Overview Sporting Achievements:
The penultimate round of sporting fixtures saw Maritzburg College’s cricket, basketball and water polo teams take on longtime rivals Glenwood. College dominated across all three codes, winning all of the basketball and water polo matches as well as 10 of the 11 cricket matches.
Water polo:
College’s water polo teams have improved steadily through the season, and this week their commitment paid off with three wins from three matches against Glenwood.
1st team report (Mr Darren Sherriff, Director: Aquatics) On Saturday, College hosted Glenwood for water polo. The match started with College gaining an early lead, and looking in control, they were ahead at the end of the first chukka 6-1. The second chukka was much tighter as each side managed 1 goal apiece. College kept control and extended their lead, eventually winning the game 14-5.
Basketball:
College won all their matches against Glenwood with some impressive margins. The 1st team secured a very convincing win 96-23.
1st team report (Mr Suwi Siwila- Director Basketball) College continued their impressive season thus far, and Glenwood leading up to the 1st team game had not won a game the entire day. College looked poised and ready to from the “jump”, and got off to a strong start only allowing Glenwood 11 points in the 1st half, while putting up 44 points. With the writing on the wall College turned to W Mbanjwa and C Fynn, the upcoming 2nd and 3rd form talents, and giving them a run on for 1st team. Overall College came out on top convincingly. The boys and staff are very aware of the big fixture vs Westville next weekend and the upcoming 1 year anniversary of the passing of the much beloved Coach B, Mr B Khumalo. College took the somber route of not dwelling on the victory but chose to dedicate this victory to Coach B.
Cricket:
Eleven College’s cricket teams hosted the boys from Glenwood, with the 1st XI playing their penultimate match of the year on Goldstones. College’s cricketers secured wins in 10 of their games, and for the 1st team it was a convincing 10 wicket victory.
1st XI match report (Mr Robbie Coutts – 1st XI coach) The College 1st XI brought home a comfortable victory this past weekend, putting together arguably their best performance of the season. College won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bowl in conditions that would offer the bowlers early assistance. At the start to the innings, College put Glenwood under pressure with some well-disciplined bowling; the visitors however were able to absorb the early pressure and with some good running between the wickets ensured the scoreboard ticked over. College eventually picked up wickets in the 7th and 8th overs through captain Bryn Brokensha and Michael Gibson, and then continued to take wickets on regular occasions, so that Glenwood were never able to put together any meaningful partnerships, the biggest being 22 for the 7th wicket. Leg spinner Chad Mason once again bowled with excellent control picking up 3 for 17 in 9 overs, and Sphamandla Dzanibe and James Wiggill both took two wickets to bowl Glenwood out for 108.
College got off to a fast batting start, reaching 48 in 5 overs before lunch. Openers Caleb Thomas and Liam Armstrong were patient when needed and harsh on anything loose, hitting the bad ball to the boundary. After lunch the pair only needed another 12 overs to get their team past the Glenwood total. Thomas reached his half century with a couple of runs to get, but it was Armstrong with a boundary that won the game for his team, with College being comfortable winners by 10 wickets.
Scores in brief: Glenwood 108 all out; Mason 3 for 17, Wiggill 2 for 11, Dzanibe 2 for 12 College 111 for 0, Thomas 53*, Armstrong 43* College won by 10 wickets
