Author: captainmorgan

Day one of the Clifton T20 Tournament delivered an overdose of excitement, with the defending champions, Durban High School (DHS), and Westville Boys’ High making their cases as the teams to beat, while Clifton College and Maritzburg College produced a final ball thriller.

On top of that, KZN, at last, saw a century scored at first-team level. It hadn’t happened in 2025 until Friday. Then, it happened twice, and almost three times.

Durban High School vs Glenwood 

DHS began their day at home, on the Theobald Oval, with an outing against Glenwood High School. The Green Machine, after winning the toss, chose to field first, and they did a solid job, keeping School to 136/6.

Josh van Biljon led the way for the hosts, hitting a six and four fours in his 39 from 33 balls, while Taine Havermann chipped in with 24, and Bayanda Majola got after the Glenwood bowlers late, launching a six and hitting two fours in a quickfire 21 from 10 deliveries.

Glenwood’s leading spinners enjoyed success, with Akhil Maharaj knocking over 3/16 in four overs, while captain Kyle Bryan picked up 2/18 from his four.

DHS had batted at 6.8 runs per over. While challenging, they had not posted an insurmountable tally, but good bowling and fielding ensured Glenwood didn’t come close to challenging for victory. They were bowled out for 101 in 18.4 overs.

Up front, Kressan Pillai played a good knock, making 30 from 33 before he was run out, which was a big blow to Glenwood’s hopes of victory. Kyle Bryan made 21 and Kamo Moloto 16, but every other batsman finished in single figures.

Bhavesh Naicker sent three batsmen packing, snapping up 3/16 in 2.4 overs, while Dhilan Naraidu claimed 2/9 in three with his left-arm spin.

In the end, DHS won by 35 runs.

Durban High School vs Hoërskool Waterkloof

In the afternoon, they took on Hoërskool Waterkloof in an eagerly anticipated clash. The wicket had played nicely all day long, not offering much to the bowlers, so it was an interesting decision taken by Waterkloof captain Riley Miller to bowl first.

Success was not immediately forthcoming, but Klofies, then, got rid of the openers, Ethan Cooper and Ismaeel Omar, within one run of one another, with Cooper out for an attacking 25 from 15, with three fours and a six.

Josh van Biljon, in at three, and Taine Havermann, batting fourth in the order, stopped Waterkloof from grabbing the momentum with a 36-run partnership, which ended when Havermann was caught by Rico van der Walt off Johan Liebenberg for 25 from 21 balls, which had included five fours.

The remainder of the DHS batsmen didn’t offer much. Lazlo Jooste made a run-a-ball 14, but no one else reached double figures. That didn’t matter. Josh van Biljon took charge and dominated the Waterkloof attack. In just 54 balls, he lashed an unbeaten 103, bashing seven sixes and eight fours to propel the Horseflies to a very challenging 197/6.

It was a tough outing for the Pretoria school’s bowlers. Although he was a trifle expensive, Stefan Stoltz claimed 2/27 in three to finish as the only bowler with more than one wicket.

Waterkloof faced a huge challenge, but, credit to them, they played positively from the outset, and the first five batsmen in the order batted at or better than a run rate of 100. For a long time, they met the required run rate, but the task proved to be too much for their brave effort to sustain.

The skipper, Riley Miller, appeared to have plenty of time to play his shots – the sign of a good player – and he top scored with 47, striking two sixes and four fours in a 30-ball stay. He dominated a useful partnership with Franco Schmidt, which brought 44 runs for the third wicket.

Schmidt was out with the total on 84 and Miller and Juan Swart joined him on the side of the field before Waterkloof reached 100. Coach Cobus Pienaar‘s charges lost momentum and they soon found themselves in serious trouble on 113/7.

Richard Crous stood tall, though, smashing a defiant 30 not out from 18 balls, and he helped advance the total to 153/8 by the time Klofies ran out of overs. DHS, again, had scored a decisive win, taking victory by 44 runs.

Bhavesh Naicker, who shone with the ball against Glenwood, nabbed 2/20 from three to continue his good start to the tournament, while Bonga Maphanga took 2/18.

Westville Boys’ High vs St John’s College (Harare)

Westville played the opening game of the day against St John’s College (Harare) and cruised to a convincing eight-wicket win.

Captain Seth Simpson set them up for victory with an outstanding spell of leg-spin bowling, capturing 4/14 in four overs. He received good support from Dayalan Boyce, who returned 2/8 from two.

St John’s skipper, Connor Lovatt, played a typically aggressive innings, smashing seven fours in his 15-ball 32, while Riley Ettlin contributed 29, but no one else exited single figures as the Rams were bowled out for 91.

Westville wasted little time chasing down that modest total, charging their way to 92/2 off only eight overs.

Simpson, once again, set the example, hitting two fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 35 from 20 balls, while Misbah Nair didn’t hang around either, finishing on 25 not out from 16.

Westville Boys’ High vs Hilton College

Later in the day, Simpson continued his dream start to the Clifton T20, bashing an undefeated 102 from only 64 balls, with eight fours and six sixes, to help the Griffin to a big 190/7 against Hilton College.

Support came from Sean McGough, with 28 from 18, and Misbah Nair, with 27 from 17, but the Westville innings was all about Simpson. His partnership with McGough produced 72 runs, and his stand with Nair was worth 48.

Obakeng Motsepa was the best of the Hilton bowlers, taking 2/29 from four.

To challenge Westville’s large total, Hilton needed at least one of their batsmen to go big. Six of their players reached double figures, with David Hill cracking 34 not out from only 16 balls, James Ogilby making 28 from 37, and Simon Steyn 24 from 19, but more was needed.

Hilton was limited to 136/6 in reply, leaving Westville the handsome winners by 54 runs.

Kyle McGough, Sean McGough, and Dayalan Boyce grabbed two sticks each. Seth Simpson, after his superb century, didn’t bowl.

Northwood School vs Hilton College

While Hilton was well beaten by Westville, they had scored a very welcome win over Northwood earlier in the day. After losing three on the trot to the Knights this season, they reversed their fortunes against the Durban school by scoring a 17-run win.

Playing on the Robin Smith Oval, which usually offers something to the bowlers, too, Hilton’s batsmen dug deep to post 146/6, a decent score on Northwood’s main field. Their captain, Ben Hockly, set a fine example, top-scoring with 56 from only 38 balls, dispatching three of those to the boundary and three over the boundary.

David Hill was undefeated, as he was later in the day, contributing a vital 30 not out from 16 balls, while Robert Burman played a key knock, too, making 21 from 12.

Thabiso Mtambo took 2/18 in three for the Knights, who are missing their opening bowler and dangerous hard-hitting batsman, Jamie Wimble, who has a broken finger.

Hilton new ball bowler, Sechaba Gude, struck a big blow for the visitors by dismissing David de Bruyn for a duck. Northwood consolidated, however, through Ross McGlashan and Tuswa Phetha, with McGlashan going on to the home side’s top score of 40. It came from 33 deliveries and included three sixes. Not a single four.

Phetha made 21 and captain Kyle White 19, but Northwood’s challenge slowly slipped away. Gude was the architect of their demise. He knocked over 5/18 in his four overs, which destroyed the Knight’s middle and lower order. They were kept to 129/9 in their reply.

Northwood School vs St John’s College (Harare)

Northwood, the KZN Schools SA20 champions, again found themselves on the wrong end of the result when they hosted St John’s College (Harare) on Friday afternoon. The Knights posted a decent 151/4, but a destructive innings by the Rams’ captain, Connor Lovatt, propelled the Zimbabweans to a seven-wicket win.

Kyle White made 38 from 29 balls, Alistair Duncan 33 not out from 29, and Tuswa Phetha 29 from 27, but those innings paled when compared with Lovatt’s devastating knock. He bludgeoned eight sixes and three fours in a 45-ball stay, which finished with him on 91 not out when victory was secured.

