23 from 30 balls, with three fours and a six.
Rivan Moodley followed for eight, a victim of College skipper Chad Mason, and then, disastrously, Clifton lost the talented Tim Saulez to a run out for only five runs. That hiccup left them in trouble on 65 for 4.
The visitors had an opportunity to strike into the heart of the Clifton innings, but College let themselves down in the field by grassing a number of catches. Shahzaad Perumal and Lawson Dinsdale benefitted, adding 43 for the fifth wicket before Dinsdale was out for 18.
Perumal followed four runs later for the innings’ top score of 48. He had faced 67 deliveries and struck five fours. Ollie da Costa, the pick of the College bowlers on the day, then struck again, bowling Callum Watson as Clifton lost two wickets on 112.
Gabriel Vermeulen stuck around and stuck it out for a while, contributing 16 runs, but he was the ninth man to fall, with the total on 146, and Simon Hill was unable to add to that as Clifton’s innings ended after 47.4 overs.
Da Costa stole the spotlight with a return of 4/19 from 12 overs, which included five maidens. Julian Konigkramer made an impact in his 6.4 overs, knocking over 3/31, while Michael Gibson was miserly with the new ball, picking up 1/12 in five.
Chasing just 147 to win, College opening batsmen Daniel Nadasan and Llewelyn Sutherland gave their side a solid start. Just one run shy of a 50-partnership, Sutherland fell victim to Shiraz Perumal for 35 from 44 balls, six of which he sent to the boundary.
Nadasan helped advance the total to 65 before he, too, was on his way, caught off of Simon Hill’s bowling for a resolute 20.
Chad Mason, fresh off a century against Westville the previous weekend, continued to play well, and he and Ollie Da Costa put on 42 before the latter departed with the total on 107.
The College skipper, though, almost took his team over the finishing line but, after a circumspect innings of 39 from 89 balls, he was out to Rivan Moodley, with only 13 more runs needed for victory.
Michael Gibson, with 21 not out, then steered College to a six-wicket win.
Simon Hill claimed 2/26 in six for Clifton, while Shiraz Perumal picked up 1/34 and Rivan Moodley 1/39, both in 10 overs. Shahzaad Perumal bowled well without reward, tying down the College batsman as he conceded only 22 runs from his 10 overs.
1st XI
Clifton College 146/10 (Shahzaad Perumal 48, Cohen Naidoo 23, Oliver Da Costa 4/19, Julian Konigkramer 3/31); Maritzburg College 147/4 (Chad Mason 39, Llewelyn Sutherland 35, Michael Gibson 21*, Daniel Nadasan 20, Simon Hill 2/26) Maritzburg College won by six wickets.
Maritzburg College played a full slate of games against different opponents throughout the age groups and enjoyed a wildly successful day. They lost only once, with the Clifton 2nd XI taking the honours in Pietermaritzburg.
Results
2nd XI
Clifton 149/10
Maritzburg College 118/10
Clifton won by 29 runs
3rd XI
Clifton 162/10
Maritzburg College 165/1
Maritzburg College won by 9 wickets
4th XI
Maritzburg College 212/3
Clifton 60/10
Maritzburg College won by 152 runs
16B
Maritzburg College 212/3
Clifton 4th 60/10
Maritzburg College won by 153 runs
15A
Maritzburg College 258/9
Clifton 210/10
Maritzburg College won by 48 runs
15B
Maritzburg College 15C 156/4
Clifton 155/4
Maritzburg College won by 1 run.
14A
Maritzburg College 233/7
Clifton 122/10
Maritzburg College won by 111 runs
u14B
Clifton 133/5
Maritzburg College 134/6
Maritzburg College won by 4 wickets
Other Maritzburg College matches
4th XI
Maritzburg College 214/5
Howick High 2nd 43/10
Maritzburg College won by 171 runs
5th XI
Michaelhouse 105/9
Maritzburg College 106/7
Maritzburg College won by 3 wickets
16A
Maritzburg College 259/8
Howick High 1st 71/10
Maritzburg College won by 188 runs
16C
Maritzburg College 170/4
Northdale Hub 141/9
Maritzburg College won by 29 runs
15B
Howick 15A 53/10
Maritzburg College 54/1
Maritzburg College won by 9 wickets
15D
Maritzburg College 129/3
Michaelhouse 120/9
Maritzburg College won by 9 runs
15E
Maritzburg College 199/4
Greytown 57/6
Maritzburg College won by 142 runs
14C
Howick A 50/10
Maritzburg College 51/2
Maritzburg College won by 8 wickets
14D
Grace College juniors
Maritzburg College won by 5 wickets
BASKETBALL
The Maritzburg College 1st team, for all of their many admirable attributes, is fuelled by its suffocating man-to-man defence. College dials up the pressure to 11, which often leads to the opposition engaging in a frantic fast-paced game, which suits the Pietermaritzburg school, but does not suit their opponents.
That scenario has played out time after time, and it was no different on the weekend as College’s tried and tested formula secured them a 24-point victory.
Give credit to Clifton, though. They’re a never-say-die outfit that plays to the final whistle. In late October 2023, College had swamped them 88-47 at home. This time, in Durban, the victory margin was cut almost in half.
Results
1st: Clifton 40-64 Maritzburg College
2nd: Clifton 22-40 Maritzburg College
3rd: Clifton 19-46 Maritzburg College
4th: Clifton 11-45 Maritzburg College
16A: Clifton 16-38 Maritzburg College
16B: Clifton 12-77 Maritzburg College
16C: Clifton 2-102 Maritzburg College
15A: Clifton 8-22 Maritzburg College
15B: Clifton 10-48 Maritzburg College
15C: Clifton 4-45 Maritzburg College
15D: Clifton 7-66 Maritzburg College
14A: Clifton 10-15 Maritzburg College
14B: Clifton 4-37 Maritzburg College
14C: Clifton 0-96 Maritzburg College
14D: Clifton 3-56 Maritzburg College
WATER POLO
No matter what may happen in any other sports, Clifton College can always rely on their water polo teams to deliver positive news, and they did just that on the weekend, winning eight of their nine matches against College.
Huge credit to the College u15B side for their win. It was quite astonishing considering that Clifton’s u15A team won by 18 goals and their C team by six.
Matches in the open age group were competitive, but Clifton was imperious in the u14 games.
Results
2nd: Clifton 14-3 Maritzburg College
3rd: Clifton 3-1 Maritzburg College
4th: Clifton 9-7 Maritzburg College
5th: Clifton 5-6 Maritzburg College
15A: Clifton 19-1 Maritzburg College
15B: Clifton 5-8 Maritzburg College
15C: Clifton 10-4 Maritzburg College
14A: Clifton 19-2 Maritzburg College
14B: Clifton 13-0 Maritzburg College
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