Author: captainmorgan

In a W100 clash on Wednesday, between neighbours and rivals, Westville Boys’ High and Kearsney College, the most in-form of KZN’s teams so far this year, it was Kearsney who powered their way to a seven-wicket win, with eight balls remaining, despite, for once, skipper Ross Coetzee missing out with the bat.

After being put in to bat on their home ground, Westville posted 126/5 from their 100 balls, which was built around a 96-run stand in 71 balls for the third wicket between Seth Simpson and Kaeden McAllister.

After the openers, Nicandro Kistna and Max Robertson were dismissed with only eight runs on the board, the duo took charge.

Their partnership was ended when Simpson was out, caught by Jack O’Donovan off the bowling of Murray Weyer, for 40 from 45 deliveries, with four fours and a six.

McAllister went on to tally the innings’ highest score of 43 from 41, matching Simpson’s boundary haul of four fours and a six.

Paceman Ryan Browning, who accounted for both opening batsmen, finished with 2/22 from 20 balls, while Weyer, the sixth bowler used, responded well, and knocked over 2/16 from his 15 deliveries.

In their reply, Kearsney also lost two wickets cheaply, with Jack O’Donovan and Ross Coetzee, usually two dependable batsmen, out for four and one respectively.

Opener Cameron Veenstra and wicketkeeper/batsman Matthew De Oliveira, who has enjoyed an excellent W100 competition, then added 53 from 42 balls before De Oliveira was run out for 34 from 28 balls. He had struck five boundaries, one of which was a six.

Veenstra kept speeding along and he found an effective partner in Keegan de Jager. Working well together, they put on an unbroken 60-run partnership from 35 deliveries to see Kearsney to victory.

Veenstra’s unbeaten 39-ball knock produced 59 runs and featured five fours and two sixes, while De Jager hit 20 from 17, with one four and one six.

Meanwhile, Clifton College batted first at the Riverside Sports Club against Northwood, and it was the in-form all-rounder, Shahzaad Perumal, who anchored their innings. He was in at the fall of the first wicket and while he was at the crease 59 runs were added, 36 of them, including four fours, off of his own bat.

With the total having grown to 73 from 78 balls, Perumal was the fifth man out.

Towards the end of the innings, Lawson Dinsdale enjoyed a punishing cameo, smashing two fours and a six in a 10-ball stay that yielded 18 runs, which helped Clifton to 110/8 from their 100 balls.

Andrew Deeb and Connor Leclezio were the pick of the Knights‘ bowlers, with Deeb, who opened the bowling, coming back later to stunt Clifton’s attempt at a late run boost. He returned figures of 2/15 from 20 deliveries, while Leclezio sent down only 10 balls, but claimed 2/10.

David de Bruyn, who ended Perumal’s innings by bowling him, took 1/15 from 15.

Perumal was again to the fore when Northwood batted. He snared 2/11 from his 15 balls of left-arm spin. But it wasn’t a solo effort.

Gabriel Vermeulen captured 2/25 from 20, while the opening bowlers, Tim Saulez and Callum Watson, picked up a wicket each.

Mason Storm made 19 from 20 for the Knights before Watson ended his innings. But only three other batsmen made it into the lower teens as Northwood’s run chase failed to get out of second gear.

They finished on 94/6, but only 61 runs had come from the bat. Clifton, despite doing an excellent job of restricting the scoring rate, conceded 33 extras, and 29 of those were wides, which will not have pleased coach Brandon Scullard.

Still, a 16-run victory while defending only 110, was, ultimately, a good outcome for the home side.

Summarised scores

Westville Boys’ High 126/5 (Kaeden McAllister 43, Seth Simpson 40; Murray Weyer 2/16, Ryan Browning 2/22); Kearsney College 128/3 (Cameron Veenstra 59*, Matthew De Oliveira 34, Keegan de Jager 20*; Josh Beck 1/21, Dayalan Boyce 1/23) Kearsney College won by 7 wickets.

Clifton College 110/8 (Shahzaad Perumal 36, Lawson Dinsdale 18; Connor Leclezio 2/10, Andrew Deeb 2/15, Ben Cilliers 1/7); Northwood School 94/6 (Mason Storm 19; Shahzaad Perumal 2/11, Gabriel Vermeulen 2/25, Callum Watson 1/12) Clifton College won by 16 runs.

Clifton College, in the year of the school’s Centenary, is adding an exciting new event to the KZN schools’ cricket calendar, with the inaugural Clifton T20, set to take place from 16-18 February.

The competition features nine of KZN’s top 10 boys’ schools and St John’s College (Harare). Kearsney College was unable to fit in the event this year, but it has indicated it will play in next year’s Clifton T20.

SuperSport Schools will carry live coverage of the action, while DStv SuperSport Channel 216 will broadcast the semi-finals and final, with commentary, on Sunday, 18 February.

The inclusion of the St John’s team is fitting because the inspiration for the Clifton T20 comes from the wildly popular St John’s Rams T20, of which Clifton has been a part since 2014.

Clifton Director of Cricket, former Dolphins’ fast bowler Brandon Scullard, explained: “We were at the St John’s Rams T20, and we thought if we could replicate something like it in Durban, and use our Centenary year to launch it, that would be pretty epic. Cricket doesn’t have much to play for in terms of trophies in KZN.

“Playing in front of big crowds, with tents… What could be better than creating our own T20 tournament?

“It will give the boys an opportunity to play under pressure and play for something. It’s an opportunity for them to put themselves out there in front of a lot more people than they’re used to.”

Scullard detailed how the competition structure will function: “We’re going to be 10 teams in two groups. The top two after the round robin stages will go into the semi-finals. If you finish third, fourth or fifth, you will play cross-pool positional playoffs.

“The losers of the semi-finals will finish joint-third. Third in each group will play for fifth and sixth, fourth will play for seventh and eighth, and fifth will play for ninth and tenth position.”

Scullard said while the traditional fixtures among KZN schools are important, adding an event in which schools play for a trophy offers up an exciting new challenge and the feedback he has received from his fellow Directors of Cricket has been very positive.

“Everyone is excited. Everyone that I have spoken to is really looking forward to participating in it. I think it was something that KZN was missing. We go to tons of festivals, but even our Saturday fixtures are not league games. If you look at other parts of the country, especially places like Pretoria and Johannesburg, their normal fixtures are leagues and playing for trophies.”

Not that long ago, there was a Cricket South Africa-endorsed national T20 competition, which featured regional competition, followed by a national final between the franchise champions. It was very popular among the schools, but when the sponsors withdrew their support, the competition fell away. Scullard hopes the Clifton T20 will fill that gap in KZN.

