13 September 2025
The Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium hosted a triple-header of schools’ T20 action on Saturday, with Durban High School (DHS), Clifton College, and Kearsney College going head-to-head in a day that delivered big runs, some sueprb individual performances, and contests that went down to the wire.
DHS, who have found their groove in the fourth term, once again showed their mettle and claimed a 17-run victory over Clifton. Clifton, though, regrouped impressively to edge out Kearsney by five runs in a nail-biter.
For Kearsney, it was a reminder of how costly it can be not to finish off promising starts, especially since most of their batsmen got themselves in against Clifton but failed to convert those starts into more meaningful contributions.
DHS vs Clifton
The morning clash between DHS and Clifton was lit up by an innings of rare quality from School‘s Ismaeel Omar.
Batting first, DHS lost early ground when the in-form Ethan Cooper was bowled by Tim Saulez for just one. From there, Omar took charge in spectacular fashion.
He unfurled a dazzling knock of 109 from only 59 deliveries, peppering the Kingsmead stands with 13 fours and five sixes. It was his second T20 hundred of the year, following on from his unbeaten 104 against Kearsney at the Clifton T20 Tournament.
Omar’s 78-run partnership with Lazlo Jooste laid a sound platform before he combined with Taine Havermann in a 62-run stand. By the time Omar departed, DHS had 152 on the board, and the momentum firmly in their favour. Havermann (41 not out) and Bayanda Majola (14 not out) then powered School to a commanding 188/3.
Clifton’s chase faltered early, with opener Cohen Naidoo run out without scoring. But the innings was rescued by a stirring 103-run sixth-wicket stand between Cristiano Borrageiro (feature photo) and Lawson Dinsdale.
Borrageiro’s belligerent 60 from 35 balls (5 fours, 4 sixes) and Dinsdale’s unbeaten 36 from 26 briefly had DHS sweating. Still, when Cooper dismissed Borrageiro, the fight drained from Clifton, who ended on 171/8.
Cooper, making up for his early batting failure, returned the standout bowling figures of 4/19. Alongside him, Bonga Maphanga picked up 2/32.
Clifton vs Kearsney
Clifton’s second outing of the day, against Kearsney, was every bit the thriller. After winning the toss, Clifton batted and posted a substantial 179/8, once again thanks to Byron Ward and Lawson Dinsdale.
Ward blazed 59 from 34 deliveries, with three sixes and seven fours, while Dinsdale’s rapid 53 from 31 balls provided late momentum.
Earlier, however, Clifton had been rocked by James Bishop, who dismissed Cohen Naidoo (17) and Saulez (0) with successive deliveries. Bishop finished with 3/40, but it was Rivan Moodley who did the most damage, claiming 4/16 in a brilliant spell.
Kearsney’s response was consistent but lacked the defining innings to carry them over the line. All of their top eight reached double figures, but none managed to build beyond 30. Cole Young, with a brisk 30 from 17, was the top-scorer, while Jason De Gryse (20), Aaron Blackburn (20), and Asher Hollister (27) all made contributions.
In the end, Shiraz Perumal’s 3/27 and Saulez’s 2/30 proved decisive. Clifton clung on, securing victory by just five runs as Kearsney closed on 174/9.
It was a day of contrasts: DHS flexed their power with Omar’s brilliance, Clifton showed character to bounce back strongly, and Kearsney, for all their consistency, were left to rue the absence of one match-winning knock.
SCORES
Durban High School 188/3 (Ismaeel Omar 109, Taine Havermann 41*; Tim Saulez 2/46); Clifton College 171/8 (Cristian Borrageiro 60, Lawson Dinsdale 36*, Byron Ward 30; Ethan Cooper 4/19, Bonga Maphanga 2/32).
Durban High School won by 17 runs.
Clifton College 179/8 (Byron Ward 59, Lawson Dinsdale 53; Rivan Moodley 4/16, James Bishop 3/40); Kearsney College 174/9 (Cole Young 30, Asher Hollister 27, Jason De Gryse 20, Aaron Blackburn 20; Shiraz Perumal 3/27, Tim Saulez 2/30).
Clifton College won by five runs.
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