Batting first at home, in a limited-overs clash, the Hoërskool Fichardtpark top-order provided consistent efforts against the visiting Welkom Gimnasium on Saturday.
Damian Mulder top-scored with a patient 36 runs off 70 deliveries, while his opening partner, Jaden Geldenhuys, also showed restraint in his 35 off 60.
Diederik de Vos, batting at three, was a little more aggressive, weighing in with 31 off 48.
After the dismissal of the top three, though, Gim’s Dian Erasmus turned venomous, knocking over 6/36 across 9.3 overs.
Bryan Haywood lent good support, bagging 3/30 in 10 overs, which led to the home side being bowled out for 167 after 46.3 overs.
Welkom Gimnasium responded with 168/7 in 37.1 overs to claim a three-wicket win. Luhan Botha hammered two fours and a six in his 30 off 40 balls, while Aiden Hewitt contributed 27 from 47.
Dylan Gerener starred with the ball, picking up a miserly 2/19 in 10 overs, while Damian Mulder recorded figures of 2/20 in a three-over spell.
Fichies, though, were the architects of their own defeat, conceding a huge 49 extras, which included 42 wides. With better bowling discipline, they could have claimed victory. Instead, Welkom Gimnasium returned home as winners.
Summarised Scorecard
Hoërskool Fichardtpark 167/10 (Damian Mulder 36, Jaden Geldenhuys 35, Diederik de Vos 31, Daniel Badenhorst 23*; Dian Erasmus 6/36; Bryan Haywood 3/30); Welkom Gimnasium 168/7 (Extras 49, Aiden Hewitt 30, Luhan Botha 27; Dylan Gerener 2/19, Damian Mulder 2/20). Welkom Gimnasium won by three wickets.
They lost the toss in a win over Paul Roos on Friday and were made to bat first. On Saturday, when they won the toss at Wynberg Boys’ High‘s Jacques Kallis Oval, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) decided to field first.
They made that decision count, with Vihan Pretorius and Armin Snyman leading a penetrative attack, which kept Wynberg on the defensive.
Pretorius captured 4/12 in 8.2 overs, while Snyman bowled five maidens in his nine overs, knocking over 3/14.
Noah du Plooy, batting at six, defiantly scored a patient and unbeaten 22 runs off 81 deliveries. He also shared a 48-run seventh-wicket partnership with Chad Campbell, who top-scored for the hosts, striking three fours and two sixes in his run-a-ball 41.
After a tough 45.2 overs, Wynberg was dismissed for 114 runs.
The Affies’ reply began disastrously, with two of their top-order batsmen being dismissed for ducks by way of run out.
Vihan Pretorious showed off his all-round game, though, by entering at the fall of the second wicket and taking charge. He smashed six fours and four sixes in an unbeaten tally of 72 off 62 deliveries to take the game away from Wynberg.
Daniel Murray was with him when a seven-wicket victory was achieved in 21 overs, unbeaten on 19 off 25 balls, which included two fours. Together, he and Pretorius compiled a 56-run fourth-wicket stand.
Bowling a full quota of 10 overs, Fawaaz Hendricks was the lone home bowler to claim a wicket, collecting 1/38.
Parel Vallei High vs Reddam House Constantia
Playing away from home on Saturday, Parel Vallei High(PV) was made to field first after Reddam House Constantia won the toss in their 50-over affair.
The Somerset West school’s bowlers responded with a strong performance. Chris Hughes was on song, capturing 3/3 in 3.1 overs, while the dangerous Daniel Dreyer preceded Hughes’s devastating spell by claiming 3/19 in his six overs.
Imtiaz Oliver and Dirk van Zyl played their part, too, with both returning 2/14.
Batting at six, Hayden Blanckensee was the top-scorer for the hosts, hitting two fours in his modest 14 off 16 balls. Connor Duncan, at 10, was the second Constantia batsman to tally double figures, finishing with 12 not out, which featured the only six of the innings.
In 29.1 overs, Reddam House Constantia was bowled out for only 68. Chasing down that sub-standard total proved to be a doddle for Parel Vallei.