Indeed, the new tournament will mirror many aspects of the previous CSA competition. The biggest difference will be the condensed nature of the event.

The aim of the Clifton T20, though, is not to just add the games and play for silverware, it is to inject the feel-good vibe and lively atmosphere of the St John’s Rams T20.

“We want to replicate the atmosphere and feeling of that tournament. We will have live music and MCs. There will be VIP hospitality tents for our corporate sponsors. It’s going to be really cool,” Scullard said.

Sponsors, too, appear to be very excited about the Clifton T20. Honor Magic V2 is a Platinum sponsor, Edgars is a Gold sponsor, while Mercedes-Benz Umhlanga and SANI Car Rental are Silver sponsors.

The official hydration partner is aQuellé, and KFC has agreed to sponsor all lunches on the day of the final.

Something else that is being copied from the St John’s Rams T20 is the coloured cricket kit that each team will wear, and the unveiling of those kits will add an extra element of intrigue.

“We have the pantone colours for all of the schools,” Scullard explained, “so they will be playing in their traditional colours. There will be sponsors’ logos on the kit, on their shirts and sleeves, reflecting the corporate involvement that we have been lucky enough to secure.

“Each school will have different designs, so it won’t necessarily be a plain colour. Our apparel supplier, Custom Apparel, have drawn up some really fun designs for the different teams, and those kits will all be unveiled at our opening ceremony on Thursday, 15 February.

“We’re having an opening function, where there will be a Q and A with the captains, and they will be wearing and unveiling the kit for the first time in front of their peers and their coaches.”

He added: “Not many boys get an opportunity to play white ball cricket. The W100, in which we play, uses pink balls. Not many schools have shade cloth or black sightscreens. The white ball element really does elevate the tournament, and the boys love the coloured clothing.

An aspect of the St John’s Rams T20 that has had South African teams gushing over the years is the phenomenal job that the Zimbabweans have done as hosts, and Clifton is determined to match that standard.

“The Zimbabweans are the most incredible people and the most amazing hosts. Our boys and parents have been lucky enough to experience that when we go to Zimbabwe, so I am sure our parents are going to pull out all the stops to look after the St John’s boys.

Clifton opened its hugely impressive boarding establishment, Centenary House, at the beginning of the school term and Scullard said the school is hoping to incorporate it into the tournament in future: “We are also hoping from next year to host the Zimbabwe and Maritzburg schools in our boarding house. We’d love to have the travelling schools in our boarding establishment.”

The latest addition to the Clifton campus has drawn rave reviews from the school’s boys, he added: “The boys are absolutely loving it. They love being with their mates. They love the set-up. It’s like a hotel. It’s amazing.”

The goal for 2025 is to expand the field to 12 teams, featuring the top 10 KZN boys’ schools, as well as Harare’s St John’s and St George’s College.

Both Zimbabwean schools feature in the annual Independent Schools Cricket Festival (ISCF), which is hosted by St Alban’s College, and the timing of the Clifton T20 is ideal for them. It occurs during half-term for the Zimbabweans, and a week before the ISCF.

Glenwood and Clifton College shared a splendid battle on Dixon’s Field on Saturday, where runs were hard to come by, but Clifton eventually eked out a thrilling four-run victory.

After winning the toss, the visitors batted first, but they were stung early by Bandile Mbatha‘s dismissal of opening batsman Zach Williamson.

Cohen Naidoo, Rivan Moodley and Shahzaad Perumal all made contributions in the upper teens, but Glenwood’s bowlers dictated matters. It looked especially dire for Clifton when they stumbled from 51/2 to 58/6 as Daniel Gunawardena and Kyle Bryan put the skids on their batting effort.

Callum Watson, in at eight, then played a match-winning innings, and his eighth-wicket partnership with Gabriel Vermeulen, worth 45 runs, proved to be the difference between victory and defeat.

Watson top scored for Clifton, hitting six fours in his 39 from 59 balls, while Vermeulen contributed 20 from 57.

The visitors were eventually all out for 140. It wasn’t a big total, but Dixon’s is a very big field and usually kind to bowlers. Frankly, Clifton should have been pleased with that score, considering the predicament that had found themselves in when they lost their sixth wicket.

Daniel Gunawardena did a fine job with the ball for Glenwood, snaring 3/21 from his 10 overs, while Bandile Mbatha recorded four maidens in his 10-over return of 2/19. Tidy, as always, Kyle Bryan claimed 2/23 from 10.

Glenwood’s pursuit of 141 for victory started poorly. They lost the first four men in their order for only 30 runs as Shahzaad Perumal created havoc among the Green Machine’s batsmen.

Bandile Mbatha put the brakes on the Clifton bowlers, however, as he and Sibonelo Phewa turned 30/4 into 63/5, before Phewa was out for 20 from 27, with four fours.

Kyle Bryan offered Mbatha support for a while, but Shahzaad Perumal sent him packing, too.

There was little else of note from the Glenwood batsmen as Mbatha put up a defiant but lone fight. He was the last man out, bowled by Tim Saulez for 52, with the home team four runs shy of Clifton, on 136 all out. Mbatha had spent 98 balls in the middle and hit four fours.

Shahzaad Perumal shone with figures of 4/26 from 10, while Shiraz Perumal also got in on the act, snapping up 3/27 from his 10.

Rivan Moodley bowled tidily, taking 1/30 in 10, and Tim Saulez, who secured the heart-stopping win, finished with 1/13 from 4.3 overs.

Lightning put paid to the match between Michaelhouse and Maritzburg College, played on the Roy Gathorne Oval in Balgowan, after College had completed their 50 overs.

The visitors had mustered 165/8, with Michael Gibson‘s 44 from 67 balls, which included just two fours, their best effort. Michaelhouse bowled tightly, surrendering only six fours to College, with four other batsmen managing only one boundary each.

Opener Llewelyn Sutherland grafted hard for 33 from 82 deliveries, while Chad Mason also doggedly applied himself, making 29 from 76.

Jean-Luc Rey was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 2/24 from 10 overs, while Nicholas Baker took 1/4 from a single over.

Summarised scores

Clifton College 140/10 (Callum Watson 39, Gabriel Vermeulen 20, Rivan Moodley 19; Daniel Gunawardena 3/21, Bandile Mbatha 2/19, Kyle Bryan 2/23); Glenwood 136/10 (Bandile Mbatha 52, Sibonelo Phewa 20; Shahzaad Perumal 4/26, Shiraz Perumal 3/27) Clifton College won by 4 runs.

Maritzburg College 165/8 (Michael Gibson 44, Llewelyn Sutherland 33, Chad Mason 29; Jean-Luc Rey 3/24, Nicholas Baker 1/4); Michaelhouse did not bat due to lightning.

