2 November 2026
CRICKET
Cricket is an interesting game. Teamwork is critical, but often underestimated. It’s difficult to win without it. Yet, there is still room in the sport for an individual performance to determine the outcome of a contest.
On Saturday, at the Riverside Sports Club, Kearsney College‘s Asher Hollister produced an exceptional performance at the crease, with a sizeable assist from Rivaan Moodley, to set up the visitors for an emphatic victory over Clifton.
Hollister struck a magnificent century and shared a commanding 169-run opening partnership with Moodley to lay a solid foundation, which set up the visitors to total a robust 297/4 from their 50 overs.
Kearsney’s spinners then led the way, as the visitors claimed a convincing 135-run victory.
Hollister and Moodley batted together for 33.2 overs, giving their side the perfect start. Eventually, Muhammed Malek broke the partnership, bowling Moodley for an excellent 73 from 92 balls, which featured seven fours and a six.
Hollister, though, was only getting started. He found an able partner in Gary Verbaan, and the pair added another 65 from just 57 deliveries to take Kearsney beyond the 230-run mark.
Hollister’s outstanding innings finally ended when he was caught by Shiraz Perumal off Keegan Watson for 131. He had faced 141 balls, striking 15 fours and a six in a superb display of concentration and strokeplay.
Verbaan and Aaron Blackburn maintained the momentum, adding 33 from only 21 balls before Verbaan departed for 32 from 37 deliveries, including a four and two sixes.
Matt van Zyl was run out for seven in the 49th over, but Blackburn stayed until the end, finishing unbeaten on 25.
Watson, who claimed the prized wicket of Hollister, was Clifton’s most successful bowler, returning 1/37 from nine overs.
In reply, Clifton needed a strong start to have any chance of challenging Kearsney’s total, but Ryan Staats had other ideas. He produced a beauty in the third over to bowl Hayden Drieselmann for just one.
Yusuf Ahmed and Daniyaal Klinck attempted to rebuild, adding 32 for the second wicket before Ahmed departed in the 12th over for 17, having struck four boundaries.
Klinck also found the boundary regularly, hitting four fours and a six, but his innings ended on 26 when Staats ran him out.
Malek offered some resistance, striking seven fours in a determined 36, but Matthew Gorrie eventually accounted for him with his left-arm wrist spin. That left Clifton in serious trouble on 91/5 in the 23rd over.
Caleb Naicker and Perumal briefly threatened to revive the innings, putting together Clifton’s best partnership of 39 for the sixth wicket. Perumal led the fightback with a useful 48, including four fours and two sixes.
However, his dismissal in the 36th over triggered a collapse, and Clifton lost their final four wickets for just six runs in four overs as Kearsney’s spinners took complete control.
Gorrie and Moodley were instrumental in the rout, sharing five wickets between them and exposing the Clifton lower order. Gorrie finished with 3/39 from nine overs, while Moodley claimed 2/31 from 7.5.
Clifton was eventually dismissed for 162 in the 40th over, handing Kearsney a comprehensive 135-run victory.
1st XI
Kearsney 297/4 (Asher Hollister 131, Rivaan Moodley 73, Gary Verbaan 32, Aaron Blackburn 25*; Keegan Watson 1/37)
Clifton 162/10 (Shiraz Perumal 48, Muhammed Malek 36, Daniyaal Klinck 26; Matthew Gorrie 3/39, Rivaan Moodley 2/31)
Kearsney won by 135 runs
In other matches, Clifton’s Adam Dicken was a match-winner in the 2nd XI clash, capturing 6/21 to help his side to a narrow 21-run victory. Kearsney’s Malakai Curren scored 106 for Kearsney’s 3rd XI against the Dolphins Hub.
Zach Woodroffe knocked over 5/17 for Kearsney, and Jack Goodwin claimed 4/27 for Clifton, as Kearsney sneaked a one-wicket win in the U15A game.
Ryan Wood helped Kearsney to victory in the U14A match, picking up 4/11.