Riley Ettlin played his part, too, making 39 before being run out. It was all about Lovatt, though. He and Khulekani Nduku shared an unbroken 57-run partnership for the fourth wicket to see the Harare school to victory. Nduku’s contribution was five runs.

While many of the Northwood bowlers came in for stick, Jordan Matthews excelled. The left-arm spinner snapped up 1/14 in four overs. Hayden Saunders led the way for St John’s, claiming 2/19 in four.

Clifton College vs Maritzburg College

In the match of the day, Maritzburg College scored two off the final ball to snatch a five-wicket win from Clifton College.

The hosts batted first and put together a solid 168/5. It was a good total and certainly enough to defend, but Clifton felt they could have done better, and, in the end, they needed to have done a tad better.

Captain Tim Saulez continued his fine season with the bat, top scoring with an enterprising 71 from 39 balls, eight of which went for four, and three for six.

Opener Byron Ward played his part with 39 from 33 and he added 52 for the second wicket with his skipper. Then, Zach Williamson and Saulez put on 50 for the third wicket. Williamson’s contribution was only 12, but he ensured Saulez saw most of the bowling, and that paid off.

Sphamandla Dzanibe picked up 2/20 for College, but it wasn’t a particularly fun day for their bowlers.

The Red, Black, and White made a stuttering start to their run chase, losing their captain Daniel Nadasan for two to Blake Johnson, and Karl Dedekind for six, to Tim Saulez.

Tian van Niekerk and Luka Puddu arrested the slide, batting their team back into the match with a partnership of 62 for the third wicket.

When a team suffers a last-ball defeat, inevitably some will wonder where they might have conceded a run or not scored a run, which might have changed the result. An untidy three or four overs during Van Niekerk’s and Puddu’s partnership was, maybe, where Clifton let the game slip.

Van Niekerk was joined by Sphamandla Dzanibe after Puddu’s departure and Dzanibe showed off his all-round game by sharing a 58-run stand with the opener before he was caught by Gabriel Vermeulen off left-arm spinner Blake Johnson for 38. Van Niekerk followed a run later, run out by Johnson, and College wobbled at 135/5.

Deolyn Naidoo and Reece Willson didn’t blink, however, and they combined for 34 runs to see their side to a heart-stopping win. Naidoo finished with 12 off 10 and Willson with 17 off 15.

Johnson picked up 2/33 from four for Clifton, while Saulez performed well, claiming 1/22 from his four overs.

Glenwood High School vs St Charles College

St Charles College, meanwhile, pretty much ensured that Glenwood, a semi-finalist in 2024, would miss out on the quarterfinals by racing to a seven-wicket win on the Kingsmead Oval, which was Glenwood’s second loss.

Glenwood’s batting has been somewhat inconsistent this season and it didn’t bring them enough runs when they batted first against Saints. They mustered 121/9 on the moderately sized field, with two players making it into the thirties, but only one other moving beyond doubles figures.

Glenwood lost two wickets to run outs and, unfortunately for them, that included Krian Jugoo, who fell for 32.

Connor Simpson bagged 2/13 in three. Ryan Clarke returned 2/16 in two, and Kaiyuran Naidoo took 2/17 in three.

St Charles needed only 13.5 overs to secure victory. Their captain Rico Honiball made sure his side would win. He delivered a brutal and efficient innings, spending only 16 balls at the crease, with exactly half of them going for boundaries, four for four and four for six. His effort was worth 45 runs.

Connor Simpson added the needed support, chipping in with 35 from 32 balls while striking one four and three sixes.

Incredibly, Saints finished their innings with 10 sixes and only eight fours.

Kearsney College vs Michaelhouse

In the day’s other match, played at Crusaders, Michaelhouse made a good start by scoring a 31-run win over Kearsney College.

Batting first, ‘House tallied a challenging 169/8, with their captain, Ethan Muir leading from the front. The skippers showing how to do it was a theme of the day. He blasted 55 from 26 balls, with eight fours and three sixes. But his wasn’t a solo effort.

Nicholas Baker also got stuck into the Kearsney attack, smiting four sixes and three fours in his 34-ball 51, while Graydon Leslie took only 25 deliveries for his 33.

Left-arm wrist spinner Matthew Gorrie shone for Kearsney, snaring 3/26 from four, while left-arm quick, Litha Gonya, claimed 2/35. Leg-spinner Rivan Moodley was tidy, returning 1/20 while conceding five runs an over. Michaelhouse batted at 8.52 overall.

Kearsney lost their captain Jason De Gryse early, but Rivan Moodley and Aaron Blackburn took the fight to the boys from Balgowan, scoring at a rapid clip. Moodley made 26 from 14, clubbing three sixes and two fours before he was caught by Ben Heuer off Cameron Jones.

Blackburn went on to top score with 48 from 23, with eight boundaries, equally divided between fours and sixes, while Jonty Wiggett made 25 from 20. Together they put on 37 for the fifth wicket before Wiggett went out. Blackburn followed seven runs later. At 112/6, Kearsney had lost momentum, and Nic Comrie followed after only two more runs were added.

Michael Groom resisted, hitting three fours in his 18, but Graydon Leslie, who was brought into the Michaelhouse attack as the eighth bowler, grabbed his opportunity, capturing 3/17 from 3.2 overs to help his team to a convincing win, with Kearsney being bowled out for 138.

SUMMARISED SCORECARDS

Durban High School 136/6 (Josh van Biljon 39, Taine Havermann 24, Bayanda Majola 21*, Akhil Maharaj 3/16, Kyle Bryan 2/18); Glenwood High School 101/10 (Kressan Pillai 30, Kyle Bryan 21, Bhavesh Naicker 3.16, Dhilan Naraidu 2/9). DHS won by 35 runs.

Durban High School 197/6 (Josh van Biljon 103*, Taine Havermann 25, Ethan Cooper 25, Stefan Stoltz 2/27); Hoërskool Waterkloof 153/8 (Riley Miller 47, Richard Crous 30*, Bonga Maphanga 2/18, Bhavesh Naicker 2/20). DHS won by 44 runs.

Clifton College 168/5 (Tim Saulez 71, Byron Ward 39, Sphamandla Dzanibe 2/30); Maritzburg College 169/5 (Tian van Niekerk 45, Sphamandla Dzanibe 38, Luka Puddu 33, Blake Johnson 2/33). Maritzburg College won by 5 wickets.

St John’s College Harare 90/10 (Connor Lovatt 32, Riley Ettlin 28, Seth Simpson 4/14, Dayalan Boyce 2/8); Westville Boys’ High 91/2 (Seth Simpson 35*, Misbah Nair 24*). Westville Boys’ High won by 8 wickets.

Westville Boys’ High 190/7 (Seth Simpson 102*, Sean McGough 28, Misbah Nair 27, Obakeng Motsepa 2/30, Benoit Rey 2/31, Sechaba Gude 2/38); Hilton College 136/6 (David Hill 34*, James Ogilby 28, Simon Steyn 24, Kyle McGough 2/21, Dayalan Boyce 2/21, Sean McGough 2/22). Westville Boys’ High won by 54 runs.

Northwood School 151/4 (Kyle White 38, Alistair Duncan 33*, Tuswa Phetha 29, Hayden Saunders 2/19, Khulekani Nduku 2/40); St John’s College Harare 153/3 (Connor Lovatt 91*, Riley Ettlin 39, Jordan Matthews 1/14). St John’s won by 7 wickets.

Glenwood High School 121/9 (Elgenio Oerson 35*, Krian Jugoo 32, Connor Simpson 2/13, Ryan Clarke 2/16, Kaiyuran Naidoo 2/17); St Charles College 122/3 (Rico Honiball 45, Connor Simpson 35*, Akhil Maharaj 1/19). St Charles won by 7 wickets.

