11 October 2025
Northwood wrapped up their 2025 cricket season in style on Saturday, producing a composed all-round performance to defeat Maritzburg College by 57 runs in their final fixture at the Crusaders Club, in Durban.
After winning the toss, Northwood captain Kyle White elected to bat first, but the early going was anything but smooth for the Knights.
Both openers fell cheaply, leaving the home side in trouble on 18/2. When Thomas Oosthuizen was caught by Karl Dedekind off the bowling of Sphamandla Dzanibe for 26, Northwood was under pressure at 59/4 in the 17th over.
It was then that White and Jamie Wimble steadied the innings with a crucial fifth-wicket stand. The pair combined calmness with authority, compiling 95 runs from 160 deliveries to swing momentum back Northwood’s way.
Wimble, who has been named the school’s 2026 Head Prefect, played a mature knock. His 53 from 93 balls featured three boundaries and a six before he was trapped LBW by Reece Willson in the 44th over.
White, meanwhile, anchored the innings superbly. The skipper finished unbeaten on 75 from 108 balls, striking five fours and a six, while guiding his side to a competitive 198/6 from their 50 overs.
Maritzburg College’s bowlers worked hard, with opening bowler Sam Hughes claiming 3/53 from his 10 overs. Dzanibe impressed with 2/22 from seven, while Nathan Pembridge bowled tightly, conceding only 32 runs in his 10 overs.
College’s reply never found rhythm. Openers Daniel Nadasan and Kyle de Bruyn both fell early, and when Dedekind and Deolyn Naidoo followed cheaply, the visitors were wobbling on 56/4 after 19 overs.
Dzanibe and Akhil Bharath briefly steadied matters with a 31-run stand before Dzanibe fell for a brisk 21 off 29 deliveries, having struck three fours and a six.
Bharath continued to battle, adding 36 more runs alongside Dom du Toit, which was the best partnership of the innings, but when Du Toit was dismissed for 16 and Bharath followed without a run added, the chase unravelled.
Bharath’s 47 from 77 balls, featuring five boundaries, stood out as the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing batting display.
White capped off his outstanding day by capturing 3/24 in 8.2 overs, which included the final wicket of Pembridge, caught by Hamza Amla for one. Amla, himself, claimed 2/22, while David de Bruyn contributed 2/29 as Maritzburg College was bowled out for 141.
It was a fitting finale for Northwood – a complete team performance led by their outgoing captain – to close their season on a winning note.
Northwood 198/6 (Kyle White 75*, Jamie Wimble 53, Thomas Oosthuizen 26, Sam Hughes 3/53, Sphamandla Dzanibe 2/22); Maritzburg College 141/10 (Akhil Bharath 47, Sphamandla Dzanibe 21; Kyle White 3/24, Hamza Amla 2/22, David de Bruyn 2/29). Northwood won by 57 runs.
Overall, matters were as even as they could be, with Northwood scoring seven wins and College matching them. While Northwood won the 1st XI and 2nd XI games, College took victory in the u15A and u14A matches.
1st XI
Northwood 198/6; Maritzburg College 141/10
Northwood won by 57 runs
2nd XI
Maritzburg College 169/10; Northwood 172/3
Northwood won by seven wickets
3rd XI
Northwood 178/9; Maritzburg College 180/6
College won by four wickets
4th XI
Northwood 167/6; Maritzburg College 139/7
Northwood won by 28 runs
5th XI
Northwood 75/10; Maritzburg College 78/3
College won by seven wickets
6th XI
Northwood 206/4; Maritzburg College 88/10
Northwood won by 118 runs
u15A
Northwood 104/10; Maritzburg College 105/6
College won by four wickets
u15B
Northwood 212/10; Maritzburg College 196/10
Northwood won by 16 runs
u15C
Northwood 198/6; Maritzburg College 153/5
Northwood won by 45 runs
u15D
Northwood 141/10; Maritzburg College 113/10
Northwood won by 28 runs
u15E
Northwood 76/7; Maritzburg College 78/1
College won by nine wickets
u14A
Northwood 146/10; Maritzburg College 147/6
College won by four wickets
u14B
Northwood 116/10; Maritzburg College 117/6
College won by four wickets
u14C
Northwood 132/8; Maritzburg College 135/6
College won by four wickets
u14D
Maritzburg College 90/10; Northwood 91/5
Northwood won by five wickets
u14E
Northwood 138/7; Maritzburg College 139/1
College won by nine wickets
u14F
Maritzburg College 114/6; Northwood 68/10
College won by 46 runs
BASKETBALL
In a showdown between two of the best teams in the country, Northwood avenged a loss to College at the Westville Stayers Tournament with a convincing 66-52 win.
With Siya Shabalala directing their attack and Awande Chiliza dominating the boards, the Knights held a narrow advantage throughout. Shabalala was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points. Chiliza, meanwhile, just missed out on a third consecutive 20-20 contribution, finishing with 18 points and 22 rebounds.
Northwood won three of four open age group games, and took all four u16 contests, winning three of them by margins of five points or less. College claimed three of five u15 matches, including a three-point win in the u15A game. They also won the u14A clash, but Northwood picked up three victories from the five u14 games.
RESULTS
1st: Northwood 66-52 Maritzburg College
2nd: Northwood 33-32 Maritzburg College
3rd: Northwood 25-20 Maritzburg College
4th: Northwood 24-39 Maritzburg College
16A: Northwood 38-34 Maritzburg College
16B: Northwood 24-23 Maritzburg College
16C: Northwood 27-22 Maritzburg College
16D: Northwood 33-7 Maritzburg College
15A: Northwood 23-26 Maritzburg College
15B: Northwood 9-47 Maritzburg College
15C: Northwood 28-18 Maritzburg College
15D: Northwood 24-20 Maritzburg College
15E: Northwood 26-40 Maritzburg College
14A: Northwood 18-23 Maritzburg College
14B: Northwood 26-17 Maritzburg College
14C: Northwood 27-22 Maritzburg College
14D: Northwood 15-31 Maritzburg College
14E: Northwood 33-6 Maritzburg College
WATER POLO
In the pool, the day belonged to Northwood. They went unbeaten, but their record wasn’t perfect, with two of the contests ending in draws. Northwood won the remaining six, including the 1st team clash by five goals.
RESULTS
1st: Northwood 11-6 Maritzburg College
2nd: Northwood 12-4 Maritzburg College
3rd: Northwood 10-3 Maritzburg College
4th: Northwood 8-2 Maritzburg College
15A: Northwood 6-1 Maritzburg College
15B: Northwood 2-2 Maritzburg College
14A: Northwood 5-2 Maritzburg College
14B: Northwood 4-4 Maritzburg College
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