Northwood‘s 1st XI made the short trip to Durban High School on Saturday for a showdown on the Theobald Oval and they found what many teams have discovered on recent trips to the home of DHS cricket – an uncompromising, disciplined and scrappy unit, playing good cricket.

That combination secured DHS a 74-run win. It didn’t come as a surprise. Something very good has been brewing on School’s campus, with the 1st XI displaying a steely spine and going from strength to strength.

The Theobald Oval doesn’t easily reward batsmen with runs and boundaries, so a total of 192/6 after 50 overs by DHS was no easy target for the visitors.

The Horseflies relied mostly on players chipping in here and there, which has been one of the keys to their success, before Jared Havermann, batting at seven, delivered an innings which made a real difference. He partnered with Bayanda Majola for an unbroken stand of 97, with Havermann hitting nine fours and a six in his 59 not out, which came from 68 balls. Majola finished on 18 not out from 45 balls.

Opener Omar Ismaeel weighed in with a patient 29 from 70 at the top of the order, while four others contributed scores in the teens.

Jordan Matthews excelled for the Knights, capturing 3/21 in his 10 overs, which included the wickets of top order batsmen Sibusiso Msibi, Ethan Cooper and Semal Pillay. Harlee Jagga produced an economical wicket-taking spell, picking up 2/26 from 10, while Ben Cilliers kept DHS on the defensive, claiming 1/28 from his 10.

Northwood’s reply got off to a stuttering start as Bayanda Majola accounted for Alistair Duncan and Semal Pillay removed Tuswa Phetha, leaving the visitors without their opening batsmen, with fewer than 10 runs on the scoreboard. Then, Harlee Jagga followed, another victim of Majola, as the visitors’ total dipped into double figures.

Thayin Kuppin, in at three, stood firm, however. He made 39, the highest score of the innings, facing 74 balls, which included four fours, before he was the sixth man out with the total on 94.

Jordan Matthews grafted hard for 17 from 50 and Mfana Shange battled his way to 22 from 33 before he was the last man out with the total on 118.

The wickets were shared among the DHS bowlers, with all six men used removing at least one batsman each. Majola, with 2/17 from seven, set School on the way to victory, while Semal Pillay returned 2/29 from nine.

Zaid Motala, who finished with 1/13 from seven, exerted serious pressure on the visitors, while Dalan Naraidu dished up more of the same, snaring 1/4 from 3.2 overs.

After a hesitant start to the season, Hilton College appears to be back on course. On Saturday, their match against Kearsney College on the Hart-Davis Oval was rained out in mid-afternoon, but not before the talented Charles Swart had stolen the show.

He made an unbeaten 100, facing 107 balls, 11 of which he dispatched for four and another for six, to steer Hilton to 234/6 after their 50 overs. Jayden Roux lent good support, making 33 from 69, as the pair put on 53 for the third wicket.

Kyle Christie gave the Hilton innings a massive boost at the end, blasting three sixes and two fours in an entertaining 13-ball knock, which resulted in an unbeaten 31. Ben Hockly and James Ogilby added 20 runs each as the home team produced a healthy-looking scorecard.

Kearsney captain Ross Coetzee took 2/37 in 10, while Michael Groom was miserly, picking up 1/9 from five overs.

The visitors then responded with 120/3 from 25 overs before an afternoon storm deposited heavy rain onto the field and brought the match to an early end.

Cameron Veenstra led the way for Kearsney, making 39 from 63 balls, while Coetzee continued his outstanding form, striking four fours in his 28 not out from 29 deliveries.

Kyle Christie followed up his explosive innings with a return of 1/8 from four overs with the new ball.

One thing Hilton will want to improve upon is their bowling discipline- 21 wides in 25 overs is not a statistic that 1st XI coach David Griffiths will want to see repeated.

Summarised scores

Durban High School 192/6 (Taine Havermann 59*, Ismaeel Omar 29; Jordan Matthews 3/21, Harlee Jagga 2/25); Northwood 118/10 (Thayin Kuppin 39, Mfana Shange 22; Bayanda Majola 2/17, Semal Pillay 2/29) DHS won by 74 runs.

Hilton College 234/6 (Charles Swart 100*, Jayden Roux 33, Kyle Christie 31*, Ben Hockly 20, James Ogilby 20; Ross Coetzee 2/37, Michael Groom 1/9); Kearsney College 120/3 after 25 overs (Cameron Veenstra 39, Ross Coetzee 28*, Kyle Christie 1/8) Match abandoned due to rain.

Westville Boys’ High visited St Charles College on Saturday, intent on adding another victory to their sparkling record in 2024. The Griffin were successful in that endeavour, winning by 41 runs.

Playing on The Oval at St Charles, they made a poor start, stumbling to 16/2 in the fifth over. Captain Nicandro Kistna battled hard and patiently, but he was the third batsman to fall, out for eight from 28, with the total on 49.

Roxton Payne made only 11 and not long after his departure, Kaeden McAllister, the visitors’ second highest scorer, was caught by Covhan Baaitjies off the bowling of Kaiyuran Naidoo for 32.

A telling seventh-wicket partnership of 40 runs between Caleb van Loenen and Sekou Shangase lifted Westville from 85/6 to 125/7. Dayalan Boyce then helped Shangase add a further 18 runs before he was dismissed for 11.

Josh Beck came to the crease next and immediately took charge, smashing 29 from only 15 balls, including four fours and a six, in a telling ninth wicket stand of 33 with Shangase.

The last man in was Heath Stott, but Shangase farmed the strike and went on to achieve the highest score of the innings.

He was the last man out, having helped Westville to 201, after scoring 43 from 67 deliveries, with three fours and a six. He and Stott, who finished on one from four balls, had put on 25 for the last wicket.

Rowen Rajah, who took the new ball with Tristan Montile, was the pick of the Saints’ attack, with a haul of 4/46 from 9.4 overs.

Montile slathered on the pressure, picking up 1/17 in seven, while Kaiyuran Naidoo, with 2/26, and Covhan Baaitjies, with 2/47, did well against the middle and lower order.

St Charles made a bright start to their reply, with Cian Fortmann and Thando Zama putting on 51 in only 8.4 overs before Fortmann was caught by Chad van Breda off the bowling of Nicandro Kistna for an impactful 39 from 32 balls, which featured seven fours.

Saints lost two more wickets in quick succession to fall to 59/3, but Zama and Kwanele Nqayi then added 45 before Zama was dismissed for a patient 28, which had come from 100 balls.

Another wicket went down without the addition of a run, but Nqayi and Matthew Gerber lifted the total to 139 before Gerber was the sixth man out, having weighed in with 23 from 25, with three fours.

