Author: captainmorgan

St John’s College vs Woodridge College

St John’s College cruised to a nine-wicket victory over Woodridge College on day one of the 2024 Independent Schools Cricket Festival (ISCF), being hosted by St Alban’s College, as their captain Joe MacRobert continued his torrid run-scoring form.

Before he did his damage, however, Woodridge posted 150 all out after choosing to bat. They lost an early wicket, but looked to be on course for a good score when Jaydon Damons and Ethan Moothoo took the score to 47.

Malan du Plessis then had Damons caught by Nkosana Sibiya after a very patient 14 from 64 balls. It was his next ball, however, that had a huge impact on the game. Du Plessis had Woodridge captain Randy Syce caught by his counterpart, Joe MacRobert, without scoring.

An accomplished batsman, Syce represented Eastern Province Schools and the Eastern Warriors at the Cubs Week. His dismissal was a big blow to the Eastern Cape side’s batting effort.

Du Plessis added a third wicket when he also accounted for Moothoo, who top scored for Woodridge, spending 111 balls out in the middle for his 50.

Lukhanyo Ndulama helped boost the run rate, hitting four fours in his knock of 41 from 56 deliveries, as he and Moothoo added 75 for the fourth wicket. However, when the pair fell within three runs of one another, the innings lost momentum and wickets fell regularly.

From 122/3, Woodridge crumbled to 150 all out.

David Ireland, who has made impressive progress this season, captured 2/14 from 8.5 overs, while Alec Loveland picked up 2/18 from nine. Two run outs also accelerated Woodridge’s demise.

Then, with MacRobert to the fore, St John’s powered their way to victory in just 18.3 overs. He punished the Woodridge bowlers, smashing an unbeaten 79 from only 50 balls, 12 of which he dispatched for four.

MacRobert and Thomas Ievers, who ended on 52 not out from 48 deliveries, put on an unbroken 127 for the second wicket in only 15 overs to blast St John’s across the line.

St Benedict’s College vs Kearsney College

On a day that was unkind to the KZN teams – they won only one of four games – it was the most consistent side in the province in 2024, Kearsney College, who claimed that win.

Facing St Benedict’s College at Tuks, they sent the Bedfordview boys in, to bat. That was a good decision by Kearsney captain Ross Coetzee as Ryan Browning had two batsmen caught behind by wicketkeeper Matthew De Oliveira with only five runs on the board.

Bennies slumped to 36/4 before Clayton Horlick and Carl Goosen combined for 37 runs to lift the total to 73, which is when Goosen was sent packing for 22 after Jack O’Donovan pouched a catch off Asavela Khambule.

Horlick resolutely kept the Kearsney attack at bay, but he eventually became another victim of Khambule, the eighth man to fall, with the total on 126, for 37 from 88 balls.

The next two wickets followed quickly, and St Benedict’s were dismissed for 127. It was testament to Kearsney’s tight bowling that it took Bennies 45.5 overs to score their runs.

Khambule, who has been in magnificent form, picked up 3/11 with his leg spin, from 7.5 overs, while Browning, with his steep bounce, took 3/16 in eight. His opening partner, Sandiswa Yeni, knocked over 2/30 in 10, and Michael Groom, with 1/8 in seven, kept St Benedict’s on the defensive.

In turn, Bennies battled determinedly to keep Kearsney’s talented batting lineup at bay. They succeeded in keeping the run rate under control – with SA Schools’ spinner Parth Patel returning 1/26 from 10 – but they also they needed wickets and were stymied by Kearsney’s leading run scorers this season, Cameron Veenstra and Ross Coetzee.

Jason de Gryse and Matthew Lamplough gave Kearsney a good start, with an opening stand of 39, but they fell within one run of one another, with De Gryse making 21.

That brought Veenstra and Coetzee together. St Benedict’s did a really good job of keeping them in check – not many have managed that this season – but the pair adapted their games well to the requirements of the contest as they compiled an unbroken stand of 82 to see their side to victory.

Veenstra finished with 50 not out from 82 balls, with one four and one six, while Coetzee, usually a powerful striker of the ball, didn’t reach the boundary once, but his patient 38 from 93 balls demonstrated maturity and a keen understanding of what was needed.

St Stithians College vs Titans XI

Chris Anderson struck the first century of the ISCF, and it was desperately needed by St Stithians College, who totalled only 207 all out against the Titans XI, despite Anderson’s 100 not out, which came at close to a run a ball and included eight fours and two sixes.

If it wasn’t for Anderson’s fine innings, and 30 from opener, Pranav Raichetti, the Saints’ innings wouldn’t have looked very good.

Mohammed Barabat, with an impressive 2/29 from 10 overs, and Ditebogo Chauke, with 2/31 from eight, led the Titans XI’s bowling, while two run outs ended any resistance the Saints’ lower order may have offered.

In reply, Tshepang Laka produced a solid knock at the top of the Titans XI’s batting order, making 28, but he fought a lone fight as the highest score of any of the next six batsmen was only four.

Eventually, Neylo Sanna stopped the rot, making 21 from 28. But when he was the ninth man out, only one run was added, and it was all over as the Titans XI folded for 78.

The Saints’ bowlers spread the wickets around, with Cayden Sunker snaring 3/14 in six, Tahseen Hanslo taking 3/22 in 10, and Ethan Jacobs claiming 2/19 in six.

They didn’t find it easy when batting, but Saints, ultimately, romped to victory by 129 runs.

St Andrew’s School vs Uplands College

Playing on the beautifully named Land’s End at Cornwall Hill College, St Andrew’s School made short work of Uplands College with their 50-overs-a-side match lasting only 44.5 overs in total.

Sent in, to bat, Uplands mustered only 84 all out, thanks to Benji Loon, who played an outstanding innings, making 47 from 76 balls, which included four fours and two sixes, while the rest of the batsmen managed only one four between them.

Off-spinner Dakalo Leketa was the destroyer-in-chief for the Bloemfontein boys, sending down nine overs and returning figures of 5/17.

Opening bowler JC Young did a good job up front, removing both openers, as he picked up 2/12 from six overs.

St Andrew’s then needed only 14.5 overs to overhaul the Uplands’ total as Naudé Botha led the charge with an unbeaten 53 from 54 balls, with eight fours and a six.

St David’s Marist Inanda vs Kingswood College

St David’s Marist Inanda have put up some huge scores since the start of the 2023/24 season, but they didn’t need to do that against Kingswood College, thanks to a strong outing in the field.

They followed through on their decision to put Kingswood in to bat by dismissing the boys from Makhanda for only 90, with the St David’s fielders doing a fine job by effecting two run outs, including number four batsman Josh Loon and Kingswood’s top scorer, Daniel Jakins, who made 23.

Jason Rowles hurt Kingswood with an outstanding return of 4/13 from 10 overs, six of which were maidens, while opening bowler Oliver Botha struck early to claim 2/10 from five.

St David’s lost their bowling hero Jason Rowles in the first over of their reply, but they didn’t blink and went hard after the modest total.

