Author: mbloem

In recent decades, the St Andrew’s School has made its mark on the national stage, taking on many of the best teams from KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng.

They play with grit and, in the Free State, they’ve had the number of the redoubtable Grey College for some time now, including beating their local rivals on the last three occasions they have met across all competitions.

Much like last year, Saints won both the Free State and Central Region titles of the Switch Schools SA20 competition.

In last year’s Final Showdown, while they didn’t achieve the results they were chasing, they received the Spirit of the Week Award for the manner in which they played the game.

This year, they’re determined to improve on their 2025 showing, with the national title being a tasty carrot dangling in front of them.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet noted that one needs three key ingredients to achieve a goal: “Sith I have cause (reason) and will (desire) and means (resources) to do it.”

The Saints’ cause and will are clear. Of course, they want to enhance their prosperous cricketing legacy.

Inside their Lindsay Tuckett High Performance Centre, one of the best indoor cricket facilities in the country, hangs a banner. It celebrates St Andrew’s winning a national T20 title in 2018, in the forerunner of the Switch Schools SA20, the Coca-Cola T20.

That team, captained by Knights‘ wicketkeeper-batsman, Garnett Tarr, and featuring Proteas’ fast bowler, Gerald Coetzee, has set the standard to which Saints’ teams aspire. That banner serves to remind the 2026 side of the stature of the goal that they’re pursuing.

The current squad is talented and features two matric pupils, hard-hitting batsman FG Botha and leg-spinner Nikhil Sukraj, who were members of the Free State u19 Khaya Majola Squad in 2025.

However, St Andrew’s campaign won’t rest on their shoulders alone. The team is laden with all-rounders – including Heindré Serfontein, Jonathan Hickley, and Erhard Bahrends – who are capable of delivering match-winning contributions with both bat and ball.

With it now being the Year of the Horse, according to the Chinese New Year, and Paarl Boys’ High having knocked out last year’s national winners, Bishops, in the second phase, 2026 could be the year of the dark horse, with one of the respected, yet unfavoured contenders going all the way to national title glory. St Andrew’s School dearly wants to fill that position.

St Andrew’s Schools’ side: 

FG Botha, Reuben van Aarde, Heindré Serfontein, Jonathan Hickley, Nikhil Sukraj, Grové du Preez, Ryle Beckmann, Erhard Barends, Berno Coetzee, Bohlokwa Leketa, WJ Lindhout, Schalk van Rensburg, Harbin Smith.

Right-arm leg-spinner Nikhil Sukraj was deadly in the second phase of the Switch Schools SA20, picking up 10 wickets across five games in the second phase to help St Andrew’s School reach The Final Showdown, which starts at the University of Pretoria on Wednesday, 4 March.

Head Coach AJ van Wyk spoke of Sukraj’s cricketing evolution during his high school career with SuperSport Schools Plus: “I saw Nikhil first bowl at Free State trials in his Grade eight year. He was in a different school at the time. He had a lot of potential, and I made a plan to get him over to our side, where he started in his Grade 10 year.

“When he arrived, his fielding and fitness weren’t up to our standards, but with an incredible work ethic, he quickly caught up and is now one of our most reliable fielders.

“He also drastically improved his power-hitting with the bat. He has progressed to a point where he earned himself a spot in last year’s Free State u19 Khaya Majola team, as well.”

Van Wyk also lauded Sukraj’s personality: “He’s also an extremely likeable person, and not just among the cricketers, but the school at large. He’s become a Deputy Head Boy at the school and in the hostel as well.

“He’s also extremely dedicated to his academics. At the end of last year, he was just a few marks shy of earning 100 percent for accounting. He’s one of the pillars of our side. If he’s not around, it feels like the team is missing something.”

Sukraj, reflecting the diligent personality to which Van Wyk referred, told SuperSport Schools Plus he has been working hard to develop his all-round game: “There’s always something to improve and work on, as you can never stop growing and learning, especially in the game of cricket.

If there’s a specific part of my game that I’d like to work on, it would be my batting. I want to develop my batting and be able to contribute more regularly to the team when called upon.”

When asked about his ambitions for the next five years, the Free State u19 Khaya Majola Week spinner spoke of both his short-term and long-term goals: “My immediate goal is to help Saint Andrew’s win the Switch Schools SA20 title. A longer-term goal would be to play at the CSA Cubs Week in January 2027.