Opener Sean Grant fell for 17, caught by Connor Duncan off Jack Hindmarch, but that was Reddam’s lone wicket-taking success.
After Grant’s exit, PV hurried their way across the finishing line, with Luke Engelbrecht and Daniel Adonis sharing an unbroken 39-run partnership for the second wicket.
Engelbrecht contributed 22 off 27, while Adonis smashed a six in his 18 off 13.
In just 9.1 overs, after batting at a healthy run rate of 7.7 runs per over, Parel Vallei reached 71/1 to earn themselves a comfortable nine-wicket win.
Summarised Scorecards
Wynberg Boys’ High 114/10 (Chad Campbell 41, Noah du Plooy 22*, Extras 21; Vihan Pretorius 4/12, Armin Snyman 3/14); Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool 115/3 (Vihan Pretorius 72*). Affies won by seven wickets.
Reddam House Constantia 68/10 (Chris Hughes 3/3, Daniel Dreyer 3/19, Dirk van Zyl 2/14, Imtiaz Oliver 2/14); Parel Vallei High 71/1 (Luke Engelbrecht 22*). Parel Vallei won by nine wickets.
Brothers Robbie (left) and Alex Vintcent (right) after Robbie’s debut for Bishops earlier in the week against Wellington College(UK). Photo: Diocesan College on Instagram.
St. Alban’s College vs Bishops Diocesan College
After a comfortable win in their opening match against St. Andrew’s College on Thursday, St. Alban’s College, the host of the Independent Schools Cricket Festival (ICSF), faced Bishops in a 50-over fixture on the TC Mitchell Oval on Friday.
Batting first, the home side was consistent, with their first seven batsmen all making it into double figures. Josh Melville, batting at six, led the way with an aggressive 52 runs off 43 balls, which featured three fours and two sixes.
Kyle Block was the second-highest scorer with 30, but that, perhaps, underlined the fact that St Alban’s, despite their batsmen getting themselves in, didn’t push on enough.
Their innings lasted 46.1 overs and finished with them all out for 197.
Daniel Perold boasted a return of 3/30 from seven overs for Bishops, while Harry Morgan bowled his full quota of 10 overs and claimed 2/37.
Replying, Bishops made a fast start with opener Litha Mbiko cracking four fours in his rapid 25 off 18 deliveries.
The rest of the top order contributed solidly, but it was Robbie Vintcent, a newcomer to the Bishops’ line-up, who set them up for victory. He struck 10 fours and a six in an undefeated 77 off 78 deliveries.
He and Waco Bassick, who chipped in with 23, added 82 runs for the fourth wicket and carried Bishops to victory with one ball remaining in the 37th over when they reached 198/3.
Luke Ward bowled a tidy 10 overs from St Alban’s, claiming 1/31. He was also involved in the run out of Bishops’ captain Alex Vintcent for 29.
St. Andrew’s School vs Michaelhouse
Michaelhouse, batting first on the Murray Oval at St Alban’s, made a slow start against St Andrew’s School, but BenHeuer turned the tide with a determined knock.
He faced 104 balls and hit two sixes and four fours in his 64. He also received excellent support from Cody Sander, who joined Heuer in the middle with ‘House on an iffy 67/5.
Sander played with greater freedom, also hitting four fours and two sixes, but taking only 70 deliveries for his 59, and the pair added 100 runs to alter the trajectory of the Michaelhouse innings.
The last Saints‘ player to have a bowl, Jonathan Hickley, gave the Bloemfontein boys exactly what they wanted, capturing 2/0 in only one over. Heindré Serfontein kept the KZN side in check, too, capturing 3/25 in 7.1 overs as Michaelhouse tallied 194 all out after 46.1 overs.
Serfontein was also in good form with the bat. The problem for St Andrew’s, though, was that he was their only batsman to make more than twenty. He faced 50 deliveries, clobbered two fours and two sixes, and finished with 39 not out.
The run support was not there, however, and Saints mustered only 138 all out. Victory belonged to Michaelhouse by 56 runs.
