Author: captainmorgan

A decision to bat first on Goldstone’s didn’t pay off for Glenwood High when they took on Maritzburg College in a limited-overs clash on Saturday. Instead, under heavy pressure from the College attack, they laboriously clawed their way to 116 all out after 49 overs.

Only two batsmen achieved a strike rate of 50 runs per 100 balls, and seven were held to single-figure scores as the hosts struck early to claim the initiative and tenaciously held onto it throughout the Glenwood innings.

Both openers, Akhil Sinath and Kamo Moloto, were disposed of within the first five overs. From there, it became an uphill slog for the visitors. Sebastian Oertel, batting at three, was their top scorer with a stubborn 19, which took him 76 balls.

He shared the Green Machine‘s largest partnership with Charles Nkwanyana, 38 for the fifth wicket, but it took 102 deliveries. Glenwood’s batsmen showed plenty of grit, but were unable to break the shackles of the College attack.

Their tail wagged, though, lifting the visitors from 77/8 to 100/9, and, ultimately, to 116/10, which was heavily boosted by 34 extras.

Luke Venter and Kyle de Bruyn did the bulk of the damage, and their figures were almost identical. Venter sent down seven overs, one maiden, and picked up 3/19. De Bruyn’s return differed only in that he conceded one more run.

Others’ analyses revealed how dominant the College bowlers were: Greg Hosking finished with 1/9 from seven overs, Akhil Bharath took 1/10 from eight, and Ethan Fabre bagged 1/22 from 10.

College’s reply wasn’t the smoothest, but it moved at a faster pace than Glenwood’s innings. The visitors, though, made some early inroads, and the home side was reduced to 37/3 in the ninth over, with Qhamani Sikhutshwa leading Glenwood’s response by picking two of those three wickets.

He later added another, removing Luka Puddu, the fifth College wicket to fall, which left the Red, Black, and White on 61/5 in the 15th over. That, however, was where Glenwood’s wicket-taking successes ended.

Rory Schirge and captain Reece Willson combined for an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 59 from only 68 balls to steer the home side to a five-wicket victory with 24.5 overs to spare.

Schirge was 26 not out, with two fours and a six, while Willson weighed in with an unbeaten 29, the highest score of the match, to see his side across the line.

Sikhutshwa was the pick of the Glenwood bowlers, grabbing 3/36 in 8.5 overs, while the skipper, Kreesan Pillai, returned 1/26 from seven.

Summarised scoreboard

Glenwood High 116/10 (Extras 34; Sebastian Oertel 19; Kyle de Bruyn 3/18, Luke Venter 3/19); Maritzburg College 120/5 (Reece Wilson 29*, Rory Schirge 26*; Qhamani Shikutshwa 3/36). Maritzburg College won by five wickets.

A vital 48-run partnership between Lebo Mokoena and Owen Widdows for the eighth-wicket helped to drag St Charles College to a heart-pounding two-wicket limited-overs victory over Northwood in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday.

Chasing 195 for victory, Mokoena, with 36, and Widdows, with 22, delivered for Saints when they were most needed.

Northwood batted first after the toss went against them. After losing Ross McGlashan early, they made good progress, with David de Bruyn and Nic Slater adding a steady 88 runs for the second wicket in 119 balls. Jack Richards parted them when he had Slater caught by Ryan Clarke for 47. Slater had faced 65 balls and hit four fours.

De Bruyn was the third man out for the highest score of the Knights‘ innings, 48 from 72, with seven fours and a six. When he exited, the visitors were on 110/3 after 26 overs.

Thomas Oosthuizen slammed three fours and a six in a 40-ball stay that added 38 runs to the Northwood total before he became one of Jack Richards’ four victims. Richards was also responsible for preventing the visitors from making a late charge. Instead, they fell from 183/6 to 194 all out.

Richards finished with 4/41 from nine overs, while Kaiyuran Naidoo snared 2/41 from 10, and Ryan Clarke claimed 2/42 from 8.5. Jayden Saville applied heavy pressure, returning 1/18 from nine tight overs, three of which were maidens.

Matters looked good for Northwood when St Charles crashed to 12/3 in the sixth over of their reply. Ryan van Zyl led the way for the Knights, removing captain Thando Zama and Keegan Vermaak, while Josh Mills picked up Ryan Clarke’s wicket.

Christiaan Prinsloo and Connor Simpson stopped the slide with a 45-run fourth-wicket partnership, which came at almost a run a ball. Given the desperate situation that Saints found themselves in, it was a brave counterattack, with Simpson striking four fours and making 31 from 37 balls before David de Bruyn caught him off the bowling of Keegan Reeves.

With the home side on 57/4 in the fifteenth over, the advantage still belonged to Northwood. St Charles continued to rebuild effectively, however, through Christiaan Prinsloo and Caleb Sharp. They added another 51 runs before Prinsloo’s 81-ball stay came to an end when Ross McGlashan caught him off Hamza Amla‘s bowling for a patient 38.

