Author: cschiwanza

All roads lead to Our Lady of Fatima, where 11 of the country’s top hockey-playing girls’ schools will converge for the first edition of the Coastal Hockey Festival, from 6 to 8 March.

“The inspiration behind this hockey festival came from a desire to create an opportunity that truly adds value to schoolgirl hockey, beyond just match results,” Matthew Smith, Our Lady of Fatima’s Director of Hockey, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We wanted to bring together strong hockey schools from around the country in an environment that promotes high-quality competition and, most importantly, learning.”

The institution has nailed the brief by assembling an impressive line-up that features many established powerhouses of the girls’ game.

Our Lady of Fatima will be joined by four other KwaZulu-Natal teams: St John’s DSG, Durban Girls’ College (DGC), St Mary’s DSG Kloof, and St Anne’s. They’ll face competition from Eunice High, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Hoërskool Menlopark, Helpmekaar Kollege, Oranje Meisieskool, and St Stithians College.

Smith explained that the festival was designed to expose players to different playing styles and competitive standards.

“Players will gain valuable game time against top opposition, which is crucial for development, and will develop confidence and decision-making under pressure,” Smith said.

The festival also sets the 2026 hockey season in motion with the first competitive outings for the participating teams.

It will, furthermore, provide coaches with a proper platform to test combinations, assess players in demanding match conditions, and present them with lessons to take back to their own programmes. It will offer the participating schools a welcome opportunity to get themselves on the front foot heading into the new season.

“We want teams to leave not only having competed at a high level but feeling challenged and better prepared for their seasons,” Smith explained.

He added, though, that he would like to see the visiting sides not focusing solely on on-field activities at the expense of the other benefits of the festival.

“We want to prioritise sportsmanship, camaraderie, and shared experiences between schools, which is something we believe is vital in school sport,” he said.

Smith and the organising committee have long-term plans for the festival. They hope the 2026 festival will be the first edition of an event that will become a permanent fixture on the hockey calendar.

“As organisers, our goal is to create a professionally run, well-structured event that players and coaches look forward to attending each year,” he concluded.

FIXTURES

Friday, 6 March

07:30 – 08:45: St John’s vs Eunice; 08:55 – 10:10: Our Lady of Fatima vs Waterkloof; 10:20 – 11:35: DGC vs Menlopark; 11:45 – 13:00: St Stithians vs St Anne’s; 13:10 – 14:25: St Mary’s vs Helpmekaar; 14:35 – 15:50: St John’s vs Oranje; 16:00 – 17:15: DGC vs Eunice; 17:25 – 18:40: Our of Fatima vs Helpmekaar; 18:50 – 20:05: St Stithians vs Oranje; 18:20 – 19:35: St Anne’s vs Waterkloof.

Saturday, 7 March

07:30 – 08:45: St Mary’s vs Menlopark; 08:55 – 10:10: DGC vs Waterkloof; 10:20 – 11:35: Our Lady of Fatima vs Oranje; 11:45 – 13:00: St John’s vs Helpmekaar; 13:10 – 14:25: Menlopark vs Eunice; 14:35 – 15:50: St Stithians vs St John’s; 16:00 – 17:15: St Mary’s vs Oranje; 17:25 – 18:40: DGC vs Helpmekaar; 18:50 – 20:05: Our Lady of Fatima vs Menlopark; 18:20 – 19:35: St Stithians vs Waterkloof; 19:45 – 21:00: St Mary’s vs Eunice.

Sunday, 8 March

07:30 – 08:25: Helpmekaar vs Oranje; 08:35 – 09:30: Our Lady of Fatima vs Eunice; 09:40 – 10:35: St Mary’s vs Waterkloof; 10:45 – 11:40: St Stithians vs DGC; 11:50 – 12:45: St John’s vs Menlopark.

The Nkowankowa Hub and Queens High recorded wins over Chatsworth Hub and Saints Christian School in their first matches at the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown in Pretoria on Wednesday. Both matches were played on the Tuks’ C Field.

Motlalepule Joan Sebele claimed a sensational 4/4 in four overs to put Nkowankowa on the path to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Chatsworth.

In a nail-biting contest, Koketso Mokgara scooped up three wickets to help Queens High to a one-wicket win (DLS) over Saints.

