February 2003
Today the boys left for the half term break, which represents the end of the cricket, tennis, basketball and waterpolo seasons for this term. It is also the second last day of the month and so an appropriate time for me to update the sport.
Cricket
Cricket is the sport which is occupying most people’s minds at the
present time with the current World Cup in progress. Quite a number of
staff and boys from the school thoroughly enjoyed the recent match
against the World Champions Australia in Bulawayo and it was good to
see several Falcon boys in action. The star of that match was of
course Andy Blignaut with his 50 off 25 balls. Although he left in
Form 3 I still count him as a Falcon boy having coached him at hockey
and cricket so I am happy to take credit for performances such as
that! Craig Wishart deserves praise for his 172* v Namibia, the
highest One Day International score by a Zimbabwean batsman. Heath
Streak is of course the team captain and Guy Whittall and Dion Ebrahim
are further old boys in the side.
The first Saturday of February saw return matches against CBC. It was
a mixed set of results, not least at 1st team level. After a
convincing win in the first game, this time we were hanging on for a
draw, our batting letting us down once again. At the other end of the
age-groups, the U14 A side reversed defeat with a 41 run victory, Jack
Randle, having been given lbw for a duck by father/coach, Will, took
4-29. Big wins were also recorded by 14B, 15B, 16B, 2nds and 3rds.
Keith Murray for the 3rds scored a century and took 3 wickets. Adam
Bryan, Michael Amos, Maritz, Jason de Lange and James Reid were
further half centurions whilst Dirk Mostert and Nigel Mubvumbi, both
in U16 sides were the most successful bowlers.
St John’s were our first Mashonaland opposition of the year. The 1st
XI was sadly second rate and well beaten and the 15A also came off
second best but some good results were earned elsewhere. The weak 16 A
side were only denied victory by the rain needing 3 runs at the end
after more excellent bowling by Nigel Mubvumbi and batting
performances by Barry Stewart and Tino Mangwendeza. Terence Connor
with 70 and 3 wickets was a key man in the U14 A draw which could have
gone either way. Maritz junior was the star bowler with 6 wickets in a
convincing win for the 15 B side.
Regrettably in one way rain ruined our fixtures against Peterhouse. No
play at all was possible at Falcon and only 3 in Marondera. The 1st
team had bowled first in a 2 day match and Peterhouse were 154-6. The
16 As also bowled first with Gerald Aliseni taking 3-35 as Peterhouse
reached a fair total before the rain came. The 14 As played a 30 over
game and batted ineptly apart from Ross Thurlow’s 33 and lost that
encounter.
Water Polo
On the same weekend as the cricketers were at Peterhouse, the
waterpolo players were at St John’s for the Grant Tilley tournament at
which we came a creditable 5th including a one goal loss to Prince
Edward the eventual winners. Our U16 side continues to be very
successful against local opposition and we hope that they will
continue this form at the open age-group in the next few years. Indeed
the likes of Ben Grobler and Grant Simpson do already turn out for the
1st team. As the cliché goes, it all bodes well for the future. The
senior House competition was held recently and the winners as expected
were Hervey followed by George Grey and Founders.
Basketball
There has not been too much inter school action on the basketball
court for the senior team though wins were recorded against Petra and
Milton. The juniors had more games and the U16s succeeded in winning
the Munyati Tournament from Milton and CBC and are indeed unbeaten
this month. Just this week we also had the junior Inter House
competition. Hervey were the winners and in the games I watched they
probably did look the best side – not that I am much of an authority
on basketball!
Tennis
I don’t have much news about tennis though I can record that the 1st
team beat Plumtree and combined with Girls’ College to beat CBC and
Convent in the Valentines’ mixed doubles. I did also end up watching a
slightly depleted U14 side play Convent, the result of which I am
unsure about but it appeared to be pretty even.
Now we move onto the athletics with the usual Inter House and Inter
Schools events coming out. We begin after the break with a revamped
Standards Competition. I will keep you posted.
Richard Harrison
28th February 2003