CRICKET
Hilton 1st X1 v Kearsney 1st X1 – match abandoned
Kearsney lost the toss and were forced to bowl on a Hilton deck which was destined to favour batsmen.
In hot conditions, the bowling attack of Ryan Browning, Michael Groom and Sandiswa Yeni initially did well to contain the strong Hilton batting side. However, as the match progressed, it was very clear that it was an excellent batting strip and Hilton scored a creditable 234/6 in their allotted 50 overs.
Pick of the Hilton batting were Charles Swart, who made a patient 100 off 107 balls, Jayden Roux who weighed in with 33, and an aggressive 31 off 13 balls from Kyle Christie.
Kearsney responded to the challenge set by the home side and at the hallway mark of 25 overs, were well set on 120/3 to take the game to the wire.
Ross Coetzee was settled on 28* after Cameron Veenstra had made a sizeable dent in the score with his 39 off 63 balls, and several Kearsney batsmen were in the hut eager to display their batting skills in optimal conditions.
Unfortunately, it was not to be, as lightening and an impending storm erased any chance of a result. It was another day of intriguing cricket however, showcasing two very competent sides locked in traditional combat, neither giving any quarter.
BASKETBALL
Hilton 1st team lost to Kearsney 1st team 57-59
Kearsney travelled to Hilton for Saturday’s basketball fixture, a notoriously difficult venue to play at, as Hilton plays with great pride and passion to protect their home court.
A tight first quarter saw both teams working hard for minimal reward, but Kearsney managed to come out in front 10-8.
The second quarter was a defensive arm wrestle with Hilton fighting back to go into the changeroom ahead at 21-20. Despite a flurry of three-pointers by Hilton, Kearsney won the third quarter by six points for a 23-17 score, giving them a slender lead going into the final quarter.
Kearsney and Hilton slugged it out in the final quarter with both teams making mistakes and neither dominating. Kearsney had done enough to hold on to a two-point lead, ending up winning the game 59-57.
Top Performers
Kearsney: Reabetswe Sithole 17 points; Gregor Campbell 14; Sinqobile Buthelezi 7 points
Hilton: Simba Chidakwa 16 points; Connor Thompson 14; Langa Dlamini and Lesedi Mangwale 11 points
WATER POLO
Hilton 1sts tied with Kearsney 1sts 14-14
In a riveting and closely contested water polo match between Hilton and Kearsney, both teams exhibited exceptional skill and determination, resulting in a nail-biting 14-14 tie. The game unfolded with an early lead for Hilton, securing a 3-0 advantage in the initial stages. Hilton continued to dominate, finishing the first chukka with a 2-3 lead.
As the match progressed, Hilton extended their lead to 2-6 by the end of the second chukka and maintained their advantage with a score of 5-9 in the third chukka. However, Kearsney mounted a spirited comeback, narrowing the gap to 7-10 by the end of the third chukka.
The tension escalated in the final chukka as Kearsney displayed resilience, managing to bring the score to 14-14, levelling the playing field. The climax reached its peak when Kearsney seemingly scored a goal in the last two seconds, only to have it disallowed, resulting in the match concluding in a thrilling draw.
Both teams showcased exceptional sportsmanship and skill throughout the intense match, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats until the final moments.
SWIMMING
Kearsney’s top swimmer Luca Sandri won eight races at the College’s annual swimming gala, breaking five standing school records. In addition, he picked up the senior Victor Ludorum trophy, giving the best performance of the day.
Luca broke the Open 100m backstroke (00:58,69), Open 200m individual medley (00:58,69), U17 50m backstroke (00:26,72), U17 50m breaststroke (00:30,29) and U17 50m freestyle (00:23,94) records.
Sports report compiled by Sue Mile at Working Words
Photo Credit: Hannah Shirley