Van Zyl struck again soon after to send Jayden Saville on his way. Sharp and Lebo Mokoena dug in, though, and tacked on another 31 runs before Sharp’s resistance ended just shy of a fifty when he was run out by Josh Mills for 46. That brought Mokoena and Widdows together, and they continued to defy Northwood’s bowlers until the final over.

Widdows, in an attempt to scramble a quick single, was run out by David de Bruyn off the first ball of the last over, leaving St Charles on 192/8, still needing three runs to win. They didn’t have to wait long.

Mokoena, who had crossed when Widdows was run out, dispatched the next delivery to the boundary, and the home team had pulled off an outstanding run chase to grab a tense two-wicket win.

Ryan van Zyl did his utmost to stop Saints, capturing 3/33 in eight overs, while Hamza Amla kept the Pietermaritzburg school under pressure, sending down 10 overs and picking up 1/32. Thando Zama and company, though, held their nerve and came away with a memorable victory.

Summarised scorecard

Northwood 194/10 (David de Bruyn 48, Nic Slater 47, Thomas Oosthuizen 38; Jack Richards 4/41, Kaiyuran Naidoo 2/41, Ryan Clarke 2/42); St Charles College 196/8 (Caleb Sharp 46, Christiaan Prinsloo 38, Lebo Mokoena 36*, Connor Simpson 31, Owen Widdows 22; Ryan van Zyl 3/33). St Charles won by two wickets.

Kearsney College hosted Clifton College on the AH Smith Oval in blistering heat on Saturday, and they soon found themselves feeling the heat when the visitors snatched three wickets in the first nine overs to leave Kearsney sweating on 22/3.

Left-arm spinner Blake Johnson locked down the Kearsney top order. He bowled opener Gary Verbaan for five and recorded the exceptionally economical figures of 1/16 from his 10 overs.

Daniel Rea, meanwhile, was responsible for removing the number two and three batsmen, Rivaan Moodley and Aaron Blackburn, for six and two, respectively.

Clifton had their tails up, but it would be a long time before they again tasted bowling success: 33.1 overs, to be precise.

Captain Keegan de Jager and Asher Hollister settled in and played composed innings to put their team in the ascendancy. Clifton captain Shiraz Perumal kept them quiet, but didn’t pick up a wicket, finishing with a tidy 0/29 from his 10 overs. Eventually, though, it was the left-arm seamer, George Gooch, who broke the fourth-wicket partnership.

It lasted 199 balls, which brought Kearsney 131 runs, and ended with the total on 153 when Hollister holed out to Perumal for the innings’ highest score of 72 from 101 balls, with three fours and two sixes.

De Jager’s resistance ended 10 runs later for 60, when he was caught by Keegan Watson off Muhammed Malek. He had faced 109 balls and hit six fours. When he departed, Kearsney had 6.2 overs remaining, so they hit out, attempting to lift the run rate.

Daniel Rea was helped by Kearsney’s looser approach, with Luke Grobbelaar and Michael Groom both being caught by Hayden Drieselmann at long-off. But Daniel Miskey got going, striking four fours in an undefeated 32 from 25 balls, which helped to carry Kearsney College to 211/7 from their 50 overs.

Rea came in for some stick, but he also enjoyed success, finishing with 4/58 from nine overs.

Clifton made a measured start to their reply, with Daniyaal Klinck and Yusuf Ahmed sharing a first-wicket partnership of 21 before Litha Gonya clipped the stumps with a peach of a delivery to dismiss Ahmed for six.

Muhammed Malek, the scorer of back-to-back centuries at the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, looked reasonably comfortable at the crease, but, in a pivotal moment, he attempted a quick single and was run out by a direct hit from James Bishop for only one. That early in Clifton’s innings, it was an unnecessary risk.

Klinck and Hayden Drieselmann repaired the visitors’ response, though, advancing the total by 76 runs before their third-wicket partnership was halted when Klinck was caught by Aaron Blackburn off Bishop for 48. His 82-ball knock had included seven fours.

Drieselmann followed, the fourth man to lose his wicket, for 43. His innings included five fours and a six from 59 balls. When he exited, Clifton was on 116/4 in the 29th over.

Unfortunately for the visitors, his departure marked the starting point of a slow collapse that lasted just over 11 overs and included seven wickets falling for only 27 runs.

After 39.4 overs, Clifton was bowled out for 143, leaving Kearsney with a convincing 68-run win.

Three Kearsney bowlers bagged a brace each: Gonya returned 2/29 from eight overs, Rivaan Moodley took 2/25 from eight, and Matthew Gorrie grabbed 2/22 from 7.4.

Only Shiraz Perumal, with 11, and Veer Ramouthar, with 10, joined Klinck and Drieselmann in double figures.

Summarised scorecard

Kearsney College 211/7 (Asher Hollister 72, Keegan de Jager 60, Daniel Miskey 32*; Daniel Rea 4/58); Clifton College 143/10 (Daniyaal Klinck 48, Hayden Drieselmann 43; Matthew Gorrie 2/22, Rivaan Moodley 2/25, Litha Gonya 2/29). Kearsney College won by 68 runs.