Results
2nd XI
Clifton 131/10 (Connor Jackson 35; Yusuf Badat 3/26, Taun Mitchell 3/30)
Kearsney 110/10 (Chase Duthie 31*; Adam Dicken 6/21)
Clifton won by 21 runs
3rd XI
Kearsney 286/8 (Malakai Curren 106, Tate Seidler 51, Luke Monro 36; Unathi Ngcobo 3/61)
Dolphins Hub 178/10 (Njabulo Shozi 37, Aphelele Hlope 35, Unathi Ngcobo 33*; James Hughes 3/41)
Kearsney won by 108 runs
U15A
Clifton 161/10 (Heinz Espach 29; Zac Woodroffe 5/17)
Kearsney 163/9 (Taylor Ludlow 39; Jack Goodwin 4/29)
Kearsney won by one wicket
U14A
Clifton 68/10 (Naqeeb Hamid 23; Ryan Wood 4/11)
Kearsney 72/4 (J Govender 3/23)
Kearsney won by six wickets
RECORD-SETTER
Keegan de Jager was recognised for becoming the most-capped Kearsney College 1st XI cricketer ever, with 105 caps to his name.
Congratulating him were 1st XI coach Matt Savage, Director of Sport JP Lubbe, and Headmaster Patrick Lees.
WATER POLO
In recent seasons, Clifton versus Kearsney has developed into one of the best water polo rivalries anywhere in the country.
They’ve met four times in the fourth term, and each match has been a thriller. At the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, Kearsney edged out Clifton in the semifinals after a penalty shootout. At the KZN Top 10, Clifton snatched a 10-9 win in the semifinals.
Then, at the Northwood Stayers, Clifton beat Kearsney 6-5 in a round-robin game before defeating Kearsney 6-4 in the final.
On Saturday, at the Clifton Aquatic Centre, the home side, as they have so often done, produced an outstanding first chukka. They led 2-0 when it ended. Kearsney, however, fought back to pull within 2-3 at halftime.
After a back-and-forth third chukka, Clifton was 5-4 ahead, but Kearsney struck twice in quick succession to take the lead for the first time shortly after the start of the fourth chukka. Digging deep, Clifton levelled. Then, Mitchell Mun-Gavin struck with only 15 seconds remaining to score the winning goal.
Clifton did a good job of pressuring Kearsney’s dangerman, Max Mills, every time he was in possession. Despite that, Mills showed his class with an outstanding goal, which demonstrated his work ethic, vision, and quick trigger.
After pulling off a tackle in front of the Kearsney cage, he spotted Clifton changing goalkeepers. Quick as a flash, he fired off a length-of-the-pool shot, keeping it low, so that it bounced in front of the Clifton goal and stayed down. The ball struck the middle of the net with no one there to try to stop the shot.
Kearsney won by the odd goal in 13 in the U15A match, while the U14As drew 4-4.
Results
1st: Clifton 7-6 Kearsney
2nd: Clifton 8-4 Kearsney
3rd: Clifton 4-9 Kearsney
4th: Clifton 3-11 Kearsney
15A: Clifton 5-6 Kearsney
15B: Clifton 7-8 Kearsney
14A: Clifton 4-4 Kearsney
14B: Clifton 3-13 Kearsney
BASKETBALL
At the Riverside Sports Club, Clifton and Kearsney delivered an entertaining contest, with each of the first three quarters following a similar narrative – Kearsney pulling clear in the early stages before Clifton finished strongly to pull within striking range.
At the end of the first quarter, Kearsney led 12-11. It was 26-20 at halftime, and then 33-27 heading into the final quarter. At last, though, Kearsney stretched clear, and Clifton was unable to respond. The visitors bossed the final quarter, outscoring Clifton 16 points to two, to finish with a comfortable 49-29 victory.
Kearsney’s Qabu Mngoma led all scorers, with 14 points, while Nikita Mahlasela chipped in with 10. Mehluko Sibisi led the way for Clifton, with seven points, while Mbambo Langa scored six.
Kearsney enjoyed the better of the matches, including the U16A, U15A, and U14A games, but Clifton’s U16B team recorded a convincing 10-point win.
Results
1st: Clifton 29-49 Kearsney
2nd: Clifton 12-74 Kearsney
3rd: Clifton 17-53 Kearsney
16A: Clifton 14-35 Kearsney
16B: Clifton 23-13 Kearsney
15A: Clifton 27-42 Kearsney
15B: Clifton 14-24 Kearsney
14A: Clifton 11-23 Kearsney
14B: Clifton 7-49 Kearsney
14C: Clifton 10-32 Kearsney