Nkowankowa’s captain, Respect Mabasa, made the right call when she chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Her bowlers responded superbly and bundled Chatsworth out for only 41 runs in 17 overs. The Limpopo side then took 10 overs to reach 42/2.

Sebele accounted for three of Chatsworth’s top five batters, including their star player, Shreeya Subbiah. The Chatsworth opener fought a lone battle with her 20 runs from 25 balls.

None of her teammates stayed in long enough to join her in double figures. Seyuri Gounden, with a laboured six from 28 deliveries, was the KZN team’s second-highest scorer.

Lunghelo Malungana and Shelfa Tsakisi Mukhari were the other wicket-takers for Nkowankowa. Malungana snapped up 3/10 in four overs, and Mukhari took 2/9 in two.

Tshepiso Dinoe Motswi led Nkowankowa’s chase with 18 runs from 22 balls. Karabo Katlego Monyela (6), Respect Mabasa (6*), and Ripfumelo Faith Nkuna (6*) chipped in with a combined 18 runs of their own.

Queens High vs Saints Christian School

Boitumelo Chuene, the Queens High captain, won the toss and asked Saints to bat first in a weather-affected contest. Her bowlers then restricted the North West side to 66/8 in 17 overs. The Queens’ run pursuit almost came up short, but they clawed their way to 63/9 in 16.1 overs to snatch victory.

Mokgara, who claimed 3/13 runs in four overs, was Queens’ most successful bowler, while Thanya Nkuna, Bonolo Phalane, Mankwana Moriri, and Nonhlanhla Danisa each bagged a wicket.

Commendably, Queens ensured that no Saints’ batters made it beyond single-figure scores, with nine from both Reabetswe Dithipe and Jessica Joshua the best that the Potchefstroom school managed.

When they visited the crease, Queens also found it tough to get going. However, they did just enough to win.

Nonkululeko Mthethwa, Nonhlanhla Danisa, and Mikhulu Mtuzula were the joint top-scorers with 11 runs each, and those 33 runs set the Johannesburg side on course for a heart-pounding victory.

Summarised Scorecards

Saints Christian School 66/8 (Extras 18; Koketso Mokgara 3/13); Queens High 63/9 (Nonkululeko Mthethwa 11, Nonhlanhla Danisa 11, Mikhulu Mtuzula 11; Gogontle Padi 2/12, Siphokazi Duma 2/15). Queens High won by one wicket.

Chatsworth Hub 41/10 (Shreya Subbiah 20; Motlalepule Sebele 4/4, Lunghelo Malungana 3/10, Shelfa Mukhari 2/9); Nkowankowa Hub 42/2 (Tshepiso Motswi 18; Aadya Mohun 1/3). Nkowankowa Hub won by eight wickets.

Graeme College operates under the motto, virtute et opera, which means courage and toil. That is the mindset they will bring to the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown: they won’t expect an easy path and will fight till the last delivery.

“We are all about grit, Odwa Xonxa, their head coach, shared with SuperSport Schools Plus.

The men from Makhanda are making their second appearance at the Schools SA20 Final Showdown. They had an eye-opening first excursion at the finals week in 2025, losing three and winning one.

They, however, return with most of the players who featured in their previous campaign, and they’re hopeful that they’ll be able to put the lessons they learned last year to good use.

Andrew Muir captains the team. An all-rounder, he leads by example with both bat and ball. He also has a knack for snaring wickets at crucial moments and has shown his big-match temperament by rescuing his team with the bat, too.

A lot will also be expected from Graeme College’s other all-rounders, Luphelo Mdyesha and Corbin Tidbury. Both players have the capacity to take the game away from their opposition. They won’t have to do all the batting work on their own. The Eastern Cape side also boasts a talented pair in Lisekho Zinyane and Kits McConnachie.

Jordan Damons, Caleb Jattiem, and Zuko Pontshi will lead the bowling attack. Damons and Jattiem’s skills with the new ball will help set the tone, while Pontshi is adept at taking control of the middle overs.

“We are excited to be back at the finals. The boys are here to compete, and hopefully, we can have a great campaign this year,” Xonxa said.

Graeme College’s challenge begins against Jeppe High School for Boys in the morning on Wednesday, 4 March. In the afternoon, they’ll face another team from their neck of the woods when they take on East London’s Selborne College.

