Playing (and spectating) conditions, so idyllic that they would have defied even Charles Fortunesque narration, greeted St Charles College in Balgowan on Saturday.
Cricket:
Hosts Michaelhouse’s open age group looked to be hitting mid-season form with a solid set of results on the cricket ovals. Seven and nine wicket wins for the fourth and third XIs respectively were matched by an emphatic five wicket win for the seconds where Graham Wynne’s 5/38 off nine overs was the anvil upon which St Charles’ innings was battered to 137 all out. On the Roy Gathorne Oval, skipper Murray Baker’s 103* was the highlight of House’s 177/6 in their drawn declaration contest.
All three age group A teams also pitted their developing cricket skills and insights against their St Charles opponents in declaration matches. Enjoying the opportunity to bowl for extended spells, House’s Jean-Luc Rey returned miserly figures of 4/24 off 18 overs to restrict the visitors to 120/7 chasing the host’s first innings total of 212/9 in an U16A contest which was eventually drawn. Michaelhouse’s U16B lads were in belligerent all-round form with Oliver Bruyns cracking 54, and Robbie Steyn pitching in with bat and ball scoring 53 and claiming four scalps. Sithsaba Simokhunda was Steyn’s demolition partner, weighing in with five wickets for the 142 run win. Saints averted a whitewash in the age group with an 85 run win for the C team. Spoils were evenly shared in the U15 category with a draw, a win, and a loss for Michaelhouse in the A, B, and C team clashes respectively. Jason Joiner scored his second 50 in as many weekends for the U14A side who enjoyed a win on their first innings over St Charles. Saints’ B and C outfits were too good for Michaelhouse on the day.
Basketball:
House recorded another good set of results on the basketball courts, although the first team outcome was the one that got away again. The 12 point margin on the 42-54 score line was a great improvement on November’s result. Saints owned the second and fifth team results, but went down in the third, fourth and sixth team encounters. Michaelhouse’s U16A team avenged their loss to St Charles in U15 with a solid 33-23 win, with the three other teams in the age group wrapping up the clean sweep with wins of their own. House’s U15A extended their winning run this season with a confident 30-14 win. Losses for the B and D teams and a win for the C side ensured an equitable split of results in the age group. The home side U14s emulated their older clubmates with four wins from four starts, including a thrilling 25-22 win for the A team.
Water polo:
Results were an exercise in extremes. While the firsts, U15A and U14A sides went down to their Hilton College counterparts, with the seconds enduring the same fate against the St Charles firsts; the fourths, U15B and U14B teams wrapped up the day with convincing wins on the stagger against Saints.
Sports report compiled by Michaelhouse.