On Saturday, Kearsney College beat Clifton College by 68 runs in Botha’s Hill. In Balgowan, Michaelhouse won by the same margin against their arch-rivals, Hilton College.

Ben Heuer starred for ‘House, with 61, the highest score of the match, and a bowling return of 4/25 from 10 overs, which was bettered only by Liam O’Dwyer‘s superb 4/17 from 10.

Batting after winning the toss, Michaelhouse mustered 194/9 from their 50 overs.

Heuer’s 61 was supplemented by four batsmen making scores in the twenties: Rex Wardlaw (27), Riley Muir (26), Victor North (21), and Graydon Leslie (20).

Muir and North gave the home side a decent start, with a 38-run first-partnership in the first 10 overs. Later, Heuer and Wardlaw added a vital 54 from 90 deliveries for the sixth wicket.

New ball bowler, Sechaba Gude, led the visitors’ attack, knocking over 3/34 in seven overs.

Off-spinner Benoit Rey kept matters tight, claiming 2/31 in 10, while Obakeng Motsepa was a touch on the expensive side, going for 53 runs from his 10 overs, but his two wickets included that of Ben Heuer. Sange Qangule kept ‘House quiet, snapping up 1/9 in five overs.

Hilton’s Barack Munawa and Ben Wilson gave their side a decent enough start, 21 runs inside five overs, before Ben Heuer struck for the first time, having Munawa caught by Jack Campbell for 14. James Peattie didn’t last long, but Wilson and captain Rob Burman then halted Michaelhouse’s charge for 16 overs.

Heuer had taken the first two wickets before Liam O’Dwyer claimed his first when he dismissed Burman for 23, but he needed Heuer’s assistance; he took the catch that got rid of the Hilton skipper.

Burman was out in the 23rd over, which left the visitors on 82/3. By the time they reached 100, they were five down, with O’Dwyer accounting for Ryan Jellis and Cameron Hargroves.

Soon, though, Michaelhouse lost their sixth wicket, with Rex Wardlaw trapping the dangerous Sange Qangule in front for five. From 103/6, Hilton’s challenge faded away. They fell off the required run rate and were eventually dismissed for 126 off the first ball of the 49th over.

Rex Wardlaw backed up the two four-wicket men, Heuer and O’Dwyer, with a useful 2/14 from nine overs, which was the most economical return of the match. Wilson, the seventh man to lose his wicket, was Hilton’s top scorer, making a patient 52 from 109 balls, with a six his only boundary.

Victory was Michaelhouse’s and, perhaps, a stinging reminder to Hilton that they’ll need to be at their best when they travel to Pretoria for the Switch Schools SA20 Final Showdown, where they’ll fly the flag for KwaZulu-Natal.

Summarised scorecard

Michaelhouse 194/10 (Ben Heuer 61, Rex Wardlaw 27, Riley Muir 26, Victor North 21, Graydon Leslie 20; Sechaba Gude 3/34, Benoit Rey 2/31, Obakeng Motsepa 2/53); Hilton College 126/10 (Ben Wilson 52, Robert Burman 23; Liam O’Dwyer 4/17, Ben Heuer 4/25, Rex Wardlaw 2/14). Michaelhouse won by 68 runs.

1st XI

After missing out on the W100 title in 2025, thanks to a special performance from Westville Boys’ High captain, Seth Simpson, Durban High School (DHS) claimed the trophy on Thursday with a nine-wicket win over Clifton College, with 11 balls to spare, in the final at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead.

The Horseflies‘ victory brought to an end Westville’s run of five successive titles.

DHS captain Josh van Biljon opted to bowl first after winning the toss, and his bowlers responded well to the challenge he posed to them. Taine Havermann led the way, capturing 3/14 in 20 balls, while Bonga Maphanga put Clifton under pressure with a rapid spell. Although he went unrewarded, his pace and bounce kept the batting side on the back foot.

Josh Morley, like Taine Havermann, kept the run-scoring rate in check, picking up 1/15 from 20 deliveries.

Clifton posted 110/7, which, unfortunately for them, included the run out of the in-form Muhammed Malek for 18.

The top score went to Hayden Drieselmann, with 30 off 27 balls, which featured three sixes and not one four. Shiraz Perumal chipped in with 20 off 21 deliveries, and Clifton’s total was further boosted by 24 extras.

DHS, in reply, opened with their most experienced batsmen, Ismaeel Omar and Josh van Biljon. They gave School a sound start, putting up 66 for the first wicket before Van Biljon was LBW to George Gooch for 16 from 20.

That brought Suliman Jadwat to the wicket, and he and Omar saw DHS to victory, with an unbroken stand of 46 from 38 balls.

Omar, the Man of the Match, finished unbeaten on 51 from 49 balls, with eight fours, while Jadwat was 16 not out from 20.

George Gooch starred for Clifton, with 1/9 from 10 deliveries. Clifton, though, was let down by giving up 29 extras, which helped DHS to ease to victory.

