Clifton College first XI took advantage of the crucial toss of the coin to break the Kearsney College first XI’s outstanding 10-match winning streak at Riverside in Durban North on Saturday.

It appeared nigh-inevitable that the outcome of the 45-over match would be decided on who won the toss between captains Nabeel Jeewa (CC) and Cade Carmichael (KC) and it was the Clifton skipper who ended on the right side of the call, having no hesitation in electing to bowl.

Brad Morgan feature image: Clifton seamer Ronan Vardaya was on target at Riverside; onlooking Kearsney batsman Dylan Hulett continues to play valuable innings.

Heavy rain during the week and overcast conditions produced a Riverside greentop, which had the seamers on both sides eager with anticipation.

 

 

Batting was going to be a mission in the morning session, and so it proved.

Clifton’s seamers had the batsmen under the cosh, with Kearsney losing wickets at regular intervals.

The pick of the seamers was Ronan Vardaya (2-17 in 7 overs) and Josh Platford (1-21 in 9).

Not to be outdone, the Clifton spinners also extracted turn and bounce with Marco Mottura (2-30 in 9) and grade 10 Ross Montgomery (2-2 in 1) doing significant damage.

 

 

An interesting run-out, which was later repeated in the Clifton innings, added to the drama.

Only Kearsney’s Rubin Rheeder (34) and the in-form Dylan Hulett (28) managed some resistance in the difficult batting conditions.

And full marks to the efficient Clifton bowling attack that didn’t take its foot off the gas – Kearsney all out for 113 in 37 of the allotted 45 overs.

By the afternoon the wicket had flattened out in the sun and wind, with conditions therefore improving for batting.

 

 

True to form in a first term that on a number of occasions has seen victory resurrected from the gaping jaws of what seemed to be inevitable defeat, Cade Carmichael’s never-say-die Kearsney lads were not going down without a fight.

The Kearsney bowling attack made Clifton work hard for their runs.

Dean Gibbs (3-22 in 9) and spinner Josh Stocks – the picture of control and economy in taking 1 wicket for 9 runs in 9 miserly overs – kept the batsmen honest and Clifton eventually passed the target in the 35^th over with seven wickets down.

 

 

Clifton’s Nabeel Jeewa played a captain’s knock in scoring a gritty, match-winning 57 and making exactly half of the total runs need for victory.

SCORES IN BRIEF

Kearsney College first XI 113 all out in 37 overs (Rubin Rheeder 34, Dylan Hulett 28; Ronan Vardaya 2-17 in 7 overs, Josh Platford 1-21 in 9, Marco Mottura 2-30 in 9, Ross Montgomery 2-2 in 1)
Clifton College first XI 114/7 (Nabeel Jeewa 57; Dean Gibbs 3-22 in 9, Josh Stocks 1-9 in 9)
Clifton won by 3 wickets

 

 

OTHER SCORES IN BRIEF

2^nd XI: Clifton 160 (Moodley 44; Weyer 4-16, Van der Merwe 3-22) Kearsney 164/4 (Talbot 63*)
Kearsney won by 6 wickets

3^rd XI: Clifton 103/7 (Moodley 42*, Klue 32; Kearsney 104/4
Kearsney won by 6 wickets

U16A: Kearsney 239/8 (Bergsett 96, Wiggett 56; Rein 4-32) Clifton 224/5 (Coleman 99, Strathmore 79)
Match abandoned due to rain

 

 

 U15A: Kearsney 216/9 and Clifton 170/8 (Veitch 43, Mattis 52; Bishop 3-21)
Match abandoned due to rain

U14A: Clifton 115 (Behari 38; Khambule 3-21, Daya 4-19) Kearsney 117/3 (De Olivera 43*, O’Donovan 33*)
Kearsney won by 7 wickets