On Thursday morning, they complete their group stage assignments on the Tuks Oval against Affies.

The playoffs follow on Friday, with the final scheduled for Saturday at 09:30.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 4 March
Graeme College vs Jeppe High School for Boys, Tuks E, 09:30
Graeme College vs Selborne College, Tuks D, 14:00

Thursday, 5 March
Graeme College vs Affies, Tuks Oval, 09:30

Squad: Jordan Damons, Olothando Jaca, Caleb Jattiem, Keagan Jattiem, Ibenathi Kondile, Kits McConnachie, Luphelo Mdyesha, Andrew Muir, James Muir, Zuko Pontshi, Enrique Strydom, Corbin Tidbury, Lisekho Zinyane.

Coaches: Odwa Xonxa and Carl Bradfield.

Most coaches would have delayed Corbin Tidbury‘s 1st XI  debut by a few matches, having watched the 14-year-old in action against lower teams only. If pushed, a cautious coach might have batted him at six or seven before considering moving him up the order to his natural position, at four.

However, Odwa Xonxa, the Graeme College 1st XI coach, wasn’t “most coaches”. He had seen enough young cricketers to recognise a prodigious talent when it crossed his path.

“He had more time on the ball than his agemates and even the older kids,” Xonxa recalled.

“I remember throwing at him from up close and at a decent pace in one of our first sessions. He had shots that gave him full access to the field,” he explained.

The teenager began his career in the kitchen of his family’s farmhouse, where his father, Aubrey, threw plastic balls to young Corbin and his older brother, Aidan. From there, they progressed to playing in the lounge.

Most parents think their children are uniquely talented. Almost all of them are wrong. Aubrey belongs to the minority that recognised an unusual talent in his son.

When the lounge grew too small for the boys, he constructed an outdoor net for them. boys. Aidan, who is four years older than Corbin, did most of the bowling, which prepared his younger brother for playing in older age groups when he joined Aidan at Lilyfontein School in East London.

“It was great having both brothers playing many games together at Lilyfontein. I think the four-year age gap has assisted Corbin in facing some pace at an earlier age,” Aubrey said.

Corbin Tidbury’s development was helped by the presence of Freddy “Andy” Wong, his maternal grandfather. Wong, whom Aubrey described as a formidable cricketer in his youth, enjoyed a successful school career with the De La Salle School (now Port Rex Technical High School) 1st XI from 1962 to 1964 before he joined the Hamiltons (Hams) Cricket Club.

Wong poured his cricket knowledge into the talented youngster, while his brother Terry, another former De La Salle star, who also played for the Hams and Bohemians cricket clubs, filled in the gaps. Aubrey also mentioned Jason Niemand and Daniel Swift, the Lilyfontein 1st XI coach, as people who had a significant impact on Corbin’s early development.

Their combined efforts meant that he arrived at Graeme College a few steps ahead of other players of his age. Xonxa, who believes that if a player is good enough, then they must be old enough, soon integrated him into the 1st XI.

Playing up is easy when one has a big frame. Tidbury, though, isn’t bigger or more imposing than his peers. However, that wasn’t a problem. He held his own against older and bigger players.

He contributed 21 from 19 balls in his debut match at Graeme. The next two games brought him back-to-back centuries. Those outstanding performances persuaded Xonxa that the 14-year-old was good enough to represent the Eastern Province u16A team.

At the 2024 CSA u16 National Week, he demonstrated his all-round ability, including a safe pair of hands, which brought him nine catches. He kept wicket in a few matches and pulled off four stumpings, too. He was given eight overs to bowl and picked up 1/21, while he added 48 runs with the bat to help the province win the national title.

Facing Zimbabwe’s Peterhouse in a Makhanda Cricket Festival match in January 2024, a month after the u16 National Week, Tidbury was on course to become one of the youngest Graeme College players to earn a place on the institution’s Suttie’s Springbok Skin, an honour granted to 1st XI players when they register their maiden centuries. He had 95 runs to his name.

Then, he edged a ball to the wicketkeeper. The edge was so faint that Tidbury was the only one who had heard the knick clearly. The Peterhouse wicketkeeper appealed half-heartedly. Tidbury didn’t wait for the umpire to decide whether he was out or not. He walked.