After winning the Clifton T20 title in 2024 and 2025, the Horseflies were dethroned by Hoërskool Waterkloof earlier this month. DHS ensured, though, that their trophy case has some current silverware after a comfortable victory.

While Clifton College will be disappointed with the outcome of the final, they enjoyed a good run to the title game, with their results including wins over DHS and Westville Boys’ High.

u15A

Westville Boys’ High has been, by far, the most dominant u15A team in KwaZulu-Natal in 2026, and they proved their superiority in the final of the W100 competition with a comfortable nine-wicket win over Kearsney College with 15 balls to spare.

The toss went Kearsney’s way, and they opted to bat first. Opener Connor Rowley did a good job, striking five fours and a six in a 43-ball stay, which brought him the innings’ top score of 42.

Luke Crandon weighed in with 20 not out from 21 balls, while Ryan Staats smashed a six, but was otherwise kept relatively quiet in his 16 off 24 deliveries.

Boosted by 21 extras, Kearsney finished their 100 balls on 102/5.

Cam Rudolph was Westville’s best bowler, returning an economical 1/13 from 20 balls.

Matt Shea and Yusuf Osman then made 29 off 25 balls for Westville’s first wicket before Osman was caught by Sebastian Sansbury off Ryan Staats for 10.

Shea and Cam Rudolph then combined for an unbroken 77 off 61 balls to carry Westville to a comfortable victory. Shea ended on 35 not out from 42 deliveries, while Rudolph hit a six and four fours in his unbeaten 40 off 34.

Staats, the lone wicket-taker, claimed 1/28 from 20 deliveries.

u14A

For the first time in five years, Westville didn’t win the 1st XI title, but they won the u14 and u15 competitions.

In the u14A match, DHS mustered 101/4, with their top five all reaching double figures, but none of them made it to 20; both openers, Danyaal Khan and Yahya Balim, were out for 19.

Dane Sweet was the pick of the Westville bowlers, capturing 2/11 from 20 balls.

It took Westville only 77 balls to overhaul the DHS total, and they won by seven wickets after reaching 104/7.

Dylan Kidgell, batting at three, led the run chase, smashing seven fours in his unbeaten 42 from 35 deliveries, while Blake Shaw weighed in with 25 off 21. Together, they added 39 for the second wicket in 37 balls.

Rafael Naidoo was the best of the DHS attack, nabbing 2/18 from 17 deliveries.

Summarised scorecards

Clifton College 1st XI 110/7 (Hayden Drieselmann 30, Shiraz Perumal 20; Taine Havermann 3/14, Josh Morley 1/15); Durban High School 1st XI 112/1 after 89 balls (Ismaeel Omar 51*; George Gooch 1/9). DHS won by nine wickets with 11 balls to spare.

Kearsney College u15A 102/5 (Connor Rowley 42, Luke Crandon 20*; Taine Lawson 1/12, Cam Rudolph 1/13); Westville Boys’ High u15A 106/1 (Cam Rudolph 40*, Matt Shea 35*; Ryan Staats 1/28). Westville won by nine wickets.

DHS u14A 101/4 (Danyaal Khan 19, Yahya Balim 19; Dane Sweet 2/11); Westville u14A 104/3 after 77 balls (Dylan Kidgell 42*, Blake Shaw 25; Rafael Naidoo 2/18). Westville Boys’ High u14A won by seven wickets.

There was no doubting the class of the field during the Switch Schools SA 20 Volume Two girls’ competition in KwaZulu-Natal. That title belonged, emphatically, to the Chatsworth Hub.

They were undisputedly the province’s best team. No side came close to challenging them.

Their results included an astonishing win over Umlazi Comtech High. The Hub side smashed 282/2 in their 20 overs, which featured a remarkable opening stand of 156 off only 8.3 overs between the captain, Shreeya Subbiah, and Thando Matamela. Then, Chatsworth skittled Umlazi Comtech for only 18, with eight players dismissed for ducks.

That wasn’t a one-off kind of performance, though. After last year’s KZN champion, Dr John L Dube, batted well to post 94/4 from their 20 overs, Chatsworth Hub barely blinked. In only 13.5 overs, Subbiah and Matamela steered their team to a 10-wicket victory.

Unfortunately, for the Chatsworth Hub, Matamela is out of The Final Showdown with a collar bone injury. That is a big loss. However, the Chatsworth squad includes 13 players with provincial colours, led by their SA u19 star, Shreeya Subbiah.

They will be tested more in Pretoria than they have been in KZN, but coach Keshin Moodley is confident his girls are ready to handle that extra pressure.

He’s been compiling the side over the past four or five years, working with some of the players from as young as the age of nine. They’re still a young side, with their youngest players aged only 14, but they’re experienced as a unit.

“For them to get this far, it shows that they have been playing very good cricket within the region,” Moodley said. “We don’t take anything lightly. All we are going to do is keep our game simple, do what we love, and play good cricket. On the day, we’ll make it happen.”

