6 September 2026
The Clifton College 1st XI faced two tough challenges at the Fasken Time Cricket Festival in Johannesburg, taking on St Stithians College and St John’s College. The first clash ended in a fighting draw, while day two of the second match was, unfortunately, rained out.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of Clifton’s campaign was Muhammed Malek‘s magnificent 170 against St Stithians on the Andile Dlamini Oval.
Clifton vs St Stithians
Batting first on Thursday, the event’s opening day, Clifton never got going at the crease and slipped to only 94 all out in 38.2 overs. Opener Yusuf Ahmed was the best of the batsmen, hitting four fours in a patient 23 off 52 balls, but he was the lone batsman to make it beyond the teens.
Left-arm spinner, Zaakir Hanslo, led the Saints‘ attack by snaring 4/11 in nine overs, while Tendai Kadyamadare claimed 2/18 in six, and Didier le Roux 2/29 in 10.
St Stithians then showed how to bat on their home pitch, charging to 322/3 off only 49.1 overs. Their innings was built around two big partnerships and two centurions.
After opening bowler, George Gooch, removed Jordan de Smidt for two, Ombesa Matsha and Thomas Collins laid into the Clifton attack, adding 236 runs in 39.3 overs before Caleb Naicker bowled Collins. He faced 112 balls, hit 12 fours and three sixes, and made 126.
Matsha and captain, Nicholas Bayly, then added 94 runs in only 8.1 overs, with Bayly smashing five fours and three sixes in his aggressive 50 off 23 deliveries before being stopped by Muhammed Malek, who bowled him.
Matsha went on to finish with 133 not out off 158 balls, 16 of which he struck for four.
Clifton could have felt disheartened trailing by 206 runs after the first innings, but they showed no signs of that when they batted again, even after losing their openers cheaply. Instead, Malek took charge and received some good support as coach Brandon Scullard‘s boys mustered 259/5 off 85 overs in their second innings.
Malek and Veer Ramouthar shared a 112-run fourth-wicket partnership, with Ramouthar making 45 off 122 deliveries before being run out. He was one of two players to lose their wickets that way.
St Stithians, though, had few answers to Muhammed Malek’s batting. They used nine bowlers in an effort to dislodge him, and he was eventually out to the last ball of the day, but not before he had put the Saints’ attack to the sword.
Malek’s 170 took 254 balls and featured 25 fours and three sixes.
Tendai Kadyamadare, with 2/47 in 15, was the pick of the home team’s bowlers, but Matthew Katzenstein, bowler number nine, dismissed Malek.
Clifton vs St John’s
St David’s Marist Inanda hosts the Fasken Time Cricket Festival, but Clifton again played elsewhere in their second match, visiting St John’s College’s Mitchell Oval.
Batting first, the home side produced a consistent batting effort, with all nine of the men to visit the crease reaching double figures. Joshua Hall, batting at five, made the biggest impact, scoring an unbeaten 89.
Captain Nkosana Sibiya and number three, Herman Basson, both weighed in with 46, while Tapiwa Chikwava tallied 44.
Left-arm spinner, Blake Johnson, nabbed 2/75 from 16 overs as St John’s totalled 341/7 from 65 overs.
Four of the six Clifton batsmen then made it beyond 20, with Shreyan Singh finishing on 34 not out. Shiraz Perumal (29), Daniyaal Klinck (27), and Muhammed Malek (24) also made meaningful contributions as four St John’s bowlers bagged a wicket each.
At the end of Saturday’s play, Clifton had reached 137/4. Unfortunately, rain’s intervention meant that was where the match concluded.
Scorecards
Clifton College 94/10 (Yusuf Ahmed 23; Zaakir Hanslo 4/11, Tendai Kadyamadare 2/18). St Stithians College 322/3 dec. (Ombesa Matsha 133*, Thomas Collins 126; Caleb Naicker 1/48). Clifton College 259/5 (Muhammed Malek 170, Veer Ramouthar 45; Tendai Kadyamadare 2/42, Matthew Katzenstein 1/6). Match drawn.
St John’s College 341/7 (Joshua Hall 89*, Nkosana Sibiya 46, Herman Basson 46; Blake Johnson 2/75, Ethan Drieselmann 1/9). Clifton College 137/4 (Shreyan Singh 34, Shiraz Perumal 29, Daniyaal Klinck 27; David Ireland 1/14, Jared Gilmour 1/6). St John’s leads by 204 runs.
WATER POLO
Clifton’s strong preparation for the forthcoming Clifton Water Polo Tournament continued with another win, this time over Maritzburg College.
Clifton 11-4 Maritzburg College
FOOTBALL
At the Riverside Sports Club, Glenwood High enjoyed the better of the 18 matches they played against Clifton.
The Green Machine won the 1st team clash 3-0 and also picked up five 5-0 wins, but Clifton’s u15C team matched that winning margin.
Results
1st: Clifton 0-3 Glenwood
2nd: Clifton 0-0 Glenwood
3rd: Clifton 0-5 Glenwood
16A: Clifton 0-3 Glenwood
16B: Clifton 0-3 Glenwood
16C: Clifton 1-1 Glenwood
16D: Clifton 0-5 Glenwood
15A: Clifton 1-2 Glenwood
15B: Clifton 1-3 Glenwood
15C: Clifton 5-0 Glenwood
15D: Clifton 1-5 Glenwood
14A: Clifton 1-2 Glenwood
14B: Clifton 0-5 Glenwood
14C: Clifton 0-5 Glenwood
14D: Clifton 0-3 Glenwood
14E: Clifton 0-5 Glenwood