Author: mbloem

HTS Drostdy hit the road to tackle Paarl Gimnasium in a 40-over contest on Friday afternoon. When the coin flip fell for them, the visitors went in to bat. It was, however, a difficult start for the Worcester locals.

When Ruan Nortjé arrived at the crease after the fall of the third wicket, they were wobbling on 11/3. Nortjé stayed calm and collected, weathered the storm, and stuck around for 78 balls, which brought him 48 runs.

Adriaan Krynauw, at seven, joined Nortjé when Drotsdy had fallen to 52/5. Together, they advanced the total by 52 runs for the sixth wicket, with Krynauw’s contribution being 33 runs.

Gimmies‘ bowler De Waal Vivier had rhythm to his step and knocked over 4/17 in six overs. Derrick Groenewald chipped in with 2/36 from seven.

The Donkies’ batting effort lasted 39.4 overs and ended with the visitors being bowled out for 136 runs.

That wasn’t a big total, but Paarl Gim had to endure a tricky run pursuit to claim a hard-fought three-wicket win.

Franco Boonzaaier led the chase, thumping four fours in his 39 off 51 deliveries, while Christopher Hudson, at five, added a watchful but valuable 22 from 39.

Karel Hugo was the primary reason for Gim’s tough run chase. In five overs, he captured 5/34. DJ Luck, meanwhile, claimed 2/28.

Ultimately, it took Paarl Gim 30 overs to reach 138/7 and, with that, secure victory.

Summarised Scorecard

HTS Drostdy 136/10 (Ruan Nortjé 44, Adriaan Krynauw 33, Extras 20; De Waal Vivier 4/17, Derrick Groenewald 2/36); Paarl Gimnasium 138/7 (Franco Boonzaaier 39, Extras 23, Christopher Hudson 22; Karel Hugo 5/34, DJ Luck 2/28). Paarl Gimnasium won by three wickets.

Hoërskool Witteberg vs Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker

Hoërskool Witteberg must have felt very satisfied with their decision to bat first at home in their limited-overs derby showdown against Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker on Friday afternoon.

Number four batsman, Xander Fourie, was the source for that satisfaction, walloping 13 fours and three sixes in a glorious 115 runs off 117 deliveries.

He and Anru Erasmus, who contributed 35, batting third in the order, stuck together for a third-wicket partnership of 104 runs.

At times, the visitors lacked discipline, contributing  20 wides to a hefty 30 extras. Jordan Buitendag was, nonetheless, impressive, bagging 4/49 from 10 overs.

Witteberg was out with only eight balls left in their 50-over allotment, but they had posted a solid 258 runs by then.

Voortrekker’s reply was led by Paul Naudé. He made his way to the crease after the fall of the third wicket and proceeded to remain unbeaten throughout the remainder of Voortrekker’s innings, striking nine fours in his 64 not out off 77 balls.

He and Jayden Strydom, who weighed in with 31, shared a 66-run fifth-wicket partnership. It wasn’t enough to put a scare into Witteberg, however.

Six of the home team’s bowlers collected at least one wicket, with Kyle Nel and Heino Bruwer both nabbing 2/33 as Voortrekker was sent packing for 207, leaving Witteberg with a convincing 51-run win.

Hoërskool Sentraal vs Hoërskool Trio (Kroonstad)

In a 30-over match, the home side, Hoërskool Sentraal, won the toss and chose to bat first against Hoërskool Trio.

The toss didn’t go their way, but the visitors from Kroonstad made hay and kept Tralies under pressure with a committed effort in the field. Four of their bowlers picked up two wickets each, with Dylan Young snapping up 2/11 in only 2.1 overs.

WJ van Niekerk bowled two maiden overs in his 2/17 from six overs, while Zothile Zwane conceded no extras in his 2/28, and Iwan du Plessis claimed 2/33, which included the dismissal of Damian Smith. His exit, for 27 from 33 balls, helped to slow Sentraal’s momentum.