“Other than that, I try not to think too far ahead, and I take every day as an opportunity to improve both as a cricketer and as a person.

“As for my personal life, I want to keep growing as a leader and continue staying true to my values.

“I’d also like to study accounting after school and go into the chartered accounting field.”

The Deputy Head Boy also shared his early childhood memories of the sport: “My earliest memory of cricket is from playing in the yard with my dad. We’d often play ‘test matches’ until late in the evening until it got too dark to see the ball.

“I also remember watching Imran Tahir and loving the passion with which he celebrated every wicket, which is what inspired me to start bowling leg spin.”

The Saints star’s resilience brings to mind a quote from Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel, The Old Man and the Sea: “‘But man is not made for defeat,’ he said. ‘A man can be destroyed but not defeated.’”

While one’s physical body can be destroyed, a strong spirit remains unbreakable.

With a keen intellect and relentless work ethic, Nikhil Sukraj will pose a threat to all batsmen who stand in his path at the Switch Schools SA20 Final Showdown.

Boland Landbou hit the road for a visit to Wynberg Boys’ High‘s Jacques Kallis Oval on Tuesday afternoon for a T20 clash.

Batting first, it was a rough start for the visitors, with both of their openers being dismissed on nine runs, followed by the next two men going out for ducks.

Josh Nicholson, who captured 2/17 in four overs, was responsible for the latter two. Fawaaz Hendricks also removed two batsmen and claimed 2/21 in four.

Gideon Kotze, batting at eight, was the Farmers‘ top scorer with a modest 16 runs from 16 balls. Thanks to some excellent bowling and fielding, the Paarl school was restricted to a modest 96/8 after their 20 overs.

Wynberg, in response, made a cautious start, with their top-order all recording strike rates under 80.

Niyaaz Allie, their number three batsman, became the first player in the match to make more than 20. He hammered a four and six each to add 23 off 30 deliveries to the Wynberg total.

Boland Landbou captain, Francois Prins, claimed 2/22 in four overs, but he was the lone visiting bowler to pick up multiple wickets.

His counterpart, Michail Tarentaal, batting at four, seized the day. He blasted four fours and two sixes to tally an unbeaten 53 off 40, which drove his side to victory after 16.3 overs, when they reached 97/3 to win the match by a solid seven-wicket margin.

Summarised Scorecard

Boland Landbou 96/8 (Josh Nicholson 2/17, Fawaaz Hendricks 2/21); Wynberg Boys’ High 97/3 (Michail Tarentaal 53*, Niyaaz Allie 23; Francois Prins 2/22). Wynberg won by seven wickets.

Last season, under Head Coach Wes Chetty, the Bishops’ 1st XV endured some defeats; however, despite those losses, something always stood out, and that was that they often scored more points than their opposition in the last 15 minutes of the match.

They showed resilience, and that fighting quality continued under Sam Mofokeng when he served as the interim Head Coach from July before being officially appointed to the position in 2026.

He joined the Cape Town school six years ago as an English teacher, when he was also handed some rugby coaching roles. Rugby became a part of his life a long time before that, however.

“My earliest memory of rugby can be traced back to when I watched the 1995 Rugby World Cup,” he recalled. “I remember watching us [South Africa] play in the opening game versus Australia in the TV room of my primary school’s boarding house.”

From there, his love for the game grew, and the technical aspects of the sport interested him: “I developed a love for the tactical side of the game. Even as a player at school, I read a lot of coaching books. I looked forward to the coaching section of the physical SA Rugby Magazine that my friend’s father subscribed to, using it to try and improve my own game.

“What got me excited about coaching was reading Total Rugby by Jim Greenwood, and being at Michaelhouse as a young coach during the era in which Ryno Combrinck was their Director of Rugby.”

The 1st XV coach has continued to be an astute student of the game. He shared some of the highlights of his studies with SuperSport Schools Plus: “My biggest achievement as a coach is obtaining my level three qualification from SARU (South African Rugby Union). It’s a really rigorous course, and I had to do it in the tricky Covid-19 period, where I had two abandoned seasons to negotiate.”

When asked about his personal coaching heroes, Mofokeng once again shone the spotlight on his time at Michaelhouse: “Ryno Combrinck; what he did to that Michaelhouse programme was incredible. In terms of combining an exciting style of play with big results, his era will always be a reference point for future generations of that school.”