Michaelhouse 169/8 (Ethan Muir 55, Nicholas Baker 51, Graydon Leslie 33, Matthew Gomrie 3/26, Litha Gonya 2/35); Kearsney College 138/10 (Aaron Blackburn 48, Rivan Moodley 26, Jonty Wiggett 25, Graydon Leslie 3/17, Ben Heuer 2/17, Radhesh Jhilmeet 2/29). Michaelhouse won by 31 runs.

FIXTURES

Saturday, 15 February

08:30 – Clifton vs Michaelhouse, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – Waterkloof vs St Charles, DHS
09:00 – St John’s vs Hilton, Northwood
09:00 – Maritzburg College vs Kearsney, Kingsmead Oval

11:30 – Northwood vs Westville, Crusaders Main Oval

14:00 – DHS vs St Charles, DHS
14:00 – Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse, Northwood
14:00 – Waterkloof vs Glenwood, Crusaders 2

14:30 – Clifton vs Kearsney, Crusaders Main Oval

Sunday, 16 February

08:30 – Eliminator 1, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – 7th Place, DHS
09:00 – 9th Place, Northwood
09:00 – 11th Place, Kingsmead Oval

11:30 – Semi-final 1, Crusaders Main Oval
11:30 – Semi-final 2, Crusaders 2

14:30 – Final, Crusaders Main Oval

Clifton College‘s Ken Mackenzie Hall hosted the 12 teams that will contest the Clifton T20 Tournament on Thursday evening. It was an opportunity to learn more about the captains and their sides and to enjoy a tasty dinner.

It was also a chance for the players to see their playing kits for the first time. They were revealed when each of the captains donned their outfits before heading onto the stage for a chat with Tournament Director Brandon Scullard and Clifton’s Deputy Principal: Marketing, Barry Mezher.

The 2025 line-up includes the nine KZN schools that were part of last year’s inaugural event during Clifton’s Centenary – Clifton, Durban High School (DHS), Glenwood High, Hilton College, Maritzburg College, Michaelhouse, Northwood, and St Charles College – plus St John’s College, of Harare.

The Zimbabweans are part of the event because Clifton has been a regular part of their St John’s Rams T20 for over a decade now, and the Clifton T20 format is based on that of the St John’s tournament.

Last year, St John’s won their home tournament, which also featured three KZN schools in action: Clifton, Maritzburg College, and Kearsney College.

The additions to the Clifton T20 this time around, which have increased the field from 10 to 12 teams, are Kearsney College, who had a scheduling clash last year, and Hoërskool Waterkloof, a side that many consider to be one of the favourites to hoist the magnificent Centenary Cup on Sunday.

Catch the action LIVE on DStv Channel 216 or watch it on the SuperSport Schools app

There is, though a common question being asked about Klofies, and that is whether they can adapt their T20 game to Durban’s wickets. If they can pull that off, their T20 pedigree, which includes winning the Westvaal North/South T20 in 2022 and 2023, should stand them in good stead.

There is, though, no clear-cut favourite. The form of many of KZN’s teams has been unpredictable, and that has had plenty to do with the dominance of bowlers this season. Thus far, no 1^st XI centuries have been scored by any of the big guns in the province. Maybe the Clifton T20 will see that surprising stat ended.

Last year’s event was highlighted by an astonishing innings by St Charles College’s Cian Fortmann on the opening day. He pounded a remarkable 153 not out against Hilton College from only 76 balls, which helped Saints to 211/1, and on to a 51-run victory.

The Pietermaritzburg school used that win as a springboard to secure a spot in the semi-finals where they were joined by Glenwood, Maritzburg College, and DHS.

Unfortunately, rain on the second day played a role in determining which positions teams would play for and Saturday’s forecast, on day two again, looks a little iffy. But fingers are being crossed.

In last year’s semi-finals, Maritzburg College came back from the dead to take down Glenwood, while St Charles found their risky, big-hitting approach punished by a disciplined bowling performance from DHS.

School went on to score a five-wicket win over College in the title decider. They return many of the players that took them to the title last year, but they no longer have one of the key cogs from that win, captain Semal Pillay, who was included in the SA u19 squad that played three Youth ODIs against England u19 in January.

On the evidence of the opinions and insights shared by the 12 captains on Thursday night, there is a healthy respect for their opposition, with the understanding that anything is possible, especially in a shorter format like T20 cricket. At one point, when the four captains on the stage were asked if their sides made the final who they thought their opposition would be, they each chose a different opponent.

The Clifton T20 will be played on five grounds, two of them at the Crusaders Club, with the matches on the main oval being broadcast live on DStv Channel 216, while Northwood, DHS, and the Kingsmead Oval, just behind the famous test ground, are also being used.

A festive atmosphere, one of the hallmarks of the St John’s Rams T20 is expected, and Clifton, in hosting the event for the first time last year, did an outstanding job of mimicking the fun and traditional warmth of the Zimbabweans.

Therein lies one of the secrets of the Clifton T20. It brings together renowned cricket schools and while there is plenty on the field to keep the players busy, there is also plenty surrounding the fields to keep spectators – cricket fans and those with only a passing interest in the game – entertained, too.

If you can, don’t miss out and get down to the games and enjoy the entertainment. If you can’t make it, turn on DStv Channel 216 to watch the action from Crusaders Club or, if your favourite team is playing at a different venue, watch them in action on the SuperSport Schools app.

GROUPS

Group A: Clifton, Kearsney, Maritzburg College, and Michaelhouse.
Group B: DHS, Glenwood, Waterkloof, and St Charles.
Group C: Hilton College, Northwood, St John’s (Harare), and Westville Boys’ High

FIXTURES

Friday, 14 February

08:30 – St John’s vs Westville, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – DHS vs Glenwood, DHS
09:00 – Northwood vs Hilton Northwood

11:30 – Clifton vs Maritzburg College, Crusaders Main Oval

14:00 – Westville vs Hilton, DHS
14:00 – Northwood vs St John’s, Northwood
14:00 – St Charles vs Glenwood, Kingsmead Oval
14:00 – Kearsney vs Michaelhouse, Crusaders 2

14:30 – DHS vs Waterkloof, Crusaders Main Oval

Saturday, 15 February

08:30 – Clifton vs Michaelhouse, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – Waterkloof vs St Charles, DHS
09:00 – St John’s vs Hilton, Northwood
09:00 – Maritzburg College vs Kearsney, Kingsmead Oval

11:30 – Northwood vs Westville, Crusaders Main Oval

14:00 – DHS vs St Charles, DHS
14:00 – Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse, Northwood
14:00 – Waterkloof vs Glenwood, Crusaders 2

14:30 – Clifton vs Kearsney, Crusaders Main Oval

Sunday, 16 February

08:30 – Eliminator 1, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – 7th Place, DHS
09:00 – 9th Place, Northwood
09:00 – 11th Place, Kingsmead Oval

11:30 – Semi-final 1, Crusaders Main Oval
11:30 – Semi-final 2, Crusaders 2

14:30 – Final, Crusaders Main Oval

Clifton College welcomed Glenwood High to the Riverside Sports Club on Wednesday, just two days before the start of the Clifton T20 Tournament, for a final dress rehearsal in a W100 match.

With captain Tim Saulez leading the way, Clifton scored a narrow seven-run win.

Saulez won the coin flip and opted to bat first, but Clifton suffered a big blow when Lawson Dinsdale fell victim to the off-spinner Kyle Bryan, and one run later Byron Ward was run out by Kressan Pillai. Just 11 balls into their innings, the hosts had stumbled to 6/2.

That left Hayden Drieselmann and Tim Saulez to clean up the messy start. They spent 33 balls together and added 22 runs at a run a ball before Drieselmann was caught by Kenzo Mchunu off the bowling of Akhil Maharaj for 18 from 15 deliveries.