Heuer made it an excellent all-round day by following up the highest score of the match with the contest’s best bowling figures, too, snaring a miserly 3/13 from seven overs.
Liam O’Dwyer gave little away, nabbing 2/25 in his 10 overs, while Preston Green brought the St Andrew’s innings to a close by claiming 2/23 in 9.4 overs.
Summarised Scorecards
St. Alban’s College 197/10 (Josh Melville 52, Kyle Block 30, Extras 24, Thomas Hall 20; Daniel Perold 3/30, Harry Morgan 2/37); Diocesan College 198/3 (Robbie Vintcent 77*, Harry Morgan 34, Alex Vintcent 29, Litha Mbiko 25, Waco Bassick 23*). Diocesan College won by seven wickets.
Michaelhouse 194/10 (Ben Heuer 63, Cody Sander 59; Heindré Serfontein 3/25, Jonathan Hickley 2/0); St. Andrew’s School 138/10 (Heindré Serfontein 39*; Ben Heuer 3/13, Preston Green 2/23, Liam O’Dwyer 2/25). Michaelhouse won by 56 runs.
In the first of their three games against Western Cape teams over consecutive days, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool(Affies) chose to bat first after the toss favoured them at Paul Roos Gimnasium on Friday.
Opener AJ Morkel was the spark that kept the Affies’ innings burning. While the next five batsmen lost their wickets for single figures, he anchored the visitors’ effort with 104 runs from 128 balls, 11 of which he sent to the boundary.
When Lucas Cronje arrived at the crease, the touring side was in a spot of bother on 92/5 – not bad, but not great. He and Morkel, though, changed the complexion of the Affies’ innings, adding 89 for the sixth wicket.
Their stand came to an end with Morkel’s dismissal, but Cronje was unbeaten with 50 off 81 deliveries after the Pretoria school’s 50 overs, which brought them 233/8.
Dion Slabber got rid of both Affies’ openers, claiming 2/41 from eight overs, while Marcus Conradie enjoyed success against the Affies’ middle order, picking up 3/45 in nine.
A sound start to the Stellenbosch locals’ innings brought them 51 runs. Andoni Cocolaras contributed 20, while Enré van Zyl progressed smoothly to 37 off 34 balls before Carlo Venter ran him out.
After the opening pair, only Christiaan Fouché, at six and Tian van Niekerk, at seven, built up another 50-run partnership. Together, they took the total from 127/5 to 181/6, adding 54.
Fouché played cautiously for his 25 off 63, while Van Niekerk played with more aggression, blasting six fours in his 36 off 39.
The Paul Roos reply, however, ended after 40 overs, with the home side all out for 211, leaving Affies with a 22-run victory.
Opening bowlers, Vihan Pretorius and Zian Labuschagne, did the most damage for the visitors, with Pretorius snapping up 2/29 in five overs, while Labuschagne bagged 3/42 in seven.
Paarl Gimnasium vs Grey College
Grey College was in action in Paarl, facing Gimmies, and were made to field after losing the toss.
It turned out that was a good toss to lose. Juan Maree got stuck into the hosts’ top order, knocking them over in six overs while returning the sparkling figures of 3/12.
Paarl Gim’s innings was a little rudderless on 69/4, but De Waal Vivier and Daniel Carstens then got their fifth-wicket partnership going, carrying the home side through to the completion of their 30 overs.
Carstens mainly rotated the strike, although his 31 included two fours and a six, while Vivier thumped seven fours and a six in his 71 runs off 69 deliveries, the highest score of the innings, which finished on 155/4.
Opener Christian Kind then took charge of the run chase for the Bloemfontein boys, smashing seven fours and three sixes in an undefeated 77 off 64.
De Waal Vivier, though, removed the other two top-order batsmen in three overs, collecting 2/19.
River Scott, the number five batsman, made his way to the middle with the score on 57/3. He was in a hurry. In just 35 balls, he launched five sixes and added a single four to finish with 50 not out as he and Kind rocketed the visitors to victory with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 101.
In just 20.2 overs, Grey College surged to a seven-wicket win, finishing on 158/3.