His father, Aubrey, described that moment as being worth more than 200 runs or better than any awards his sons could win at a match.

“I have always spoken about that as one of my proudest moments,” he admitted. “It is a gentleman’s game, and I have drummed it into my boys from a young age that if you know you nicked the ball, you walk.

“I have never tolerated bad sportsmanship and have constantly reminded my boys to be humble and try to be a good example to others.”

Growth is not linear, so it was not surprising that despite his undeniable talent and tirelessness in the nets, Tidbury produced mixed results in the middle in 2025. Still, he stood head and shoulders above his peers.

At the end of the year, he returned to the u16 National Week and left there with the Batter of the Tournament and All-rounder of the Tournament awards.

Instead of heading home, though, he set off for Bloemfontein to join the CSA Invitational XI at the Khaya Majola Week. There, he played a prominent role for the Invitational side, helping them to claim four victories in five matches, while their last game was rained out.

Tidbury, who has a rigorous self-imposed training schedule of four days a week, not including the net sessions he has with his brother, Aidan, is focused on continued growth.

His big dream is to be as good as Aiden Markram. However, for the moment, his focus is squarely on helping Graeme College go as far as they possibly can at the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown.

St John’s College claimed a two-wicket win over Jeppe when the Johannesburg rivals crossed swords on the AH Childe Oval at Jeppe on Saturday.

The victory capped off a successful 50-over campaign in the 2025-26 season for The Blues.

“It was a great team effort,” Bongani Ntini, the St John’s first team coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus. “[What a ] Wonderful way for the boys to close the season!”

The victory over Jeppe was St John’s 11th in 16 50-over contests. They lost the other five to finish the season with a healthy 70 percent win ratio.

The toss went Jeppe’s way, and the hosts chose to bat first, accumulating 209 all from 47.2 overs. St John’s then chased down the victory target of 210 runs in 47.1 overs at the cost of eight wickets.

Nkosana Sibiya, the St John’s captain, led the charge in the run chase with 47 from 49 balls. He shared a wonderful 85-run third-wicket partnership with Darshik Lutchman (36) that gave the Blues a sturdy platform from which to navigate their chase.

Bryn Gilmour also made it into the thirties, weighing in with an unbeaten 35 from 55 balls to steer the visitors over the line. The Grade 10 learner’s innings came at a crucial time for the visitors, holding their reply together after the departures of Joshua Hall (27), Herman Basson (18), and Connor van der Walt (11).

Shreshth Kumar was the pick of the Jeppe bowlers, snaring 3/54 in 10 overs. Goolam Ahmed, Lincoln Casais, and Reza Ayob chipped in with a wicket each.

Earlier in the day, Tapiwa Chikwava captured 3/42 in 9.2 overs as St John’s bowled out Jeppe in less than their full quota of 50 overs. Sibiya put his all-round skills on display with a valuable 2/32 in 10 overs, while Juan de Villiers, Ethan Robinson, and Gilmour got rid of one batsman each.

Their efforts ensured that Ryan Young‘s well-made half-century, a fluent 58 off 57 balls, didn’t propel the Black Caps to an unassailable total.

Ethan van Dyk (39) and Vegas Scott (33) gave the hosts a steady start with a tidy first-wicket stand of 72, while Aiden Reyneke (26) and Lincoln Casais (13) also made it to double-digit scores.

Summarised Scorecard

Jeppe High School for Boys 209/10 (Ryan Young 58, Ethan van Dyk 39; Tapiwa Chikwava 3/42, Nkosana Sibiya 2/32). St John’s College 210/8 (Nkosana Sibiya 47, Darshik Lutchman 36; Shreshth Kumar 3/54, Reza Ayob 1/32). St John’s won by two wickets.

There was only one right option, and that’s the one Josh Edwards took. The number six batsman didn’t swing for the fences, try to drive the ball for a four, or manipulate it into the gap for a two. He worked it for a single and put Josh Wilkie on strike.

Wilkie dispatched the next three deliveries to the boundary. Those 12 runs confirmed the Eastern Cape Iinyathi u16 opener as the first player to register a triple century at a Cricket South Africa national week. His 182-ball 357 eclipsed Janneman Malan’s 214 runs in 213 balls at the u17 week in 2013.