The coach identified bowling out the opposition and closing out games quickly as one of the team’s primary strengths. Chatsworth’s attack will be led by Alex Pickvance, Sihana Naidu, Aadya Mohun, and Shreeya Subbiah.

Their depth runs deep. “We have a very well-balanced team,” Moodley said.

The Chatsworth Hub’s final preparation camp takes place on Friday. “We’re looking forward to having a good session with the girls. We’ve brought in some extra coaching support to inspire and motivate them. We want them to be at ease, at peace, not thinking too much about the game. It’s our first time going to a national tournament.

“All we want to do is play good cricket. We’re trying not to think about who’s the best in Pretoria. We want to take it one game at a time,” Moodley said.

“My team has the potential to go far. But, you know the saying, ‘cricket is a funny game’. Anything can happen.”

The Chatsworth Hub faces another provincial-laden team, the Nkowankowa Hub, in their opening match in the afternoon on Wednesday, 4 March. On Thursday, 5 March, they have a morning game against Queens High, followed by an afternoon assignment against Nomandi.

The playoffs happen from Friday, 6 March.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 4 March
Chatsworth Hub vs Nkowankowa Hub, Tuks C, 14:00

Thursday, 5 March
Chatsworth Hub vs Queens High, Tuks E, 09:30
Chatsworth Hub vs Nomandi, Tuks C, 14:00

There will be no hiding place in the Alan Paton Memorial Hall (APH) from Friday to Sunday.

When Maritzburg College throws open its doors for the KZN Top 10 Basketball Competition from 27 February to 1 March, it won’t simply be hosting a tournament. It will be staging a statement event – one that brings together the province’s heavyweights and, in doing so, strengthens KwaZulu-Natal’s claim to being the epicentre of South African school basketball in 2026.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

And the hosts? They enter with a target firmly affixed to their backs.

College: The Benchmark

College’s credentials are undeniable. Unbeaten this season. Jenny Orchard Invitational champions. And, perhaps most ominously for their challengers, battle-tested in adversity.

On Sunday, in the APH, they delivered a performance that will live long in the memory. Twenty points down in the final against ESCA – who have made a strong case as being Gauteng’s best this year – they refused to blink. Slowly, methodically, possession by possession, they clawed their way back before surging to a 64-55 victory.

It was as much about belief as it was about basketball.

The Red, Black and White have turned their home court into a fortress. The APH doesn’t merely house games; it amplifies them. The support is relentless, the noise unyielding, and visiting sides quickly discover that momentum swings in the APH gather hurricane force.

Beating College anywhere this year has proved beyond every opponent. Beating them in Pietermaritzburg? That’s a different challenge entirely.

Yet this is no coronation procession. It is a gauntlet.

Westville and Kearsney: Proven Pedigree

If anyone understands the demands of climbing the mountain, it is Westville Boys’ High School.

The 2025 Jenny Orchard Invitational champions have pedigree and polish. They reached the semi-finals of this year’s edition before running into a red-hot ESCA outfit.

Westville’s blend of discipline and defensive intensity makes them perennial contenders, and they have enough scoring threats to trouble even the most organised defences.

Then there is Kearsney College, who carry the quiet menace of a side that knows it is better than its worst day.

Yes, College dismantled them 74-45 in a Jenny Orchard semi-final when everything the hosts launched seemed to land. But that result stands as an outlier in Kearsney’s campaign. Outside of that afternoon, they have been measured, physical, and upwardly mobile.

They reminded observers of their steel in the quarterfinals, edging a powerful Durban High School (DHS) side 72-67. That same DHS outfit ended Northwood’s six-year unbeaten home run this season– no small feat. In the bronze playoff, Kearsney pushed Westville to the wire before falling 68-71.

They are no one’s supporting act.

Northwood: Battle-Hardened Knights

Few teams arrive more hardened than Northwood School.

Before the St John’s Basketball Tournament in Johannesburg, the Knights had tasted defeat only once. Then, on opening day, came successive blows: losses to St Stithians and The King’s School Linbro Park.

For some teams, that would have been a psychological fracture. For Northwood, it was ignition.

They closed out pool play with authority, dispatching Falcon College and Curro Helderwyk, then scrapped their way past Pretoria Boys High in a play-in to secure a quarterfinal berth.

And from there? They surged.

Having fallen 48-35 to St Stithians on the first day of the event, Northwood flipped the script with a commanding 57-45 quarterfinal triumph. In the semi-finals, they toppled the hosts, St John’s College, 60-48 – a performance heavy with composure and conviction.

Only in the final did their charge stall, with Michael Mount Waldorf’s three-point barrage overturning an early deficit and leading to 64-55 win.

The lesson for KZN’s Top 10? Northwood has been wounded, tested, and refined. They are fallible, but they are formidable.

Depth in Red, Black and White

While College’s A side has commanded headlines, their depth may be the tournament’s most understated storyline.

In Johannesburg, at the St John’s Basketball Tournament, their B team entered the U19B division and emerged as the unbeaten champions, overwhelming St Peter’s College 61-36 in the final. Many of their opponents fielded first teams. It made little difference.