That brought Zach Williamson out to the middle and he and his captain turned the tide with an outstanding partnership that delivered 89 runs from just 49 balls. Williamson fed most of the strike to Saulez and he took the game to the Glenwood bowlers, cracking 58 off 27 while Williamson scored 22 off 22 in their big stand.

It was Bryan who struck again to get rid of Williamson, but, unusually, he came in for a bit of stick, picking up 2/33 from his 20 balls.

Saulez finally fell 10 balls from the end of the innings for a superb 69 from 41 deliveries, which included five fours and three sixes.

Eventually, Clifton finished on 136/7. SA u19 star Bandile Mbatha picked up 1/17 from 20 deliveries for Glenwood, while Kressan Pillai bowled only 10 balls but did a fine job, nabbing 1/5.

In their reply, The Green Machine lost Karabo Ntsieng early, caught by Cristiano Borrageiro off Saulez for seven, and Kressan Pillai joined him back alongside the field after being stumped by Lawson Dinsdale off the leg-spin of Shiraz Perumal for nine, which left Glenwood on 33/2 after 27 balls.

Krian Jugoo and Bandile Mbatha, then, did their best to emulate Clifton’s vital third-wicket partnership, which had produced 89 runs. They combined for 72 from 47, with Jugoo scoring 44 of those and Mbatha 23. Caleb Naicker ended their stand when he bowled Jugoo for 55 from only 39 balls. His innings had included four fours and two sixes.

The very next ball, Naicker struck again when he had Kyle Bryan caught behind. With 25 balls left, Glenwood needed 32 to win.

Then, after 12 runs had been added from 13 balls, Donte van Wyk became the second Glenwood batsman to be stumped by Dinsdale off the bowling of Shiraz Perumal. That left the visiting team on 117/5, with 11 balls to go.

Bowling the second last over, Caleb Naicker rose to the occasion for Clifton. His first four balls went for only four runs. On his fifth, he had Bandile Mbatha caught by Blake Johnson for 32. The all-rounder had spent 31 balls at the crease and struck two fours and a six.

Glenwood was on 121/6, with five balls remaining. Clifton held the edge.

Captain Tim Saulez took on the responsibility of sending down the last five deliveries. Glenwood scored two and a wide off the first ball, but Saulez conceded only four more runs off the next five balls to limit the Green Machine’s reply to 128/6, which sealed victory for the home side.

Caleb Naicker led the Clifton bowlers with a haul of 3/28 from 20 deliveries, while Shiraz Perumal snared 2/18 from his 20, and left-arm spinner Blake Johnson kept a lid on the Glenwood scoring, conceding only 15 runs from his 20 balls.

Also on Wednesday, a couple of one-sided W100 matches took place in the Tuskers region, with St Charles College and Hilton College waltzing to easy wins.

St Charles College vs Imbali Hub

Saints hosted the Imbali Hub on the St Charles Oval and, batting first, powered their way to 186/6 from their 100 balls.

Skipper Rico Honiball led the assault on the Hub’s bowlers, smashing six fours and two sixes in a blistering 25-ball 59. Connor Simpson was almost as brutal, lashing three fours and three sixes in his 49, which came from only 24 balls. Both Thando Zama and Ryan Clarke weighed in with 20 as St Charles batted at 9.3 runs per over.

The Imbali Hub was unable to mount a challenge, compiling only 74/9 in their reply. Opener Smelokuhle Gumede, Siphosethu Ngcobo, and Lwazi Mabaso made it into double figures.

Keegan Vermaak led the Saints’ attack, knocking over 4 for 15 from his 20 balls. Ryan Clarke excelled, returning 1/6 from 15 deliveries, while Caleb Sharp was almost as miserly, picking up 1/8 from his 15.

Hilton College vs Northdale Hub

Hilton College trotted out a youthful lineup for their game against the Northdale Hub. They dominated, nonetheless.

Batting first, Northdale lasted 86 balls before being bowled out for only 47 runs. Mickaylan Ramsamy‘s eight runs were double that of Northdale’s next-highest run scorer, but they were assisted by 24 extras, which made up more than half of their total.

Luke Wilson captured 3/7 from 15 balls, Sean Burman picked up 2/3 from 10, Sange Qangule 2/7 from 20, and Daniel Christie 2/8 from 15.

Chasing a modest total, Hilton didn’t hurry. They used up 44 balls on their way to 49/0 and a 10-wicket victory.

Matthew Bezuidenhout finished with 26 from 28 balls, while Barack Munawa scored 20 from 16, with three fours.

Summarised scorecards

Clifton College 136/7 (Tim Saulez 69, Zach Williamson 22, Kyle Bryan 2/33); Glenwood High School 128/6 (Krian Jugoo 55, Bandile Mbatha 32, Caleb Naicker 3/28, Shiraz Perumal 2/18). Clifton won by seven runs.

St Charles College 186/6 (Rico Honiball 59, Connor Simpson 49, Thando Zama 20, Ryan Clarke 20, Sandiso Dzanibe 2/44); Imbali Hub 74/9 (Smelokuhle Gumede 14, Keegan Vermaak 4/15, Ryan Clarke 1/6, Caleb Sharp 1/8). St Charles won by 112 runs.

Northdale Hub 47/10 (Extras 24, Mickaylan Ramsamy 8, Luke Wilson 3/7, Sean Burman 2/3, Sange Qangule 2/7, Daniel Christie 2/8); Hilton College 49/0 (Matthew Bezuidenhout 26, Barack Munawa 20). Hilton won by 10 wickets.

The countdown is on to the second edition of the Clifton T20 Tournament.

The action gets underway on the morning of Friday, 14 February, Valentine’s Day, and concludes on Sunday with the final, which starts at 14:30.

Matches from the main oval at Crusaders Club, the primary venue for the 2025 event, will be broadcast live on DStv Channel 216 over the three days of competition.

Coverage from the other venues will be available on the SuperSport Schools app.

“It’s crazy how we’ve blinked and now it’s here,” Clifton’s Director of Cricket, Brandon Scullard, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

The event features 12 teams, with each being gifted a unique playing kit for the tournament. “The playing kit is already in production,” Scullard said. “That’s well underway”.

Reflecting on the tournament format, he explained: “It’s a tournament structure I am very used to playing in Zimbabwe [at the St John’s Rams T20], where it is three groups of four, and then the top two [from each group] go through [to the quarterfinals].”

As the organiser of the event, Clifton looks after providing official scorers, umpires, playing kit, and balls.

Scullard said he has also been encouraged by the willingness of sponsors to contribute to the tournament. The tier one sponsor is Bluff Meat Supply, which plays a prominent role in school sports in and around Durban. Others on board include Edgars, RCS Finance, Custom Apparel, Ecko Unltd, and City Logistics.

The event’s official hydration partner, Aquelle, has also returned and will supply all the teams with sports and energy drinks throughout the event.

While the sides will be playing for the honour of lifting the beautiful Centenary Cup, which was won by Durban High School (DHS) last year, individual awards will also be made to the batsman, bowler, fielder, and coach of the tournament. Their prizes will include smartphones.

“We have some nice partners that have come forward and want to be involved, providing vouchers, so that has been good,” Scullard commented.

The Crusaders Club, in the north of Durban, will host matches on two grounds, with DHS, Northwood, and the Kingsmead Oval, just behind the famous home of the Dolphins, also being used.

KZN’s leading 10 boys’ schools – Clifton, DHS, Glenwood, Hilton, Kearsney, Maritzburg College, Michaelhouse, Northwood, St Charles, and Westville – will do battle among themselves and with St John’s College (Harare) and Hoërskool Waterkloof.

Klofies have shown with their success against elite opposition in the Westvaal North/South T20 in recent years, that they are among the top exponents of the T20 game in South Africa. They quickly accepted an invitation to be part of the Clifton T20.