Wilkie, who struck 41 fours and 18 sixes in his record-breaking knock, maintained a steady pace throughout his innings. He faced only 45 deliveries to get to 100 runs, needed another 53 balls to get to 200 runs, and took 54 more to reach his triple century.

His blistering knock catapulted EC Iinyathi to 517 runs in 50 overs and was a perfect way for the Selbone High learner and the Iinyathi to get the 2025 u16 week underway. It also felt as if the teenager’s budding cricket career had been building up to that moment.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment he fell in love with cricket, but once the bug bit, Josh Wilkie never turned back. Ross, his father, has fond memories of returning from work to find his son, around four or five years of age, waiting with a bat and ball for a session in the backyard.

“I always opened the front door and found him waiting for me to play cricket,” said Ross.

The weekends were the best days of the week for Josh Wilkie. The youngster spent hours on the side of the cricket field at Beacon Bay Country Club imitating his father, who is also a wicketkeeper and top-order batsman.

“The more time he spent around the field watching the game of cricket, the more he desired to develop as a cricketer,” Chantelle, his mother, shared.

Josh would have spent all his afternoons in the nets if he could. He took every opportunity to attend club practice sessions, where he would studiously watch the adults go through their paces before replicating their shots while getting throwdowns from Ross.

“My role model is AB de Villiers because of the way he can hit the ball wherever he wants and can play around the whole field and how strong his mind is,” Wilkie revealed.

Like his hero, he is blessed with incredible hand-eye coordination and hand speed. It was a feature of his batting that Ross noticed early and nurtured in their net sessions and backyard matches.

The rest of the world was first treated to Josh Wilkie’s ball striking ability when he struck a well-made 108 for Hudson Park u10A in a match against Stirling‘s u10A side.

Wilkie is a consummate all-rounder. He also bowled and bagged a four-wicket haul in that contest against Stirling u10A. While his primary roles in the Selborne College side are as a batsman and wicketkeeper, he has not allowed his bowling skills to atrophy. He still works on them.

“At school, he plays cricket and rugby and has represented his province in the u13 and u16 age groups. However, his main passion, however, lies with cricket,” Ross said.

Josh, who made his debut for Selborne’s 1st XI in his Grade 9 year, has been a fixture at the top of the order for the school. Since announcing himself to the team with an unbeaten 34, he hasn’t looked back.

“He has continued his fine form from the u16 week and was one of our key contributors in the Eastern Cape final round [of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two competition]. He scored three fifties, notably 54 not to lead Selborne through to book a spot in Pretoria,” Murray Spence, the Selborne Master of Cricket, recalled.

Ross and Chantelle try to be present at each of Josh’s matches, accompanied by Samuel, their younger son. The family beams with pride each time Josh performs well. They also provide him with the necessary reality checks that keep him grounded, even if that comes after he scored a record-breaking 357.

“As parents, our biggest highlight is a primary school game where he walked for nicking the ball, and also being able to let others see his faith in Christ through his sporting abilities,” Ross and Chantelle revealed.

The opener arrives at the Switch Schools SA20 Final Showdown with a clean slate. His mind won’t be cluttered with memories of his past exploits. His primary motivation will be to contribute meaningfully, with the bat and as a wicketkeeper, to Selborne’s campaign.

Jeppe is raring to go and eager to test their skills against some of the nation’s top T20 sides at the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown, from 4-7 March in Pretoria.

The Black Caps, who will represent the Central Gauteng Lions region, put together an outstanding qualifying campaign that was built on their team’s all-round abilities. No single player dominated for them in the preliminary rounds, but all departments contributed to their victories at different moments.

“I think the boys are ready. I think we’ve got a full-strength squad. Our batsmen are in a good space, and we’ve got a nice mixture of spin and pace in the bowling department,” Casey Arnold, the Jeppe Director of Cricket, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

In preparation for the tournament, Jeppe held a handful of alignment camps, where they reiterated their blueprints. They also played a warm-up match against the Clifton T20 champions, Hoërskool Waterkloof, to be exposed to a competitive match situation and test their readiness.

