10 February 2026
Durban High School (DHS) once again trusted a familiar and highly effective formula to secure a commanding eight-wicket victory over Northwood on the Robin Smith Oval on Saturday, but before their batsmen could go about their work, the bowlers laid a decisive platform in trying hot and humid conditions.
Captain Josh van Biljon’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss paid immediate dividends.
Northwood are at their most dangerous when openers David de Bruyn and Ross McGlashan are allowed time at the crease, but DHS ensured that luxury was denied. In the fourth over, the Knights lost both men within the space of four deliveries, and suddenly the innings was on the back foot.
Bonga Maphanga struck first when Ismaeel Omar held a sharp catch to remove McGlashan for 13, and moments later Taine Havermann ran out De Bruyn for one. With Northwood reduced to 16/2, the pressure was firmly on the home side.
That pressure only intensified as wickets continued to tumble. Maphanga picked up his second when Josh Mills edged behind to Van Biljon for four, while Josh Morley accounted for Keegan Reeves for nine.
Matt Potgieter then delivered a double blow, removing Luc Boyall for one and Hamza Amla for four, as Northwood slumped to 43/6 inside 18 overs.
Thomas Oosthuizen and James Searle briefly restored some order with a 37-run partnership for the seventh wicket, but just as the Knights looked to steady themselves, Tristan Quail broke the stand by dismissing Searle for a patient 16 off 41 balls.
Two deliveries later, Thabiso Mtambo was back in the pavilion, and Northwood’s resistance faltered.
Oosthuizen battled on to top-score with 28, but he became the ninth man out when Taine Havermann bowled him in the 36th over. The final wicket added only eight more runs, with Maphanga returning to bowl Ryan van Zyl and wrap up the innings on exactly 100.
Maphanga led the DHS attack with an incisive 3/23 from 8.3 overs, while Potgieter was impressively economical in claiming 2/13 from six. Havermann, Morley, Quail and Seth Edwards all chipped in with a wicket apiece in a comprehensive bowling effort.
Chasing a modest target, DHS reverted to the batting template that has underpinned their success over the past three seasons: patience, control and a strong emphasis on building partnerships at the top of the order.
Ismaeel Omar and Suliman Jadwat executed that plan to perfection, batting for just over 26 overs in an 85-run opening stand that drained any remaining hope from Northwood.
Jadwat eventually fell for a well-made 36, having struck four fours and a six, and Josh van Biljon joined Omar at the crease. While their celebrated partnership yielded only 15 runs on this occasion, Omar’s dismissal for 47 left DHS needing just one run for victory. They crossed the line moments later, with Van Biljon unbeaten on 12, sealing another authoritative performance.
Hamza Amla was the lone bright spot with the ball for Northwood, finishing with a commendable 2/12 from five overs.
While the DHS 1st XI reigned supreme, Northwood won 14 matches to five overall.
Results
1st XI
Northwood 100/10; DHS 101/2
DHS won by eight wickets
2nd XI
DHS 124/10: Northwood 125/4
Northwood won by six wickets
3rd XI
Northwood 168/3; DHS 86/10
Northwood won by 82 runs
4th XI
DHS 50/10; Northwood 51/0
Northwood won by 10 wickets
5th XI
DHS 145/5: Northwood 139/9
DHS won by six runs
u16A
Northwood won by 85 runs
u16B
Northwood 105/9; DHS 40/10
Northwood won by 65 runs
u16C
Northwood won by 89 runs
u16D
DHS 107/7; Northwood 110/3
Northwood won by seven wickets
u15A
DHS 125/10; Northwood 126/3
Northwood won by seven wickets
u15B
Northwood 157/5; DHS 160/5
DHS won by five wickets
u15C
DHS 37/10: Northwood 38/2
Northwood won by eight wickets
u15D
Northwood 206/1; DHS 26/10
Northwood won by 180 runs
u14A
DHS 188/10; Northwood 103/10
DHS won by 85 runs
u14B
DHS 142/4; Northwood 104/10
DHS won by 38 runs
u14C
DHS 90/10; Northwood 91/6
Northwood won by four wickets
u14D
Northwood won by six wickets
u14E
Northwood 140/10; DHS 103/6
Northwood won by 37 runs
BASKETBALL
In the biggest result of the weekend’s action in KZN, the DHS 1st team went up early against Northwood at Northwood and kept their noses in front to win a hard-fought contest by just four points. It was the first loss for the Knight on their home court since 2020.
Overall, the results favoured Northwood 11-6, but the victory by the DHS 1st team took some of the gloss off that achievement.
Results
1st: Northwood 69-73 DHS
2nd: Northwood 37-36 DHS
3rd: Northwood 32-11 DHS
4th: Northwood 25-16 DHS
5th: Northwood 12-15 DHS
7th: Northwood 39-14 Ashton 1st
16A: Northwood 27-22 DHS
16B: Northwood 17-23 DHS
16C: Northwood 20-16 DHS
16D: Northwood 51-11 Ashton u16A
15A: Northwood 46-29 DHS
15B: Northwood 32-22 DHS
15C: Northwood 40-4 DHS
15D: Northwood 29-8 DHS
15E: Northwood 13-25 Ashton u15A
14A: Northwood 9-35 DHS
14B: Northwood 15-27 DHS
14C: Northwood 18-29 DHS
14D: Northwood 22-2 DHS
14E: Northwood 10-8 DHS
14F: Northwood 6-14 Ashton u14A
WATER POLO
The Northwood open age group water polo teams convincingly got the better of DHS, but snatched a narrow win in the u15A game. Northwood ruled the waters at u14 level.
Results
1st: Northwood 10-1 DHS
2nd: Northwood 10-1 DHS
3rd: Northwood 13-3 DHS
15A: Northwood 3-4 DHS
14A: Northwood 9-1 DHS
14B: Northwood 10-2 DHS
14C: Northwood 3-9 Ashton Mixed Junior
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