It took them just 17 overs to pass it as an unbeaten 39 from Matthew West, 24 not out from Morteza Manack, and 25 from Armaan Manack, saw them to a comfortable eight-wicket victory.

Summarised scores

Woodridge College 150/10 (Ethan Moothoo 50, Lukhanyo Nudlama 41; Malan du Plessis 3/38, David Ireland 2/14, Alec Loveland 2/18); St John’s College 151/1 (Joe MacRobert 79*, Thomas Ievers 52*) St John’s College won by 9 wickets.

St Benedict’s College 127/10 (Clayton Horlick 37, Carl Goosen 22; Asavela Khambule 3/11, Ryan Browning 3/16, Sandiswa Yeni 2/30); Kearsney College 132/2 (Cameron Veenstra 50*, Ross Coetzee 36*, Jason De Gryse 21) Kearsney College won by 8 wickets.

St Stithians College 207/10 (Chris Anderson 100*, Pranav Raichetti 30; Mohammed Barabat 2/29, Ditebogo Chauke 2/31); Titans XI 78/10 (Tshepang Laka 28, Neylo Sanna 21; Cayde Sunker 3/14, Tahseen Hanslo 3/22, Ethan Jacobs 2/19) St Stithians College won by 129 runs.

Uplands College 84/10 (Benji Loon 47; Dakalo Leketa 5/17, JC Young 2/12); St Andrew’s School 87/1 (Naudé Botha 53*) St Andrew’s School won by 9 wickets.

Kingswood College 90/10 (Daniel Jakins 23; Jason Rowles 4/13, Oliver Botha 2/10); St David’s Marist Inanda 91/2 (Matthew West 39*, Armaan Manack 25, Morteza Manack 24*) St David’s Marist Inanda won by 8 wickets.

The annual Durban and Districts Gala, swum at Kings Park on Wednesday, produced a fascinating battle between the highly favoured Westville Boys’ High and Durban High School (DHS) for the overall honours, with only five points separating the two at the completion of the 26th and final event.

Relays are the order of the day and that’s exactly what suited Westville and DHS, with their superior depth. That depth is also a big reason why it was so close at the end, with 19 of the events finishing with those two schools in the first and second places.

Westville claimed victory in 17 events and DHS was first in the remaining nine. A disqualification in one of the butterfly relays almost cost the Griffin, as they were docked points while DHS added to their tally.

Clifton College finished second four times, Kearsney College managed the feat twice, and Northwood School achieved it once.

The u14 age group produced fireworks, with four records falling, split evenly between DHS and Westville.

Both DHS and Westville bettered the previous 200m freestyle relay record of 1:49.91, set in 2009 by Westville, with DHS clocking 1:47.61 and Westville finishing only seven-hundredths of a second behind them.

DHS also won the 200m medley, this time by eight-hundredths of a second over their rivals. They touched the wall in 2:00.20, which comfortably erased the previous record of 2:04.17, set by Westville, which had stood since 2004.

Westville won the 200m butterfly in 1:57.17, with DHS second in 1:59.15, and the 20-year-old record, which had been set by Westville, of 2:00.61, was no more.

It was in the backstroke relays where the Griffin truly excelled. Their u14 team knocked over six seconds off the mark of 2:04.24, which WBHS had set in 2011, when they won in 1:58.16. Then, the u15 team obliterated a record that had stood since 2005 at 2:00.56, powering their way to a time of 1:53.27.

There was more to come from Westville as their u16 relay team swam 1:49.67 to destroy the 1:56.91 record that WBHS had set in 2011. And the u17 backstroke relay went even faster, clocking 1:44.38 to take an astonishing 9.64 seconds off the previous mark of 1:54.02, which was also set by WBHS in 2011.

Incredibly, the new u15 and u16 records would have also been enough to better the previous u17 backstroke relay mark. Meanwhile, the new u17 record is 4.62 seconds faster than the u19 record.

Despite an outstanding challenge from DHS, Westville ended where they almost always do, following up their wins in the Nestor Pierides Gala and the Alan Burt Gala with yet another top of the table finish. It was their 16th in succession in the Durban and Districts Gala.

Westville remains the gold standard in the pool, but DHS has been working hard in recent years to close the gap and they continue to make inroads.

FINAL STANDINGS

Westville Boys High School 140
Durban High School 135
Clifton College 86
Northwood 71
Kearsney College 67
Glenwood Boys High School 40

The topsy-turvy nature of cricket was on full display on Wednesday, when Northwood hosted high-flying Durban High School (DHS) in a W100 match on the Robin Smith Oval.

The Knights have, at times, struggled to score quickly enough in the shorter forms of the game this season, but their bowling and fielding has been a strength. Against DHS, they delivered on both fronts to hand the recently crowned Clifton T20 Tournament champions a 14-run loss.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Northwood didn’t start their innings particularly well, losing two batsmen, including the in-form Thayin Kuppan, with only 14 runs on the board. That, however, brought Nqobani Mokoena to the crease and he immediately went after the Horseflies‘ bowling.

While he was out in the middle, 24 balls were bowled, 13 of which he faced, and in that time the Knights added exactly 50 runs. Mokoena’s fiery knock produced three sixes, three fours and 32 runs before he was caught by DHS captain Semal Pillay off the bowling of Zaid Motala.

Unfortunately for the home side, they lost Mokoena’s partner, Mfana Shange only a ball later. His useful contribution of 26 came from 17 deliveries and included five fours.

Another wicket followed shortly after that, but Kyle White and Connor Leclezio then combined to reclaim some control for the Knights. They put on 35 for the seventh wicket before both departed with the total on 121.

White was the first to go, having made a crucial 23 from 30 balls. It wasn’t rapid scoring, but it was what Northwood needed. Leclezio then departed for 16 from 18.

After their 100 balls, the home team had put up 127/9 – not an exceptional total, but something to defend.

Ethan Cooper excelled for DHS, capturing 4/20 from 15 deliveries, while his captain, Semal Pillay, was both economical and penetrative, knocking over 2/13 from his 15 balls.

When DHS batted, Isaac Phiri got the Knights off to a good start with the ball, keeping the openers tied down, before Jordan Matthews removed Omar Ismaeel, one of the top performers for DHS at the Clifton T20, before a run was on the board.

Semal Pillay and Sibusiso Msibi advanced the total to 25, but Pillay was then out to a combination of Kyle White and Mason Storm for 11. Msibi stuck around until DHS had reached 42 from 42. Then Storm struck again to send him packing for 21 from 14, with two fours.

School upped their run rate slightly, moving on to 63 from 56 deliveries, but Sfundo Mthembu was then dismissed for 10 and he was quickly followed by Ethan Cooper and Josh van Biljon as DHS slipped to 70/6, with Connor Leclezio claiming the wickets of Mthembu and Van Biljon, and Harlee Jagga taking a caught and bowled to remove Cooper.

Jared Havemann and Dalan Naraidu put on 20 together but, when Naraidu was out, with the total on 90, there were just 15 balls left and DHS still required 38 to win.