Brandon Scullard said, in a conversation with Waterkloof’s Director of Cricket, Cobus Pienaar, he urged Pienaar to bring his team to Durban to “play in different conditions in a format that very much suits you”.

“They come with a strong reputation for being a T20 powerhouse,” Scullard said. “They align with the quality of the type of school that I want at this tournament.

“I don’t think there are many better schools that you can ask, in terms of T20, to come and play, and they were quite happy to be involved, and they got back to me quite quickly to say that they would be keen.”

When talking about a title favourite, Scullard said: “Based on their reputation, I think everyone is looking at Waterkloof. However, conditions are totally different in Durban. I think they will fancy themselves playing on a wicket like DHS, which suits them. Crusaders is also a very good wicket. However, it is nowhere close to the wickets they play on week in and week out, on the highveld.”

While the Clifton T20 employs a format used very successfully by St John’s College at the St John’s Rams T20 in Harare over many years, that’s going to change, Scullard explained.

“We’re at a stage now to have the 12 schools that are involved coming back. My vision, though, is to go to 16 schools and stay there.

‘The thinking around being live on TV for three days is about creating the hype around the tournament and the product that we are giving the boys and the various schools. We want to create a demand for schools to come to the event.

“We’re trying to match the hype that the winter sports have, and the reach and recognition that they have, their time in the spotlight.”

Furthermore, he added, it’s about boosting cricket and raising the profile of the sport, which has seen its numbers diminishing.

His goal, Scullard said, was to elevate the Clifton T20 Tournament so that it is held in the same regard as the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week, or, in the pool, the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, which also draws top teams from around South Africa.

Care has been taken to spread opportunities around for the competing schools, he added: “Last year, we had two groups of five. We’ve tried to ensure that teams don’t play all the same teams they played last year.

“They must also share opportunities to play on the main field [where matches will be covered by DStv Channel 216]. All the teams that are not playing on the main field this year, played on the main field or were fixtured to play on the main field, last year.

“I have tried, also, to spread the inland schools across the groups, and the local schools that play each other often, are also spread across the groups.

Group A features Clifton, Kearsney, Maritzburg College, and Michaelhouse. Group B brings together DHS, Glenwood, Waterkloof, and St Charles. Hilton College, Northwood, St John’s (Harare), and Westville Boys’ High make up Group C.

Among the KwaZulu-Natal contingent, Westville has been the most consistent team so far this year. Close behind them is Maritzburg College, while Northwood won the regional Schools SA20 title, so the Knights will be a team to watch, and it will be valuable preparation for them for the national final of the Schools SA20 in March.

The beauty of T20 cricket, though, is that it is unpredictable. There are 12 teams in the field and 12 potential winners.

FIXTURES

Friday, 14 February

08:30 – St John’s vs Westville, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – DHS vs Glenwood, DHS
09:00 – Northwood vs Hilton, Northwood

11:30 – Clifton vs Maritzburg College, Crusaders Main Oval

14:00 – Westville vs Hilton, DHS
14:00 – Northwood vs St John’s, Northwood
14:00 – St Charles vs Glenwood, Kingsmead Oval
14:00 – Kearsney vs Michaelhouse, Crusaders 2

14:30 – DHS vs Waterkloof, Crusaders Main Oval

Saturday, 15 February

08:30 – Clifton vs Michaelhouse, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – Waterkloof vs St Charles, DHS
09:00 – St John’s vs Hilton, Northwood
09:00 – Maritzburg College vs Kearsney, Kingsmead Oval

11:30 – Northwood vs Westville, Crusaders Main Oval

14:00 – DHS vs St Charles, DHS
14:00 – Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse, Northwood
14:00 – Waterkloof vs Glenwood, Crusaders 2

14:30 – Clifton vs Kearsney, Crusaders Main Oval

Sunday, 16 February

08:30 – Eliminator 1, Crusaders Main Oval

09:00 – 7th Place, DHS
09:00 – 9th Place, Northwood
09:00 – 11th Place, Kingsmead Oval

11:30 – Semi-final 1, Crusaders Main Oval
11:30 – Semi-final 2, Crusaders 2

14:30 – Final, Crusaders Main Oval

Michaelhouse‘s batting woes again haunted the visitors on the Theobald Oval on Saturday, with Durban High School (DHS) requiring a little over 25 overs to bowl out ‘House for only 87.

Six players made five runs or less, and two more weighed in with seven, which, simply, wasn’t enough. Radhesh Jhilmeet, batting seventh in the order, top-scored for Michaelhouse, striking two fours and a six in his innings of 20 from 31 deliveries.

The only other players to make it into double figures were opener William Russon, with 13, and Victor North, batting sixth, who made 14. The highest partnership, though, belonged to Jhilmeet and Jean-Luc Rey, who added 28 for the seventh wicket.

Taine Havermann blitzed the Michaelhouse top order, removing Ben Heuer, Graydon Leslie, and Michael Blignaut, to capture 3/18 from six overs. His fellow speedster, Bayanda Majola, knocked over 2/12 in six. Then, Josh Morley got rid of the ‘House tail, snaring 3/6 in just 2.4 overs.

Facing a low total, School opted to go on the attack. They were rewarded with a nine-wicket victory in less than 10 overs.

They lost Ethan Cooper for eight, bowled by Luke Mitchell, with 17 runs on the board, but that was the sole success enjoyed by the visiting team’s bowlers.

Ismaeel Omar and Josh van Biljon powered DHS to victory adding 74 runs in only seven overs, with Van Biljon, especially, playing an unusually aggressive knock. He blasted two sixes and nine fours in an unbeaten 56 from only 30 balls, while Omar continued his good run of form with 23 not out from 18 deliveries, with four fours.

Mitchell picked up 1/24 from three. Unfortunately, for Michaelhouse, apart from one over from Ben Heuer, which went for two runs, none of the other bowlers went for less than eight an over.

It was all over in a flash.

Hilton College vs St Charles College

Much like their great rivals, Hilton College has been searching for batting consistency in 2025. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t find it on Saturday when they hosted St Charles College on the Hart-Davis Oval. Perhaps because they recognised Hilton’s batting struggles, Saints opted to bowl first after winning the toss.

After losing James Ogilby early on, though, Hilton appeared to be on course for a decent total when Alex Pitman and Simon Steyn put on 29 for the second wicket, but the introduction of Ryan Clarke brought an end to Pitman’s innings when he trapped him LBW for 14 with the total on 43.

That triggered a collapse, with Hilton crashing from 41/1 to 45/5. Clarke got rid of Simon Steyn and Ben Hockly, while Caleb Sharp dismissed Jayden Roux.

There was some fight, though, from Stewart Falconer and Luke Wilson, who arrested the slide with a 22-run partnership. Then, Wilson and David Hill added 29 for the seventh wicket before Hill was bowled by Rowen Rajah for 19. Wilson followed six runs later, also out for 19, Hilton’s joint-highest scorer, leaving the hosts on 102/9.

Kaiyuran Naidoo grabbed the last three wickets to fall, also removing Benoit Rey and Sechaba Gude, both for ducks, to go along with Wilson’s dismissal, as Hilton fell for 112.

Naidoo finished with 3/12 from 5.4 overs, Clarke claimed 3/14, Caleb Sharp 2/22, and Rowen Rajah 2/41.

Defending a small total, Hilton picked up an early wicket, with Alex Pitman catching Thando Zama for four off the bowling of Sechaba Gude.

Keegan Veermaak and the captain, Rico Honiball, who opened the innings with Zama, advanced the total to 31 before Gude struck again, having Vermaark caught by Jayden Roux for nine.

Caleb Sharp and the skipper, Honiball, partnered for 32 runs before David Hill got rid of Sharp for 10, with Jayden Roux, again, pouching the catch. Five runs later, Saints were reduced to 68/4 when that same combination struck to send Ryan Clarke on his way.

