10 November 2024
CRICKET
Run scoring proved challenging on the St Charles Oval in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday, when the Saints 1st XI went up against Kearsney College, but it sure didn’t start like that.
The home side’s openers, Cian Fortmann and Connor Riley, spent a ball shy of 36 overs at the crease, sharing a 158-run stand before Kearsney captain Ross Coetzee, at last, ended their partnership when he pulled off a caught and bowled to send Riley packing for 58 from 103 deliveries, which included seven fours.
That modest strike rate was, however, the key to the success of the Saints’ openers. They grafted for their runs, taking what was offered to them, but otherwise respected the good balls.
The dismissal of Riley was followed by another three wickets going down in quick succession for the addition of just 20 runs. Rico Honiball was run out, while Jason De Gryse struck twice to remove two key batsmen, Marcell Wellmann and Brendon Sunguro.
While Saints lost steam, Fortmann continued accumulating runs. Eventually, his excellent innings was brought to an end in the 48th over, with the left-hander the sixth wicket to fall with the total on 225. He had made 116 from 152 balls, hitting nine fours and a six.
St Charles finished on 236/9 as three more wickets went down in the last two overs. Keegan de Jager tore through the Saints’ tail, snapping up 5/35 in six overs, while Jason De Gryse finished with 2/43 from 10. Coetzee also sent down 10 and took 1/43.
Outside of Fortmann and Riley, Brendon Sungoro was the home team’s next highest scorer, making only 12. However, 26 extras boosted coach Lucky Dladla‘s charges’ effort.
Big totals on the SCC Oval are not easy to come by, but Kearsney, missing some of their top grade 12 players, made an enterprising start to their run chase, with Jonty Wiggett and Jason de Gryse putting up 43 in 9.3 overs before Wiggett fell. He was bowled by Ryan Clarke for 28 from 33 balls, four of which had been dispatched to the boundary.
After 10 more runs had been added, De Gryse was caught by Rico Honiball off the bowling of Tristan Montile for 14. That made the score 52/2. Then, Montile quickly added a couple more wickets to his list of victims, removing two dangerous batsmen, Keegan de Jager and Aaron Blackburn, while Cole Young was run out for a duck, and Clarke knocked over Nicholas Comrie for a duck.
Suddenly, on 62/6 in the 18th over, the visitors were in serious trouble. In the asset column, though, was their outstanding skipper, Ross Coetzee, who was still out in the middle, adding to the Kearsney record he had set last week at Maritzburg College for the most runs in a season.
He and Asavhela Khambule advanced the total to 127 before Montile made Coetzee his fourth scalp, caught by Sunguro, for 30 from 43 deliveries, which includes two fours and six. That left Kearsney on 127/7 after 32.4 overs.
Connor Vogt quickly accounted for Bonga Maphanga to leave the visiting side eight down for the addition of one more run. Khambule, though, was in no mood to surrender. He went on to top-score, making 43 from 62 balls, and striking a six and six fours, before Cian Fortmann bowled him.
Kearsney added 10 runs for the tenth wicket, but Sunguro ended their challenge by bowling Litha Gonya, with the total on 156, leaving St Charles the winners by 80 runs.
Tristan Montile played a decisive role in Saints’ success, capturing 4/39 from nine overs. Ryan Clarke provided excellent support, claiming 2/12 in six tight overs.
1st XI Scores
St Charles College 236/9 (Cian Fortmann 116, Connor Riley 58, Keegan de Jager 5/35, Jason De Gryse 2/43); Kearsney College 156/10 (Asavhela Khambule 43, Ross Coetzee 30, Jonty Wiggett 28, Tristan Montile 4/39, Ryan Clarke).
St Charles won by 80 runs.
RESULTS
u15C
St Charles 211/5
Kearsney 93/10
St Charles won by 118 runs
u14A
St Charles 149/10
Kearsney 150/9
Kearsney won by one wicket
u14B
St Charles 177/6
Kearsney 178/7
Kearsney won by 3 wickets
BASKETBALL
Kearsney claimed a 60-53 victory over St Charles in the battle of the 1st basketball teams, and the results, mostly, favoured the Botha’s Hill boys. although Saints scored a clean sweep at u14 level. Kearsney, though, returned the favour in the u15 age group.
What was pleasing, though, was how well contested the majority of the games were. There was little to separate the schools, with most matches being highly competitive.
RESULTS
1st: St Charles 53-60 Kearsney
2nd: St Charles 52-57 Kearsney
3rd: St Charles 28-21 Kearsney
4th: St Charles 42-32 Kearsney
16A: St Charles 31-36 Kearsney
16B: St Charles 31-27 Kearsney
16C: St Charles 20-22 Kearsney
16D: St Charles 28-26 Kearsney
15A: St Charles 27-49 Kearsney
15B: St Charles 7-31 Kearsney
15C: St Charles 15-18 Kearsney
15D: St Charles 19-29 Kearsney
15E: St Charles 19-21 Kearsney
14A: St Charles 24-40 Kearsney
14B: St Charles 22-18 Kearsney
14C: St Charles 23-13 Kearsney
14D: St Charles 24-17 Kearsney
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