Janré Bornman top-scored for the Bloemfontein boys, smashing six sixes and two fours in his 65 from 50 deliveries, while Henco Maree prolonged the innings with his 33 at a run a ball.

After 29.1 overs at the crease, the Bloem locals had put up 173 all out.

Appropriately, a trio of batsmen led Trio’s successful run chase. Opener WJ van Niekerk led the way, lighting up the contest with a swashbuckling 83 off just 39 deliveries. His aggressive knock included five fours and eight sixes.

His fellow opener Zothile Zwane struck seven fours in an unbeaten 50 off 56, and combined with Van Niekerk for a decisive 144-run first-wicket partnership.

Henrico van der Merwe helped to hurry the visitors from Kroonstad to an emphatic nine-wicket victory by blasting three sixes and a four in a quickfire 24 off only eight balls.

Batting at an impressive 10.2 runs per over, Trio sped to victory in only 17.1 overs.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Witteberg 258/10 (Xander Fourie 115, Anru Erasmus 35, Extras 30; Jordan Buitendag 4/49, Vlag Janse van Rensburg 2/53); Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker 207/10 (Paul Naudé 64*, Jayden Strydom 31, Thys Parsons 20, Thato Nthebere 20, Rodney Turner 20; Kyle Nel 2/33, Heino Bruwer 2/33). Witteberg won by 51 runs.

Hoërskool Sentraal 173/10 (Janré Bornman 65, Henco Maree 33, Damian Smith 27; Dylan Young 2/11, WJ van Niekerk 2/17, Zothile Zwane 2/28, Iwan du Plessis 2/33); Hoërskool Trio 175/1 (WJ van Niekerk 83*, Zothile Zwane 50*, Henrico van der Merwe 24*). Trio won by nine wickets.

Friday afternoon brought Hoërskool Duineveld and Hoërskool Diamantveld together for an explosive 15-over-a-side fixture. When the coin flip favoured the hosts, they chose to bat first.

Opener Hanru Rademeyer was on fire, hammering four fours and four sixes as he rocketed to 45 from only 14 balls. He was the only batsman to strike at better than a run per ball, but he went well beyond that, flying along at 3.2 per delivery.

In at three, Cobus Fourie contributed 20 runs off 20 balls in the pair’s 66-run second-wicket partnership, which came off only 28 balls. Number five batsman, Ruben Viljoen, kept the home side’s innings chugging along with 39 off 35.

Joshua Visagie and Xander O’Connell led the visitors’ bowling attack, capturing 3/16 and 3/21 respectively.

After 15 overs, the Kimberley side had posted 135/8, collecting their runs at a rate of nine per over.

Duineveld’s run chase was over almost before it began, with the Upington locals losing their top-four with just three runs on the scoreboard. Wilmar Myburgh, batting at five, slammed three fours and a six in an eletrifying 28 off only 14 deliveries to inject some life into the visitors’ innings.

Unfortunately, for Duineveld, only Niekie Smit also made it to double figures. He hit two fours in his innings of 13 off 14 balls.

Fourie Smit claimed 2/4 in a tidy two overrs, while Francois Hattingh nabbed 2/9 in two.

In the end, Duineveld came up well short of the home side’s total, restricted to 60 all out, resulting in a comfortable 75-run victory for Diamantveld.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Diamantveld 135/8 (Hanru Rademeyer 45, Ruben Viljoen 29, Extras 25, Cobus Fourie 20; Xander O’Connell 3/16, Joshua Visagie 3/21); Hoërskool Duineveld 60/10 (Wilmar Myburgh 28; Fourie Smit 2/4, Francois Hattingh 2/9). Diamantveld won by 75 runs.

A hard-hitting batsman in the middle-order, a left-arm off-spinner with a knack for claiming momentum-halting wickets, a reliable fielder anywhere on the park, and a bold and confident leader who sets the standard for his teammates.

These are not the four different archetypes of players that all cricket teams require. Rather, this is a description of Paarl Boys’ High captain Aden Batt.