Unfortunately for the home team, Gerber’s removal sparked the beginning of the end. Only 21 runs were accrued for the last five wickets as the St Charles’ run chase collapsed, leaving the Pietermaritzburg side all out for 160, some way off the victory target of 202.

Nqayi, the ninth batsman out, became the joint-top scorer in the innings, alongside Cian Fortmann, with 39. He had struck six fours in a 67-ball stay.

Kaeden McAllister did a fine job with the ball for Westville, claiming the crucial wicket of Saints’ skipper Marcell Wellman before cleaning up the tail later in the game. Left-arm spinner Roxton Payne continued a season in which he has been a consistent and important contributor to the Griffin’s success, by snaring 3/39.

Westville captain, Nicandro Kistna, after his opening bowlers came in for some stick, made the initial breakthrough by dismissing Fortmann, and he followed that up with the wicket of Rico Honiball to set his team on the path to victory.

Westville Boys’ High 201/10 (Sekou Shangase 43, Kaeden McAllister 32, Caleb van Loenen 31; Rowen Rajah 4/46, Kaiyuran Naidoo 2/26, Covhan Baaitjies 2/47); St Charles College 160/10 (Cian Fortmann 39, Kwanele Nqayi 39, Thando Zama 28; Kaeden McAllister 3/26, Roxton Payne 3/39, Nicandro Kistna 2/24) Westville Boys’ High won by 41 runs

A cracking innings at the top of the order by Omar Ismaeel was pivotal in Durban High School‘s 46-run win over Clifton College in a W100 match played on the Theobald Oval on Thursday.

Ismaeel struck 12 fours in his 44-ball stay, which generated 70 runs and helped DHS to 156 for 7 from their 100 deliveries.

He was well supported by Semal Pillay, who made 32 from 22, with four fours and a six.

On the bowling front, Clifton’s Shahzaad Perumal, who played for KZN u17 last year, and was a non-travelling reserve for the u19 team, showed why he is highly regarded, capturing 2/15 with his left-arm spin.

He followed that up with a fine attacking innings, smashing one six and five fours in a 35-ball knock that left him undefeated on 54 before Clifton’s innings was brought to an end on 110/9. Unfortunately for Perumal, his partners came and went all too soon.

Only Cohen Naidoo and Zach Williamson joined him in double figures as the DHS bowlers dominated from the outset.

KZN u19 paceman Bayanda Majola was instrumental in the visitors’ late innings slide, capturing 3/23, while Bhavesh Naicker, who has been in good form, snared 2/10, and Semal Pillay demonstrated his all-round ability by picking up 2/17.

It was a solid victory for the Horseflies, and it comes on the back of a stirring limited overs win over Kearsney on Saturday, which reversed a defeat to the high-flying boys from Botha’s Hill in the W100 last week.

For many of the regular top KZN schools’ teams, inconsistency has been an issue early in the season. For the DHS 1st XI, however, it appears their arrow is pointing upwards.

After a middling 2023, they are, undoubtedly, a much-improved outfit, thanks to an infusion of exciting young talent, which began making its way into the 1st XI’s playing ranks last year.

Ismaeel, Pillay and Josh van Biljon, who was the third highest scorer on Thursday, with 16, were all members of the KZN team that claimed the Inter-provincial honours in December 2023 by going a perfect five for five in Oudtshoorn. Last year’s DHS u16A side was also very successful and with a year’s 1st XI experience under the belt for some key players, School has morphed into a far tougher challenge than it was a year ago.

Summarised score

Durban High School 156/7 (Omar Ismaeel, Semal Pillay 32; Shahzaad Perumal 2/15); Clifton 110/9 (Shahzaad Perumal 54* Bayanda Majola 3/23, Bhavesh Naicker 2/10, Semal Pillay 2/17) DHS won by 46 runs.

CS Chiwanza contributed to the writing of this story.

With the introduction of shorter forms of the game, like T20 and 100-ball matches, opportunities exist for cricket teams to play more games and to boost their records. However, those short forms of the game also increase the likelihood of losses. One player can turn the tide. That’s why this team’s record of 21 consecutive victories, with only one rained out match to break up that streak of success, is truly remarkable.

Which school, you may ask, achieved this incredible feat? St Stithians College? No. Grey High School? No. Grey College? No. Rondebosch Boys’ High. No. King Edward VII? No. Affies? No. DHS? No.

The answer to the question is St Charles College. Playing in the hotbed of KZN, and participating in numerous events around South Africa, Saints’ 2019 squad, led by Zimbabwean international, Wessley Madhevere, put together a once-in-a-lifetime season, and while some might be surprised to learn about it, that amazing season didn’t just happen.

It was the product of good planning, absolute commitment, and an innovative approach from a group of talented cricketers who put in the hard yards, which won them a number of games from a losing position. And when that run was finally ended, they had written their names into the annals of the Pietermaritzburg school, which was founded in 1875. In fact, a fountain was constructed, overlooking the St Charles Oval, to commemorate the side’s incredible achievements.

Murray Cole-Edwardes, the coach of that special team, explained how St Charles rocked South African schoolboy cricket with an intense, innovative, and always-at-’em approach.

When he arrived at the school, players were promoted to cricket teams in the same manner that they went up the academic ladder: the youngest players played for the youngest age groups and the matric students played in the open age groups, including for the 1st XI.

In 2017, the entire St Charles’ 1st XI was made up matric learners. It was a good side, good enough to score a last-ball win over Maritzburg College to win the T20 Night League. But there would be no experience to follow in 2018.

“I remember thinking, ‘Shucks, what happens next year? Now, does the second team become the first team or does under-16A become the first team?’ I didn’t like that. So, development was massively important for me,” Cole-Edwardes recalled.

He chose not to change the status quo regarding team selection. Instead, he decided to build for the future while continuing to guide the side he had inherited.

Then, when 2018 rolled around, the St Charles 1^st XI included four grade 10 boys. It was a big change from the school’s previous approach.

Cole-Edwardes looked at under-14 and under-15 players and identified the age groups’ most talented cricketers. Then he pulled those players together into a squad. “That was the start of a culture of growing and developing players before they came into it the first team,” Cole-Edwardes said. It proved to be a masterstroke. But that was not immediately evident.

After the 2017 season, a new and diverse team had emerged, and it contained only three matric learners. Cole-Edwardes had broken with tradition.

“I told them, ‘You are the best cricket players in the school. You didn’t make the first team just because you are in matric’,” said Cole-Edwardes. It was a statement he had to repeat over and over again throughout 2018 because his young team suffered many losses. Yet, all the while they were improving, both individually and as a unit.