“Bafana Nhleko and Joey Mongalo also had huge influences on me. In tough circumstances, these men have achieved a lot in the game. They are curious people, but, most importantly, they are generous with their knowledge.

“Some other personal coaching heroes of mine are Michael Loftman and Rhulani Mokoena. They are young coaches who innovate, and have become some of the best in the world in terms of coaching methodology.”

He plans on using his earned knowledge to fulfil his goals with the Bishops’ 1st XV: “My ambition is simple and cliché. It’s to help the boys in my team to play the best rugby they can that both the past and present school community recognises – and, of course, I want them to enjoy it as much as possible.”

As the American writer David Foster Wallace once noted: “A real leader can somehow get us to do certain things that deep down we think are good and want to be able to do, but usually can’t get ourselves to do on our own.”

With Sam Mofokeng steering the ship, the Diocesan College 1st XV is intent on combining their coach’s technical know-how with their traditional exciting approach to the game to lift them to greater success in 2026.

Turning back the clock to August 2025, the SACS first XV trailed Bishops 6-18 in a southern suburbs’ derby early in the second half. A rain-soaked Memorial A Field was covered in mud, but SACS had plenty of fight left, and they kept pressing until the final whistle.

In a remarkable finish, they scored two tries in the last minute of the game to grab a morale-boosting draw.

This year, their squad reveals no significant additions from outside. SACS is trusting in home-grown talent to deliver in 2026.

There has, however, been a change in the coaching department, Graeme Wepener, the SACS first XV manager, told SuperSport Schools Plus: “We have appointed a new head coach, Kofi Appiah. He was previously an assistant coach for the Rondebosch Boys’ High first XV and is currently an assistant coach of the UCT Young Guns.

“Our previous first XV coach, Nick Maurer, stays on as the Teacher in Charge and will coach defence, while Josh Strauss will again take over coaching the forwards, as he did in 2022/23.” Strauss represented Scotland in 15 test matches.

Wepener also touched on the make-up of the squad: “We were very matric-heavy in 2025. Out of the Grade 11 boys, tighthead prop Qiraan Hermans (Grant Khomo in 2024) was a regular starter last year. Lock Cameron Hirst also has a good number of caps. Prop/Lock RJ Cunningham finished the season strongly, while Rob Boyes (flyhalf), Dayyaan Conrad (centre – Grant Khomo 2024), Josh Gorgens (wing) and Stephan Kruger (lock) accumulated caps throughout the season.”

Optimism comes in the shape of last year’s u16 players, who should provide the SACS squad with a big boost. “Our incoming Grade 11s had a good u16A season, with six of them representing the WP Grant Khomo team, namely Nahum Koen (fullback), Luca Orgill and James Sale (both centres), Jake Dave (flyhalf), Jordan Forbes (scrumhalf) and Luca Liebenberg (loosehead prop).

In addition, two boys made the WP Grant Khomo XV, in Deen Fortuin (tighthead prop) and Joshua Philander (lock). The six WP Grant Khomo starters should all stand a good chance of doing the same for the 2026 SACS first XV.”

South Africa’s oldest school also features a player whose father sports an international sporting pedigree; Wepener spoke highly of Luke McKenzie, who might slot into Mikey Skeeles’ role as an explosive outside centre: “Outside centre/wing Luke McKenzie was injured all of last season, but should be in the squad for the 2026 season. His dad, Neil, played cricket for the Proteas.”

Head coach Kofi Appiah shared his ambitions for the 2026 season, outlining some cornerstones of the SACS approach: “We aim to play with respect, discipline, hard work and creativity, to develop a brand of rugby that becomes synonymous with SACS over the next few years.

“We want to inspire the next generation of SACS Rugby players by creating an atmosphere of enjoyment around our school and community.

“We aim to be more competitive against our southern suburbs ‘rivals’, as well as against more fancied schools from the Paarl and Stellenbosch areas. We are not chasing individual accolades. However, should we get any provincial representatives from our team, that will be a bonus.”

Coach Appiah also said playing in festivals and derby fixtures will help the team grow: “Our six southern suburbs derby weekends are always a highlight.

“Over Easter, we are attending the Pretoria Boys High 125 Festival, where we play the hosts in the main game, followed by Maritzburg College, on Easter Monday.

“We also play Selborne College and Kearsney College at the Grey High Festival in May. Those four fixtures against traditional boys’ schools will be amazing opportunities for the boys.”