Summarised Scorecard
Paarl Gimnasium 155/4 (De Waal Vivier 71*, Daniel Carstens 31*; Juan Maree 3/12); Grey College 158/3 (Christian Kind 77*, River Scott 50*; De Waal Vivier 2/19). Grey College won by seven wickets.
Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool 233/8 (AJ Morkel 104, Lucas Cronje 50*, Extras 25; Marcus Conradie 3/45, Dion Slabber 2/41); Paul Roos Gimnasium 211/10 (Enré van Zyl 37, Tian van Niekerk 36, Christiaan Fouché 25, Extras 22, Marcus Conradie 21, Adoni Cocolaras 20; Zian Labuschagne 3/42, Vihan Pretorius 2/29, Lucas Cronje 2/50). Affies won by 22 runs.
St. Benedict’s batsmen produced a couple of strong partnerships to take them over the finishing line against Harare’s St George’s College. Photo: St. Benedict’s College on Instagram.
Diocesan College started their 2026 Independent Schools Festival campaign against St Stithians College on Thursday with a successful coin flip. They chose to bat first in the 50-over affair on the Tuks B Oval.
While St Stithians found wickets hard to come by, they also made run-scoring difficult for the Cape Town school.
Didier le Roux kept matters tight, claiming 1/31 in eight overs, while Zaakir Hanslo tied down Bishops with 1/36 from 10. Saints also shone in the field, running out Bishops’ two highest run scorers.
Captain and opener Alex Vintcent grafted his way to 55 from 96 balls, which included two fours and a six, while Ibraheem Taliep, batting at four, was limited to only two fours, but tallied 58 off 95 deliveries.
Luc Dicey weighed in with 29 unbeaten runs, batting at six, and he and Taliep racked up 72 runs in 72 balls for the fifth wicket.
Their partnership lasted until the 300th and final ball of the innings, which Bishops finished on 201/5.
In reply, Saints’ openers, Ombesa Matsha and Akhil Challa, constructed a solid 76-run opening stand. Matsha smashed two fours and two sixes in his run-a-ball 42, while Challa played more cautiously for his 32 off 66 deliveries. Nic Bayly, the number four batsman, weighed in with a circumspect 23.
Five Bishops’ bowlers picked up wickets. However, only Bulela Klaas took more than one, capturing 2/24 in six overs.
Lower down their batting order, St Stithians found a second wind. Didier le Roux, at seven and Chris Collins, at eight, kept their innings chugging along. Le Roux struck four fours in his vital 31 not out from 57 balls, while Collins made 15 at better than a run a ball.
With only 11 balls to spare, St. Stithians made it across the line on 205/7, thus winning by three wickets.
Cornwall Hill College’s Landsend Oval hosted Bedfordview’s St Benedict’s College and Harare’s St George’s College.
The Zimbabweans batted first and got off to a good start, with Michael Mukori and AllenMasiya making 58 for the first wicket. Mukori walloped eight fours in contributing 43 from 47 deliveries, while Masiya chipped in with 18.
Tom McArthur kept St George’s in check, however, snaring 2/22 from 10 tight overs, while Matthew Lewis played his part by claiming 2/31 from nine.
St George’s counterattacked through Munashe Muchatukwa, at seven, and number eight batsman, Tichaono Mharadze, who went hard at the Bennies‘ bowlers. Muchatukwa smashed four sixes and five fours to top-score with 59 off 47, while Mharadze hit five fours in his unbeaten 50 off 39 deliveries as they combined for 89 runs for the seventh wicket.
With that late innings flourish, St. George’s posted 237/8 after their 50 overs.
When St Benedict’s replied, Kudaishe Nyatsanza was the dangerman for the Zimbabwean bowling attack, snapping up 3/47 across 10 overs, which included clean-bowling opener Matthew Hickman-Steel for 35.
Number four batsman, Treasure Dube, fortified the Bedfordview boys’ response, with 44 off 65 deliveries. The next man in, Alex Johnston, led the Bennies’ run chase.
Together, the duo advanced the total by 67 runs for the fourth wicket. before Dube departed. Johnston stayed on and proceeded to develop an even bigger partnership with Tom McArthur.