Measured on results, 2018 was not a good year. But Cole-Edwardes stayed true to the process he had instituted.

“The culture shift was made, you put the team first,” he explained. “So, if I told [captain] Wessley Madhevere, he wasn’t going to open that day, it would be ‘no problem, sir’.”

Discipline was paramount and the observance of cricket etiquette was non-negotiable, Cole-Edwardes said.

The St. Charles badge has the inscription, “Fideli certa merces“, a Latin proverb. Translated, it means there is always a reward for the faithful. Cole-Edwardes’ team remained faithful to their preparation. They worked hard.

“We trained four or five days a week. We had gym on a Monday, net sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, and an open middle session on Thursday. We’d have a captain’s practice on a Friday now and then, which consisted of us doing a fielding session for an hour,” standout all-rounder Jason Login said, reciting a familiar routine.

It also wasn’t a case of the younger players filling the batting spots at the tail end of the Saints’ line-up. Boys were slotted into positions where they would end up playing for years. One of the younger players, Nathan Lindsay, for example, opened the batting.

Cole-Edwardes also emphasised fielding. Every player could contribute on that front and his goal was unequivocal: St Charles would be the best fielding team in the country.

Also, when it came to batting, he focussed on running between the wickets. Saints might not hit the most boundaries, but they could run more singles than anyone else.

He explained the concept: “We’re gaining through brilliant fielding, through brilliant running between the wickets, through partnerships, rather than massive sixes.”

It was about the team’s ability to exert pressure and to handle pressure.

It’s all good and well to have good concepts, but those have to be practically implemented and that takes buy-in from the players. It’s about having the talent to do those things, but, more importantly, it’s about having the desire and drive to always push to attain those goals and then raise the bar.

Fortunately for Cole-Edwardes, he had a special group of players who had bucketloads of character and a team ethic that would in 2019 deliver them a number of wins from precarious positions. Those results were, often, the consequence of tough practices which, Cole-Edwardes admitted, sometimes weren’t appreciated by the boys.

He spoke about long sessions, which he would conclude by setting the players challenges when they were tired and physically drained.

Those practices might have seemed a little over the top, but those rehearsals won them an unforgettable contest against Paarl Gimnasium in a do-or-die game at the Coca-Cola Schools National T20 Finals in 2019, with Saints in action as the champions of the Dolphins region.

It was a thrilling contest and as it drew towards its conclusion, so spectators and players from other schools began to flood towards the boundary of the field at the University of Pretoria. There was nothing in it.

Saints posted 135 all out. It wasn’t an imposing total, but fielding and bowling was the Pietermaritzburg school’s forte. They managed to defend their total, just, but that didn’t mean the contest was done. It simply meant that the tension had ratcheted up. Gim were restricted to 135 for 5 after a brilliant last over from paceman Keagan Crawford went for only five runs.

That sent the teams into a super over and the boys from the Western Cape did a fine job, posting 17 for 1. Wessley Madhevere and his brave side were on the back foot. They responded in inspiring fashion, however, and, incredibly, when their over was complete, they had also tallied 17 for 1.

What next? How would the contest be decided? It turns out such an eventuality had been considered in the rules for the event. The team that had scored more boundaries would win.

Physically, Paarl Gim had a bigger side, but Saints had scored more boundaries. They added the points for the win, and they were on their way to the final of the competition. Those long, tiring, big-hitting sessions had paid dividends.

Jason Login recalled those practices: “We did a number of different types of sessions, focussing on rotating the strike, sweeping and reverse sweeping, and facing the short ball, all to develop our range. On some days, for an hour, non-stop, we practised hitting sixes,” he said.

Cole-Edwards mentioned a practice when he challenged Login. The coach set up a bowling machine on the pitch in the middle of the field. Then he had junior boys strung out along the boundary. The challenge for Login was to hit successive sixes. Once he managed that, he was free to leave.

But it just wasn’t happening for Login. “His hands were sore, and he said ‘Sir, I can’t do this anymore’. I told him that he wasn’t going home until he hit six sixes. When you are in the final over and you need a six to win the game, your head must come back to this moment,” Cole-Edwardes told Login.

Thinking back to that unforgettable win over Paarl Gim and the challenges Saints faced at the National T20 Finals, he said: “When you play these guys from Paarl and Waterkloof, they’re hitting sixes into the road. My boys are just clearing the boundary. And we had more success with it! Jeepers, here we are talking about being the best fielding team of all. And we’ve just had more success [hitting boundaries] than Paarl, which just was ridiculous!”

He also believed in living the methods he preached, and he would join his team in training. It helped to keep the players going, especially when he pushed them hard. There were times when he pushed them to the limit. Building strength in the gym was followed by running. When the players were close to spent, Cole-Edwardes positioned them close to the boundary and challenged them to prevent fours and sixes.

“I told them, ‘If you can stop three here, if you can stop two, that will be the difference.’ They would be stuffed. I would tell them, ‘You are playing four games in two days, and you will need to take a catch to win the game’,” said Cole-Edwardes.

While some of the specifics of fielding and batting were accorded special attention, there were other intangible qualities that helped carry the team to success. Leadership, for example, was not a one-man thing.

“In this 2019 team, Wes [Madhevere] was obviously a leader on the field,” Cole-Edwardes said. However, he revealed, in the change room there were three leaders: Madhevere, Clive Madande, and Jason Login. Madhevere was a Zimbabwean international, Madande would become one, and Login played for KZN Inland. He was also that player that could be counted on when the chips were down.

Mudhevere’s example in the field was outstanding, Cole-Edwardes said. “We trained like you’ve never seen at schoolboy level. You will never see a better fielder than Wessley in schoolboy cricket, ever.

“We trained so hard on our fielding, but, in terms of leadership, it was more like a core group of guys, rather than your captain.” As a trio, each player contributed a piece of the puzzle that led to effective, winning cricket.

Login’s grit and team ethic were most memorably on show in late 2018, when Saints faced Northwood away from home.

He wasn’t well. On the way to the match, he threw up in the bus. But Login didn’t want to let his teammates down. “He didn’t want to stay at home, but he should have,” Cole-Edwardes admitted.

Login argued that he felt better than he looked. His inability to keep anything down said otherwise. Cole-Edwardes pushed him down the batting order to number seven. A part of him hoped that Login wouldn’t be required to bat. However, St. Charles lost early wickets and found themselves on a precarious 55 for five before their innings was halfway through.

“We lost quite a few early wickets, so I had to rush out, having been to the bathroom loads. Walking out to bat, I just thought, we are here now, have fun,” Login said. He hobbled the length of the pitch for ones, but he couldn’t run twos. Still, he did an effective job of hitting fours.