With young blood being thrown into the mix, SACS could face growing pains while the players adapt to the new approach adopted by management. They won’t, however, be hamstrung by a lack of talent, which makes the SACS first XV a team with intriguing potential and one on which to keep an eye.

In 2026, will the first XV, when put to the test, be able to claw its way out of the mud? Like they did against Bishops in 2025?

SACS Fixtures 2026 

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Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool

Rondebosch Boys’ High chose to bat first at home in a 50-over bout against Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) when the toss went their way on Sunday.

‘Bosch, though, struggled to create momentum against the visitors’ disciplined attack. Tyler Heyns, batting at three, was their leading performer, making 47 from 69 deliveries, with four fours and a six.

Support was lacking, however, and only Zion van Rensburg, the number nine batsman, also made it beyond the teens. His contribution was 21 from 42 balls.

The Rondebosch innings lasted 43.2 overs and ended with the hosts all out for 132.

Nico Loggenberg turned the screws on Rondebosch, sending down 10 miserly overs of spin, which brought him a fantastic return of 3/14.

The opening bowlers, Zian Labuschagne and Armin Snyman, were effective, too. Labuschagne knocked over 3/24 in nine overs, while Snyman got rid of both openers and finished with 2/35 from eight.

Affies then made light work of the run chase, with AJ Morkel ending the weekend as he started it: with another match-winning performance. The opener thumped nine fours and blasted two sixes in an undefeated 76 off 73, while his opening partner Dylan Stander weighed in with 42 off 60 as the pair took the visitors to the brink of victory with a 119-run first-wicket stand.

Arin Spiller earned the home side’s sole wicket when he bowled Stander. His tidy spell brought him 1/10 in five overs.

It was Affies’ day, though, and they reached 133/1 after 23.5 overs to record a handsome nine-wicket victory.

Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Grey College

In Stellenbosch, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) batted first after winning the toss in their limited-overs match against Grey College.

The visitors, after wins over Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys’ High, were aiming to make it three out of three on the weekend, and their attack came out with all guns blazing.

Opening bowler Juan Maree heaped pressure on PRG, delivering three maidens in his 10 overs. He completed them with a tidy haul of 2/24, and was primarily responsible for the hosts’ early struggles, which left them on 39/3.

Aiden Titus, who entered after the fall of the second wicket, provided the home side with some stability, hitting four fours in an otherwise conservative 36 runs off 65 balls.

All the way down the order, at eight, Dion Slabber did a good job with the tailenders, farming the strike while chipping in with 32.

After their 50 overs, Paul Roos had posted 197/9.

Christian Kind, batting third for Grey College, led their run pursuit, striking the ball cleanly, which brought him 11 fours and 81 runs from 93 balls.

Juan Maree showed off his all-round game by contributing 27 from 31 balls, which was Grey’s second-best individual score.

The Paarl Roos bowlers enjoyed success, though. Roux Joubert snapped up an impressive 4/46, while Keeno Loggenberg claimed 2/49. It was left to Dion Slabber to wrap up a slim victory, however. He bowled Michael Sacks in the 43rd over, stopping Grey’s reply at 187 all out, to finish with a telling return of 3/30 from 9.2 overs.

It was tight, but PRG’s 10-run win prevented Grey College from returning home with a clean record from their Boland sojourn.

Summarised Scorecards

Rondebosch Boys’ High 132/10 (Tyler Heyns 47, Zion van Rensburg 21; Nico Loggenberg 3/14, Zian Labuschagne 3/24, Armin Snyman 2/35); Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool 133/1 (AJ Morkel 76*, Dylan Stander 42). Affies won by nine wickets.

Paul Roos Gimnasium 197/9 (Aiden Titus 36, Dion Slabber 32, Roux Joubert 23, Christiaan Fouché 22, Marcus Conradie 22; Juan Maree 2/24); Grey College 187/10 (Aiden Dodd 81, Juan Maree 27, Peter le Roux 26, Daniel Hattingh 22; Roux Joubert 4/46, Dion Slabber 3/30, Keeno Loggenberg 2/49). Paul Roos won by 10 runs. 

After finding themselves on 31/3 nine overs into their 50-over contest on Saturday, the hosts, Paarl Gimnasium, might have been doubting their decision to bat first against Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG).