McArthur hammered three fours and went undefeated with 38 off 37 in an unbroken 73-run stand for the sixth wicket. Johnston, meanwhile, earned himself the man of the match honour by smashing seven fours and a six in his unbeaten 74 off 76.
It took 48.1 overs for the chasers to reach 240/5, resulting in a five-wicket victory for St. Benedict’s College.
Summarised Scorecards
Diocesan College 201/5 (Ibraheem Taliep 58, Alex Vintcent 55, Luc Dicey 29*); St Stithians College 205/7 (Ombesa Matsha 42, Akhil Challa 32, Didier le Roux 31*, Nic Bayly 23; Bulela Klaas 2/24). St Stithians College won the match by three wickets.
St George’s College (Harare) 237/8 (Munashe Muchatukwa 59, Tichaono Mharadze 50*, Michael Mukori 43, Abhiraj Singh 27; Tom McArthur 2/22, Matthew Lewis 2/31); St Benedict’s College 240/5 (Alex Johnson 74*, Treasure Dube 44, Tom McArthur 38*, Matthew Hickman-Steel 35, Extras 26; Kudaishe Nyatsanza 3/47). St Benedict’s College won by five wickets.
Stellenberg High has won three of their last four weekday matches, including victories over Rondebosch Boys’ High and SACS. Photo: Supplied by Michael Thomas.
A Bellville derby awaited in the semi-finals of the 25-over Sammy Bloch Competition on Tuesday, with Hoërskool Bellville hosting Stellenberg High, whose extremely successful 2025/26 campaignhas been one of the stories of the season.
The toss favoured the home side, who opted to bat first. Their innings was anchored by opener Xander Lategang, who resisted the Stellies‘ bowlers for 66 deliveries while producing the innings’ top score of 38 runs.
Number six batsman, Jordan Holtman, provided the next-best score for the hosts, striking three fours in his run-a-ball 28.
Stellenberg, though, did a tidy job of keeping Bellville in check. Captain JJ Rothman delivered an economical three-over spell, picking up 2/12. Gerrard Kamalie was even tighter and claimed 1/11 in four overs.
Bellville’s 25 overs ended with the home side on 117/6. They had scored at 4.68 runs per over. It wasn’t a particularly high score, but the hosts’ bowlers defended it tigerishly
Jay-C Dikela snapped up a couple of vital early wickets, on his way to a return of 2/31 from 4.3 overs. Ezra Williams was Bellville’s standout, however, knocking over 3/19 in four overs.
Nine overs into their reply, things weren’t looking good for the Jade Brigade. They were mired deep in the mud on 41/6. Francois Hugo, batting at seven, and Gerrard Kamalie, at eight, met the challenge head-on, however, and turned the tide.
Kamalie went on the attack, whacking three fours and three sixes in a decisive 43 not out off only 24 deliveries. Hugo was the perfect foil to Kamalie’s aggressive knock. He sent three deliveries to the boundary in his unbeaten 36 off 42 as the pair carried Stellenberg to victory with an unbroken 77-run seventh-wicket partnership.
Thanks to their defiant stand, Stellenberg reached 118/6 after 19.3 overs to win the match by four wickets with 33 balls to spare.
Summarised Scorecard
Hoërskool Bellville 117/6 (Xander Lategang 38*, Jordan Holtman 28; JJ Rothman 2/12); Stellenberg High 118/6 (Gerrard Kamalie 43*, Francois Hugo 36*; Ezra Williams 3/19, Jay-C Dikela 2/31). Stellenberg won by four wickets.
Hoërskool Trio’s 1st XI was full of happy smiles after a hard-fought victory over Goudveld. Photo: Trio HS on Instagram.
The coin flip went against Kroonstad’s Hoërskool Trio when they travelled to Welkom for a 40-over match against Hoërskool Goudveld on Tuesday afternoon, with the hosts deciding to field first.
Opener WJ van Niekerk, however, ensured the visitors made a strong start, hammering three fours and two sixes in a hasty 41 off 24 balls.