Bayanda Majola offered some late innings fireworks for the visitors, blasting one six in an unbeaten 18 off of nine. But Havemann fell for 17 from 17 with the total on 99.

Thanks to Majola, DHS finished on 113/8, but it was Northwood’s day.

Connor Leclezio led the Knights’ bowling attack with 3/23 from 20 balls, while Mason Storm picked up 2/20 from 20, and Jordan Matthews 2/27 from 20, also.

Scores

Northwood 127/9 (Nqobani Mokoena 32, Mfana Shange 26, Kyle White 23; Ethan Cooper 4/20, Semal Pillay 2/13); DHS 113/8 (Sibusiso Msibi 21, Bayanda Majola 18*; Connor Leclezio 3/23, Mason Storm 2/20, Jordan Matthews 2/27) Northwood won by 14 runs.

The 2024 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF) was officially launched at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Tuesday evening, where guests expressed their enthusiasm for the new format of the event, which now includes 14 high school and 10 primary school teams.

The high school field features three newcomers: Cape Town’s Rondebosch Boys’ High, Hoërskool Rustenburg, from the North-West, and Pearson High School, from Gqeberha.

Kearsney’s Director of Sport, former Springbok Waylon Murray, explained how he and his team go about inviting new schools to the event: “It’s a complicated procedure. We’ve got good relationships with schools that have come in the past. We want to honour the good relationships we have.

“It’s also good to look at up-and-coming rugby programmes that wouldn’t necessarily have the platform to come to a major festival like this, and to give their brand and their rugby team the exposure that they deserve for the good rugby that they played in 2023.”

Last year, Rondebosch recorded wins over their three southern suburbs rivals – SACS, Wynberg and Bishops – beating the first two twice and splitting the season’s series with Bishops.

Hoërskool Rustenburg enjoyed a superb season. One of their highlights was a win over Glenwood High, who won three out of three at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.

Pearson, meanwhile, was part of many exciting games, with their 25-22 victory over Selborne College being a standout result.

It’s the first year of the primary schools’ festival, and its addition follows Kearsney College’s very successful hosting of primary school competitions alongside the Kearsney Hockey Fives and Kearsney Soccer Tournament.

“It was something that we have discussed in the past, and we have been trying to understand how we could implement it to make sure that it was a success,” Murray explained.

“We had to make sure there was enough buy-in from the community and the schools that we had identified, and it definitely adds a different element to our event. It is something that we are very excited about.”

At the launch, it was stressed that the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival is not a tournament – there is no winner – but a festival where important values, like sportsmanship, teamwork, resilience and respect are encouraged.

The Headmaster of Kearsney College, Patrick Lees, in his speech, likened a rugby team to a symphony orchestra, where each player has a specific role to play which, when performed in concert with the rest of the team, produces a harmonious result.

Waylon Murray, during his address, spoke about how much thought goes into choosing which schools play one another. Last year, he said, there were 104 tries scored over the three days of action. The average scores were – on day one, 24-23; on day two, 28-14; on day three, 27-22.

Craig Polkinghorne, Head of Commercial Clients at Standard Bank, speaking on the major sponsor’s behalf, said: “We take great pride in the fact that a festival like this isn’t reserved for the elite. It’s not the top 20. There are schools from all over the country, from different backgrounds…And those people should be mixing and playing on the sports fields, because they are going to later on in life.”

“Diversity is a strength, and it’s what we must use in the country much more.”

Sharks’ CEO, Dr Eduard Coetzee, emphasised three key pillars in his speech – significance over success, purpose over perfection, and heritage over history.

He explained: “If we drive success, you won’t have a happy adolescence, because, as soon as we achieve success, the barriers move. Let’s rather focus on significance. When those boys run onto the field, teach them what it means to make a difference in people’s lives. Team them how important it is to be a part of a team, to serve one another.”

“Perfection is a moving target. As soon as you get there, it moves,” he added. “If you have a purpose, and it impacts other people, it changes their lives, the way we treat each other, the way we are kind to each other, the way we speak about each other. Let’s rather teach our kids to chase purpose over perfection.

History, Coetzee said, is something that divides people, in the South African context. Heritage is what binds us together.

“I think the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival leaves a heritage,” he said, and shared three examples of how Jayden Hendrikse, Aphalele Fassi and he, personally, as a player at Kearsney in 1996, had been impacted by the event. All three are now key members of the Sharks organisation.

The KZN participants in the Easter Rugby Festival are unchanged, with Durban High School (DHS), Glenwood High School, Westville Boys’ High and Kearsney College representing the home province.

Gauteng is represented by two traditional powerhouses – Hoërskool Monument, from Krugersdorp, and Boksburg’s Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen.

Worcester Gimnasium, who impressed with their running rugby in their first appearance at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival in 2023, returns and joins Rondebosch to showcase the Western Cape’s rugby. The Eastern Cape sides include Nico Malan High School (Humansdorp), Hoërskool Framesby (Gqeberha) and Hoër Landbouskool Marlow (Cradock). Kimberley’s Hoërskool Noord-Kaap completes the line-up.

Previously, KERF included four u13 primary school teams, who started each day’s play at the event. Now, though, primary schools will have their own stage, Roberts Field.

The teams for the inaugural u13 festival are Ashton International College Ballito, Chelsea Prep, Glenwood Prep, Highbury Prep, Hillcrest Senior Primary, Kloof Senior Primary, Umhlali Prep, Westville Senior Primary, Winston Park Primary and the KZNRU Ibutho Development Team.

Together with The Sharks, KERF’s successful Boots & Balls outreach initiative will again collect new and used sports kit, with a focus on rugby gear. All donated kit will be sorted, refurbished and distributed to selected schools and clubs.  Participating teams and the public are requested to leave kit in designated collection bins at the main field.

The festival is designed with the family in mind and there will be numerous food outlets, a refreshment tent, a fun KidZone, and ample on-site parking available on the beautiful Kearsney campus.

Fixtures and festival information are available on www.kearsney.com

Follow the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival live on SuperSport Schools

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PLAY DAYS OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND

Day 1: Thursday, 28 March
Day 2:  Saturday, 30 March
Day 3:  Monday, 1 April

FIXTURES

HIGH SCHOOL FIXTURES

DAY 1	THURSDAY 28 MARCH
09h00	Worcester Gimnasium	vs	Hoërskool Rustenburg
10h20	Hoërskool Noord-Kaap	vs	Hoërskool Dr E G Jansen
11h40	Glenwood High School	vs	Hoër Landbouskool Marlow
13h00	Durban High School	vs	Nico Malan High School
14h20	Hoërskool Framesby	vs	Kearsney College
15h40	Westville Boys’ High School	vs	Rondebosch Boys’ High School
DAY 2	SATURDAY 30 MARCH
07h40	Hoërskool Noord-Kaap	vs	Nico Malan High School
09h00	Westville Boys’ High School	vs	Pearson High School
10h20	Worcester Gimnasium	vs	Hoër Landbouskool Marlow
11h40	Hoërskool Rustenburg	vs	Durban High School
13h00	Hoërskool Framesby	vs	Hoërskool Monument
14h20	Glenwood High School	vs	Hoërskool Dr E G Jansen
15h40	Kearsney College	vs	Rondebosch Boys’ High School
DAY 3	MONDAY 01 APRIL
07h30	Hoër Landbouskool Marlow	vs	Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
08h50	Rondebosch Boys’ High School	vs	Hoërskool Rustenburg
10h10	Hoërskool Framesby	vs	Worcester Gimnasium
11h30	Glenwood High School	vs	Nico Malan High School
12h40	CLOSING CEREMONY
13h00	Durban High School	vs	Pearson High School
14h20	Hoërskool Monument	vs	Westville Boys’ High School
15h40	Kearsney College	vs	Hoërskool Dr E G Jansen

