IN THE FIRST MATCH OF MICHAELMAS WEEK - hosted annually by Maritzburg College - four games of which were played on the SCC oval, on Friday 24 September, St Charles College came away with a 2-wicket win in this low-scoring, 50 limited-overs match. Batting first, Hudson Park scored 86 with Gareth Dukes 4 for 25 and Matthew Tweddle 3 for 12. A certain Port Elizabeth visitor by the name of Sansom, who had hit 28 runs for Hudson Park, pinned down the hosts with 5 for 25, but the Saints reply of 87 for 8 saw them home with 2 wickets to spare. Well played St Charles, and thanks Hudson Park for the visit after our various visits to you in the past.

Saturday 25 September dawned drizzly and heavily overcast with low temperatures. The visitors to the Saints were the Griqua Development XI. Parent, Mr Kevin Rall was there and sent us this short commentary: "St Charles College won toss and chose to field in wet conditions with the threat of further rain before the end of the day. We put down a few catches early on which allowed the Griquas a better start than they might otherwise have had. After tea the team tightened the screws and the Griquas were all out for 100 in the 30th over. Ryan Sclanders and Greg Ford got SCC off to a quick 50 partnership start. Greg went for a bright 30 at better than a run a ball. Ryan batted through the innings and was 35-not-out at the end. Gareth Dukes joined Ryan to finish off the task for SCC in the 16th over." (Thanks Kevin Rall for this and for your photos.) Well played to all the players.

Sunday 26 September grew increasingly hot and humid as a hot berg wind blew away yesterday's clouds and sent the temperatures soaring to 38 degrees C. In these oppressive conditions the lads from St John's College, Johannesburg, reinforced the perception that they are usually a very capable outfit - with their batsman, James McGraw knocking up a patient 110*, and with it 241 for 5 in their 50 overs - about 20 runs above par for this oval. A missed shy at the the stumps from about 1m gave him all the life-line he needed to punish the good efforts from bowlers, Matthew Tweddle, Matthew Ford and Grant Stone. After an impatient opening reply with Robinson and Sclanders out early on, the Saints were staring at the prospect of an early shower. Gregory Ford's 56 and Gareth Dukes's 64 steadied the ship, and with the runs coming in and the strike rotating, the game appeared to be on as a rate of some 5-runs-per-over was all that was required for a win. However, once both were out even Burton Weakley's brave late effort was not going to save the day - to see St Charles falling 29 runs short. Thanks for the game Johanians - well played.

Monday 27 September. It was inevitable that Pretoria Boys' High School would return to St Charles College with a vengeance in the light of the lesson they learned at the hands of the Saints last year at this festival of cricket. With the visitors' total around 245 in the 35th over of this 45 limited-over's game, the intentions of the Gauteng boys was very clear. They hauled in a total of 276 for 2 by the end of their innings with no particularly special St Charles College bowling figures to speak of; the Pretoria boys then set about the systematic demolition of the Saints - who stuttered to 141 all-out and a loss by 135 runs. Well played PBHS and thanks for the game and the visit. With all teams parched from the heat of Sunday, there are no excuses at the hands of this well-honed side. Thanks to Kayley Rall for her photos today - one of which is displayed (photo 5) below.

We thank Maritzburg College very sincerely for including us in their Michaelmas Week plans, and for entrusting us with the eight games on both our oval and on Harwin field, and to the visiting cricketers for the lessons in cricket our boys learned from and with you during the four days past.

Webmaster | Pietermaritzburg | 2010 09 27

Thank you Mr Dave Karlsen for the following report on the match played at DHS on Saturday:

First XI Squad: Mattehw Ford (Capt), Gregory Ford, Dean Robinson, Kalin Nundlall, Paul Vincent, Mzamo Cele, Grant Stone, Burton Weakley, Keith Stanger, Matthew Tweddle, Dexter Hobbs

Losing the toss on a spongy pitch with the ball not coming on to the bat made for a very tight and exciting game of cricket.
As a spectacle the game never reached any great heights but good disciplined bowling from both teams made the match tense and nerve wracking for all watching. It was a real war of attrition, played in a wonderfully competitive spirit.
Stand-in captain, Matthew Ford lost the toss and St Charles College was asked to bat first. The visitors started positively but unsure of a good total lost wickets unnecessarily all along the way, finally committing the cardinal sin of not batting there full quota of overs. Gregory Ford, Dean Robinson and Dexter Hobbs took the Saints score to 59 for 1 before the departure of Hobbs saw a spate of rash shots reminiscent of the twenty20 festival in which they had recently participated. The loss of kingpins, Ryan Sclanders and captain, Gareth Dukes, was obvious as the middle order failed to consolidate and aim for the target of 180 the team had set for themselves.
Very tight bowling from Poole, Curtis and Grewar made life difficult for the Pietermaritzburg team, and only Mzamo Cele once more came to the rescue with a well constructed 25 not-out.
The St Charles College Innings closed on 128 in the 45th over.
The Saints fielding effort was all a coach could ask for with skipper Matthew Ford (Grade 10) bowling taking 2 for 20 in 10 overs while new team member, Keith Stanger, 1 for 11 in 10, Grant Stone 2 for 21 in 10 gave little away. One or two critical fielding errors cost the Saints a victory but the very rough outfield conspired against them. Cele’s keeping was from the top drawer - two stumpings, a run-out and a magnificent leg-side catch put the DHS batsmen under a lot of pressure.
Matthew Ford marshaled his troops with the aplomb of a much older and more experienced player who obviously relished the challenges of leadership despite his youth.
St Charles College can be very proud of this young side who lost their captain (Gareth Dukes) and influential No. 3 batsman (Ryan Sclanders) the day before, coupled with the toss on the day.
To lose by only 1 wicket with all the odds stacked against them speaks volumes for the team’s character.

SAINTS HOCKEY THIS AFTERNOON was a hive of Prep activity as the Prep School took on their opposite numbers from Highbury, Hillcrest. The results will be on the Results page shortly, but the news just in is that the first XI won their game, played from 5:05pm on the Kearsney articifial turf - with a solid 3-2 score. Well done, boys.

Above, the scene this afternoon on Saints Hockey at 2:45pm as the U10s and U11s take on their Hillcrest visitors.

Webmaster | at Saints Hockey | 2010 09 08