Goudveld’s opening bowlers enjoyed success, nonetheless, although their economy rates were on the high side. Edrich du Plessis captured 4/46 in six overs, while Justin Swaine collected 3/47 from eight overs.
Batting at eight, Iwan du Plessis counterattacked, walloping five fours in his 31 runs, while Zothile Zwane gave Trio a late boost, with the number 10 weighing in with 29 not out.
Trio failed to see out their 40 overs, however. Their innings ended on 167 all out after only 26 overs.
Kellan Kleynhans, Goudveld’s number three batsman, led the run chase for the home team, with a composed 72 off 128 balls, which included six fours.
While Kleynhans held down his end, his fellow batsmen struggled under the pressure exerted by Trio’s fielders, which resulted in an astonishing four run outs.
Henrico van der Merwe then picked up a tidy 2/18 in four overs, while Zothile Zwane returned 2/39 from eight.
Thanks to Kleynhans, Goudveld got close, but it was a case of close but with no cigar as they were dismissed on 160 after 38.5 overs.
Trio’s superb effort in the field made the difference, and they walked away with a narrow seven-run win.
Summarised Scorecard
Hoërskool Trio (Kroonstad) 167/10 (WJ van Niekerk 41, Iwan du Plessis 31, Zothile Zwane 29*, Extras 29; Edrich du Plessis 4/46, Justin Swaine 3/47); Hoërskool Goudveld 160/10 (Kellan Kleynhans 72, Extras 20; Henrico van der Merwe 2/18, Zothile Zwane 2/39). Trio won by seven runs.
Lamla Mgedezi on the attack against Affies. Photo: Supplied by Jannie Geldenhuys.
In 2025, Lamla Mgedezi played at fullback for four prominent sides. Those teams were the Grey College 1st XV, the Free State Cheetahs u18 Craven Week side, South African Schools, and the South Africa U18 team.
His potential and ability shine as clear as a sunny South African day, so it’s no surprise that the fullback has high ambitions, which he shared with SuperSport Schools Plus: “My immediate rugby goal is to be selected for the SA Schools and SA u18 sides in 2026.
“From there, I want to continue working hard to push for SA u20 selection in my u19 year. Over the next five years, my goal is to earn a Currie Cup and URC cap.
“On a personal level, I would like to complete a law degree and work towards owning my own property.”
Grey College 1st XV Head Coach Jannie Geldenhuys noted the fullback’s natural talent early on: “The first time that I saw him play rugby was for Grey College Primary School. From a young age, you could see his amazing feet and his ability to create space on a rugby field.”
Mgedezi explained that this skill is something that he’s had from the start of his rugby journey: “My earliest memory of rugby goes back to the very first time I played. We were doing a one-on-one drill, attacker against defender.
“I remember getting the ball, stepping my opponent, and that moment ignited my passion for the game. It was then that I realised I had found a sport where I could truly express myself through something I was naturally good at, using my feet and stepping.”
While Mgedezi has been blessed with speed and agility, he isn’t a one-trick pony. He’s been developing an all-round game which serves to increase his counter-attacking threat: “I would say my overall kicking game has improved significantly over the past year.
“Many opponents tend to expect me to run the ball back, and I felt they might try to use that to their advantage. That challenged me to develop a stronger kicking game, so that it could become an added asset, allowing me to put my team in a better field position and bringing more balance to my play,” he explained.
Coach Geldenhuys weighed in: “We really worked hard on his high ball skills and his kicking ability. He himself gets quite frustrated if people think he can’t kick out of hand, but I would say that these were areas in which he improved the most over the last few years.”
The Grey College coach also acknowledged the fullback’s humble nature and willingness to serve the team’s needs: “Lamla got injured in Spain during our tour there in December,” he recalled. “The way that he has been serving his team while being on the sideline this year really speaks volumes about his character.
“He will be the one filling the water bottles, taking the bags out, and cleaning everything afterwards. Even being a senior player this year, his contributions towards serving the team have increased.”
As Plato noted: “Leadership is not the power to command, but the courage to serve.”
