26 October 2026
WATER POLO
Clifton College’s purple patch continued when their first team won a water polo tournament for the third weekend in succession, lifting the trophy at the Inspired Cup at Reddam House Helderfontein on Sunday.
They dominated their opposition, winning every match comfortably until the final, where they beat Wynberg Boys’ High 10-7.
For the full report, please click this LINK.
Also in Johannesburg, for the fourth tournament in succession, Hilton College played for the title.
At the Saints Invitational, they put together an unbeaten run to reach the title game. Unfortunately for Hilton, for the third tournament in a row, they stumbled at the final hurdle, going down 11-14 to Rondebosch Boys’ High.
One should not lose sight of Hilton’s outstanding run, however: A title win at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament for the second consecutive year, followed by runner-up finishes in the SACS Water Polo Tournament and the KZN Top 10, is an enviable record and is evidence of Hilton’s quality and consistency.
Coach Paul Martin‘s boys made a statement with an opening 9-4 win over SACS, and they followed that with a 9-2 victory over St David’s Marist Inanda before beating Durban High School (DHS) 7-4 and Grey High 9-5 to complete their group assignments at the top of Group C.
In the quarterfinals, they took on Kearsney College, the team they had faced in the final of the Clifton Water Polo Tournament. This time, Hilton turned it on and won 14-8.
Then, in the semifinals, they downed St Andrew’s College 7-5 to qualify for the final.
In matches against Clifton, played on Saturday, the Durban school earned three wins to Hilton’s two. Clifton won the two open age-group matches convincingly. They added a victory in the U15B match, but Hilton achieved emphatic wins in the U14A and U14B games.
Results
3rd: Hilton 4-14 Clifton
4th: Hilton 4-12 Clifton
15B: Hilton 7-8 Clifton
14A: Hilton 6-2 Clifton
14B: Hilton 16-4 Clifton
CRICKET
Ben Wilson and Obakeng Motsepa laid the foundation for the Hilton College 1st XI to claim a convincing 43-run victory over Clifton College in their limited-overs encounter on the Hart-Davis Oval in Hilton on Saturday.
Wilson top-scored with a patient 70, while Motsepa contributed 50 as Hilton posted 207/8 after losing the toss and being sent in to bat. Clifton, in reply, battled to build meaningful partnerships, and their challenge ended in the 44th over with the visitors all out for 164.
Both batsmen were recently named in the KZN Inland Tuskers’ Khaya Majola Week squad, and they demonstrated their value with a crucial 79-run stand for the third wicket.
Wilson faced 115 deliveries, striking five fours in a determined innings. He had earlier shared 61 runs for the second wicket with Avaneesh Nunna, who contributed 25, including the innings’ only six. Motsepa took 70 balls to reach his half-century, hitting three fours, while Sange Qangule added a useful 24.
Hilton’s late progress was checked by Shreyan Singh, Clifton’s eighth bowler, who returned an impressive 3/16 in five overs. His tight spell led to the hosts losing five wickets for only 11 runs in their final five overs.
Muhammed Malek also claimed 3/33 from his 10 overs, while Blake Johnson conceded just 31 runs and picked up a wicket in his 10 overs.
Clifton began their pursuit steadily. After Daniyaal Klinck fell for 14, Malek and Yusuf Ahmed added 45 for the second wicket before Sean Burman removed Malek for 23, caught behind by Wilson.
Hayden Drieselmann, Clifton’s most consistent batsman this season, was trapped LBW by Motsepa, while Ahmed departed with the total on 68. Motsepa then had Singh caught behind as Clifton slumped to 78/5.
The visitors needed a substantial partnership, and captain Shiraz Perumal and Johnson briefly provided resistance with a 31-run stand for the seventh wicket. Perumal struck three fours and a six in his 30-ball 27, the innings’ highest score, but his dismissal late in the 29th over was followed by Johnson’s departure for 15.
Clifton’s lower order showed fight, adding 33 for the final two wickets, but Hilton’s bowlers maintained control.
Burman finished with 2/22, while Sechaba Gude (2/21), Motsepa (2/19), Cameron Hargroves (2/22), and Avi Nunna (2/18) also claimed two wickets apiece to seal a comfortable Hilton victory.