In the end, St Charles cruised to an 89-run victory after posting 187 for 7, but it had looked dicey for a while. Login’s attitude exemplified how everyone in the team felt – they were in the team to serve the team.

Crucially, that win was where Saints’ outstanding run of success began, Cole-Edwardes said.

It was Northwood, again, who were the victims when St Charles delivered the kind of uncompromising victory that is often found in long unbeaten runs. It was a gut-check win in a game that it looked like they would lose.

As usual, Saints were good in the field and Northwood mustered just 108 for 5. But the St Charles batting was less successful. Three players made it into the twenties – Clive Madande (21), James Twycross (25), and Wes Madhevere (26) – but five players failed to better three runs.

However, when the chips were down, Kyle Moodley, with the field compressed to keep him from scoring, found a gap to hit a four and snatch a one-wicket win on Reece-Edwards Field.

Madhevere and company’s high-pressure game translated well against less familiar opposition, too, which they demonstrated exceptionally well at the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, hosted annually by St Alban’s College in Pretoria.

Saints showed just how constricting their fielding and bowling could be in three convincing victories over St Alban’s, St David’s Marist Inanda, and St Andrew’s School.

The best those three, all good cricketing schools, managed in any of the matches was the 116 for 7 put up by the hosts, but that hardly amounts to a significant total. St David’s managed only 75 all out. St Andrew’s were bowled out for 92.

In the first two matches, the leaders – Madhevere and Madande, both off-spinners, and Login, a leg-spinner – shared seven wickets between them. In the latter, Kian Channon was all but unplayable with the new ball as he captured a five-for.

The list of teams that Saints defeated during their magical run 2019 run included Grey College, Hilton College, Michaelhouse, Waterkloof, St Andrew’s College, Paarl Gimnasium, and St Andrew’s School, the national T20 champions the previous year, who later in the season brought Saints’ spectacular run to an end when, finally, an explosive T20 innings proved too much for the Pietermaritzburg school to overcome.

A remarkable fact about the St Charles’ season was the fact that only one of their batsmen scored a century, although it was a special effort from Jason Login, who achieved a rare feat by scoring a ton against Maritzburg College on Goldstone’s in a rained-out match. That fact, though, serves to underline just how much it was a case of everyone contributing, and it also demonstrates just how effective Saints were in the field.

On the bowling front, only Kian Channon, with the aforementioned five-for against St Andrew’s managed that feat. If ever there was a team that was greater than the sum of its parts, it was the St Charles College 1^st XI of 2019. Apart from Madhevere and Login, the only other player to earn selection to a higher team was Kyle Moodley, who joined Login in the Inland side.

St Charles’ successes also spoke volumes about the value of teamwork in cricket, something which all too often is not accorded enough importance.

While they had good opening bowlers, with Keagan Crawford and Kian Channon giving them a solid one-two punch, and Cameron Spangenberg backed them up with skilful seam bowling, the strength of the side lay in its varied spin attack and the exceptional support the bowlers received from the fielders.

Leading the way in the field was the skipper, whom coach Cole-Edwardes rated as the best fielder in South Africa. Madhevere was an excellent off-spinner, as was his fellow countryman, Clive Madande, while Jason Login provided the varied attack with a leg-spin option.

Both Madhevere and Madande set the tone with the bat, often taking the offensive to put pressure on the opposition’s bowlers. Login was the man for a tough battle, but along the way there were important contributions from all of the team’s players.

Up front, Nathan Lunderstedt was a fine foil to Madande’s attacking approach. Humphrey van der Merwe, meanwhile, was a hard-hitting middle-order batsman, who would regularly find the boundary. Kyle Moodley usually batted at seven, but often went in at three if an early wicket fell. James Twycross, the regular number three, was a useful back-up bowler and also the team clown.

Put together, the players, each with their own special qualities, were able to supply the little nuances that different situations required. They were able to dovetail, producing complementary cricket, with each small detail adding another piece to the winning puzzle.

There was no leaning on one special talent. The St Charles 1^st XI of 2019 was a team in the best sense of the word, and teamwork was their special talent.

RESULTS

St Charles 187 for 8 (K. Channon 59, J. Login 50); Northwood 98/10 (W. Madhevere 3/14, C. Madande 3/28, C. Spangenberg 2/10) SCC won by 89 runs.

Framesby 150 all out (J. Login 5/43); St Charles 197/10 (J. Twycross 31, C. Madande 30); Framesby 53/1; SCC won on the first innings by 47 runs.

Pearson 90/10 (W. Madhevere 5/25); St Charles 90/10 (W. Madhevere 34); Pearson 58/5; St Charles 59/2 (C. Madande) SCC won by 8 wickets.

St Charles 200/10 (H. van der Merwe 89, K. Moodley 30); Muir 59/10 (J. Twycross 4/0) SCC won by 141 runs.

St Charles 131/6 (J. Login 44, C. Madande 37); Grey College 124/9 (C. Spangenberg 3/27, J. Login 3/16, including hat-trick) SCC won by 7 runs.

DHS 146/10 (C. Spangenberg 3/28); St Charles 150/4 (W. Madhevere 53*) SCC won by 6 wickets.

Ladysmith High 28/5; St Charles 29/3; SCC won by 7 wickets.

Hilton College 67/9 (K. Channon 3/10, C. Madande 2/12, K. Crawford 2/14); St Charles 68/7; SCC won by 3 wickets.

St Charles 164/4 (C. Madande 71, N. Lunderstedt 31); Michaelhouse 104/10 (C. Madande 4/14, W. Madhevere 3/7, K. Crawford 2/7) SCC won by 60 runs.

St Charles 252/10 (W. Madhevere 52, H. van der Merwe 42); Clifton College 181/10 (J. Login 3/28, S. Mdingi 3/35) SCC won by 71 runs.

St Charles 156/6; Westville Boys’ High 118/10 (W. Madhevere 2/17, J. Login 2/19) SCC won by 38 runs.

St Alban’s 116/7 (J. Login 3/19, C. Madande 2/17, W. Madhevere 2/26); St Charles 118/5 (C. Madande 54) SCC won by 5 wickets.

St Charles 136/8 (C. Madande 43); St David’s Marist Inanda 75/10 (J. Login 3 for 8, W. Madhevere 2 for 10, C. Madande 2 for 12) SCC won by 61 runs.

Northwood 108/5 (C. Madande 2 for 19, W. Madhevere 2 for 28); St Charles 109/9 (W. Madhevere 26, J. Twycross 25) SCC won by one wicket.

St Charles 158/10 (W. Mahhevere 51*); Kearsney 61/4 after 10 overs; rained out.