PRIMARY SCHOOL FIXTURES

 

DAY 1	THURSDAY 28 MARCH
10h00	Highbury Prep	vs	KZNRU Ibutho U13 Development Team
11h00	Glenwood Prep	vs	Westville Senior Primary
12h00	Kloof Senior Primary	vs	Hillcrest Senior Primary
13h00	Ashton Ballito Primary	vs	Winston Park Primary
14h00	Chelsea Prep	vs	Umhlali Prep
DAY 2	SATURDAY 30 MARCH
10h00	Winston Park Primary	vs	Kloof Senior Primary
11h00	Highbury Prep	vs	Ashton Ballito Primary
12h00	KZNRU Ibutho U13 Development Team	vs	Glenwood Prep
13h00	Westville Senior Primary	vs	Chelsea Prep
14h00	Umhlali Prep	vs	Hillcrest Senior Primary
DAY 3	MONDAY 01 APRIL
10h00	Kloof Senior Primary	vs	Ashton Ballito Primary
11h00	KZNRU Ibutho U13 Development Team	vs	Westville Senior Primary
12h00	Hillcrest Senior Primary	vs	Winston Park Primary
13h00	Umhlali Prep	vs	Highbury Prep
14h00	Glenwood Prep	vs	Chelsea Prep

After three days of exciting back-and-forth action, the Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament stakes ramped up on Sunday with teams playing off for the final positions. The most entertaining game of them all proved to be the final between the hosts, Maritzburg College, and Northwood, with overtime finally deciding the outcome.

When Northwood beat College 79-67 on Thursday, it was suggested that their Pool D showdown could be a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s title-decider. That turned out to be true. It was also suggested that there was next to nothing between the teams and that the final was up for grabs. That turned out to be true, too.

College came out of the blocks quickly and opened up a 12-point advantage, leading 22-10 in the second quarter. Northwood came powering back, however, to open up a 29-24 lead before the end of quarter. At the break, though, College had edged ahead 35-33.

Northwood responded in the third quarter, as both teams poured in the points. With one to go, the Knights led 63-58. They added another four points before College found a reply, and it looked as if Northwood might be on course for the title. One thing that always can be counted on, however, is Maritburg College’s never-say-die spirit and they kept taking the game to their KZN counterparts.

Still, with less than a minute-and-a-half to go, Northwood were six points clear at 77-71. With six seconds to play, though, College edged in front, 79-78 as the noise in the Alan Paton Hall reached a crescendo.

Northwood had a chance to run one more play. They fed the ball to the outstanding Lusanda Hlongwane, who drove at the basket. He was stopped, but he was fouled. With only three seconds left on the clock, he sank his first free throw. His second shot was a touch heavy, but possession remained with the Knights after ball was batted away.

Chadley Hargreaves managed a late three-point attempt, but it didn’t fall, and so it was on to overtime.

There, given a new lease on life, College grabbed the intitiative, got their noses in front, and held on for an 87-84 victory to secure the Jenny Orchard title – named after the school’s former Director of Basketball – for the first time in its second year of existence.

St Charles College proved too much for St David’s Marist Inanda in the playoff for third and fourth, roaring their way to a 69-40 victory, while the Soweto Basketball Academy sealed fifth place with a hard-fought 59-54 win over Kearsney College. Last year’s winners, Michaelhouse, were well beaten by St John’s College in the seventh place playoff, with the Johannesburg boys winning 68-45.

ESCA Wanderers beat Durban High School 73-63 to finish ninth, while Westville Boys’ High saw off SACS, the highest placed of the Western Cape schools, 55-49, to grab 11th spot.

Clifton College wrapped up 13th place with a second successive win over Hilton College, running out 56-51 winners after a 49-38 victory a week earlier, while Rondebosch Boys’ High outplayed Bishops 72-40 to finish 15th.

The B Division final also went down to the wire, with Wynberg Boys’ High sneaking a one-point win over Maritzburg College B, 67-66.

It was Eswatini vs Botswana for third place, with Botswana’s Maru-a-Pula recording a 54-38 victory over Enjabulweni. UFS International finished fifth, with a 20-point win over the Jenny Orchard Invitational side, 59-39.

Queen’s College were seventh after a 40-31 win over St Benedict’s School, and Treverton College beat Alexandra High 34-24 to claim ninth place.

RESULTS

A Division

1st/2nd: Maritzburg College 87-84 (OT) Northwood School
3rd/4th: St Charles College 69-40 St David’s Marist Inanda
5th/6th: Soweto Basketball Academy 59-54 Kearsney College
7th/8th: St John’s College 68-45 Michaelhouse
9th/10th: ESCA Wanderers 77-63 Durban High School
11th/12th: Westville Boys’ High 55-49 SACS
13th/14th: Clifton College 56-51 Hilton College
15th/16th: Rondebosch Boys’ High 72-40 Bishops Diocesan College

B Division

1st/2nd: Wynberg Boys’ High 67-66 Maritzburg College B
3rd/4th: Maru-a-Pula 54-38 Enjabulweni
5th/6th: UFS International 59-39 Jenny Orchard Invitatonal
7th/8th: Queen’s College 40-31 St Benedict’s School
9th/10th: Treverton College 34-23 Alexandra High

The inaugural Clifton T20 Tournament proved to be an unequivocal success, despite Mother Nature’s interference with the schedule on day two, and it was, also, especially rewarding for Durban High School, who held off their great rivals, Maritzburg College, to become the first winners of the impressive Clifton Centenary Cup.

College had risen, Lazarus-like, to claim a 10-run victory over Glenwood High in the first semi-final of the day, played at the Riverside Sports Club.

The Green Machine had come hard at the Red, Black and White, and had them struggling at 30/2 after eight overs. College captain Chad Mason, however, played a resolute innings, scoring 44 off 41 balls, to boost his side’s total and also hold down one of the ends.

The next eight overs delivered 68 runs and College, with 20 from both Julian Konigkramer and Sphamandla Dzanibe, posted 132/8. It was a good effort after a slow start.

Glenwood, in reply, lost their first wicket before they had scored a run. Then, their captain, Ntando Soni, and Krian Jugoo combined for a beautifully executed partnership of 106, and it appeared as if Glenwood would cruise into the final.

