The unpredictable nature of cricket was on full display in the limited-overs matches between Clifton College and Glenwood, and Michaelhouse and Durban High School (DHS), on Saturday, with both producing surprising results.
At the Riverside Sports Club, Glenwood headed into their game on Clifton’s home ground in search of a decent performance from their batsmen. Inconsistency had been a theme of their season thus far, yet everything came together for the visitors on Saturday, including their bowling attack.
Clifton captain Shiraz Perumal chose to bat, but Glenwood’s bowlers profited from that decision, striking early and often against another side whose biggest challenge has been inconsistent batting. Within the first 10 overs, the visitors had reduced Clifton to 22/5 to snatch control of the contest.
Jonah Chaita removed both opening batsmen, Daniyaal Klinck and Adam Dickin, cheaply, and Vincenzo Loutz then got rid of the dangerous Muhammed Malek and Shreyan Singh, both for ducks. Glenwood skipper, Kreesan Pillai, chipped in, removing his opposite number, Shiraz Perumal, for one.
Hayden Drieselmann has been Clifton’s best batsman in the 2026/27 season, and he stood firm, striking four fours in a contribution of 27 from 29 balls before he became the sixth man out after a 31-run partnership with his brother, Ethan, for the sixth wicket.
Ethan Drieselmann and Caleb Naicker added 26 for the seventh wicket before Blake Johnson and Keegan Watson took Clifton beyond 100 with a 31-run stand for the ninth wicket.
In the 40th over, Clifton’s innings came to an end on 136, with Johnson unbeaten on the innings’ highest score of 31 not out, which included five fours.
Vincenzo Loutz finished with 3/38 from 5.1 overs, Jonah Chaita grabbed 2/12 in four, and Kreesan Pillai exerted severe pressure with his return of 2/21 from 10 overs. Esihle Gasa kept Clifton tied down, too, picking up 1/29 from nine overs.
Clifton didn’t have many runs to defend, but they might have felt they had a chance given Glenwood’s batting struggles thus far this season. The visitors instead dictated matters, beginning with a first-wicket stand of 37 between Kreesan Pillai and Komo Moloto, which ended when Daniyaal Klinck caught Moloto off George Gooch for 15.
That dismissal might have given Clifton hope, but it slowly dissipated as Pillai and Sebastian Oertel joined forces. They spent 22.3 overs together, compiling an unbroken partnership of 102 to see Glenwood to a convincing nine-wicket victory.
Pillai was the innings’ mainstay, finishing with 75 not out off 82 deliveries, with 10 fours, while Oertel played cautiously for a crucial 37 not out from 81 balls, which included five fours.
George Gooch, the sole wicket-taker for Clifton, claimed 1/29 in five overs.
Michaelhouse vs Durban High School (DHS)
The surprise at Michaelhouse was how well DHS batted after struggling against the Michaelhouse attack the previous evening in the final of the Eston One Insurance T20 Night League.
On Saturday, on the Roy Gathorne Oval, however, their innings included a key ingredient in so many of their successes, a big partnership between Ismaeel Omar and Josh van Biljon. Both have proved themselves to be very well suited to the longer forms of the game, and they combined for 119 runs from 127 balls for the third wicket, but that wasn’t the Horseflies‘ best stand.
Omar and Shaun Stumke added 121 for the second wicket as House‘s bowlers, so dominant at Eston, were dispatched to all corners of the ground.
Stumke, batting at three, hit five fours and a six in a 70-ball stay that produced 51 runs. Omar went bigger, facing 130 balls, striking 11 fours and two sixes, and making 107.
The top score, though, belonged to the DHS captain, Josh van Biljon, who tore into the Michaelhouse attack, slamming six sixes and nine fours in an aggressive 112 from only 79 deliveries.
Bonga Maphanga added to Michaelhouse’s pain by clubbing four sixes in a 13-ball cameo that brought him an unbeaten 31, and a sturdy total of 329/5 from their 50 overs for DHS.
The home side’s bowling figures didn’t make for pleasant reading, but Ben Heuer claimed 2/49 in 10 overs, and Liam O’Dwyer kept the scoring from getting further out of hand by picking up 1/40 in his 10.
Michaelhouse gave it a good go, chasing a big total, but they needed at least one batsman to go big. The best they mustered was 56 by their captain, Graydon Leslie, who hit nine fours and a six in a 61-ball stay. It was a good innings, but given the centuries by Van Biljon and Omar, and the fifty by Shaun Stumke, it wasn’t enough.
Riley Muir resisted, sending seven balls to the boundary in his 45, which came at close to a run a ball, and Nishay Sudhoowa chipped in with 28, while the reliable Ben Heuer contributed 23, but the day belonged to DHS and their opening bowler, Bonga Maphanga.
He sent five batsmen packing, capturing 5/33 from 8.1 overs, including bowling Liam O’Dwyer to end Michaelhouse’s innings on 236 all out. That left the Horseflies victorious by 93 runs and solidly avenged their defeat to House on Friday.
Cody Buys chipped in with 2/40, removing two of the top three batsmen in the Michaelhouse order.
Summarised Scorecards:
Clifton College 136/10 (Blake Johnson 31*, Hayden Drieselmann 27, Ethan Drieselmann 19; Vincenzo Loutz 3/28, Jonah Chaita 2/12, Kreesan Pillai 2/21); Glenwood High 139/1 (Kreesan Pillai 75*, Sebastian Oertel 37*). Glenwood High won by nine wickets.
Durban High School 329/5 (Josh van Biljon 112, Ismaeel Omar 107, Shaun Stumke 51, Bonga Maphanga 31*; Ben Heuer 2/49, Liam O’Dwyer 1/40); Michaelhouse 236/10 (Graydon Leslie 56, Riley Muir 45, Nishay Sudhoowa, Ben Heuer 23; Bonga Maphanga 5/33, Cody Buys 2/40). Durban High School won by 93 runs.
