Overview Sporting Achievements The past weekend was a very busy one for Maritzburg College which saw many of the boys in action with cricket, basketball, and water polo matches against Michaelhouse, as well as golf, squash, athletics, canoeing and cycling events taking place.
Cricket:
College fielded 15 cricket teams against Michaelhouse on a hot day that ended with the 1st XI securing a great win. The boys from the #RedBlackWhite were victorious in 9 of their matches, and lost 6. Well done too to the U14A for a good result in only their second match of the year.
1st XI match report (Mr Robbie Coutts – 1st XI Coach) The College 1st XI brought home an exciting victory this past weekend, despite being under pressure for a large portion of the bowling innings. The team welcomed Michaelhouse to Goldstones on a hot and dry Saturday morning.
College captain Bryn Brokensha won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat on a pitch that looked like it may get lower and slower in the afternoon. At the start to the bowling innings, the Michaelhouse bowling attack thrived in the conditions that assisted the seam bowlers, taking two early wickets. College were in a precarious position of 26 for 2 after 6 overs. Liam Armstrong and Brokensha absorbed the early pressure and went about putting together a 65 run partnership, Brokensha getting out for 32, the score 91 for 3 after 20 overs. Armstrong linked well with Chad Mason and Rhett Quin in the middle overs putting on 28 for the 4th wicket and 38 for the 5th wicket. The College middle order through Oliver Da Costa and Armstrong changed the momentum of the game in the closing overs, the pair added 68. Armstrong batted intelligently, running well and punishing any loose deliveries, he was unfortunate to get out just 3 short of what would have been a well-deserved century, his 97 off 130 balls getting College to a defendable 242 for 8.
Michaelhouse got off to a great start, the opening partnership of 49 off 10 overs was broken by Sphamandla Dzanibe. The Michaelhouse batsmen punished anything lose, with a large percentage of their runs coming in boundaries, at tea, Michaelhouse were in control at a 124 for 3, needing 119 to win in 25 overs. The introduction of off spinner James Wiggill slowed the scoring rate and it was Wiggill who made the breakthrough, trapping the Michaelhouse captain LBW for a well-played 69. The break through spurred the College team on and knowing fully well that the only way to win the game was to bowl Michaelhouse out, College never allowed the opposition batsmen to settle and any partnerships to develop. Brokensha returned in the 41st over and with Wiggill bowled four tight overs to add run rate pressure to the Michaelhouse lower order. With the pressure on the Michaelhouse lower order increasing, the College team upped a level with their fielding, not allowing Michaelhouse any singles. The College bowlers showed excellent discipline, bowling only 7 wides in the innings. Brokensha picked up a wicket in the 45th over and it was he who finished the game picking up the last two wickets in the 47th over to give College a 32 run win.
Scores in brief: College 242 for 8; Armstrong 97, Da Costa 40, Brokensha 32
Michaelhouse 211 all out; Wiggill 3/33, Brokensha 3/33, College won by 31 runs.
Basketball:
College’s basketball teams hosted Michaelhouse in some fiercely contested games over the weekend. The two schools were evenly matched with College winning 11 of their 21 matches.
After a convincing win over Westville in the opening game of the Basketball season, Maritzburg College focused their attention to one of three schools they lost to last year. Losing the last game of the season to MHS and losing their first team coach in the same breath was a bitter way to end the season. MHS knew what awaited them in the APH. A place very few teams have come out victorious. With a bounce crowd and edger onlookers this was poised for a good game. The game did not disappoint. The first quarter started with a tightly fought contest between the two schools. MHS went into the second quarter with a slim 5 point lead. This lead would soon disappear with College tightening the screws on defence and putting on a dashing offensive onslaught. The game was wrapped by the 3rd quarter with college closing off the game 62-41 winners.
Top achievers in 1st team game were Lwandle Dlamini – 20pts and Kuhle Mthimkhulu – 16pts
1st team report (Nonkululeko Gumede)
Summary of results vs Michaelhouse Played 21, won 11, lost 10
14A won 15-14 15A lost 11-24 16A won 30-26 1st team won 62-41
Water Polo:
Waterpolo It was a tough day in the pool for the College teams against Michaelhouse, although there were some very close results and the boys of the #RedBlackWhite fought hard.
1st team report – Mr Darren Sherriff (Director of Aquatics) College 1st team hosted Michaelhouse in a midweek fixture on Tuesday. Michaelhouse took an early lead in the first chukka; College then managed to pull back some goals and had a very exciting 2nd and 3rd chukka. Going in behind 7-8, Michaelhouse were the stronger side and won the game 9-13.
Summary of results Played:
9, Won: 0, Lost: 8, Drew: 1
14A lost 8-20 (J Mumford 6 goals) 14B drew 5-5
15A lost 4-15 15B lost 7-12
1st lost 9-13 (played earlier in the week) 2nd lost 4-11 3rd lost 4-8 4th lost 3-11 5th lost 7-8 (Hart 4 goals)
Sport Report compiled by Maritzburg College
Image 1: College fielded 21 teams against Michaelhouse over the weekend.
Credit: College
Image 2: College’s 1st XI player, Liam Armstrong who went out on 97 against Michaelhouse.
Credit: Justin Waldman Sport Photography
Image 3: College U14 water polo team enjoyed their games against Michaelhouse over the weekend, gaining some valuable experience.
Credit: College
