For a strong Wynberg Boys' High School Senior team this was their 52nd and final match of the season while for the NCU side it was their first! No surprise then that when asked to bat first openers Vermulen and Paleor put on a polished 173 for the first wicket.

The ball was swinging but the tally of extras is something that the coaches will want to address in their de-briefing tonight. Once the openers had both departed the spinners slowed the scoring rate and the final total of 269 was less than looked likely for most of the innings. There was an 'Ed Joyce' moment in the innings with James Mitchell clipping the stumps with a yorker and the umpire giving 5 leg-byes as the bails failed to fall.

Photo right shows NCU Northern Knights Under18 squad before play at the Jacques Kallis Oval (© Ian Johnston).

In reply the NCU boys never settled against a pacey hostile opening attack, the first wicket fell at 21 and others at regular intervals. When Skipper Stuart Nelson and Aaron Wright came together and put on 27 for the sixth wicket hopes did rise of rescuing some respectability from a precarious 43 for 5, but 70 for 6 became 73 all out as the rest of the batting succumbed to the twin spin attack.

At the Jacques Kallis Oval, Wynberg.
Wynberg Boys' HS - 269-5 (50 overs) Karl Vermulen 87, Riaz Paleor 72, John Matchett 2-36.
NCU Northern Knights U18 - 73-10 (26 overs) Aaron Wright 21, P Matthews 4-24.
Wynberg Boys' High School won by 196 runs.

The under 15's first match of the tour could not have started in more dramatic circumstances with Ballymena's Johnny Browne claiming wickets with the first and third balls of the first over, both to catches behind the wicket by James McClean.  An excellent run out by Tom Millar and a wicket for John Glass pegged the opposition back to 60 for 4 after 20 overs.

There then followed a century partnership between Tanner and Diynah which ended through another run out this time by Bradley McNamara. Tanner was finally dismissed for an excellent 95 and the innings closed on 199 after the allocated 45 overs. All the NCU bowlers bowled tidily with John Glass impressive bowling his allotted 9 overs for 24 runs. For many of the NCU players this was their first experience of a game of this length and in temperatures about double what they are used to in Ireland.

The NCU reply started badly and through a series of rash shots the innings had faltered to 50 for 6. At this point two of the youngest players, Bradley McNamara and Reece Malone, really dug in and put on a partnership of 50. Bradley was finally out for 41, batting for over 2 hours in the intense heat. The innings finally closed on 128. While a substantial defeat there were positive performances from a number of individuals.

At Claremont Cricket Club, Constantia.
Wynberg Boys' HS - 199-8 (45 overs) Calum Tanner 95, J Browne 2-30, C Shannon 2-44.
NCU Northern Knights U15 - 128-10 (42 overs) B McNamara 41, Isaacs 4-24.
Wynberg Boys' HS won by 71 runs.