With only 26 runs required for victory at a run a ball, Jugoo was caught by Samuel Hughes off the bowling of Chad Mason for 36 from 36, which included two fours and a six. Soni followed shortly after that, with the total still on 106, bowled by Oliver Da Costa for 58. His 50-ball stay was highlighted by three sixes and three fours.

College had their tails up, but Glenwood still looked odds-on to win. Except they didn’t.

From 106/1, the Green Machine tumbled to 122/7, with no other batsmen making more than five runs. It was an astonishing turn-around.

Samuel Hughes picked up 2/19, while his new ball partner, Michael Gibson, who finished with 1/14, did a splendid job at the death, keeping Glenwood quiet with a series of balls in the block hole.

The other semi-final was a more clear-cut affair, with DHS claiming a five-wicket win over St Charles College, with four overs to spare.

Saints will look back on the match and think that they, maybe, went too hard at the DHS bowling too soon. Semal Pillay had chosen to field after winning the toss, and that decision, plus the thick layer of cloud up above, should have warned St Charles that there was something in the wicket.

The Pietermaritzburg boys went for big shots from the off, and they were made to pay for their risky approach. In fact, only Marcell Wellman, with 17, and Cian Fortmann, with 10, reached double figures as wickets went down regularly.

DHS skipper Pillay led the way for his team, capturing 3/9, while the impressive Taine Havemann claimed 3/13, and the consistent Bhavesh Naicker weighed in with 3/21. After 18.4 overs, St Charles were all out for 94.

Knowing what they needed to do, DHS delivered a controlled run chase, with opener Omar Ismaeel anchoring their response with an unbeaten 37 from 47, which included two boundaries, both of them sixes.

Semal Pillay added 23, and that was pretty much that as DHS booked their place in the title-decider.

In front of a healthy crowd, Maritzburg College batted first in the final after Chad Mason won the toss. They made a steady start, but then lost their opening pair, Oliver Da Costa and Llewelyn Sutherland within the space of three runs to slip to 34/2.

DHS then removed another two batsmen within the space of three runs, getting rid of Chad Mason and Michael Gibson to reduce College to 56/4. Maritzburg needed to reset, but also keep the scoreboard ticking over, and Ryan McKean and Sphamandla Dzanibe did a good job of that, adding 48 for the fifth wicket before McKean was out for 17.

Dzanibe played some lovely shots in his unbeaten 42 from 35 deliveries. His innings included three stunning sixes, which owed more to excellent timing than brute power.

After 20 overs, College had made 127/8. It was the kind of score that left one wondering whether it was a decent total or not.

Taine Havemann did a superb job with the ball, removing batsmen two, three and four, while speedy Bayanda Majola snapped up 2/25.

DHS didn’t make the best of starts to their run chase, losing two of their top three with only 27 runs on the board. Omar Ismaeel, though, played a mature knock to score 34 from 37 deliveries, with three fours. He stuck around until there were 103 runs on the board.

School immediately lost another wicket on the same total after Ismaeel departed, but Taine Havemann and Ethan Cooper didn’t skip a beat. With the game in the balance, both hammered big sixes off of their pads.

The Horseflies needed 25 from 17 balls to win, but they made it with five to spare as Havemann and Cooper rose to the challenge and dictated matters to the College bowlers.

No team emerged from the Clifton T20 with a clean record, but DHS were, unquestionably, worthy winners.

Over the course of the past year, DHS has taken some lumps, but the evolution of the 1st XI has been quite something to witness. A number of talented players, who were once young first teamers, are now experienced, battle-hardened and consistent performers, and there is more young talent filtering into the side’s ranks. School should be thrilled with the progress they have made.

Clifton College claimed fifth place, after a 14-run win over Northwood. Three solid knocks – from Tim Saulez (43*), Bryon Ward (41) and captain Shahzaad Perumal (34) – carried the hosts to 145/5.

They then did a good job defending that total, with Callum Watson (1/18) and Tim Saulez (3/22) sharing three late wickets to halt the Knights’ run chase, just when they needed to accelerate. Northwood finished on 131/6.

Michaelhouse claimed seventh after a solid 45-run win over St John’s College (Harare). The Zimbabweans did a good job of bowling out ‘House for 148, just one ball before the end of their innings. Captain Cameron Strudwick, with 31, and Hayden Hewlett, with 30, paced the Michaelhouse batting effort.

Meanwhile, there were two wickets apiece for Goven Dhaneel (2/14), Michael Blignaut (2/23) and Kian Blignaut (2/25).

Unfortunately for the Rams, they made an awful start to their innings, falling to 1/3 early on. A number of batsmen then made starts but were dismissed before turning those starts into substantial contributions. Only Michael Blignaut pressed on. He top scored, with 33 from 30, striking four fours and a six.

St John’s never recovered from their poor start, however, and they were all out for 103. Harry Vickery picked up 4/21 and Cameron Strudwick 3/13 to lead the Balgowan boys to a comfortable win.

Hilton College finished ninth after a five-run victory over Westville Boys’ High.

Simon Steyn smacked six sixes (and no fours) in an unbeaten 54 from only 29 deliveries for Hilton, while Jayden Roux added a more sedate 24, to help Hilton to 150/5.

Left-arm spinner Roxton Payne snared 2/22, and then made 30, the highest score in Westville’s reply. Captain Nicandro Kistna contributed 22 from 19, but Westville came up agonisingly short of the 151 they needed.

St Charles opening batsman Cian Fortmann, who blasted 153* against Hilton College, was named the Batsman of the Tournament, while Bhavesh Naicker, the leading wicket-taker, received recognition as the Bowler of the Tournament.

Fabian Lazarus, the coach of the winning DHS team, was named the Coach of the Tournament.

Summarised scores

Semi-final 1

Maritzburg College 132/8 (Chad Mason 44, Julian Konigkramer 20, Sphamandla Dzanibe 20; Kyle Bryan 3/20, Sibonelo Phewa 2/21; Bandile Mbatha 2/29); Glenwood High 122/7 (Ntando Soni 58, Krian Jugoo 36, Samuel Hughes 2/19, Michael Gibson 1/14, Oliver Da Costa 1/15) Maritzburg College won by 10 runs.

Semi-final 2

St Charles College 94/10 (Marcell Wellman 17; Semal Pillay 3/9, Taine Havemann 3/13, Bhavesh Naicker 3/21); Durban High School 98/3 (Omar Ismaeel 37*, Semal Pillay 23; Marcel Wellman 1/22, Covhan Baatjies 1/22) Durban High School won by 7 wickets.

Final

Maritzburg College 127/8 (Sphamandla Dzanibe 42*; Taine Havemann 3/30, Bayanda Majola 2/25); Durban High School 131/5 (Sfundo Mthembu 35, Omar Ismaeel 34, Ethan Cooper 20*; Sphamandla Dzanibe 2/29, Oliver Da Costa 1/9, Brendon Senzere 1/11) Durban High School won by 5 wickets.