“We tried to simulate a match situation against a good team,” Arnold explained. “They played really nicely against us, so we’re really happy with our preparation. We gave our bowlers jobs under pressure.”

That match was played on Jeppe’s old first team field, and there was a good reason for that choice. It offers more pace and bounce than their other fields. The Tuks Main Oval, where they will play some of their games, also offers pace and bounce.

“We’re expecting it to be a little bit more lively than our bottom field. That’s why we chose it for the preparation,” Arnold said.

He and head coach Craig Templeton will lead a squad that has engineered Jeppe’s transformation into a formidable cricket-playing school. In recent years, the school has won the Johnny Waite title and finished in the super-tough Wildeklawer T20.

The Black Caps will be led by their inspirational captain, Ryan Young. He has been outstanding for them with the bat, and he exhibits tactical nous in the middle of the park. Zizi Mkhize and Lincoln Casais are the other batsmen to look out for in the side. Both have produced sterling performances for the Black Caps over the past 18 months.

While it is easy to look at that trio as Jeppe’s stars with the bat, players like Aiden Reyneke, Vegas Scott, Daniel Keating, Phemelo Sekopane, and Ethan Ferguson have all played their part in either batting the Black Caps to victory or rescuing the side from a sticky situation. Many of those players also possess all-round talent and have taken crucial wickets, too.

Keegan Cockburn, who is enjoying a brilliant run of form with the ball, will spearhead the bowling attack. Jeppe’s experienced campaigners – Reza Ayob, Shreshth Kumar, and Goolam Ahmed – will help to provide them with control of the middle overs and at the death with their skilful bowling.

“I think we’re as ready as we’ll ever be,” Arnold said. “I think our biggest challenge is that we still have to play St. John’s in a 50-over match while trying to prepare for 20 overs. So, we’ve tried turning our training into hybrid sessions. But that’s why we try and keep our blueprints as simple as possible,” he concluded.

Jeppe tackles Graeme College in their first match on Wednesday, 4 March. In the afternoon, they face Affies on the Tuks Oval, when they’ll learn whether their focused preparations paid off or not. They complete their group assignments against Selborne College on Thursday, playing on the Tuks Oval again.

Then, the playoffs follow, from Friday, 6 March.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 4 March
Jeppe vs Graeme, Tuks E, 09:30
Jeppe vs Affies, Tuks Oval, 14:00

Thursday, 5 March
Jeppe vs Selborne, Tuks Oval, 14:00

Squad: Reza Ayob, Goolam Ahmed, Lincoln Casais, Keegan Cockburn, Ethan Elliott, Ethan Ferguson, Daniel Keating, Shreshth Kumar, Zizi Mkhize, Aiden Reyneke, Vegas Scott, Phemelo Sekopane, Ryan Young.

Director of Cricket: Casey Arnold, Coach: Craig Templeton

Ryan Koekemoer, Selborne College’s head coach, and Murray Spence, the school’s Master of Cricket, will lead a balanced side that is eager to make its mark at the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown in Pretoria from 4-7 March.

Selborne produced polished performances in the preliminary rounds of the competition, and they credit the Selborne Big Bash, which is modelled after the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Betway SA20, as one of the reasons for their success.

“The players are put into an auction and bought by teams, franchise owners, should I say, is very much like the SA20 and IPL,” Spence told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I think that has rejuvenated cricket at Selborne and has certainly created excitement around cricket. And I think from that Big Bash weekend, the boys are just really keen to get out onto the park and showcase their skills in the weekend derbies.”

Another vital contributor to Selborne’s success has been a healthy team culture. Spence applauds the work Koekemoer has put into ensuring that the team operates in a positive environment that encourages learning and growth.

“We have made sure that the boys are happy on and off the field. The boys are not afraid to make mistakes, but rather they’re comfortable expressing themselves and showcasing the skills that they have,” Spence explained.

Spence and Koekemoer’s approach to guiding the team has not been a top-down situation where they dictate to the players what should be done. They have included input from the team, captained by Matt Hendry.

He has led the team exceptionally well and was also one of Selborne’s top batsmen in the preliminary rounds. At the Grey High Festival earlier in the season, he scored a magnificent hundred in the second innings of a two-day game against Potch Volkies, and he offers a well-rounded game.