However, their innings steadied when Franco Boonzaaier, at three, and Matt Dippenaar, at five, partnered for 22.1 overs to provide 79 runs for the fourth wicket.

Boonzaaier hit four fours in his slow and steady 37 runs off 86 balls, while Dippenaar tallied five fours and a six in his 49 off 70.

After Boonzaaier’s dismissal, De Waal Vivier made his way to the crease and added a useful 38 off 48 to help Gimmies to 204/9 from their 50 overs.

Dion Slabber led the PRG attack, boasting a return of 3/38 from his 10 overs. Roux Joubert played his part by picking up the last two middle-order batsmen in his 2/25.

Morné Pauw‘s 10 overs brought him 2/32, while James Holm bagged 2/38.

The Paul Roos reply, after a slow start, gained some momentum from their number three batsman, Aiden Titus, who struck two sixes and a four in his 24 off 32 deliveries. At 61/2, the visitors were well set to chase down their 205-run target.

However, in a dramatic twist, Matt Dippenaar turned the contest on its head. He sent down 10 overs, which tore through the Paul Roos batting, capturing 6/29.

Marcus Conradie stood firm, cracking six fours in his unbeaten 60 off 97, but all around him, his teammates fell. In the end, they came up well short of Paarl Gimnasium, bowled out for 166 after 43.4 overs, which left Gim with a comfortable 38-run win.

Summarised Scorecard

Paarl Gimnasium 204/9 (Matt Dippenaar 49, De Waal Vivier 38, Franco Boonzaaier 37, Christopher Hudson 26, Extras 21; Dion Slabber 3/38, Roux Joubert 2/25, Morné Pauw 2/32, James Holm 2/38); Paul Roos Gimnasium 166/10 (Marcus Conradie 60*, Aiden Titus 24, Morné Pauw 23; Matt Dippenaar 6/29). Paarl Gimnasium won by 38 runs.

Cornwall Hill College vs Helpmekaar Kollege

On Sunday, the final day of the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, Cornwall Hill College hosted Helpmekaar Kollege in a T20 match at their Van der Byl Oval.

The hosts had won two of three previous matches, with their fixture against Clifton School being abandoned because of a Highveld storm.

When the coin flip went their way, Cornwall inserted Helpmekaar to bat. Opener Ewald Haasbroek got the visitors off to a strong start, thumping two fours and a six in a speedy 31 runs off 21 balls.

However, it was not until Keegan van Schoor arrived at number six that another Helpies’ batsman recorded a double-digit contribution. He did a good job, though, striking four fours in the innings’ top score of 42 off 35 deliveries.

Kirill Broughton was in a flow state with the ball, capturing 4/11 in four overs, while Rourke de Lange also claimed multiple wickets, taking 2/13 in a three-over spell.

Helpmekaar’s innings came to an end off the last ball of their 20 overs, with the visitors limited to 115 all out.

Cornwall Hill College’s reply began poorly, with Heinrich Minnaar removing both openers, on his way to a return of 2/17 from 3.5 overs.

The home side took that in their stride, regathered and took charge. Rourke de Lange, at three, and Zander Davel, at four, combined for a 92-run third-wicket partnership.

Davel led the way, clobbering five fours and three sixes in his stay of 60 off 52 balls, while De Lange was more circumspect, facing 39 balls for his 38.

After 17.5 overs, Cornwall Hill made it over the line, reaching 116/3 to win the match by a comfortable seven-wicket margin.

Uplands College vs St Andrew’s School

Playing at Cornwall Hill College’s Parke de Terrace on Sunday, St Andrew’s School won the toss and decided to field first against Uplands College. That proved to be an excellent call.

The bowling trio of Ryle Beckmann, Nikhil Sukraj and Berno Coetsee was in lethal form. Beckman remained a constant threat with his left-arm spin in the early and middle overs, snaring an excellent 4/11 across four overs.

Sukraj claimed 2/17 in four with his leg spin, while Berno Coetsee cleaned out the tail, knocking over 3/10 in his three-over spell as Uplands College finished with only 87 all out in 19 overs.

Openers Graeme Spear and Mfundo Mthimunye were the only batsmen from the White River school to make it to double figures. Spear contributed 17 runs off 23 balls, while Mthimunye smashed four fours in the innings’ best of 28 off 31. They posted 46 runs for the first wicket, but once they were broken up, the Uplands’ innings fell apart.