When Connor Simpson was dismissed by Luke Campbell, with Roux recording a fourth catch, the visitors were in a slightly uncomfortable position, on 73/5, but Rico Honiball and Rowen Rajah proceeded to seize control of the contest.

They added an unbeaten 41 to see St Charles to victory after 24.5 overs. Honiball took 59 balls and struck a six and a four in an unbeaten 50, while Rajah upped the run rate with a quickfire 29 from 19, which included three fours and six.

Opening bowler, Sechaba Gude, claimed 2/23 in five overs, while David Hill picked up 2/33 in 5.5 with his leg spin. Luke Campbell‘s off-spin brought him 1/29 in seven.

Summarised scorecards

Michaelhouse 87/10 (Radhesh Jhilmeet 20, Ethan Jenkins 3/6, Taine Havermann 3/18, Bayanda Majola 2/12); Durban High School 91/1 (Josh van Biljon 56*, Ismaeel Omar 23*). DHS won by 9 wickets.

Hilton College 112/10 (Luke Wilson 19, David Hill 19, Kaiyuran Naidoo 3/12, Ryan Clarke 3/14, Caleb Sharp 2/22, Rowen Rajah 2/41); St Charles College 114/5 (Rico Honiball 50*, Rowen Rajah 29*, Sechaba Gude 2/23, David Hill 2/33). St Charles won by 5 wickets.

Following heavy rain on Thursday and Friday, Saturday’s match between Glenwood High School and Kearsney College was moved from Durban to the AH Smith Oval in Botha’s Hill and reduced to a 40-overs-a-side clash. Not many runs were scored.

The visitors were sent in, to bat, and found the going tough. If it was not for Krian Jugoo, they would have struggled to reach 50.

He stood out with 31 from 38 balls, hitting three fours, while extras’ contribution was the second-highest score for the Green Machine of 12. Olwami Zondi made 10, and the remainder of the batsmen stayed in single figures.

In just 25.4 overs, Glenwood was all out for only 83. The primary reason for that was Rivan Moodley, who captured 4/15 with his leg-spin. Nic Comrie claimed 2/10, while Michael Groom picked up 1/12. Matthew Gorrie returned 1/13 and also ran out Kressan Pillai.

Kearsney was chasing a modest score, but they didn’t come close to overhauling it as they were bundled out for only 47.

Kyle Bryan was sensational for Glenwood, knocking over 6/19 in eight overs, and Akhil Maharaj backed him up superbly, snapping up 3/14 in 5.2 overs. Krian Jugoo added 1/4 in three as Kearsney’s innings lasted just 19.2 overs.

Cole Young scored almost half the home side’s runs, making 22 from 23 balls, with two fours and a six. Asher Hollister struck the only other four for Kearsney in making seven, their second-highest score.

Northwood School vs Westville Boys’ High School

With Bowden’s unfit for play, the match between Northwood and Westville Boys’ High was moved to the Robin Smith Oval at Northwood, and a T20 was played. It was an opportunity for both teams to prepare for the Clifton T20 Tournament, which takes place next week from Friday, 14 February, to Sunday, 16 February, and will be broadcast live on DStv Channel 216.

The visitors chose to bowl after winning the coin flip, but David de Bruyn and Tuswa Phetha made them regret that decision. They tallied 59 runs from only 55 balls for the first wicket before Phetha was caught by Westville skipper Seth Simpson off the bowling of Sean McGough for 22.

Ross McGlashan didn’t last long, and he was soon followed by David de Bruyn and Morgan Jones as Northwood stumbled from 59/0 to 65/4 in the space of 2.1 overs, with Sean McGough and Tristan Delvin picking up two wickets each. De Bruyn’s contribution was a team-best 32 from 28 balls, with three fours and a six.

Knights‘ captain Kyle White and Alistair Duncan halted the slide, adding 17 before Duncan was out. Northwood had 3.5 overs remaining, and they were on 82/5. Enter Connor Leclezio.

He and White gave the home team a strong boost, cracking 25 off 23 balls, to see the Knights to 117/5. Leclezio played a vital knock, smashing three sixes in an unbeaten 24 from 11 deliveries, while White didn’t find the boundary once, but made a valuable 23 from 26.

Sean McGough was the pick of the Westville attack, returning the sparkling figures of 3/9 from four overs, while Tristan Delvin picked up a neat 2/13 from his four.

The visitors needed to bat at 5.9 overs to win, but they didn’t quite manage that, coming up eight runs short, on 109/8. Given the excellent start that Kyle McGough and Sean McGough gave them, they will feel disappointed that they didn’t win.

They powered the Griffin to 72 in the 11th over before Northwood finally tasted success when Connor Leclezio caught Sean McGough off Ben Cilliers for 50 from 41 balls, which had included four fours and a six.

Kyle McGough followed six balls later, for 21. Suddenly, Westville’s run rate fell off a cliff. Seth Simpson and Tristan Delvin mustered only 12 runs from 26 balls. Then, after Delvin departed on 91, the visiting team lost a further three wickets in the space of five balls, with the man of the match, Connor Leclezio, again forcing himself into the middle of the action by removing Bhaskar Sewlal and Dayalan Boyce after Misbah Nair had been run out.

Suddenly, Westville found themselves on the back foot, on 96/8 after 18 overs.

Jordan Matthews did an excellent job under heavy pressure, conceding only six runs off the penultimate over, which left Aidan Bauristhene with 16 runs to defend. He gave up seven but also removed Aarin Rasmussen to see the Knights to victory.

Leclezio picked up 2/23 in four overs, while off-spinner Ben Cilliers clamped down on Westville’s scoring, returning a miserly 1/11 from his four overs, which drained the momentum from Westville’s reply. Northwood also pulled off run outs of three batsmen in the top five in the Westville order, which made all the difference.

Maritzburg College vs Clifton College 

On Goldstone’s, Maritzburg College and Clifton College settled for a tame draw.

It was slow going as the Red, Black, and White mustered 156 all out in 46.4 overs after being sent in, to bat. That total looked unlikely at one stage, with College wobbling on 64/6 after seeing four wickets go down while only five runs were added.

Not for the first time, the architect of another team’s downfall was the leg-spinner, Shiraz Perumal. He bowled superbly to claim 4/22 from his 10 overs.

Tian van Niekerk and Sphamandla Dzanibe, though, halted the parade of wickets by combining for a 66-run stand for the seventh wicket. Dzanibe followed Reece Willson, Karl Dedekind, and Luan van der Merwe as victims of Perumal, but not before he had played an invaluable knock, scoring 36 off 46 balls, with three fours and a six.

Van Niekerk held up his end and was there when College’s last wicket went down, unbeaten on 47 from 68, which had included three fours.

Apart from Perumal, Clifton captain and opening bowler, Tim Saulez, enjoyed success, capturing 2/26 in 7.4 overs, while left-arm spinner Blake Johnson took 2/41 in 10, and Caleb Naicker kept it tidy, bowling three maidens in his five-over haul of 1/9.

Clifton’s reply lasted only nine overs before the game was called off. Byron Ward enjoyed his short time at the crease, hitting two fours in an unbeaten 19.

Summarised scorecards

Northwood School 117/5 (David de Bruyn 32, Connor Leclezio 23, Tuswa Phetha 22, Sean McGough 3/9, Tristan Delvin 2/13); Westville Boys’ High 109/8 (Sean McGough 50, Kyle McGough 21, Connor Leclezio 2/23). Northwood won by 8 runs.

Glenwood High School 83/10 (Krian Jugoo 31, Rivan Moodley 4/15, Nic Comrie 2/10); Kearsney College 47/10 (Cole Young 22, Kyle Bryan 6/19, Akhil Maharaj 3/14). Glenwood won by 36 runs.

