Overview Sporting Achievements
Maritzburg College’s cricket, basketball and water polo teams took part in several tournaments and festivals over the holiday period. In addition, a number of boys have achieved at a national level and made national selections.
The 1st basketball team competed in the Kearsney Invitational Basketball Festival and finished in 2nd place losing only the one match to Northwood.
College hosted the 63rd Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket week which saw 20 teams from around the country participate. College’s 1st XI played matches against Grey College, Cornwall Hill College, Pretoria Boys’ High and Affies.
A big shout out to 5th former Ricky Lottering on being selected as part of the SA team for the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2023 beginning in Berlin. Ricky is set to race in Berlin on 6 – 8 Oct 2023 and in Greece between 13 – 15 Oct 2023.
Congratulations also to College’s James Truter who finished 7th overall at the SA Schools Golf tournament held at Irene and was selected for the SA Schools team.
Well done to the Maritzburg College Cycling team who placed 5th overall at the SA Interschool MTB finals held in Brits. Competing for the KZN team, a number of College riders including Luke Newlands, Cole Sellick, Brent Foster, Michael Jewaskiewitz, Kayden Searle and Daniel Janneker achieved top 10 places in their events.
Basketball
College’s 1st basketball team took part in the Kearsney Invitational Basketball Festival and finished in 2nd place overall losing only the one match to Northwood.
Summary of results:
Vs PBHS – won 59 – 45
Vs WBHS – won 58 – 50
Vs Kearsney – won 49 – 29
Vs Westerford won 57 – 25
Quarter-final
Vs Jeppe won 56 – 43
Semi-final
Vs DHS won 47 – 41 DHS
Final
Vs Northwood lost 35-49
College finished 2nd overall.
Cricket
At the 63rd Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week, College’s 1st XI played matches against Grey College, Cornwall Hill College, Pretoria Boys’ High and Affies. College lost three matches and won one.
Match 1 vs. Affies
The Affies captain won the toss and sent the College team into bat on a hot Maritzburg morning, a decision that surprized home team captain Bryn Brokensha. The opening partnership of Caleb Thomas and Liam Armstrong got College off to a slow but steady start, Thomas was first man out for 10. Armstrong was next to go for a patient 28, Chad Mason and Brokensha then combined for the biggest partnership of the innings, that of 67, Mason ending on 64. Brokensha added the much needed impetus towards the end of the innings, with a well-constructed 82 not out off 91 balls to get his team to a defendable 228 for 5 off their 50 overs.
College started off well with the ball, creating a chance in the second over, unfortunately the benefit of doubt went to the batsman. The Affies batsman made the best of the chance and put on a 100 for the opening partnership. Seamer Michael Gibson and off spinner James Wiggill kept their team in the match, both picking up two wickets. Unfortunately for College it was a little too late, and with a missed chance at square leg, Affies were able to get home by 3 wickets.
Scores in brief
College 228 for 5 Affies 232 for 7
Mason 64 Gibson 2 for 16
Brokensha 82* Wiggill 2 for 35
Armstrong 28
Affies won by 3 wickets
Match 2 vs. Grey College
The teams arrived on Goldstones with over cast and cold conditions. The Grey College captain won the toss and had no hesitation in sending College into bat on a pitch that would assist the bowlers. The Grey College bowling unit bowled well in the first session, restricting the home team to 110 for 5 at tea. College were unable to put together any meaningful partnerships and were eventually bowled out for 173, Chad Mason top scoring with 59.
Grey College absorbed the early pressure and through many small partnerships put themselves in a strong position at tea. Off spinner James Wiggill bowled well for a second day in a row picking up 2 for 30, Mason bowled with good control and was unlucky not to pick up a few more wickets, finishing with 2 for 48.
Scores in brief
College 173 all out Grey College 177 for 5
Armstrong 25 Wiggill 2 for 30
Mason 59 Mason 2 for 48
Grey won by 5 wickets
Match 3 vs. Pretoria Boys High School
Day 3 – The weather was once again perfect for cricket, although a bit hot. The PBHS captain had no hesitation in batting first in almost perfect batting conditions. College started off well picking up the first wicket in the 3rd over, Captain Bryn Brokensha with a good caught and bowled. PBHS put together a number of partnerships to set up a big total but College were able to take wickets at crucial times eventually bowling the opposition out in the last over restricting Pretoria to 232. Oliver Da Costa and Chad Mason bowling well to keep their team in the game.