Should injuries intrude over the weekend, College’s cupboard is stocked.

That depth reinforces their status as favourites, but favourites can fall.

Saints, Scholars and Contenders

Among those looking to disrupt the hierarchy will be St Charles College.

The 2023 St John’s champions progressed through pool play in Johannesburg with a pristine record, beating St Alban’s, Parktown Boys’ High, and St George’s (Harare). Their run at the title ended against the eventual champions, Michael Mount, in the quarterfinals, and they ultimately claimed seventh place after a 43-34 win over St Stithians.

They possess structure, heritage, and a clear understanding of tournament basketball.

Hilton College and Michaelhouse will be eager to reset narratives.

Hilton’s 44-52 loss to St John’s in a play-in clash consigned them to a 12th-place finish in Johannesburg, while Michaelhouse endured a frustrating campaign, ending 16th after a 28-34 defeat to Jeppe.

Both schools have shown higher ceilings this season. Expect a response rather than resignation.

Clifton and Glenwood: Seeking the Spark

That leaves Clifton College and Glenwood High School, who have trailed the leading pack in 2026, but might they spring a surprise or two, given the challenging schedule?

When they met earlier this month, Glenwood edged Clifton 42-38 in a contest defined by grit rather than glamour. It suggested little separates them. Should they collide again, another tight encounter beckons.

The Bigger Picture

What makes the KZN Top 10 compelling is not simply the presence of quality teams. It is the density of them.

KwaZulu-Natal’s basketball ecosystem has never been stronger. Physicality, tactical nuance, and perimeter shooting have all evolved. The gap between first and eighth is slim; the margin for error is thinner still.

For three days, the APH will become a crucible.

College seeks validation of their number one aspiration. Westville and Kearsney eye redemption. Northwood arrives sharpened by adversity. Saints and scholars chase resurgence. Clifton and Glenwood hunt opportunity.

There are no easy draws. No comfortable quarters. No safe possessions.

Only questions.

By Sunday afternoon, one side will have answered them best.

FIXTURES

Friday, 27 February

St Charles vs Hilton, 14:00 (Game 1)
Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse, 14:00 (Game 2)
Westville vs Northwood, 15:15 (Game 3)
Glenwood vs DHS, 15:15 (Game 4)
Clifton vs St Charles, 16:30 (Game 5)
Maritzburg College vs Kearsney, 16:30 (Game 6)

Saturday, 28 March

Hilton vs Westville, 09:00 (Game 7)
Glenwood vs Michaelhouse, 09:00 (Game 8)
Northwood vs Clifton, 10:15 (Game 9)
DHS vs Kearsney, 10:15 (Game 10)
St Charles vs Westville, 11:30 (Game 11)
Maritzburg College vs Glenwood, 11:30 (Game 12)
Hilton vs Northwood, 12:45 (Game 13)
Michaelhouse vs DHS, 12:45 (Game 14)
Clifton vs Westville, 14:00 (Game 15)
Glenwood vs Kearsney, 14:00 (Game 16)
St Charles vs Northwood, 15:15 (Game 17)
Maritzburg College vs DHS, 15:15 (Game 18)
Hilton vs Clifton, 16:30 (Game 19)
Michaelhouse vs Kearsney, 16:30 (Game 20)

Sunday, 1 March

A3 vs B4, 09:00 (Game 21)
B3 vs A4, 09:00 (Game 22)
A1 vs B2, 10:15 (Game 23)
B1 vs A2, 10:15 (Game 24)
A5 vs B5 (9/10) 11:30 (Game 25)
L21 vs L22 (7/8), 11:30 (Game 26)
L23 vs L23 (3/4), 12:45 (Game 27)
W21 vs W22 (5/6) 12:45 (Game 28)
W23 vs W24 (1/2) 14:00 (Game 29)

When the Chatsworth Hub takes to the Tuks C Field on the afternoon of Wednesday, 4 March, they’ll be led by Shreeya Subbiah, the side’s captain and leading player.

The Westville Girls’ High learner has already featured for the SA u19 side, and she will spearhead the KZN champions’ challenge for national glory at The Switch Schools S20 Volume Two Final Showdown in Pretoria.

Chatsworth has been untouchable in girls’ competition in KwaZulu-Natal in 2026, and their results during the earlier part of the competition included a 10-wicket demolition of last year’s KZN winner, Dr John L Dube. It should be noted, too, that the Chatsworth Hub did not contest the 2025 provincial competition.

Subbiah opens the batting for Chatsworth and forms a formidable partnership with Thando Matamela. Sadly, Matamela will miss The Final Showdown with a collar bone injury, which will thrust a little more pressure onto the shoulders of the Hub skipper, but she, no doubt, will be up for the challenge.

Chatworth Hub coach, Keshin Moodley, told SuperSport Schools Plus that Subbiah has been with the Chatsworth Hub since she was seven years old.