St Charles 161/10 (C. Madande 38, W. Madhevere 36); St Andrew’s School 92/10 (K. Channon 5/17) SCC won by 69 runs.

T20 National Finals

St Charles 170/5 (J. Login 53, J. Twycross 38); St Andrew’s College 153/8 (C. Madande 3/33) SCC won by 17 runs.

St Charles 141/6 (J. Twycross 61, J. Login 34); Waterkloof 126/10 (W. Madhevere 3/32, C. Spangenberg 2/18, C. Madonde 2/24) SCC won by 15 runs.

St Charles 205/3 (W. Madhevere 65, C. Madande 48); Queens High 115/9 (K. Crawford 3 for 13, C. Spangenberg 3 for 30) SCC won by 90 runs.

St Charles 135/10; Paarl Gimnasium 135/5; Super over: Paarl Gim 17/1; St Charles 17/1; St Charles won on most boundaries.

St Andrew’s School 153/7; St Charles 129/6; St Andrew’s won by 24 runs.

Another exceptional batting performance from Kearsney College captain Ross Coetzee was the key to his side’s W100 win over Glenwood, who produced an enthusiastic run chase, which came up only five runs short, on Wednesday in Botha’s Hill.

Coetzee was ruthless towards the Green Machine’s bowlers. He entered the fray 15 balls into Kearsney’s innings, after the departure of Murray Weyer. It was only off the last of his team’s 100 balls that the skipper was run out, but by then he had inflicted major damage on the visitors.

Coetzee cracked 89 from 45 deliveries, blasting seven of them over the boundary, and adding nine fours, too. He and Matthew De Oliveira, who had shared a 131-run partnership in a W100 victory over DHS a week earlier, enjoyed a 130-run stand this time around.

De Oliveira was very effective, finishing on 38 not out from 33 balls, with three fours and two sixes, but he played second fiddle to his captain, whose exceptional innings was the difference between victory and defeat as Glenwood launched a hearty run chase after Kearsney had tallied 161 for 3.

Glenwood’s KZN Schools’ stars, Ntando Soni, who also opened the bowling for South African Schools, and Bandile Mbatha, came in for some tap, and returned similar figures, with both conceding 33 runs from their 20 balls.

Kyle Bryan picked up the wicket of hard-hitting Cameron Veenstra for 15 from 14 balls and finished with 1/28 from his 20 deliveries.

Glenwood, in their response, lost a number of wickets in the early going, but they kept their foot firmly planted on the accelerator and made the home team sweat.

Kearsney’s chief tormentor was Krian Jugoo, who made 59 from only 37 deliveries, which included four sixes and three fours. He came in at the fall of the first wicket, just four balls into the Glenwood reply, and stuck around until another 80 balls had been bowled, eventually becoming the fifth man to depart, with the total on 134.

Sibonelo Phewa, with 27 from 19, and Kyle Bryan with an unbeaten 22 from 18, almost got Glenwood across the line. Ultimately, however, they ended only a six shy of victory, on a brave 156/5.

While most of his Kearsney team-mates came in for some punishment, Michael Groom stood out for his economical return, picking up 1/15 from his 20 balls.

Jack O’Donovan did a good job, claiming 2/27 from his 20, while opening bowler Ryan Browning took 2/29 from 15.

Westville had beaten Northwood by four wickets in a limited overs match at Northwood on the weekend. They faced off on the Robin Smith Oval on Wednesday again, and it was, once more, Westville who came away with the win, this time by a comfortable 62 runs.

The Griffin batted first and accumulated 159/9 in their 100 balls. There was no major contributor, but a watchful 33 from captain Nicandro Kistna, 31 from Roxton Payne, and 20 each from Seth Simpson and Josh Beck, helped them to a solid total. Max Robertson, a real weapon at the top of the order in all of the shorter formats of the game, was run out for 10.

Payne’s runs came from only 16 deliveries and included three sixes. Beck, meanwhile, struck a six and a four in a 10-ball stay.

Pride Buthelezi was a little on the expensive side, but he also ended the innings of three batsmen – Nicandro Kistna, Kaeden McAllister and Josh Beck – capturing 3/37 from 20 balls. New ball bowler Andrew Deeb knocked over 2/26 in 20.

The Knights, in their response, were never able to get their run rate close to the 1.6 runs per ball they required for victory. It was pretty much a run-a-ball pace throughout.

Thusa Phewa and Kyle White put on a solid 49 runs for the second wicket, before White was caught by Max Robertson off the bowling of Sekou Shangase for 24 from 25 balls. Phewa was the fourth man out, bowled by Shangase, for the innings’ top score of 27.

Harley Jagga did some good work, sending three deliveries to the boundary in his knock of 19 from 16, but there was little support of note beyond those contributions.

Shangase did a sterling job for the visitors, snapping up 4/23 from his 20 balls, while Heath Stott was very effective, too, picking up 2/14 in 15 deliveries.

Skipper Nicandro Kistna employed seven bowlers and they all responded with impressive economy rates, as Northwood failed to get on top of any of the bowlers.

Summarised scores

Kearsney College 161/3 (Ross Coetzee 89, Matthew De Oliveira 38*; Kyle Bryan 1/28); Glenwood High School 156/5 (Krian Jugoo 59, Sibonelo Phew 27, Kyle Bryan 22*; Jack O’Donovan 2/27, Ryan Browning 2/29, Michael Groom 1/15) Kearsney College won by 5 runs.

Westville Boys’ High (Nicandro Kistna 33, Roxton Payne 31, Josh Beck 20, Seth Simpson 20; Pride Buthelezi 3/37, Andrew Deeb 2/26, Kyle White 1/12); Northwood School 97/7 (Thusa Phewa 27, Kyle White 24, Harley Jagga 19; Sekou Shangase 4/23, Heath Stott 2/14, Josh Beck 1/13) Westville Boys’ High won by 62 runs.

The 116th RMB VLC National Sprints Regatta drew over 1 000 boats to the Victoria Lake Rowing Club at Germiston Lake on the weekend, with the event producing thrilling racing, some record-breaking performances, and many reasons to be optimistic about the future of South African rowing.

The competition, which drew entrants from across the country, included all ages, from school to masters’ competitors, aged in their seventies and eighties.

Among the participants were the RMB National Squad, South Africa’s senior Olympic rowing team, who turned out for their clubs. The National Sprints Regatta formed part of their preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The RMB VLC Sprints features a unique format, integrating various age groups and divisions, which allows for school age competitors, from u16 and up, to compete against their rowing idols in the A, B and C divisions.

In the younger age groups, u14 and u15, for both boys and girls, the competition remains confined to peer-on-peer racing.