As one of the top run-scorers in the Eastern Cape leg of the Switch Schools SA20 tournament, Hendry, along with Cian O’Niel and Josh Wilkie, is one of the primary drivers of Selborne’s batting.

O’Neil is destructive at the top of the order. More often than not, he puts Selborne on the front foot with his aggressive stroke play. He also pairs well with Wilkie, who can be equally severe on opposition bowlers.

Selborne’s bowlers to watch are Avethandwa Manyongo, Lwando Gwaza, and Daniel Tarr. Manyongo, who finished the 2025 CSA u16 Week as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker, leads their bowling attack. He bowls at a brisk pace and has several change-ups in his arsenal.

Gwaza will help Selborne to control the middle overs with his left-arm spin. He’s fearless and is not intimidated by attacking batsmen, and he goes into The Final Showdown in sublime form.

Referencing the third member of that bowling trio, Spence said: “Daniel Tarr has made a name for himself in indoor cricket. He was selected in the South African u15 side, and he has continued on that pathway in bringing his indoor skills to the outdoor game.”

Tarr’s variations will help Selborne to keep a lid on opposition batsmen who might have trouble reading his slower balls. Like Manyongo, Tarr is a brilliant bowler at the death. He is also handy with the bat and capable of providing Selborne with impetus at the backend.

“The cricket programme at Selborne has grown tremendously in the last few years. We are looking forward to being part of the finals in Pretoria,” Spence said.

Selborne’s challenge begins on Wednesday, 4 March, at 09:30, with a tough assignment against the local side, Affies, who will be one of the favourites to go all the way. In the afternoon, the East London school takes on their fellow Eastern Cape team, Graeme College, from Makhanda.

On Thursday morning, Selborne faces Jeppe. After that, on Friday, The Final Showdown moves into the playoffs.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 4 March
Selborne College vs Affies, 09:30, Tuks D
Selborne College vs Graeme College, 14:00, Tuks D

Thursday, 5 March
Selborne College vs Jeppe, Tuks Oval, 14:00

Squad: Merrick Collins, Reid Drake, Josh Edwards, Rosh Els, Lwando Gwaza, Matthew Hendry, Thomas Lyon, Avetandwa Manyongo, Cian O’Neill, Titus Sweetnam, Daniel Tarr, Josh Wilkie, Afrika Xuba.

Master-in-charge of Sport: Murray Spence, Coach: Ryan Koekemoer

Troy Gordon and Luke Clark recorded half-centuries, then Ryan Erasmus and Steele Grooteman pilfered three powerplay wickets to set King Edward VII (KES) up for a 33-run win over St Stithians College in the final of the  Johnny Waite Trophy, on the Main Oval, at the University of Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon.

Last year, the Red Caps went down to Helpmekaar Kollege in the final. With their win on Wednesday, they won the T20 competition for a second time in the last five years.

“The Johnny Waite is a special tournament. We’re really excited for today, obviously, playing St Stithians in the final, and it was good to see us get over the line,” Matthew Bromley, the victorious captain, said after the contest.

KES, who were put in to bat first after losing the toss, totalled 160/6 in their 20 overs. Their bowlers then banded together to restrict St Stithians to 127/8 in reply.

The Red Caps’ innings started poorly when they lost two of their most dependable batsmen, Urav Mukhija and Matthew Bromley, in the first two overs. Their early dismissals, though, brought Gordon and Clark together, and they set KES on course for a challenging total with an inspired 127-run third-wicket partnership that spanned only 14 overs.

Clark, who scored a brisk 54 from just 39 balls, striking two fours and three sixes, was the first to be dismissed, losing his wicket to Zaakir Hanslo at the close of the 16th over. When he exited, KES was on 138/3. Gordon hung around for 14 more balls, pushing KES to 155/4 before he fell to Tendai Kadyamadare‘s bowling for the innings’ top score of 72 runs from 57 deliveries.

When St Stithians began their reply, Ryan Erasmus and Steele Grooteman struck early, dismissing Ombesa Matsha, Thomas Collins, and Nicholas Bayly to leave Saints on 36/3 after 5.5 overs, which put the Red Caps on the front foot.

Saints rebuilt their innings with a 33-run fourth-wicket partnership between Matthew Katzenstein (17) and Matthew Anderson (25). Connor Kuijers broke that partnership in the 11th over with Katzenstein’s dismissal.