“She started as a fast bowler for me. Two years ago, we converted her into a spinner,” he said. The reason, he explained, was that Subbiah, after performing as a fast bowler, would need to immediately open the batting after the opposition had been bowled out. “That’s a bit tiring,” he commented.

Moodley described Subbiah’s batting very simply: “With her, it’s see ball, hit ball. That’s her strength! She has no weaknesses. If you bowl into her channels, out you go!

“If you look at the stats, you will see she is a very explosive player. She hits big sixes.”

Moodley said Subbiah isn’t the first player from the Chatsworth Hub to earn South African national colours. He cited Seshnie Naidu as an example of someone who recently passed through the school ranks. She represented SA u19 and has since represented the SA Women’s Team.

“My younger girls look up to these girls as inspiration,” Moodley said, “and that includes looking up to Shreeya Subbiah, too.

“As the captain of the team, they look to her as a source of support, a confidant.”

In Pretoria, Shreeya Subbiah will lead a side making its debut at the national final of the Switch Schools SA20, but they have 13 provincial players in their line-up, and with the captain setting the tone, they have the goods to challenge for the title.

An outstanding showing at the recent Independent Schools Cricket Festival (ISCF) has KwaZulu-Natal’s representative at the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown, Hilton College, in a confident frame of mind.

Coach David Griffiths‘ charges won all their games, the only team to achieve that feat, and they ended with an emphatic T20 victory over the hosts, St Alban’s College, who had enjoyed a strong showing themselves, after the first three days of limited-overs cricket.

Interestingly, an analysis of the top 20 batsmen and top 20 bowlers at the ISCF revealed that Hilton’s success was built not upon a couple of individuals delivering top performances match after match. Rather, it showed that the Midlands’ school has many sources of success. Focusing on stopping one or two players is not a good option for Hilton’s opposition. They could try to do that, but they would likely be stung by another source.

In 2025, Hilton narrowly missed out on reaching phase three of the nationwide competition. At the KZN regional final, they twice suffered last-over losses to Northwood, including in the final.

In January 2026, they reversed those losses, scoring an emphatic 33-run win over the Knights before going on to overpower Westville Boys’ High in the final, a team which they had beaten on day one of the three-day event.

Central to those victories were the performances of Hilton College captain, Robert Burman. He lit up Westville on the opening day, smashing 101 off only 63 balls, and made a more measured 54 from 52 against Northwood to set his team on the path to the title.

While Burman has gone on to enjoy a more solid than spectacular season, his impact as a captain has been immense. He plays the game with a smile on his face, and that enjoyment of his leadership assignment has led to a tight team culture. Hilton plays the game with a sense of excitement and joy. Those are qualities that can take a team a long way.

In 2025, Hilton College had a persistent weakness. They were prone to batting collapses. Not so in 2026. Their opening pair, Barack Munawa and Ben Wilson, has been one of their strengths. It should be noted, though, that Munawa tends to open with Burman in the T20 format, and they, too, have been solid.

Wilson, the team’s wicketkeeper, bats lower down the order, where he is one of the toughest batsmen to dislodge. He’s not a big striker of the ball, but he keeps the scoreboard ticking and finds the boundary often enough while doing that.

That trio – Burman, Munawa, and Wilson – has each scored over 500 runs in 2026. “What we have done well is have good partnerships with Barack and Ben,” coach Griffiths said. “Then with Barack and Rob in the short format.”

“Then, we’ve taken wickets in the powerplay, which is where you win the game. If you can take wickets there, it slows things down properly.”

Hilton’s attack is spearheaded by fast bowler Sechaba Gude, who, along with Luke Wilson, serves as one of the side’s two vice-captains. Gude took 49 wickets in 2025, but already has 30 in 2026.

“We’ve had good plans, and the boys have executed them really well,” Griffiths added.

“We have fielded really well. We have set a high standard in the field to get one good run out or a good catch every game. It makes it a little easier for the bowlers if they need to get only eight wickets.

“You hope you can get a run out, and we have had a lot of them this year. We average out to around one a game. I think everyone in the team has been involved in a run out, which is huge.

Someone who bats both up and down the order, who was arguably Hilton’s standout at the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, is Obakeng Motsepa. He’s a slight young man, but a talented all-rounder, capable of turning the course of a contest on his own, with either bat or ball. Twice in Pretoria, he was named the man of the match.

“MJ [Motsepa] is coming into his own now,” Griffiths said. “He has over 300 runs and 20 wickets this year. That’s good. In the last four games, he’s been outstanding.

The city where the ISCF was hosted is noteworthy: Pretoria. The Final Showdown takes place at the University of Pretoria, from 4 March, and the ISCF was ideal preparation for Hilton College. They’ll capitalise on those good recent experiences on the capital city’s pitches at the national final.

Coming back to Obakeng Motsepa, if it’s all-rounders you’re after, his teammate, Sange Qangule, has enjoyed his fair share of matches in which he has excelled with both bat and ball. When he gets going, he scores rapidly. Usually, he and Sechaba Gude open the bowling, and they bowl a heavy ball, hitting the bat hard. If they enjoy early success, Hilton becomes a very difficult team to beat. The other player who takes the new ball is Obakeng Motsepa.