5^th/6th

Clifton College 145/5 (Tim Saulez 43, Bryon Ward 41, Shahzaad Perumal 34; Jordan Matthews 2/21, Nqobani Mokoena 1/13); Northwood School 131/6 (Nqobani Mokoena 46, Thayin Kuppan 35; Tim Saulez 3/22, Shiraz Perumal 1/11, Callum Watson 1/18) Clifton College won by 14 runs.

7^th/8th

Michaelhouse 148/10 (Cameron Strudwick 31, Hayden Hewlett 30; Goven Dhaneel 2/14; Michael Blignaut 2/23, Kian Blignaut 2/25, Khulekani Nduku 1/17); St John’s College (Harare) 103/10 (Michael Blignaut 33; Harry Vickery 4/21, Cameron Strudwick 3/13) Michaelhouse won by 45 runs.

9^th/10th

Hilton College 150/5 (Simon Steyn 54*, Jayden Roux 24; Roxton Payne 2/22); Westville Boys’ High 145/10 (Roxton Payne 30, Nicandro Kistna 22; Murray Loughor-Clarke 2/31, Kyle Christie 2/36, Jayden Roux 1/15, Ethan van Heerden 1/18, Luke Campbell 1/22) Hilton College won by 5 runs.

After Northwood School defeated Maritzburg College in their Pool D opener, it was suggested that those teams might still meet in the final of the Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament. It turns out, that suggestion was correct.

It nearly didn’t happen, however, as St Charles College came awfully close to scuppering Maritzburg College’s shot at winning the tournament named after the school’s former Director of Basketball.

Saints and College met in the semi-finals on Saturday after St Charles outlasted a game Michaelhouse 73-64 in the quarterfinals, and College outplayed Kearsney 74-49.

There was not much to separate the two Pietermaritzburg schools in their semi-final showdown, with the Red, Black and White eventually grinding out a tight 68-66 victory in their Alan Paton Hall.

In the other quarterfinals, St David’s Marist Inanda beat St John’s College 64-58 in an all-Johannesburg clash, while Northwood cruised to a 73-53 win over the Soweto Basketball Academy.

The Knights have been in imperious form throughout the tournament and will be favoured in Sunday’s final after scoring an impressive 12-point win over Maritzburg College on Thursday.

College, though, has the athleticism to make it a tough outing for Northwood. They’ll need to shoot a bit better than they did in their loss in their opening match, and they’ll need to be a bit better rebounding, too, in their second crack at the Knights. If College gets that right, then all bets are off.

SACS were involved in two of Saturday’s most interesting battles, holding on to beat Hilton College 60-54 in the morning, after the KZN side had fought their way back to 43-45 after trailing 9-29 at one point. SACS then went down by only four points to Durban High School (DHS) in their second game.

They will, at least, return home as the highest finishers among the four Cape Town schools – SACS, Rondebosch, Bishops and Wynberg – and will play for 11^th place on Sunday against Westville Boys’ High.

The B Division final will feature Wynberg Boys’ High, who take on Maritzburg College B in the curtain-raiser for the A Division title-decider.

If you cannot make it to Maritzburg College, you can catch all the action online.

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RESULTS

A Division

9th – 16th

DHS 66-48 Rondebosch Boys’ High
Hilton College 54-60 SACS
Clifton College 56-57 Westville Boys’ High
ESCA Wanderers 61-39 Bishops Diocesan College

Quarterfinals

St David’s Marist Inanda 64-58 St John’s College
Northwood School 73-53 Soweto Basketball Academy
St Charles College 73-64 Michaelhouse
Kearsney College 49-74 Maritzburg College

13th – 16th

Clifton College 69-36 Bishops Diocesan College
Rondebosch Boys’ High 59-64 Hilton College

9th – 12th

DHS 69-65 SACS
Westville Boys’ High 38-55 ESCA Wanderers

5th – 8th

St John’s College 62-71 Soweto Basketball Academy
Michaelhouse 60-67 KEarsney College

Semi-finals

Maritzburg College 68-66 St Charles College 66
Northwood 65-51 St David’s Marist Inanda

SUNDAY FIXTURES

Alan Paton Hall 1

08:00 – DHS vs ESCA, 9th/10th
09:30 – Soweto Basketball Academy vs Kearsney College 5th/6th
11:00 – Maritzburg College B vs Wynberg Boys’ High, B Division Final
12:30 – Northwood School vs Maritzburg College, Final

Alan Paton Hall 2

08:00 – SACS vs Westville Boys’ High, 11th/12th
09:30 – St John’s College vs Michaelhouse, 7th/8th
11:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs St Charles College 3rd/4th

Results

B Division

Pool A

UFS 38-27 Treverton College
Queen’s College 48-47 St Benedict’s School

Pool B

Alexandra High 44-58 Jenny Orchard Invitational
Enjabulweni 42-46 Wynberg Boys’ High

Cross-pool playoffs

Maritzburg College B 74-39 Jenny Orchard Invitational (A1 vs B4)
Enjabulweni 32-31 Queen’s College (B2 vs A3)
UFS 47-57 Maru-a-Pula (B3 vs A2)
Wynberg Boys’ High 57-19 St Benedict’s Schools (B1 vs A4)

5th – 8th

Jenny Orchard Invitational 45-30 Queen’s College
UFS 68-50 St Benedict’s School

Semi-finals
Maritzburg College B 67-55 Enjabulweni
Maru-a-Pula 45-64 Wynberg Boys’ High

SUNDAY FIXTURES

GHS 1

08:00 Treverton College vs Alexandra High, 9th/10th
09:30 Enjabulweni vs Maru-a-Pula, 3rd/4th
11:00 Hilton vs Clifton, 13th/14th, Division A

GHS 2

08:00 Queen’s College vs St Benedict’s School, 7th/8th
09:30 Jenny Orchard Invitational vs UFS, 5th/6th
11:00 Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Bishops Diocesan College, 15th/16th, Division A

Rain cast a damper – pun fully intended – on day two of the Clifton T20 Tournament. Only two matches were played on Saturday, but both were good contests.

Clifton College eked out a narrow 13-run win over St John’s College (Harare), while Michaelhouse handed Durban High School (DHS), so impressive on the opening day, a 12-run defeat.

At the Riverside Sports Club, St John’s put Clifton in, to bat, which was understandable decision given the deep clouds that hung overhead. Early on, that decision brought rewards as the home team slid to 17/3, with the Rams‘ skipper, Toana Zimhunga, responsible for two of those dismissals.

Tim Saulez and Cohen Naidoo (17) then steadied the Clifton innings. Saulez was also punishing on any misdirected bowling and smashed three sixes and three fours, with his 33-ball stay producing 49 runs.

Zach Williamson matched Saulez, also cracking three sixes and three fours in his 47, which came from 30 balls, before he became Zimhunga’s third victim.

Rivan Moodley added another two sixes, making 26 from 18 deliveries, as Clifton posted a solid-looking 173/9.