Maritzburg College 156/10 (Tian van Niekerk 47*, Sphamandla Dzanibe 36, Shiraz Perumal 4/22, Tim Saulez 2/26, Blake Johnson 2/41); Clifton College 26/1 (Byron Ward 19*). Match abandoned.

A sneakily good KZN derby fixture is scheduled for Dixon’s Field on Saturday, where Glenwood will welcome Kearsney College for a limited-overs match.

The Green Machine, on their home ground, presents a difficult proposition. Their attack is, mostly, spin-focussed, and coupled with their intense fielding, it makes them a challenging team against which to score big totals.

Kearsney, meanwhile, heads into the contest after back-to-back limited overs wins over Durban High School (DHS) and Northwood. The boys from Botha’s Hill have been the surprise of the season thus far. They’re very young, but they’ve shown they’re up for any challenges.

Batting on Dixon’s, though, will present them with one of the highest pressure challenges they will face. Still, in those previous wins over DHS and Northwood, Kearsney received important batting contributions from five different batsmen – Asher Hollister, Rivan Moodley, Keegan de Jager, Cole Young, and Nic Comrie – which should stand them in good stead against Glenwood. They’re not reliant on one or two sources.

Left-arm paceman Litha Gonya has been an excellent spearhead for Kearsney’s bowling attack, and against Northwood, he received superb support from a trio of spinners – Nic Comrie, Matthew Gorrie, and Rivan Moodley – who shut down the Knights‘ middle order.

Last weekend, Glenwood played well in a win at St Charles. Their intense fielding brought them two crucial runs out, and they followed up on that with a disciplined batting response, led by opener Karabo Ntsieng and Krian Jugoo. More questions surround their batting than their bowling, but another dollop of what they dished up in Pietermaritzburg would serve them well.

All-rounder Kyle Bryan, a very challenging prospect with his off-spin on Dixon’s, could be a key player in the clash. Akhil Maharaj, too, has been among the wickets.

Durban High School vs Michaelhouse

DHS visits Michaelhouse off the back of a loss at the in-form Westville Boys’ High. They’ll feel there were aspects of their game that let them down, which, if they improve those, would raise their level.

They, for instance, lost five wickets on Bowden’s, but three of those were to run outs. Without those kinds of setbacks, School has batsmen, including Ismaeel Omar and Josh van Biljon, who have shown an ability to bat long, and with that time at the crease, they score big. They’ll be especially excited by Omar’s strong recent form after he made an uncharacteristically slow start to the season.

On the bowling front, they’re blessed with a couple of strike bowlers in Bayanda Majola and Taine Havermann. They’re capable of taking wickets no matter the conditions. Left-arm spinner, Dhilan Naraidu, is also an attacking bowler and a regular wicket-taker.

Michaelhouse’s batting has been inconsistent, with way too many single-figure contributions thus far. They’re not short of players who have performed well at first-team level in the past, though, including Ethan Muir, Graydon Leslie, Kian Blignaut, Michael Blignaut, and Ben Heuer, but they need to find their collective form.

‘House’s bowling has been good. Their openers, Thandanani Zuma and Luke Mitchell, have done a good job. Jean-Luc Rey, too, has enjoyed some success, and they’ll look to players like Harry Vickery and Radhesh Jhilmeet to also make an impact.

Both teams could do with a win and an injection of confidence on the Roy Gathorne Oval.

Hilton College vs St Charles College

Another side that could do with a change in fortune is Hilton College. They host St Charles College on Saturday. Hilton has some hugely talented players in their ranks, but coach David Griffith’s men have been inconsistent this season.

As is sometimes the case, when teams are blessed with outstanding batsmen – and Hilton has those in their openers, Ben Hockly and Alex Pitman – if they don’t fire, the remainder of the batsmen struggle to get going. Robert Burman and Jayden Roux are more than capable, but they would benefit from spending good time out in the middle.

On the bowling front, Hilton possesses pleasing variety, mostly from their spinners. Sechaba Gude and Jayden Roux lead the attack, while Benoit Rey, Luke Campbell, David Hill, and Simon Steyn present different challenges with their spin.

St Charles has played some good cricket recently. Thus, it was something of a surprise when they were beaten at home by Glenwood last time out.

Opener batsman, Thando Zama, has been among the runs, while captain Rico Honiball and Caleb Sharp, have been two of the more consistent run-scorers.

Saints has a well-balanced bowling attack, led by Rowen Rajah, who generates good pace. AJ Bosman, who is blessed with good height, has made his mark in recent weeks, and Kairuyan Naidoo is a proven performer with his off-spin.

Really – and this could apply to any of the KZN sides, considering we’re still waiting for the first century of the season on the province’s pitches – much will depend on the top order of both teams.

Maritzburg College vs Clifton College

Maritzburg College has enjoyed a strong season thus far, especially on Goldstone’s, and that’s where they meet Clifton College on Saturday.

College skipper Daniel Nadasan is usually not a fast run scorer, but he very capably holds up an end, keeps the scoreboard ticking, and accumulates runs. He appears to be rounding into form, and that allows other batsmen to feed off him. He’ll be a key wicket for Clifton. Karl Dedekind, also, has played some good innings, and he can knock it around at a good rate.

The success of the Red, Black, and White has, mostly, been built around their bowlers. They’ve enjoyed decisive spells from many different sources, and that makes them dangerous. Samuel Hughes, Reece Willson, Sphamandla Dzanibe, Nathan Pembridge, Dom du Toit, and Daniel Nadasan have all played prominent roles in College’s victories.

Clifton has been on a bit of a roller-coaster ride. They’re a veteran team, having lost only two players at the end of the year, and they came into 2025 on a hot streak, having performed very well at the end of 2024. They’ve not quite clicked yet, however.

It’s an early season pattern that Clifton’s Director of Cricket, Brandon Scullard, has had to deal with over the past two or three seasons.

Make no mistake, they’re very capable, and they have received good contributions from various players this season, but it has been a little hit-and-miss.

Captain Tim Saulez has set a good example with bat and ball, and his batting, especially, has been vital to Clifton’s challenge. Byron Ward, Zach Williamson, Hayden Drieselmann, Caleb Naicker, Cristiano Borrageiro, and Muhammed Malek have made occasional contributions, but they will be aiming for more regular runs.

Saulez also spearheads the Clifton attack, and he has a useful partner in the tall Regan Radley, who uses his height nicely. Caleb Naicker‘s done a neat job, but the biggest threat is posed by Shiraz Perumal. The leg-spinner turns it and can also generate drift through the air. Blake Johnson, an orthodox left-arm spinner, presents another tidy and effective spin option.

Both College and Clifton have the pieces in place to deliver good performances. College would be the more confident outfit heading into the contest, but Clifton has greater experience and will know what it takes to win under tough circumstances.

Westville Boys’ High vs Northwood School

Westville Boys’ High is on a roll. They’ve lost once all season and have been quickly and quietly racking up victories. They host Northwood on Saturday, having recently beaten the Knights at home in a W100 match. Limited overs, though, is a very different challenge.

Northwood has played some superb cricket this season. They’ve also had moments when they’ve appeared fragile, and that has been mostly in the batting department. Last weekend, Kearsney dismantled them, and the Knights will need to be at their best against Westville’s nagging attack to avoid another sub-standard batting performance.

Much has depended on their top four – David de Bruyn, Ross McGlashan, Tuswa Phetha, and Kyle White – and they have, for the most part, delivered. White, their skipper, is a key player. His team feeds off his performance and his energy. He was hugely impressive in guiding Northwood to a last-ball W100 win over Clifton on Tuesday.

If Westville can get stuck into the visitors’ top order quickly, the Knights could be in trouble. However, Morgan Jones, last week, and Jamie Wimble, on a number of occasions, have shown up well with the bat.