After a superb 2025 season, littered with magical, highlight-reel tries, one can expect more of the same from Lamla Mgedezi in 2026 – sharp, defence-shredding finishing and try-saving tackles on defence.
He is a must-watch talent and a key weapon for the Grey College 1st XV, one of the most exciting players in South African schoolboy rugby.
Hoërskool Jim Fouché vs Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker
The visiting Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker decided to field first after winning the toss against Hoërskool Jim Fouché in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The hosts, though, made hay, with opener Joden Vorster, whacking six fours and a six in his contribution of 53 off 76 deliveries.
JF received a second fifty from number four batsman, Franco de Necker, who weighed in with 56 off 71, and Ruan Kleyn, batting at eight, also recorded a half-century, making exactly 50 from 71 deliveries, too.
Those three innings were the pillars upon which the home side built a strong 261/7 from their 50 overs.
Ruan Heunis was the best of the Voorktrekker bowlers, taking 2/29 in six overs, while Thato Nthebere returned 2/55 from nine.
Under pressure after being set a stiff target, the visitors struggled to find traction in their reply.
Jayden Strydom, at six, and Janno Olivier, at seven, were the only batsmen to reach double figures. Both were forced to play conservatively, with Strydom making 28 off 56 and Olivier scoring 29 off 70 as they partnered for 60 runs for the sixth wicket.
Jareth Scott, though, asked questions the Vootrekker batsmen couldn’t answer, knocking over a brilliant 5/13 in six overs. Despite bowling only one over, Cobus Wilken made an impact, removing two batsmen, while André Kleyn wrapped up the visitors’ innings, nabbing 2/14 in 3.4 overs.
Bethlehem Voortrekker’s run chase stalled after 30.2 overs, when they were all out for 92 runs, leaving Jim Fouché the runaway winners by 169 runs.
Welkom Gimnasium vs Hoërskool Witteberg
After a slow start, Welkom Gimnasium built up momentum in their limited-overs clash against the visiting Hoërskool Witteberg on Saturday.
Luhan Botha, who made his way to the middle after the fall of the second wicket, gave the hosts’ innings impetus with his contribution of 56 from 82 balls, which featured two fours and three sixes. Then, tailender Bryan Haywood boosted the Gim innings with 25, which included a couple of sixes.
His effort helped Welkom Gimnasium to 164 all out after 46.2 overs at the crease.
Xander Fourie kept the home team under pressure, snapping up 3/19 in eight overs, while WJ Geldenhuis gave little away as he bagged 2/12 in 7.2 overs. Lwazi Mosea played his part by acquiring 2/33.
When Witteberg replied, they were put under pressure by the relentless Bryan Haywood, who uprooted 3/16 in nine overs. He found good support from Luhan Botha, who claimed 2/25 in eight.
Welkom Gim was in the ascendancy when they reduced the Bethlehem visitors to 57/6 after 18.3 overs, but Pieter Wessels then made his appearance at the crease. The number eight batsman proceeded to thump two fours and three sixes in an undefeated 55 off 91 balls to set Witteberg on course for victory.
He found a willing partner in Lwazi Mosea, who joined him after the seventh wicket went down. Mosea made an invaluable 23 and combined with Wessels to add 48 runs for the eighth wicket.
That helped Welkom Gimnasium to 165/8, and a narrow two-wicket win with 14 balls remaining.
Summarised Scorecard
Hoërskool Jim Fouché 261/7 (Franco de Necker 56, Joden Vorster 53, Ruan Kleyn 50, André Kleyn 32, Extras 32, Benco Olivier 27; Ruan Harris 2/29, Thato Nthebere 2/55); Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker 92/10 (Janno Olivier 29, Jayden Strydom 28; Jareth Scott 5/13, Cobus Wilken 2/0, André Kleyn 2/14). Jim Fouché won by 169 runs.
Hoërskool Strand took to the road on Saturday and came away with a win at Hoërskool Stellenbosch. Photo: Supplied by Stebian van der Walt.