Zimhunga finished with 3/39 from his four overs, while Kian and Michael Blignaut returned identical figures of 2/25 from four, and John-Mark Benadie picked up 2/37.

In reply, St John’s lost Takudzwa Nduku cheaply, but Tyde Stirrup and Kian Blignaut then shared a stand of 32 for the second wicket to get the Harare school’s innings going.

While Blignaut made 24 from only 15 balls, with four fours, his innings resembled three other Rams’ batsmen’s knocks in that he reached 20 but was out shortly after that. Tyde Stirrup weighed in with 23, while John-Mark Benadie and Goven Dhaneel contributed 20 each. They needed to press on.

Khulekani Nduku did that, top scoring with an entertaining 36 from just 14 balls, with four of those being sent for the maximum, and two fours added into the mix.

Clifton, though, kept stacking the wickets and St John’s were bowled out with eight balls left.

Preston Govender sent down only two overs but claimed 3/16, while Tim Saulez followed up his batting heroics with 2/27, and Callum Watson captured 2/24.

Crucially for the tournament hosts, their win lifted them above St John’s in the Group A standings.

At the Crusaders Sports Club, Michaelhouse, after a disappointing first day, showed what they’re capable of by tallying 170/3 against DHS, with all of their batsmen getting among the runs.

Hayden Hewlett was the leading run-scorer, finishing on 48 not out from 38 balls, with three fours and a six, while Dylan Hewlett made 38 from 36. There was also 35 off 20 from Ethan Muir, 20 not out from Nicholas Baker, and another 20 from Michael Spencer.

Dhilan Naraidu was the best of the DHS bowlers, claiming 2/23 in three.

School, in their response, lost Sibusiso Msibi without a run on the board, but Sfundo Mthembu and Semal Pillay quickly righted the ship, putting on 72 for the second wicket. Pillay was then caught by Ethan Muir off the bowling of Harry Vickery for 40 from 27 balls, with two fours and a six.

Mthembu saw the total to 98, but he was then run out in a big blow to the DHS run chase. He had made 42 from 30 balls, with a pair of four and sixes.

Josh van Biljon added 23 runs to the DHS total and Taine Havemann made 13 before he, too, was run out. That proved costly as the DHS innings lost steam.

From 127/3, they tumbled to 156/9, and eventually to 158/9, as Michaelhouse secured a deserved win.

Captain Cameron Strudwick snapped up 2/22 in four overs, while the rest of the bowlers each picked up a wicket.

Group A finished with Glenwood on 12 points, St Charles on 10, Clifton on eight, St John’s on six, and Hilton College on four. Meanwhile, DHS edged out Maritzburg College on net run rate to finish top of Group B. Northwood finished in third place, followed by Michaelhouse, who finished ahead of Westville Boys’ High on net run rate.

The rained-out matches were tough on those teams who needed to make a move on Saturday.

In Sunday’s first semi-final, Glenwood will take on Maritzburg College at the Riverside Sports Club at 08:30. The second semi, between DHS and St Charles, starts at 11:30.

An exciting spectacle and lively atmosphere are expected at Riverside for the semis and the final. For those who cannot make it to the matches, those games will be broadcast live on DStv SuperSport Channel 216.

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The remainder of the playoff matches all start at 08:30.

Clifton takes on Northwood at Crusaders in the 5^th/6^th playoff. Also at Crusaders, St John’s College (Harare) do battle with Michaelhouse, with 7^th place on the line.

Durban North College hosts the 9^th/10^th playoff between Westville Boys’ High and Hilton College.

Summarised scores

Clifton College 173/9 (Tim Saulez 49, Zach Williamson 47, Rivan Moodley 26; Toana Zimhunga 3/39, Kian Blignaut 2/25, Michael Blignaut 2/25, John-Mark Benadie 2/37) St John’s College 160/10 (Khulekani Nduku 36, Kian Blignaut 24, Tyde Stirrup 23, John-Mark Benadie 20, Goven Dhaneel 20; Preston Govender 3/16, Callum Watson 2/24, Tim Saulez 2/27) Clifton College won by 13 runs.

Michaelhouse 170/3 (Hayden Hewlett 48*, Dylan Hewlett 38, Ethan Muir 35, Nicholas Baker 20*, Michael Spencer 20; Dhilan Naraidu 2/23); Durban High School 158/9 (Sfundo Mthembu 42, Semal Pillay 40, Josh van Biljon 23; Cameron Strudwick 2/22) Michaelhouse won by 12 runs.

There was a little light controversy in the limited overs match between St Andrew’s School and Cornwall Hill College on Saturday in Bloemfontein as a caught and bowled, which would have ended the visitors’ innings on 153, was not given out because the umpire was unsighted.

When viewed down the wicket on SuperSport Schools, Jonathan Hickley clearly caught Jon Martin de Jesus just before the ball hit the ground, but the square leg umpire had nothing to offer the pitch umpire, and De Jesus stood his ground, so Cornwall Hill’s innings continued.

To their credit, St Andrew’s got on with the game, but it must have been disheartening. Thankfully, that non-decision didn’t come to define the match as the boys from Pretoria came up 10 runs shy of the Saints’ total, all out for 158.

St Andrew’s might have felt a little trepidation heading into the game after SA u19 opener Lhuan-dré Pretorius recently moved to Cornwall Hill.

It was, however, a case of Pretorius the opening bowler at first, after Saints won the toss and opted to bat on Vossie’s Field, and there was early success for the multi-talented batsman/bowler/wicket-keeper as he trapped Leon Athanasiou in front for seven.

Meanwhile, the St Andrew’s ‘keeper and opening batsman, Naude Botha, did well up front. He was the leading run-getter for the home team, making 42 from 52 deliveries, and hitting nine fours.

Nikhil Sukraj, batting at seven, performed well lower down the order, contributing 32 from 48, while Andrew Sobiech struck five fours in his 26 from 32 balls.

In just 1.5 overs, Oliver Richards knocked over 2/2 for Cornwall Hill to bring the host’s innings to an end.

Thato Mwaza picked up 2/32 in eight overs, while Obakeng Mokoyane finished with 2/24 from seven. Pretorius also dismissed top scorer, Naude Botha, and finished with 2/33 from 10.

Saint Andrew’s opened their bowling with the off-spinner Dakalo Leketa and seamer JC Young, and Leketa, especially, kept Cornwall Hill quiet, but it was the introduction of Cullen Kakora to the attack that changed the complexion of the match.

Bowling with nice shape and a little movement off the pitch, he had Pretorius caught behind by Naude Botha for 21, with the total on 26. Not surprisingly, Saints looked thrilled to be rid of the dangerman.

At the other end, Leketa kept up the pressure by sending down six overs in his first spell at a cost of only nine runs. He would end with 0/16 from his 10 overs.

Kakora, though, was the difference maker. He played a pivotal role in reducing Cornwall Hill to 59/6, leaving them with a mountain to climb, still 109 runs adrift and with only four wickets remaining. It was a credit to Mohammed Rasool that the visiting team came close to pulling off a victory.

