9 November 2026
(Feature photo courtesy of Justin Waldman Sports Photography)
Hilton College and Michaelhouse met in back-to-back 1st XI cricket matches – a Schools SA20 Derby Series game on Friday and a limited overs contest on Saturday – and the clashes produced very different results.
On Friday, playing on the Roy Gathorne Oval in Balgowan, Michaelhouse powered to a big eight-wicket victory. On Saturday, on the Hart-Davis Oval in Hilton, Hilton College bounced back with an emphatic 100-run victory.
Friday – Roy Gathorne Oval
A new innovation in 2026, the Schools SA20 Derby Series features some of the best derbies in South Africa. Naturally, that had to include Hilton vs Michaelhouse.
Playing in front of a good crowd, ahead of a Pink Day clash the following day, the House 1st XI delivered a fantastic all-round performance for their home supporters.
The toss went the visitors’ way, but the man who chose to bat, Rob Burman, exited in the first over, bowled by Cameron McCleary for one.
Barack Munawa and Ben Wilson responded well to the setback, sharing the innings’ highest partnership of 35 before leg spinner Liam O’Dwyer bowled Wilson for 16.
While Munawa led Hilton’s batting effort, O’Dwyer set the standard for Michaelhouse’s bowlers.
Munawa and Obakeng Motsepa added 32 for the third wicket before O’Dwyer ended that stand, and he struck a huge blow the very next ball when he trapped the hard-hitting Sange Qangule leg before wicket.
The opener continued to lead Hilton’s batting assault, but he was out with the total on 90, having scored more than half his side’s runs, hitting three fours and two sixes in a 47-ball stay that brought him 48 runs.
When he departed, six overs remained and the Hilton lower order batted at seven runs per over to take the visitors’ total to 132/7.
Ross Hill contributed 16 not out, James Peattie made 15, and Avi Nunna chipped in with 14 as the tail wagged.
Liam O’Dwyer excelled, capturing 4/21 from four, which led to him winning the man of the match award. In four overs each, Rex Wardlaw claimed 1/26 and Preston Greene 1/32, while Cameron McCleary finished with 1/13 from two.
Chasing a moderate total, Michaelhouse went hard from the start. With the field in during the powerplay, captain Graydon Leslie and Victor North frequently went over the top, and that paid dividends, with the duo sharing a 42-run stand off only 26 balls.
North fell for 17 from 13, out to the first ball of second-change bowler, Sechaba Gude. His departure didn’t slow Michaelhouse.
Cody Sander made his way to the middle, and he and Graydon Leslie produced a match-winning partnership of 77 from only 68 balls.
One of the most telling stats from the contest was the sides’ boundary totals. With Sander hitting six fours and Leslie adding eight, Michaelhouse hit 18 in total for 72 runs from boundaries. Hilton mustered five fours and three sixes for 38 runs.
Leslie was out in the 16th over, caught by Burman off Gude, for 55 from 41 balls. Sander continued and was unbeaten at the end, with 46 from 48, when Ben Heuer struck the winning boundary with 17 balls to spare.
Sechaba Gude finished with 1/21 from three overs, while Obakeng Motsepa returned 1/23 from 3.1 overs.
Scorecard
Hilton College 132/7 (Barack Munawa 47; Liam O’Dwyer 4/21); Michaelhouse 135/2 (Graydon Leslie 55, Cody Sander 46*; Sechaba Gude 1/21). Michaelhouse won by eight wickets.
Saturday – Hart-Davis Oval
On Friday, they were very much second-best to Michaelhouse. On Saturday, however, Hilton College outplayed their archrivals.
In difficult conditions that assisted the bowlers, Hilton’s batsmen demonstrated grit after being put in to bat. Nothing came easy, but they battled their way to 190 all out, led by 34 from Aiden Clubb.
Sange Qanqule weighed in with an important 29, while 23 from Sean Burman, 21 from Ben Wilson, and 21 from extras helped the hosts to set Michaelhouse a challenging total, given the cloudy conditions.
Preston Greene pressured the Hilton batsmen, snaring 2/28 from his 10 overs. Rex Wardlaw made Hilton work hard, too, capturing 2/29 from nine, and Liam O’Dwyer returned 2/43 from 10.
On Friday, Michaelhouse’s batsmen dominated Hilton’s bowlers, The shoe was on the other foot on Saturday as only three batsmen of their batsmen reached double figures, and Ben Heuer’s 16 was the best of that trio’s efforts.
In just 26.1 overs, House was bowled out for only 90.
Ross Hill was the star of the show. Three of his five over were maidens and he removed three batsmen for only three runs. He also enjoyed good support.