College lost quick wickets upfront and found it difficult to build any meaningful partnerships. Caleb Thomas batted well up front, but when he lost his wicket for 34, College were in the precarious position of 55 for 4 in 11 overs. After the loss of Da Costa, Michael Gibson and Ryan McKean steadied the College innings with a 70 run partnership and at tea, College found themselves back in the contest at 119 for 5. Gibson top scored with a well-played 54 and when McKean got out shortly after Gibson for 20, PBHS were back in control of the game with College 149 for 7, still needing 83 for victory. Sphamandla Dzanibe, firstly with Asanda Khumalo and later with James Wiggill batted with maturity beyond his years. Dzanibe scored a match winning 47 off 45 balls to almost get his team home, unfortunately losing his wicket with his team needing 6 runs to win off 7 balls. Left hand batsman James Wiggill ensured that there was no last minute drama, getting his team home with 3 balls to spare, Wiggill with an important 21 not out.
Scores in brief
Pretoria Boys High School 232 all out College 235 for 9
Da Costa 3 for 32 Gibson 54
Mason 2 for 49 Dzanibe 47
College won by 1 wicket
Match 4 vs. Cornwall Hill
College captain Bryn Brokensha won the toss and elected to bat first, in the final twenty 20 game of the Michaelmas week. The batting unit were never able to accelerate at any time in the innings and were never able to put the Cornwall Hill bowlers under any pressure. Brokensha top scored for his team with a patient 51, College setting the visitors a victory target of 124 in their 20 overs.
It was always going to be a difficult target to defend for College, although College remained disciplined in the field, the Cornwall Hill batsmen were able to keep up with the rate required. Cornwall Hill winning the game by 5 wickets at the end of the 18th over. Brokensha and off spinner Oliver Da Costa picking up 2 wickets each.
Scores in brief
College 124 for 5 Cornwall Hill 128 for 5
Brokensha 51 Brokensha 2 for 13
Da Costa 2 for 26
Cornwall Hill won by 5 wickets
The U14A, U15A and U17A teams also participated in cricket festivals over the holiday period.
At the U14 Festival at Hilton, College’s U14A team won two matches, drew one and lost one.
Vs Grey Bloem
Grey 251/8; Hosking 3-25
College 126/9
Match drawn
Vs St Alban’s
St Albans 228/7
College 222 all out; van der Merwe 67
College lost by 7 runs
vs Rondebosch
College 129 all out
Rondebosch 115 all out; Meyer 4-28, Schoeman 3-14
College won by 14 runs
Vs Wynberg (20 overs)
Wynberg 110/4
College 112/5; Puddu 36
College won by 5 wickets
College’s U15A played at the PBHS Festival, drawing one and losing three matches.
Vs PBHS
College 100 all out
PBHS 182/5 declared
College 2nd innings 98/3; du Toit 56
Match drawn
Vs Affies
Affies 300/6; Bharath 1-30
College 157 all out; Willson 41, de Bruyn 48
College lost by 143 runs
Vs Waterkloof
College 233/9; de Bruyn 91, Wiggill 28*
Waterkloof 234/5, Wiggill 2-21
College lost by 5 wickets
Vs St Alban’s
St Alban’s 167/4; du Toit 2 22-4
College 139/9; Wilson 53, Thompson 32*
College lost by 28 runs
At the U17 Festival held at Michaelhouse, College won two and lost two matches.
Vs Hilton
College 258 all out
Hilton 260/8
College lost by 2 wickets
Vs PBHS
PBHS 70 all out; Koningkramer 6-9; Goslett 4-20
College 71/1, Nadasan 41*
College won by 9 wickets
Vs St David’s
St David’s 73 all out
College 74/6; Bester 21
College won by 4 wickets
Vs St Alban’s
College 120/6
St. Albans 121/2
College lost by 8 wickets
Water polo
The College U16A team participated in the DHS U16 Water Polo Tournament. Up against some strong competition, they finished 11th overall.
Summary of results:
Vs DHS lost 1-9
Vs Northwood lost 3-6
Vs St Benedict’s won 10-1
Vs Clifton lost 3-11
Vs Westville lost 6-11
Vs Grey College drew 4-4
College finished 11th
Canoeing
Several College boys participated in the 2023 Fish River Canoe Marathon, which was also the Canoeing South Africa K2 River Championships. This event is a two day race in Cradock over 82 km.
U18
Jack Odell and Simon Norton finished 7th .
U16
Keegan Vogt and Jayden Jv Rensburg finished 3rd .