Dayalan Boyce, an SA Colts selection at the end of 2024, will lead the home side’s attack. Lwandile Bulose, Heath Stott, and Kyle McGough offer seam support, but it’s the left-arm spin duo of Tristan Delvin and Ewan du Toit who present the greatest danger to Northwood. Both have performed well this season, clamping down on run-scoring and picking up wickets.

Like their opposition, Westville leans on their top order for runs. They have good quality in Sean McGough, Kyle McGough, captain Seth Simpson, Tristan Delvin, and Bhaskar Sewlal. Last time out, the McGoughs and Seth Simpson propelled the Griffin to an impressive win over DHS.

They’ll be up against an attack that has fared well in 2025. New ball bowler, Jamie Wimble, keeps it tight and is usually good for two or three sticks, and he has a solid opening partner in Luke Allen.

However, Northwood’s success has, mostly, come from its spinners, led by Jordan Matthews. He’s economical and his nagging accuracy leads to wicket-taking deliveries. Off-spinner Ben Cilliers, especially, has proven himself to be a good foil to Matthews’ bowling. Kyle White, too, adds another useful arm to the Knights’ attack.

FIXTURES

Glenwood vs Kearsney
DHS vs Michaelhouse
Hilton vs St Charles
Maritzburg College vs Clifton
Westville vs Northwood

Kearsney College hosted their neighbours, Westville Boys’ High, on the AH Smith Oval on Wednesday for a W100 clash. They’re fierce rivals, but the match concluded with an outstanding display of sportsmanship.

Kearsney batted first and tallied 106/9 from their 100 balls. Westville, in reply, was on 105/1 after 53 balls when the lightning alarm sounded.

They needed only a run to tie and two to win, with 47 balls in hand. The umpires, though, correctly refused to allow another ball to be bowled.

That’s how the match ended, but Kearsney conceded the game, which gave Westville a nine-wicket win and the points for their victory. That was a classy move.

Westville captain Seth Simpson won the coin flip and chose to field first. His bowlers backed up that decision well, preventing any of Kearsney’s top four batsmen from reaching double figures. After 42 balls, they were on 41/4.

Cole Young, who played a decisive innings in Kearsney’s big win over Northwood on the weekend, played a quite extraordinary knock to give the home side some momentum. It brought him 30 runs from 20 deliveries, but the extraordinary part of it was the fact that 24 of those runs came from only four balls, each of which was dispatched for six.

Nic Comrie, with 17, and Daniel Miskey, with 12, offered a little something, too, but Westville, spearheaded by Sean McGough, would have been more than satisfied with their fielding effort, which limited Kearsney to just over a run a ball.

McGough claimed 3/9 in 15 balls, while Tristan Delvin, with 2/21 in 20, and Dayalan Boyce, with 2/18 in 15, also enjoyed success. Heath Stott and Ewan du Toit, too, were also economical and picked up a wicket each.

Sean McGough, the star of the show with the ball, didn’t make a big impact with the bat. Opening the innings, he fell LBW to Michael Groom for six, but Kyle McGough and Seth Simpson, then, dominated the Kearsney attack.

Kyle McGough, especially, batted superbly. He lashed three sixes and seven fours in just 29 balls and raced to 63 not out. At the other end, Seth Simpson didn’t hang around either. His contribution was a hasty unbeaten 27 from 18 deliveries, with two fours and two sixes.

In just 44 balls, the pair added 92 runs. It wasn’t quite enough to take them past Kearsney. However, the host’s magnanimous gesture, gifted Westville the victory that would have been theirs before the lightning alarm stopped their run pursuit on the brink of victory.

Scores

Kearsney College 106/9 (Cole Young 30, Sean McGough 3/9, Dayalan Boyce 2/18, Tristan Delvin 2/20); Westville Boys’ High 105/1 (Kyle McGough 63*, Seth Simpson 27*, Michael Groom 1/17). Kearsney conceded the game. Westville was awarded a nine-wicket win and the points for victory.

The 31^st annual Saints Squash Festival, hosted by St Andrew’s School, in Bloemfontein, takes place from 7-9 February, and features 20 of South Africa’s top squash-playing schools, with 24 teams in action.

The event is a festival and, thus, a winner is not declared. However, last year, Hoërskool Zwartkop, led by SA Schools Closed champion Luhann Groenewald won all five of their ties, with Selborne College, a well-established power, providing them with their stiffest test, which Zwarries passed by winning 4-2.

Later in the year, Hoërskool Zwartkop won the Top Schools Squash Tournament, which brings together the top teams from South Africa’s provinces, for a second year in succession.

Zwarries will be one of the top guns again, while Selborne College, fourth at the 2024 Top Schools tournament, boasts strong depth and will, as usual, be one of the top teams.

Paarl Gimnasium appears at the Saints Squash Festival for the first time and they’re a team that could make some noise. Westville Boys’ High has staked an early claim to be KZN’s best, beating Glenwood 6-0, Michaelhouse 10-2, and Kearsney 9-1.

However, the field is as open as it has ever been.

Some of the leading u19 and u16 players in the country will be in action, including a number who featured in 2024’s SA Schools rankings. They include Benji Newman (Grey High), Dean Katzin (St Andrew’s School), Thero Motshubi (St John’s College), Juan Corné Brand (Zwartkop), Logan Kidson (Zwartkop), and Milan Raffa (Pretoria Boys High).

Others to keep an eye out for include Josh Smit and Ruan Wessels, from Paarl Gim, Daniel Deutschmann, of King Edward VII (KES), and Ronav Pillay, Westville Boys’ High’s number-one player.

Daniel Deutschmann is the nephew of St Andrew’s School’s long-time coach Calvin Deutschmann, who has also coached a number of national junior teams. He’s a national u19 and SA Schools selector.

The Deutschmann name is inextricably linked with squash at St Andrew’s. Another Deutschmann, Bryce, will represent the St Andrew’s A side. He’s the son of Michael Deutschmann, Calvin’s younger brother. Daniel Deutschmann is the son of Calvin’s older brother, Garrick, who was better known for his tennis exploits while at St Andrew’s.

Michael and Calvin Deutschmann are involved in the organisation of the tournament and the management of teams. “Once again, it’s a full-on family affair,” commented Margo Morgan, the organiser of the tournament and St Andrew’s School’s head of squash.

Highly respected in South African schools’ squash circles, Margo Morgan is the Chairperson of SA Schools Squash and is an SA Schools’ selector. Together with Calvin Deutschmann, she has been a driving force behind St Andrew’s squash for the past three decades, helping Saints become one of the powerhouses of the game in South Africa.

Dean Katzin is the number one player for the St Andrew’s 1st squash team. He was an SA Schools ranked player in the u16 age group last year, and he remains u16 this year. He’ll have his work cut out for him when taking on top u19 players, including Juan Corné Brand, Benji Newman, Jodie Emslie (Selborne College), Josh Smit (Paarl Gim), Daniel Deutschmann (King Edward VII), and Ronav Pillay (Westville Boys’ High).

Saints placed third at the 2024 Top Schools Tournament, but their squash team has undergone big changes after bidding farewell to four matric boys at the end of last year.

Participating Teams

Glenwood High School (Durban), Graeme College (Makhanda), Grey College (Bloemfontein), Grey High School (Gqeberha), Kearsney College (Botha’s Hill), King Edward VII School (Johannesburg), Kingswood College (Makhanda), Maritzburg College (Pietermaritzburg), Michaelhouse A (Balgowan), Michaelhouse B (Balgowan), Parktown Boys’ High (Johannesburg), Paarl Gimnasium (Paarl), Paul Roos Gimnasium (Stellenbosch), Pretoria Boys High (Pretoria), Queen’s College (Komani), Selborne College (East London), St Andrew’s School A (Bloemfontein), St Andrew’s School B (Bloemfontein), St John’s College A (Johannesburg), St John’s College B (Johannesburg), St Stithians College (Johannesburg), Westville Boys’ High (Westville), Hoërskool Zwartkop (Centurion).