St Mary’s Waverley‘s Manila Price excelled by powering her way into the women’s single scull final.

There were some outstanding performances from St Stithians College‘s boys, who captured the men’s A coxed fours title, while also taking second place in the men’s B eight.

Meanwhile, St Benedict’s College lifted the overall trophy after accumulating the most points in the event, while St Dunstan’s College shone by earning first and second places in the men’s B division, despite taking on senior opposition.

There was also success for the local Germiston High School, who performed well in the age group racing, ahead of the South African Schools Championships in March.

Among the prominent athletes in action were Katherine Williams and Holly Crews in the women’s double sculls, Paige Badenhorst and Courtney Westley, and University Games’ medallists Chloe Cresswell and Nadia Gaspari.

In the men’s pairs category, Christopher Baxter and James Mitchell, John Smith and Henry Torr, and Adriaan Venter and Luc Daffarn provided thrilling contests.

Christopher Baxter and John Smith, in the men’s pair, and Courtney Westley, in the women’s single scull, have already qualified for the Olympic Games.

It was, however, Katherine Williams, a member of the RMB National Squad, who took the women’s single scull victory and set a new course record in the process.

Afterwards, an ecstatic Williams said: “I was able to stick to my race plan, without having to make too many adjustments and look forward to the big sprint. The potential to see some bigger boats going to World Champs is super exciting, so I’m very excited for the future.”

Paige Badenhorst, who finished second, commented: “The standard was good, very high. Such close racing! It was epic right onto the line.” Badenhorst said the regatta was an important step in the build-up to the Olympics, adding: “It’s all about practice and races in the bank.”

Third-place finisher and Olympic qualifier Courtney Westley highlighted the participation of juniors in the race: “I think it was great to have juniors in the race, as well. It’s really cool to have them coming in and pushing the u23s and the seniors to go even faster.”

In the men’s pairs, James Mitchell and Chris Baxter powered their way to victory in a new course record time. Mitchell said: “We stuck to our guns, our race plan, committed hard to it, and believed through the middle. It’s fantastic to have broken the course record. Chuffed with that.”

“It’s always going to be tight racing when it comes to the national squad, and there is great competition between the pairs. It’s good to come out on top,” Baxter said.

Henry Torr, who finished second in the men’s pairs with John Smith, reflected: “We had a good day out. Every race gets closer to May, every race gets closer to the Olympics, and it’s really important to make them all count.”

Grant Dodds, RMB National Squad Technical Performance Manager, declared himself happy with the National Sprints Regatta: “The event was a great success and a vital part of preparing for the Olympics and moving the sport forward.

“We thank our dedicated sponsors RMB for recognising the potential of our South African rowers and making events like these possible year after year.”

Lucy Lightfoot, the Head of Brand at RMB, gave her stamp of approval, saying: “This incredible event gives front-row seats to the amazing diversity and talent we have in rowing in South Africa.

“It’s particularly impressive to see the levels of excellence our female competitors are reaching.

“We are proud of our athletes and proud to be associated with this exciting sport. It’s exciting to see South Africans having the opportunity to compete against some of the best athletes in the world.”

A decision to field first bore fruit for Graeme College as they raced to a four-wicket victory over Queen’s College in Queenstown on Sunday.

Playing a limited overs format, the home side began their innings with Beveaneo Maythan and Akho Ngesi laying a solid foundation. Maythan top scored with 35 from 40 balls, including two fours, while Ngesi made 17 from 26.

The problem was that no other Queen’s batsmen made it into double figures as AJ Jeggels ripped through their batting order. He was devastating, capturing 6/23 from his 10 overs, which included three maidens. The home team had few answers to the challenges he posed.

Andrew Muir delivered the support Jeggels needed, and Queen’s struggled mightily with his bowling, too. Muir’s six overs brought a reward of 3/27 as Queen’s just stretched into triple figures, eventually dismissed for 107 after only 25.3 of their 50 overs.

Like their opponents, Graeme’s highest score came from their opening batsman, with Enrique Strydom playing maturely for 36 from 72 balls, with four fours.

Queen’s hurt their chances of victory by conceding 22 extras, which was the second-highest tally of the Graeme reply. Mind you, Graeme was also wasteful, with 27 extras, but seven Queen’s batsmen made no more than four, and three of those were ducks.

An unbeaten and quickfire 16 from Ashton Williams, which included four fours, delivered a six-wicket win to Graeme, who took only two more balls than Queen’s had taken to post their 107 all out.

Ryan Denston was the pick of the home team’s bowlers, claiming 3/39 in 10, while Beveaneo Maythan caused Graeme all sorts of problems. He finished with 2/17 from seven.

In Makhanda, the DLS Method decided the game between the Futura Academy and St Andrew’s College.

The visitors set College a challenging run chase after posting 256/9 in their 50 overs. Nico van der Westhuizen led the way, playing with controlled aggression to score 119 from 115 balls. He smashed six sixes and eight fours in his knock.

Luke Grimaldi offered good support, playing carefully for an important 35 from 64 balls. He and Van der Westhuizen pulled the Futura Academy out of some early strife, which saw them floundering on 34/4 in the ninth over.

Roman van Zyl did the damage, removing three of the top four batsmen, on his way to a return of 4/33 from 10. His fellow opening bowler Joe Wostenholm took 2/37 in 10.

College needed to bat at 5.14 runs per over to win, and they made a fair start, with William Beamish and Mitch Coventry sprinting to 41 before Beamish fell to Adam Rogers in the sixth over.

Coventry went on to make a rapid 35 from 21 balls, with five fours and a six, while Myles Sansom struck two sixes in his unbeaten 27 from 34. Samuel Scheckter finished with 20 not out when bad weather forced the players from the field in the 22nd over.

St Andrew’s were on 119/4, but they never had a chance to improve on their position as the weather prevented any further play.

The Duckworth Lewis calculations were made, and the Futura Academy won by 62 runs.

Summarised scores

Queen’s College 107/10 (Beveaneo Maythan 35; AJ Jeggels 6/23, Andrew Muir 3/27); Graeme College 108/6 (Enrique Strydom 36; Ryan Denston 3/39, Beveaneo Maythan 2/17) Graeme College won by four wickets.

Futura Academy 256/9 (Nico van der Westhuizen 119, Luke Grimaldi 35; Roman van Zyl 4/33, Joe Wostenholm 2/37); St Andrew’s College 119/4 after 21.2 overs (Mitch Coventry 35, Myles Sansom 27*, Samuel Scheckter 20*; Adam Rogers 2/16, Ethan Currin 2/35) Futura Academy won by 62 on the DLS Method.