The Bloemfontein boys went after the victory target with aggression, not bothering with a settling-in period. Opening batsman, Jonathan Hickley, led the way, slamming eight fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 55 off only 29 deliveries.

Heindré Serfontein, batting at three, weighed in with 27 not out off 16 balls as he and Hickley partnered for a rapid 89 off only 43 balls, which lifted Saints to 90/1 after 7.5 overs, giving them victory by nine wickets.

Benjamin Kazandjies was the lone Uplands’ bowler to pick up a wicket. He finished with 1/33 from three overs.

Summarised Scorecard

Helpmekaar Kollege 115/10 (Keegan van Schoor 42, Ewald Haasbroek 31; Kirill Broughton 4/11, Rourke de Lange 2/13); Cornwall Hill College 116/3 (Zander Davel 60, Rourke de Lange 38*; Heinrich Minnaar 2/17). Cornwall Hill won the match by seven wickets.

Uplands College 87/10 (Mfundo Mthimunye 28; Ryle Beckman 4/11, Berno Coetsee 3/10, Nikhil Sukraj 2/17); St Andrew’s School 90/1 (Jonathan Hickley 55*, Heindré Serfontein 27*). St Andrew’s School won by nine wickets. 

Paarl Boys’ High vs Grey College

Opener AB Jacobs was on fire for Paarl Boys’ High when they hosted Grey College, who had defeated Paarl Gimnasium on Friday, in a 50-over match on Saturday.

The Bloemfontein outfit was eager to add another Paarl scalp, and they had the first order of business go their way by winning the toss. They opted to bowl first.

Jacobs responded by turning up the heat, thumping seven fours and seven sixes in a 59-ball stay that brought him 85 runs

Batting at six, Daniel Francke was the next-highest scorer, striking four fours and a six in his 33 off 26.

Grey College threw the kitchen sink at their hosts, with nine of their 11 players getting a turn to bowl. Danny Hayidakis was the only one of the nine to bowl his full 10 overs, returning 3/40.

Christoph Bronn, meanwhile, claimed an efficient 2/26 in nine overs, while Juan Maree picked up 2/43 across seven overs.

After 42.3 overs, Boishaai was bowled out for 211.

Grey College’s innings was given early impetus by opener Peter le Roux, who struck five fours and a six in his 46 off 58.

When he was joined by number five batsman, River Scott, the innings caught fire, with the duo adding 75 off only 47 balls for the third wicket. Scott was immense, launching an all-out assault, which brought him seven fours and seven sixes, and an undefeated 87 off only 48 deliveries.

Grey raced along at seven runs per over and, after 30.3, they passed the victory target, finishing on 214/5 to claim victory by five wickets.

Boland Landbou vs Hoërskool Durbanville

In a 50-over contest at their Stiaan van Zyl Oval on Saturday, Boland Landbou elected to field first against Hoërskool Durbanville.

Durbies’ first four batsmen liked that decision. They all tallied between 25 and 35 runs. Openers Juan van Coller and Johan Potgieter contributed the most, with Van Coller hitting four fours and a six to record 32 runs off 28 balls.

Meanwhile, Potgieter top-scored with 35 off 33, hammering five fours and a six along the way. Together, they posted a hasty 65 from only 57 balls.

The Farmers‘ bowling attack was consistent, with all seven bowlers claiming at least one wicket.

Troy Davis picked up a tidy 2/29 in 10 overs, Kristian de Wet returned 2/15 in six, and in a four-over spell near the end of the innings, Matthew Geldenhuys earned his side’s most miserly figures, snapping up 2/7 at an economy rate of only 1.5 runs per over.

Despite their strong start, the visitors were dispatched for a middling 176 after 45.3 overs.

Boland Landbou’s reply started well, but trailed off, and they were bowled out for 160, leaving Durbanville with a hard-fought 16-run win.

Kobus Conradie delivered a resolute 63 at the top of the order, surviving 120 deliveries before he was run out for the match’s highest score. He had made the chase look comfortable. However, once the home side lost their captain, Francois Prins, that left them on 92/3, matters headed south.

Jan-Oscar van Tonder and Braam Smit found their rhythm and played a big role in Durbies’ success. Van Tonder was outstanding, capturing 3/26 from 10 overs, while Smit clean-bowled two of his victims in his 3/36.

