Game Day Report – St Charles College vs Glenwood

1 February 2025 The Saints were up against the Green Machine on Saturday. The 1^st team reports have been provided by our head coaches. Earlier in the week, the 1^st team golf enjoyed a strong performance to overcome Hilton’s top golf team at Victoria Country Club and our water polo teams remained unbeaten against Glenwood. There was also the start of the Tuskers 100 ball tournament, our 1^st XI hosted Maritzburg College.

1^st XI Cricket (as reported by Head Coach, Divan van Wyk) Thursday marked the start of the Tuskers 100-ball tournament as St. Charles College’s 1st XI hosted neighbouring Maritzburg College. The Oval, in pristine condition, added an extra level of excitement to the game, with ideal conditions for a high-scoring contest.

Maritzburg College won the toss and chose to bat first. Their captain, Nadasan, opened the batting alongside left-hander Dzanibe. While the conditions were favourable for batting, St. Charles College’s bowlers — employing a spin-heavy attack — kept the run rate in check throughout the innings. Despite solid technique, Maritzburg College struggled to score quickly, and the boys in Blue and Gold remained in control. Dedekind showed great promise with an aggressive mindset, but play was interrupted for half an hour due to a lightning siren, which may have disrupted his rhythm.

Maritzburg College finished on a modest 99/4, a total that left them wondering if a more attacking approach, with six wickets in hand, might have produced a better score. Naidoo, Vermaak, and Sharp were particularly impressive with the ball, and seamers Rajah and Clarke provided valuable support.

The Saints faced an early setback, losing two quick wickets, but captain Honiball responded with a blistering 39 off 30 balls. Connor Simpson also contributed with a solid 28 off 20, and Clarke’s steady presence guided the hosts home with six wickets to spare.

A well-deserved victory for the Blue and Gold.

Saints opening batsman, Covhan Baatjies, in action the The Oval for St Charles College (Picture Credit – Justin Waldman)

Glenwood Clinch Victory in Hard-Fought Battle at the Oval This past Saturday, St Charles College welcomed Glenwood to the Oval for what promised to be a competitive encounter. The hosts entered the match with confidence, having secured impressive victories over Michaelhouse and Maritzburg College (100-ball format) earlier in the week. However, they faced a Glenwood First XI eager to bounce back, particularly with their batting lineup proving dangerous throughout the season.

St Charles Struggles Against Disciplined Spin Attack:  Winning the toss, St Charles opted to bat first, hoping to capitalise on a solid track. The innings began in promising fashion, with early aggression from the top order providing a strong start. However, Glenwood quickly adjusted, deploying their spin attack, which immediately changed the complexion of the game. Their well-disciplined bowling unit applied pressure, drying up the scoring opportunities and forcing mistakes. With no clear response to Glenwood’s tight lines and disciplined variations, the hosts found themselves in trouble at 42/3 after 14 overs. The visitors continued to apply pressure, and it was once again up to the younger players, Clarke and Sharp, to steady the innings and attempt a rebuild.

Sharp’s Half-Century the Only Highlight in a Modest Total: Despite the mounting pressure, Clarke, Simpson, and Rajah showed determination at the crease, attempting to form partnerships and regain some momentum. However, Glenwood’s relentless bowling attack continued to find breakthroughs at crucial moments. Sharp, however, displayed admirable composure, working his way to a well-earned 50 in a fighting effort. His innings provided some much-needed stability, but unfortunately, he fell shortly after reaching his milestone. The lower order battled to extend the innings, but St Charles ultimately fell short of batting out their allotted overs, posting 167 all out—a total that felt slightly below par on a decent batting wicket.

Ntsieng’s Match-Winning Knock Secures Victory for Glenwood: Glenwood approached the chase with confidence, maintaining control of the game from the outset. While St Charles had moments where they looked capable of turning the tide, they lacked the discipline required to build sustained pressure. Glenwood’s Ntsieng played a match-winning innings, scoring a superb 70, anchoring his team’s chase. His calculated approach ensured that Glenwood remained in control, with the rest of the batting lineup chipping in with useful contributions to secure a well-earned victory.

Looking Ahead: A Tale of Two Teams:For Glenwood, this victory marks a significant step forward as their team finds greater rhythm and consistency. Their ability to adapt to the conditions and execute their game plan with precision will serve them well as the season progresses. For St Charles, the result serves as a reality check. While they have shown glimpses of brilliance in previous fixtures, their inconsistencies, particularly in handling quality spin bowling and maintaining discipline in key moments, proved costly. However, this young team has immense potential, and with the right adjustments, they have all the ingredients to become a team to watch in the seasons to come. This may have been a setback, but don’t write off St Charles College just yet—their journey is just beginning.

1^st Team Basketball (as reported by Head Coach, Darren Holcomb) After an exhilarating win at Michaelhouse a week earlier, the home Saints team looked to consolidate their good start to the season with another win; however, the visiting Glenwood side had much to prove and hoped to cause an upset.

With the game underway, Glenwood got off to a good start, knocking down their first three-pointer of the game. With the home crowd chanting, the hosts implemented a full-court press for the duration of the game. Unfortunately, Glenwood did not have the personnel to deal with this pressure which resulted in numerous turnovers and open transition baskets. Glenwood continued to play hard throughout the game; however, St Charles College showed too much class on the day and came away as a comfortable winner. Next St Charles College travels up the hill to take on Hilton College.

Saints hosted Glenwood on Saturday in the SK Arena (Picture Credit – Saysha Baker)

1^st Team Water Polo (as reported by Head Coach, Brett Croeser) St Charles College battled to a well-deserved 6-5 victory over Glenwood in a tightly contested water polo match. Both teams showed strong defensive discipline, making every goal hard to come by and ensuring a tense, competitive encounter from start to finish. The first quarter saw St Charles make a strong start, capitalizing on their attacking opportunities to take an early 2-1 lead. However, Glenwood tightened their defense in the second quarter, preventing St Charles from adding to their tally while managing to find the back of the net themselves. This left the halftime score tied at 2-2, setting up an intense second half.

Glenwood carried their momentum into the third quarter, edging ahead with another solid defensive performance and sharp finishing. They outscored St Charles 2-1 in the quarter, giving them a narrow 4-3 lead heading into the final period. With everything to play for in the fourth quarter, St Charles showed tremendous determination and fighting spirit. They raised their intensity, attacking with confidence and composure to score three crucial goals while limiting Glenwood to just one. This decisive effort saw them reclaim the lead and secure a hard-fought 6-5 victory at the final whistle.

This match was a true test of resilience and teamwork for St Charles, highlighting their ability to dig deep when it mattered most. Their strong finish and never-say-die attitude will serve them well as they continue their season.

Saints had a memorable day in Durban as they managed to achieve a hard-fought win against Glenwood (Picture Credit – Duncan Andrew)