10 February 2026
An extraordinary century from opener Daniyaal Klinck laid the platform for a thrilling contest between Clifton College and Maritzburg College at the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday. In a finish that will live long in the memory, the visitors held their nerve to snatch a dramatic one-wicket victory off the final ball of their 50 overs.
Clifton captain Shiraz Perumal’s decision to bat first was vindicated by a dominant performance from Klinck at the top of the order. Although Yusuf Ahmed fell early to College skipper Reece Willson, Klinck and Muhammed Malek quickly steadied matters with a fluent 62-run stand for the second wicket before Malek departed for 23.
From there, Clifton seized control as Klinck found an ideal partner in Hayden Drieselmann. The left-handed opener, who had shown flashes of his form in a recent W100 outing against Northwood, was afforded time at the crease on Saturday and made full use of it. Batting with composure and growing authority, Klinck unfurled a wide range of strokes as he built towards a magnificent century.
The third-wicket partnership was the defining passage of the innings, with Klinck and Drieselmann adding 147 runs in just under 30 overs. Their stand eventually ended on 214 when Kyle de Bruyn broke through, bowling Klinck for a superb 126. His runs came off 156 balls and included 14 fours and two sixes – a knock of control and class.
With fewer than five overs remaining, Clifton looked to accelerate, but De Bruyn ensured there was no late avalanche. He also removed Drieselmann, caught by Luka Puddu for a well-made 57, as Clifton closed on 245/6.
De Bruyn was the pick of the College bowlers, finishing with 4/42 from eight overs.
The visitors’ reply began shakily when De Bruyn was dismissed in the third over, but Akhil Bharath and Dax Jursa responded with an outstanding 125-run partnership for the second wicket. Batting with patience and purpose, the pair hauled their side firmly back into the contest over just more than 28 overs.
Once that stand was broken, though, momentum swung again. Bharath was caught and bowled by Keegan Watson for 57, and shortly thereafter Daniel Rea accounted for Jursa, who top-scored with 62. When Luka Puddu also fell, College was on 147/4 and under pressure.
As he has done so often this season, Luan van der Merwe provided vital middle-order steel, making 38 from 41 balls to keep the chase alive. When he was bowled by Rea, College had reached 206/6 with just over five overs remaining and the game finely poised.
Clifton then tightened the noose, claiming three quick wickets to leave College on 229/9 after 48.3 overs. They needed 16 runs from the final nine balls. Enter Luke Venter.
In a finish worthy of the contest, Venter went on the attack and, with four required off the final delivery, launched an extraordinary six to seal victory. His unbeaten 17 from just seven balls lifted Maritzburg College to 248/9 and capped a remarkable chase.
For Clifton, Daniel Rea delivered a standout performance with the ball, claiming 5/39 from 10 overs, while Keegan Watson supported well with 2/35 from seven in a match that had everything.
It wasn’t only the College 1st XI that escaped with a narrow victory. The 2nd XI, too, won by one wicket, and the u16A side won by two wickets. All three of those matches could have gone the other way, but it was College’s day.
RESULTS
1st XI
Clifton 245/6; Maritzburg College 248/9
College won by one wicket
2nd XI
Clifton 151/10; Maritzburg College 152/9
College won by one wicket
3rd XI
Curro Hillcrest 2nd XI 126/10: Maritzburg College 127/3
College won by seven wickets
4th XI
Maritzburg College 133/10: Grace College 1st XI 134/3
Grace won by seven wickets
u16A
Clifton 145/10; Maritzburg College 146/8
College won by two wickets
u16B
Clifton 143/4: Maritzburg College u16C 132/9
Clifton won by 11 runs
u16B
Dolphins HP Squad 161/7; Maritzburg College 154/9
Dolphins won by seven runs
u15A
Maritzburg College 191/10: Clifton 42/10
College won by 149 runs
u15B
Clifton 76/10; Maritzburg College u15C 77/2
College won by eight wickets
u14A
Maritzburg College 348/8; Clifton 75/10
College won by eight wickets
u14B
Maritzburg College u14C 173/9; Dolphins HP Squad 77/10
College won by 96 runs
u14C
Clifton u14B 85/9; Maritzburg College 88/0
College won by 10 wickets
u14E
Clifton u14 C 83/8; Maritzburg College 87/0
College won by 10 wickets
WATER POLO
No matter the results in other sports, Clifton can always rely on the school’s water polo teams to shine. They comfortably handled the challenge of College’s top team. But College’s water polo programme is on the rise and that was reflected in the draw between the two 4th teams and win for the College 5th side.
Results
1st: Clifton 12-2 Maritzburg College
2nd: Clifton 15-4 Maritzburg College
3rd: Clifton 12-4 Maritzburg College
4th: Clifton 6-6 Maritzburg College
5th: Clifton 5-8 Maritzburg College
BASKETBALL
This season, the Maritzburg College 1st team, always one of the better basketball sides in the country, is intent on challenging Northwood for supremacy, and a win by DHS at Northwood on Saturday – the Knights’ first loss at home since 2020 – suggests that they could be challenge, and College’s AISJ-winning team could be the side to topple them.
But there is a long way to go yet. On Saturday, though, they showed Clifton why they’re in the conversation about the country’s top team.
Results
1st: Clifton 21-84 Maritzburg College
2nd: Maritzburg Christian School 1st 37-66 Maritzburg College
2nd: Clifton 12-61 Maritzburg College
3rd: Clifton 11-43 Maritzburg College
4th: Clifton 24-106 Maritzburg College
5th: Clifton 5-100 Maritzburg College 6th
7th: Maritzburg College 28-18 Kearsney
8th: Clifton 6th 8-61 Maritzburg College
16A: Clifton 15-72 Maritzburg College
16B: Clifton 9-24 Maritzburg College
16C: Clifton 26-60 Maritzburg College
16D: Clifton 18-43 Maritzburg College
16E: Maritzburg College 20-28 Kearsney
15A: Clifton 20-67 Maritzburg College
15B: Clifton 0-50 Maritzburg College
15C: Clifton 2-71 Maritzburg College
15D: Maritzburg College 11-25 Etham College u15A
15E: Maritzburg College 29-16 Kearsney
15F: Maritzburg College 30-11 Northwood
14A: Clifton 6-56 Maritzburg College
14B: Maritzburg College 31-26 Maritzburg Christian School u14A
14B: Clifton 22-64 Maritzburg College
14C: Clifton 0-50 Maritzburg College
14D: Clifton 5-45 Maritzburg College
14E: Maritzburg College 2-4 Northwood u15G
14F: Maritzburg College 18-16 Northwood u14G
14G: Maritzburg College 11-0 Northwood u14I
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