“Sean Burman has come into the team and bowled really well,” Griffiths said of his left-arm seam option.

On the batting front, Luke Wilson, a hard-hitting all-rounder, can take the game away from the opposition if he settles, while James Peattie, Hilton College’s Head Boy, as good leaders do, tends to excel when the challenges are at their toughest.

Cameron Hargroves is another player who has become a more consistent all-round contributor in recent outings, and he bears watching, as does Ryan Jellis, another multi-skilled performer. Anthony Crossley, with a couple of telling spells at the ISCF, showed he has the goods to make an impact, too.

One player missing from the ISCF was off-spinner Benoit Rey, a consistent wicket-taker, a decent batsman, and a leader within the team. An outstanding scrumhalf, he was attending a rugby camp. His inclusion, though, is a big boost to Hilton College’s chances at The Final Showdown. They have a fully fit squad.

Hilton opens their challenge against the Western Cape champion, Paarl Boys’ High, on Wednesday, 4 March. Later that day, they face St Andrew’s School, the team that beat them in the national final of the Switch Schools SA20’s forerunners, the Coca-Cola T20, in 2018.

On Thursday, 5 March, Hilton tackles the CSA Hub XI. The playoffs follow the next day.

There are few opportunities for slip-ups, and a strong start would go a long way towards making a deep run at The Final Showdown. It all begins on the Tuks Oval for Hilton, at 09:30 on Wednesday.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 4 March

Hilton College vs Paarl Boys’ High, Tuks Oval, 09:30
Hilton College vs St Andrew’s School, Tuks E, 14:00

Thursday, 5 March

Hilton College vs CSA Hub XI, Tuks B, 14:00

SQUAD

Barack Munawa, Ben Wilson, Robert Burman, Cameron Hargroves, Obakeng Motsepa, Luke Wilson, Sechaba Gude, Sange Qangule, Benoit Rey, Ryan Jellis, Sean Burman, James Peattie, Anthony Crossley.

Hilton College cricket captain Robert Burman played a leading role in his side’s qualification for the Switch Schools SA20 Final Showdown, both with the bat and with his lead-by-example, inclusive style of leadership.

When the KZN regional final took place in Pietermaritzburg in January, he top-scored, with 54, in Hilton’s opening game, a 33-run win over the defending champion, Northwood.

Then, he all but guaranteed their place in the final by tearing apart the Dolphins’ Switch Schools SA20 champion, Westville Boys’ High, with a sensational unbeaten 101 from only 63 balls, which included five fours and five sixes.

Hilton won that match by 24 runs.

In the final, against Westville, they achieved what coach David Griffiths considers to be the key to winning T20 matches. They dominated in the power play.

It has been a strong season for Hilton College. Their side has been more consistent than it was last season, and Burman, their leader, has been one of their top run scorers. He’s also been at the forefront of a unit that is enjoying the game.

“He got voted in as the captain by quite a big margin,” coach Griffiths told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Reflecting on the team’s strong and successful leadership, he explained how Rob Burman has taken a mature approach and not become the sole voice of leadership in the team. “As a coach, generally, you say a lot from the side, but I haven’t had to say too much,” Griffiths said.

“We have three captains this year. We have Rob, then two vice-captains. One is Sechaba Gude, who brings lots of non-stop energy, and he’s more of a bowling captain. Then, you’ve got Luke Wilson, who is more of an older head on a young body. Between the three of them, they have been outstanding.

“There are always talks being held on the field, and Rob also leans on them, as well. Sometimes, captains can go their own way, on their own path, but he’s integrated them into his leadership really well.”

He also lauded Robert Burman’s willingness to adapt to the changing state of the game, rather than doggedly sticking to a set plan, no matter the circumstances. “He’s changed things when they’ve needed to be changed,” Griffiths said. “He hasn’t been scared of change early, when we’ve been bowling. He has been really good.”

His captain, he said, “is not the most vocal of people”, but his leadership shows both on and off the field. “He is also Hilton College’s Head of Sport and a good leader in the school.”

Thanks to Robert Burman, the Hilton 1st XI is deriving fun from the game. “It helps when you’re winning. You can have a little bit more fun,” Griffiths admitted, but the captain’s leadership off the field has also translated to success on it.

“There’s a big aspect of togetherness off the field, and that has made us stronger on the field as well,” the former Hampshire and Kent fast bowler said.

With Rob Burman leading by example and performing well, too, the Hilton College 1^st XI is a happy unit. Their players understand their roles, and they work as a team.

It’s their respect for their skipper’s leadership, their teamwork, and the ability of all players to contribute that make the KZN side a dangerous outfit.

After just missing out on the national title in 2018, when they lost in the final of the Coca-Cola T20, they would dearly like to take that last step to national glory in Pretoria in 2026. In Robert Burman, they have a steady and composed captain, who provides them with the direction they need to win it all.