SACS vs Bishops Diocesan College
Playing at home on the De Villiers Oval, SACS opted to bat first after winning the toss against their southern suburbs’ rival, Bishops Diocesan College, but it was a difficult start for the hosts.
Imraan Leith got stuck into the SACS batting early, bowling out three batsmen between the seventh and ninth over. Eventually, he collected 4/27 from 7.1 overs.
Captain Alex Vintcent produced a tidy performance, conceding no extras in his 3/24 in nine overs, while Harry Morgan chipped in with two wickets in the middle overs to pick up 2/24.
Opener Aqeel Waggie was the only member of the top four to survive Leith’s onslaught, but he fell victim to Harry Morgan, bowled for 32 after facing 32 balls.
Jordan Berry and Abhay Kalan, batting at five and six, partnered for 49 runs to stop the slide. Berry contributed 25, including four fours and a six, while Kalan top-scored with 57 off 89, hitting five fours.
Twenty-two from Ben Blackburn helped the home team stretch their total to 191 all out before they were bowled out in the 48th over.
In contrast to SACS, Bishops made a good start to their innings. Captain Alex Vintcent swung the bat like a blade, exhibiting both power and skill while striking nine fours and a maximum to tally 74 off 83. His fellow opener, Litha Mbiko, was in a hurry and clubbed five fours and three sixes in his 45 off 34 deliveries. Together, they put up 85 for the first wicket.
Ibraheem Taliep, batting at four, helped Bishops across the line in just 30.2 overs, finishing unbeaten on 34.
Ben Blackburn nabbed 2/39 for SACS, who snapped up three wickets just before the visitors overhauled their total, reaching 192/5 to win by five wickets.
Hoërskool Strand vs Hoërskool Stellenbosch
The visiting Hoërskool Strand got off to a strong start in their limited-overs battle against Hoërskool Stellenbosch on Saturday. They were sent in to bat first after the hosts were luckier in the coin flip.
Opener Keaton Gertze performed his duty well, striking four fours in his journey to 62 runs off 82 deliveries. Much lower down the batting order, at nine, Robin Beukes, weighed in with the second-best contribution from a batsman, making an unbeaten 34.
EC Labuschagne claimed 3/55 in eight overs for Stellenbosch, while Clement Swartz chipped in with 2/17 across 6.1 overs, and the other four bowlers a wicket apiece. They let themselves down, though, with 27 wides.
In total, there were 38 extras in Strand’s 194 all out, which came up in 39.1 overs.
Stellenbosch’s reply was led by number four batsman, Antoine de Beer, who went on the attack, lofting six sixes and hitting two fours in his 57 off 73. He also shared a 43-run fourth wicket stand with Wilkin Pote, who made 22.
Like their Stellenbosch counterparts, Strand’s bowlers were guilty of conceding too many extras, with 29 wides contributing to the 33 extras that boosted the home team’s total.
Zylin Rule, though, captured 4/28, and Keaton Gertze followed up his strong batting effort with 3/38, to ensure Stellenbosch came up short of the victory target.
They were bowled out for 170 after 35.3 overs, leaving Strand with a 24-run victory.
Summarised Scorecard
SACS 191/10 (Abhay Kalan 57, Aqeel Waggie 32, Jordan Berry 25, Extras 24, Benjamin Blackburn 22; Imraan Leith 4/27, Alex Vintcent 3/24, Harry Morgan 2/24); Bishops Diocesan College 192/5 (Alex Vintcent 74, Litha Mbiko 45, Ibraheem Taliep 34*; Benjamin Blackburn 2/39). Bishops won by five wickets.
Hoërskool Strand 194/10 (Keaton Gertze 62, Extras 38, Robin Beukes 34*; EC Labuschagne 3/55, Clement Swartz 2/17); HoërskoolStellenbosch 170/10 (Antoine de Beer 57, Extras 33, Wilkin Pote 22; Zylin Rule 4/28, Keaton Gertze 3/38). Strand won by 24 runs.
Batting first at home, in a limited-overs clash, the Hoërskool Fichardtpark top-order provided consistent efforts against the visiting Welkom Gimnasium on Saturday.
Wynberg Boys’ High vs Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