Then KES strengthened their position with two wickets in the next over, with Luke Clark, the Player of the Match, accounting for Akhil Challa and Didier Le Roux in consecutive deliveries.

Tendai Kadyamadare (27) and Zaakir Hanslo (21) gave St Stithians a boost at the backend. It was, however, too little too late.

Clark was the pick of the KES bowlers, capturing 2/13 from three overs, while Ryan Erasmus and Connor Kuijers also claimed a brace of wickets each, and Tyler Cloete and Steele Grooteman chipped in with a wicket apiece.

“The boys showed a hell of a good fight after the disappointment of the SA20, where we lost to Jeppe,” Pieter van Rooyen, the KES coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“To come back to show that discipline and fight to win the Johnny Waite trophy is unbelievable. So yeah, I’m very proud of my boys.”

Summarised Scorecard

King Edward VII 160/6 (Troy Gordon 72, Luke Clark 54; Tendai Kadyamadare 3/22, Zaakir Hanslo 2/20). St Stithians 127/8 (Tendai Kadyamadare 27, Matthew Anderson 25; Luke Clark 2/13, Ryan Erasmus 2/19, Connor Kuijers 2/22). King Edward VII won by 33 runs.

Thokozani Malinga didn’t hold his emotions back, but he did wipe the tears from his face. He was crying and smiling at the same time, and he had a good reason to be overwhelmed by emotions. He had just watched his son, Zizi Mkhize, score one of the best centuries he had witnessed from the 16-year-old.

The Jeppe learner had scored a brilliant match-saving 127 from 123 deliveries for Kagiso CC‘s premier league side in their match against North West University Vaal‘s first team.

Mkhize’s skill and awareness in shot selection made it appear as if he was facing a different bowling attack from the rest of his teammates. No other Kagiso batsman made it to 25 runs.

“The odds were against us, but Zizi’s five-wicket haul and century helped us win the game. Even the opponents were not shy to tell us that Zizi is talented,” Malinga recalled.

It was a coming-of-age performance by the teenager. The young boy, who used to wear his brother’s oversized pads to face balls in the backyard and in the living room when it was raining, had proved himself against experienced men.

His innings explained why he has been a fixture in Jeppe‘s top order since his debut in 2024. When a player suffered an injury, he was called up to the 1st XI after scoring three centuries and several half-centuries for the u15A side. He grabbed his opportunity and hasn’t relinquished his position in the top three.

It didn’t take long, too, before the teenager showed the Jeppe coaches that he was more than just a top-order batsman. He was more like a miniature version of Donovan Ferreira, who bats, bowls, and keeps wicket. Like the Proteas’ star, Mkhize is competent in all three disciplines.

“He is one of the most talented players I have ever seen. He can impact the game with batting, bowling, and fielding. The impact he can have in all three spheres is incredible, and that makes him special,” Casey Arnold, the Jeppe coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Many of Mkhize’s abilities are genetic; his father played before transitioning to coaching, and his older brother, Nkanyiso, is part of the DP World Lions Academy.

However, the 16-year-old doesn’t just lean on his talents. During the holidays, when he is separated from Jeppe’s facilities, Mkhize walks 45 minutes from his home to the nearest nets to practice.

Mkhize, who grew up idolising Quinton de Kock, has always embodied his hero’s dedication to the sport. Dane Vilas, who spent years on the fringes of the Proteas, revealed that De Kock’s commitment to playing international cricket led to him batting through injuries and niggles.

The best example of Mkhize emulating that came in the Sunfoil Hub Tournament in 2022. Mkhize suffered a broken nose and cuts to his face after trying to field a ball off his own bowling. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment. Yet, he returned in time to score an unbeaten 78, which carried his team to victory.

When questioned about his favourite innings, Mkhize pointed to his performance against South African College High School (SACS) in Cape Town early last year. The 16-year-old scored a match-winning 112 runs from 98 balls and also bagged two wickets for 26 runs in six overs.

The opener will draw inspiration from that performance against SACS when he takes to the field at the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Final Showdown. He will be one of three Jeppe batsmen on whom to keep an eye, alongside his captain, Ryan Young, and Lincoln Casais.