Opening bowler Sechaba Gude knocked over 2/13 from three overs, Cameron Hargroves claimed 2/12 in 4.1, and Sean Burman returned 2/23 from six, resulting in seven Michaelhouse partnerships ending in single figures.
Scorecard
Hilton College 190/10 (Aiden Clubb 34, Sange Qanqgule 29, Sean Burman 23*, Ben Wilson 21, Extras 21, Avi Nunna 20; Preston Greene 2/28, Rex Wardlaw 2/29, Liam O’Dwyer 2/43); Michaelhouse 90/10 (Ben Heuer 16; Ross Hill 3/3, Cameron Hargroves 2/12, Sechaba Gude 2/13, Sean Burman 2/23). Hilton won by 100 runs.
While Hilton owned the 1st XI match, Michaelhouse recorded six wins to two overall.
Heath Turner captured 4/4 in Michaelhouse’s 2nd XI win, while James Mallet scored 79 in the 3rd XI game.
In an astonishing performance, Jared Cole struck 139 not out and William Aylward made 78 not out as the House 4th XI posted 247 without loss in their T20 game.
James Buys was 87 not out in the U15A match, while Lachlan Bailey contributed an unbeaten 69 to Hilton’s win in the U15 B game.
The U14A match was rained out, but Caleb Newborn tallied 67 not out for Hilton, and Louis Campbell scored 63 for Michaelhouse.
Results
2nd XI
Hilton 59/10 (Heath Turner 4/4, Nishay Sudhoowa 3/15)
Michaelhouse 62/1 (Mark Benfield 31*)
Michaelhouse won by nine wickets
3rd XI
Michaelhouse 168/5 (James Mallett 79)
Hilton 103/6 (Sebastian Scorgie 40*)
Michaelhouse won by 65 runs
4th XI
Michaelhouse 247/0 (Jared Cole 139*, William Aylward 78*)
Hilton 79/7 (Connor McMurray 3/16)
Michaelhouse won by 168 runs
u15A
Hilton 166/10 (Nate Smit 49, Tom Luscombe 33; William Rattray 3/22, James Buys 3/43)
Michaelhouse 167/5 (James Buys 87*, Daniel Rees 59; Duncan Dicks 3/32)
Michaelhouse won by five wickets
u15B
Hilton 163/3 (Lachlan Bailey 69*, Levi Newell 46*; Jim Witherspoon 2/20)
Michaelhouse 147/4 (Jock Lewis 33)
Hilton won by 16 runs
U15C
Michaelhouse 106/4; Hilton 40/10
Michaelhouse won by 66 runs
U14A
Hilton 236/5 (Caleb Newborn 67*, Jack Waterston 53, Stian du Preez 43)
Michaelhouse 165/6 (Louis Campbell 63, Geoffrey Pedley 39; Harry Ogilby 3/43)
Match abandoned
U14B
Michaelhouse 160/5 (Tyler Stewart 60*, Jesse James 31*)
Hilton 75/9 (Harry Finnemore 4/7)
Michaelhouse won by 85 runs
BASKETBALL
A total of 111 points were scored in the 1st team basketball game, but the margin of victory was just one, in Hilton’s favour.
Hilton picked up two open age-group wins and Michaelhouse won twice, too. The U16A honours went to House, while Hilton won the U15A match by a tight two points.
In an entertaining U14A match, Hilton won 57-48.
Overall, Hilton College won six matches and Michaelhouse won five.
Results
1st: Hilton 56-55 Michaelhouse
2nd: Hilton 50-45 Michaelhouse
3rd: Hilton 11-33 Michaelhouse
4th: Hilton 18-19 Michaelhouse
16A: Hilton 25-32 Michaelhouse
16B: Hilton 24-28 Michaelhouse
16C: Hilton 27-11 Michaelhouse
15A: Hilton 42-40 Michaelhouse
15B: Hilton 13-23 Michaelhouse
14A: Hilton 57-48 Michaelhouse
14B: Hilton 29-21 Michaelhouse
WATER POLO
In the pool, the Hilton College 1st team was expected to win, and they did, delivering a comprehensive 10-3 victory. Michaelhouse, however, won the three other open age-group matches.
Hilton’s U15A team roared to a one-sided win, and while Hilton also won the U14A match, one goal separated the teams.
Results
1st: Hilton 10-3 Michaelhouse
2nd: Hilton 7-11 Michaelhouse
3rd: Hilton 3-9 Michaelhouse
4th: Hilton 1-10 Michaelhouse
15A: Hilton 18-2 Michaelhouse
15B: Hilton 4-6 Michaelhouse
14A: Hilton 7-6 Michaelhouse
14B: Hilton 8-4 Michaelhouse