CRICKET
(Feature photo: Northwood’s 1st XI after their win over Clifton, from Northwood School on Facebook)
When they won the toss, there was no doubt that Northwood would insert Clifton College to bat at the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday. Cloudy overhead conditions were the reason for that, and the Knights made them count, getting stuck into the Clifton batting line-up earlier and not letting up.
Their opening pair, Ryan Willis and Josh Mills, did a fine job, sharing the wickets of the top four in the Clifton order between them, leaving the home side in trouble on 24/4 by the ninth over.
Clifton’s captain Shiraz Perumal fought fire with fire, slamming four fours and three sixes in his 41 off only 30 balls, but he lacked support. Only Blake Johnson, with 11 not out, joined him in double figures. They also shared the innings’ highest partnership of 33 for the seventh wicket.
David de Bruyn accounted for Perumal and added another three wickets as Clifton was dismissed for 102 after 27.5 overs. De Bruyn finished with 4/24 from eight, Josh Mills captured 4/20 from 5.5, and Ryan Willis bagged 2/16 from five.
Clifton claimed the wicket of Tom Oosthuizen in the first over of Northwood’s reply, but De Bruyn, having hurt the home side with the ball, inflicted more harm with the bat, bashing five fours and four sixes in an aggressive 58 from 35 balls.
He and Ross McGlashan added 94 from only 68 balls to take the visitors to within four runs of the Clifton total before Keegan Watson removed De Bruyn, caught by Shiraz Perumal. By then, the outcome of the contest had already been decided.
After 13.2 overs, the Knights reached 104/2 to secure an eight-wicket win. McGlashan was 34 not out from 36 deliveries.
Aldren Kaligan took 1/12 and Keegan Watson 1/26 for Clifton.
In the 2nd team game, despite his side coming out on the wrong end of the result, Clifton’s Rocco Ganas sparkled with a haul of 4/26.
Jordan Hatcher shone for the Northwood 3rd XI, who took on the KZN Elite Hub, capturing 5/17. Jack Jennings then scored 69 and Taine Jennings 41 as Northwood recorded a convincing victory.
Blake Nicholson picked up 4/18 to help Northwood to a 63-run win in the U15A match.
Results
1st XI
Clifton 102/10 (Shiraz Perumal 41; Josh Mills 4/20, David de Bruyn 4/24)
Northwood 104/2 (David de Bruyn 58; Ross McGlashan 34*; Aldren Kaligan 1/12)
Northwood won by eight wickets
2nd XI
Northwood 147/10 (Oliver Anderson 47; Rocco Ganas 4/26)
Clifton 82/10 (Jack Snaith 26; Cam White 2/5, James Fryer 2/6, Thabiso Mtambo 2/10, Oli Anderson 2/13)
Northwood won by 65 runs
3rd XI
KZN Elite Hub 179/10 (Jordan Hatcher 5/17)
Northwood 180/4 (Jack Jennings 69, Taine Jennings 41)
Northwood won by six wickets
U15A
Northwood 171/9 (Ethan Axelrad 30; Jack Goodwin 2/24)
Clifton 108/10 (Heinz Espach 33, Shreyan Singh 29; Blake Nicholson 4/18, Kyle Smith 3/12)
Northwood won by 63 runs
U15B
Northwood 107/10 (Daniel Stevens 24; Meluleki Hlophe 4/6, Siphesihle Sithole 4/18)
KZN Elite Hub 108/4 (Ayanda Zaca 40*; Trent Parish 2/14)
KZN Elite Hub won by six wickets
U14A
Clifton 123/10 (Khulubuse Mlondo 22; Mark Mills 3/7)
Northwood 125/1 (Fynn McNally 52*, Aryan Singh 30*)
Northwood won by nine wickets
WATER POLO
The Clifton 1st water polo team has been on a roll in the pool, while the Knights have produced some outstanding results this season, one in which they’ve closed the gap on Clifton, Hilton College and Kearsney College. Still, victory went to Clifton’s in-form side by a four-goal margin.
Only one goal separated the 2nd sides in a 15-goal game, but Clifton scored a clear-cut win in the U15A game. Northwood’s U14A side took a tight win in a match dominated by the defences.
Results
1st: Clifton 9-5 Northwood
2nd: Clifton 8-7 Northwood
15A: Clifton 7-2 Northwood
14A: Clifton 2-3 Northwood
BASKETBALL
The wet weather in Durban on Saturday impacted the basketball games between Clifton and Northwood, with only the four frontline teams in action.
While Northwood won all four convincingly, Clifton was competitive, and will come away from the games with cause for optimism.
They’ve been on the wrong end of some big scores against Northwood in recent seasons – many others have, too – but Saturday’s results were a step forward, despite their opposition’s comfortable margins of victory.
Results
1st: Clifton 51-83 Northwood
16A: Clifton 23-69 Northwood
15A: Clifton 26-48 Northwood
14A: Clifton 15-33 Northwood