He took what the bowlers gave him, playing with composure, to make 48 off 90 deliveries, which included six fours, but then he mistimed a full toss from CM Geel, lifting it straight to Mosa Maqunqu at long off, and was the ninth man out with the total on 140.

Jon Martin de Jesus and Trent Hardie advanced the score to 153 before the aforementioned caught and bowled was not awarded. Just five runs later, however, Kakora, back into the attack when St Andrew’s really needed him, delivered the killer blow, having De Jesus caught behind.

Kakora finished with a match-winning 4/19 from 7.5 overs, while JC Young weighed in with 2/27 from seven.

It was a second win for Saints over Cornwall Hill, following on from a six-wicket victory in a T20 on Friday.

The Pretoria side had elected to bat in that game and, after losing an early wicket, Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Evan Nixon shared a decent stand, but Dakalo Leketa, bowled Pretorius for 13 from six balls, and that was just the first of four wickets for the off-spinner.

Nixon went on to top score with 25, but the 13 scored by Pretorius was Cornwall Hill’s second-best return as the St Andrew’s spinners tore through their batting.

Leketa destroyed the visitors’ top order, removing four of the first five batsmen, to finish with 4/17 from his four overs. Left-arm spinner CM Geel did an excellent job in support, snaring 3/3 in 2.5 overs, and the leg-spinner, FG Botha, produced a meaningful cameo, too, picking up 2/5 in two overs as Cornwall Hill College were bowled out for 70 in only 12.5 overs.

Needing to score at just over three-and-a-half runs per over to win, St Andrew’s lost both of their openers to Lhuan-dré Pretorius, but all they needed were a few small contributions and the win would be theirs.

FG Botha delivered the key innings, hitting four fours in a 16-ball knock, which produced 22 runs. Leon Athanasiou and Jonathan Hickley both edged into double figures and that was enough to see Saints to victory with 51 balls to spare.

Summarised scores

Friday, T20

Cornwall Hill College 70/10 (Evan Nixon 25; Dakalo Leketa 4/17, CM Geel 3/3, FG Botha 2/5) St Andrew’s School 71/4 (FG Botha 22; Lhuan-dré Pretorius 2/19) St Andrew’s won by 6 wickets.

Saturday, limited overs

St Andrew’s School 168/10 (Naude Botha 42, Nikhil Sukraj 32, Andrew Sobiech 26; Oliver Richards 2/2, Obakeng Mokoyane 2/24, Mohale Pitso 2/32, Lhuan-dré Pretorius 2/33); Cornwall Hill College 158/10 (Mohammed Rasoool 48, Lhuan-dré Pretorius 21; Cullen Kakora 4/19, JC Young 2/27) St Andrew’s School won by 10 runs.

Friday’s action at the Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament, being hosted by Maritzburg College, decided the winners of the pools in Division A, with Northwood, once again, catching the eye with a powerful performance against SACS, which was followed by a surprisingly tight contest for the Knights against ESCA Wanderers.

Before that, though, SACS ran into a Northwood buzz saw, with the Durban boys all over the Capetonians as they powered their way to a 55-point victory. In their next outing, however, Northwood won by only five points over ESCA.

It was one of those topsy-turvy results that is hard to explain, especially since Maritzburg College, whom Northwood had beaten by 12 on Thursday, ran out the winners by 23 points over ESCA.

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With Northwood and Maritzburg College finishing one and two in Pool D, there is still a possibility that they could face off once again in the final.

It’s a rough reward for Pool C winners, Kearsney College, that they will have to face Maritzburg College in the playoffs at 13:30 on Saturday.

Kearsney’s played some good ball over the course of the past two days, beating Hilton College 52-47 in their opener before recording a fine 67-60 win over the Soweto Basketball Academy, followed by a 40-point victory over Bishops.

The boys from Botha’s Hill have been in good form, but make no mistake, they will be the underdogs against College in the playoffs.

Northwood’s reward for topping Pool D is a showdown with the Soweto Basketball Academy, also at 13:30.

Probably the toughest pool to call before the tournament was Pool A, but St David’s Marist Inanda finished on top there, ahead of their three KZN opponents.

After a narrow three-point victory over Durban High School (DHS) on Thursday, they added a second three-point win on Friday, this time over the defending champions, Michaelhouse, and they completed their Pool A assignments with a comfortable 62-37 win over Westville Boys’ High, who must be disappointed. They’ve not been at their best.

Michaelhouse, thanks to a 58-53 win over DHS, claimed second place in Pool A and have an opportunity to repeat the road they took to winning the title in 2023, when they also finished second in their pool.

Those results mean St David’s will take on St John’s College, second in Pool B, at 11:30 in the quarterfinals on Saturday, while Michaelhouse will face Group B winners, St Charles College, at the same time.

Saints made light work of Group B, following up their opening 26-point win over Clifton College with a 65-34 victory over Rondebosch Boys’ High, and a 68-52 defeat of St John’s College to wrap up first place.

St John’s beat Clifton College 64-49, but the Durban boys finished pool play on a high note, showing off their fighting spirit in a come-back-from-the-dead 61-58 win over Rondebosch.

RESULTS

DIVISION A

Pool A
Westville Boys’ High 51-56 Durban High School
Michaelhouse 52-55 St David’s Marist Inanda
Durban High School 53-58 Michaelhouse
Westville Boys’ High 37-62 St David’s Marist Inanda

Pool B
Rondebosch Boys’ High 34-65 St Charles College
Clifton College 49-64 St John’s College
Clifton College 61-58 Rondebosch Boys’ High
St John’s College 52-68 St Charles College

Pool C
Soweto Basketball Academy 60-67 Kearsney College
Hilton College 70-41 Bishops Diocesan College
Bishops Diocesan College 19-59 Kearsney College
Hilton College 63-80 Soweto Basketball Academy

Pool D
ESCA 48-71 Maritzburg College
SACS 35-90 Northwood
Northwood 60-55 ESCA
SACS 42-94 Maritzburg College

In Division B, Maritzburg College B is in first place in Pool A, while Wynberg Boys’ High tops Pool B after sneaking by Botswana’s Maru-a-Pula by just two points.

Four matches remain on Saturday morning in Division B’s pool play before the playoff match ups are decided.

RESULTS

DIVISION B

Pool A
UFS 41-30 Queen’s College
Treverton College 37-51 Maritzburg College B
UFS 68-48 St Benedict’s School
Treverton College 22-34 Queen’s College
Maritzburg College B 68-40 UFS
St Benedict’s School 40-24 Treverton College
Queen’s College 28-42 Maritzburg College B

Pool B
Maru-a-Pula 73-48 Jenny Orchard Invitational
Alexandra High 46-79 Enjabulweni
Maru-a-Pula 43-45 Wynberg Boys’ High
Enjabulweni 40-37 Jenny Orchard Invitational
Alexandra High 58-62 Maru-a-Pula
Wynberg Boys’ High 62-23 Jenny Orchard Invitational
Enjabulweni 55-42 Maru-a-Pula