Summarised Scorecards

Paarl Boys’ High 211/10 (AB Jacobs 85, Daniel Francke 33, Aden Batt 23; Danny Hayidakis 3/40, Christoph Bronn 2/26); Grey College 214/5 (River Scott 87*, Peter le Roux 45; AB Jacobs 2/27). Grey College won by five wickets.

Hoërskool Durbanville 176/10 (Johan Potgieter 35, Juan van Coller 32, Dante Mouton 29, Jan Oscar van Tonder 26; Matthew Geldenhuys 2/7, Kristian de Wet 2/15, Troy Davis 2/29); Boland Landbou 160/10 (Kobus Conradie 63, Extras 23; Jan-Oscar van Tonder 3/26, Braam Smit 3/36). Durbanville won by 16 runs.

St. Andrew’s College vs Bishops Diocesan College

On day three of the Independent Schools Cricket Festival (ISCF), Bishops Diocesan College earned a second win in three games, with a victory over St Andrew’s College on the Murray Oval on Saturday.

Opener Ibraheem Taliep was the first Bishops’ batsman to impress, hammering two sixes and a four in a 46-ball stay, which brought him 36 runs.

Pace-bowling all-rounder, Waco Bassick, was the fourth man to the crease, where he settled in to strike three fours and two sixes in his 69 off 98.

Batting at seven, Harry Morgan picked up the pace, cracking three fours and four sixes in a hasty 66 off 54, which helped to boost Bishops to 265 all out after 49.5 overs.

Ethan Malan recorded the best figures for St Andrew’s, claiming 2/26 in five overs, while Will Stevens returned 2/41.

With rain impacting play, St Andrew’s was set a revised target of 165 off 30 overs. They came up short.

Connor Holder, the Makhanda side’s number four batsman, did enough to set up a successful run chase, though, sending six balls to the boundary in his 38 off 34, and Caleb Emslie, at five, chipped in with 29, but the Bishops’ bowlers held sway.

Thaafier Japhta led the way, collecting 3/25 in 6.1 overs, while Matthew Schultz returned 2/27 in five.

The St Andrew’s College run chase never quite hit its stride and, after 29.1 overs, they were bowled out for 137, leaving Bishops as the winner by a 27-run margin via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.

St. John’s College vs Michaelhouse

St. John’s College hosted Michaelhouse on their Mitchell Field on Saturday, where they elected to field first after the coin flip favoured the hosts.

Captain Nkosana Sibiya‘s attack responded well to the challenge, bowling tightly to restrict ‘House to 159 all out from 46.4 overs.

Opening batsman Victor North led the way for the Balgowan boys with an aggressive knock, smashing five fours and three sixes in the innings’ top score of 50 off 46 deliveries.

Riley Muir, who entered after the fall of the first wicket, struck six fours in an otherwise conservative 37 off 64 as he and North added 82 for the second wicket in 16.1 overs.

Once North departed, though, the home bowlers stole the show. Ethan Robinson procured 4/34 in 8.4 overs, while Tapiwa Chikwavha claimed 2/29. Each of the other four bowlers claimed a wicket.

When rain intervened, St John’s was set a revised victory target of 116 off 30 overs. Their skipper, Nkosana Sibiya, ensured they chased it down by anchoring the home team’s innings with an unbeaten 46 off 71 balls, which featured five fours.

Rendani Nonge shook the hosts with his 2/26 from six overs, but Tapiwa Chikwavha settled their nerves by counterattacking effectively at five.

His undefeated 32 off 25 included a six and four fours, and he and Sibiya shared an unbroken 46-run fourth wicket partnership to see their side over the finishing line to a seven-wicket victory in 25 overs.

Summarised Scorecard

Bishops Diocesan College 265/10 (Waco Bassick 69, Harry Morgan 66, Ibraheem Taliep 36, Extras 23, Thaafier Japhta 22; Ethan Malan 2/26, William Stevens 2/41); St Andrew’s College 137/10 (Connor Holder 38, Caleb Emslie 29; Thaafier Japhta 3/25, Matthew Schultz 2/27). Bishops won by 27 runs via the DLS method.

Michaelhouse 159/10 (Victor North 50, Riley Muir 37; Ethan Robinson 4/34, Tapiwa Chikwavha 2/29); St John’s College 119/3 (Nkosana Sibiya 46*, Tapiwa Chikwavha 32*; Rendani Nonge 2/17). St John’s won by seven wickets via the DLS method.