Scorecard
Hilton College 207/8 (Ben Wilson 70, Obakeng Motsepa, Avaneesh Nunna 25, Sange Qangule 24; Shreyan Singh 3/16, Muhammed Malek 3/33); Clifton College 164/10 (Shiraz Perumal 27, Yusuf Ahmed 24, Muhammed Malek 23; Avaneesh Nunna 2/18, Obakeng Motsepa 2/19, Sechaba Gude 2/21, Cameron Hargroves 2/22, Sean Burman 2/22). Hilton College won by 43 runs.
The overall results tilted in Hilton’s favour, with Jack Freese producing the innings of the day, scoring 108 not out in the U15A match.
Results
2nd XI
Clifton 189/10 (Connor Jackson 46; William Eustace 4/38); Hilton 193/2 (Sean Erasmus 91*)
Hilton won by eight wickets
3rd XI
Clifton 81/9; Hilton 82/2
Hilton won by eight wickets
4th XI
Clifton 85/6; Hilton 87/6
Hilton won by four wickets
U15A
Hilton 252/3 (Jack Freese 108*, Nate Smit 75); Clifton 120/10
Hilton won by 132 runs
U15B
Clifton 93/9; Hilton 94/0
Hilton won by 10 wickets
U15C
Hilton 165/6; Clifton 118/9 (Nick Davies 4/14)
Hilton won by 47 runs
U14A
Clifton 161/10 (Ben Snaith 61; Sphe Mayisela 4/29); Hilton 163/4 (Sphe Mayisela 47)
Hilton won by six wickets
U14B
Hilton 200/4 (Michael Maclean 50, Njabulo Hlatshwayo 49); Clifton 94/10 (Bennet Kohler 4/23)
Hilton won by 106 runs
21 October
U15B
Howick High 108/10; Hilton 109/5
Hilton won by five wickets
U14B
Hilton 89/6; Howick High U14A 90/8
Howick High won by two wickets
20 October
Whitgift School, from Croydon, London, took on Hilton in three matches on Tuesday. Hilton’s 1st XI and 2nd XI scored solid victories, and Whitgift’s 3rd XI returned the favour.
1st XI
Hilton College 224/8 (Obakeng Motsepa 72, Ross Hill 56*, Sange Qangule 29, Ali Pervez 3/29, George Kerr 2/48); Whitgift School 169/10 (Kian Mahmood 49, Francesco Bibby 46, Freddie Reed 20; Obakeng Motsepa 2/23, Sange Qangule 2/28, Avi Nunna 2/30). Hilton College won by 55 runs.
2nd XI
Hilton 194/10; Whitgift 95/10
Hilton won by 99 runs
3rd XI
Hilton 114/10; Whitgift 115/2
Whitgift won by eight wickets
BASKETBALL
Hilton College at the Inanda Hoops Challenge Cup
The Hilton College 1st and U15 basketball teams journeyed up to Johannesburg to compete in the Inanda Hoops Challenge Cup at St David’s Marist Inanda from Thursday to Sunday.
The first team delivered solid all-round showings, reaching the quarterfinals before being eliminated by the eventual champion, King Edward VII (KES), who won the title for a second successive year, defeating St Benedict’s College 41-37 in the final.
In Pool B, Hilton opened with a 54-32 win over Parktown Boys’ High before being pounded 73-34 by St Benedict’s. A 39-33 victory over Sacred Heart College secured second spot in the group and a last 16 showdown with Crawford International.
Hilton rolled into the quarterfinals, outplaying Crawford 57-31, but they, in turn, suffered a big 33-61 loss to KES.
As luck would have it, they faced a familiar foe for seventh place, Maritzburg College, and College scored a convincing 53-24 victory.
Still, an eighth place against a top-class field was a decent outcome for the boys from the Midlands.
Hilton’s U15 side enjoyed a good run, finishing fourth overall after going down to KES in the bronze medal playoff, 27-40.
On Saturday, Hilton’s other basketball teams met Clifton. Results went Hilton’s way, with Clifton producing some good performances in the U16 age group.
Results
2nd: Hilton 50-20 Clifton
16A: Hilton 41-21 Clifton
16B: Hilton 25-19 Clifton
15B: Hilton 56-11 Clifton
14A: Hilton 57-15 Clifton
14B: Hilton 64-15 Clifton
14C: Hilton 40-1 Clifton