Those qualities and his match-winning abilities were on show during the recent Western Cape Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Regional Final.

Leading from the front, he played a key role in Boishaai securing a place at the Final Showdown in March, where the national champion will be crowned. Indeed, it was Batt who put the final nail in Paarl Gimnasium‘s coffin in the final, where he spun the ball with vigour to end Gimmies‘ innings in his fourth over.

Boys’ High Head Coach and former Protea, Johann Louw, said that the all-rounder’s bowling stuck out from the first moment that he saw him.

“I first saw Aden play for the u14A team when he joined Paarl Boys’ High. My first impression was that he was incredibly accurate for a young spinner. Even many of the more senior spinners couldn’t place the ball in the right spot as consistently as him.”

One of the keys to Aden Batt’s success has been his attention to detail. When asked about the area of his game that he would most like to improve, Batt told SuperSport Schools Plus that he is trying to use his strengths as a fielder to elevate his prowess as a bowler.

“I’m busy working on improving my fielding off my own bowling. It will help me to put even more pressure on the batsmen by not giving away any easy runs,” he explained.

Batt’s mentality is, perhaps, his greatest strength. Coach Louw complimented the Boishaai skipper on his maturity and wisdom in his dual roles of player and leader.

“He is a calm and collected individual who offers great knowledge to the younger bowlers. His leadership on and off the field has also been noticed by the school, earning him a role as a prefect.

“As a cricket coach, any player who can control the game is of great value, and Aden has proven this with his more than 50 wickets [per season] over three seasons in the first team.

“He has improved his ability to read batsmen, allowing him to set them up. He has been very successful in attracting the false shot when it matters,” Louw added.

“He also has the ability to win the big moments. In addition to off-spin, he has developed the ability to bowl left-arm leg-breaks at a decent standard, even taking a few wickets with the style.”

Clearly, one of Aden Batt’s best assets is his mentality – his focus, work ethic, and drive to succeed.

Those qualities were honed from a young age. “My earliest memory involves playing backyard cricket with my older brother. As the younger brother, I mostly lost, which ignited my passion, will and hunger for winning,” he revealed.

While Batt noted the emotional drive gifted to him by backyard sessions with his older brother, it’s likely that the time spent with his older brother also helped the Boland Khaya Majola Week representative to understand the game better than most players his age.

Does he hold further ambitions in the game once his school days are done? Indubitably.

Sharing his dreams, he said: “I would like to start playing professional cricket within the next few years, and try to get into the Proteas’ setup, as that has been a dream of mine since I was a small kid playing in the garden.”

Aden Batt has the all-round cricket skills to take him far, but, even more importantly, he has the mental strength to withstand and prosper when the greater challenges that lie ahead put him to the test. He revels in the heat of battle, in finding chinks in the opposition’s armour, and in finding ways to exploit them.

It’s that joy in attending to the details that will give Aden Batt a chance to make his cricket dreams come true.

When Milnerton High hosted Hoërskool Brackenfell for a 40-over fixture on Wednesday afternoon, the visitors won the toss and walked straight into the den of Connor de Villiers.

In just six overs, De Villiers proved to be a nightmare to the Brakkies‘ batting line-up, capturing a match-winning 5/9.

Number three batsman, Dean Hatting, and opener Hiram Ockhuis, were the only visiting batsmen to tally double-digits.

Ockhuis punched three fours in his patient 16 runs off 28 balls. Hatting was more aggressive, smashing four fours and a six in his side’s top score of 27 from 30 deliveries.

Ryan Trollip brought a swift end to Brackenfell’s innings, however, collecting the last two wickets to finish with 2-0 from one over.

After 28 overs, the northern suburbs’ side was bowled out for only 89.

Milnerton successfully chased down the modest total behind an unbeaten 74-run second-wicket partnership between opener Tristan Logie and Ryan Trollip.

Logie rotated the strike, but still mixed in six fours in his 36 off 42 deliveries. Trollip went on to the match’s top score, blasting an electrifying 48 from only 28 balls, with six fours and a blast for six over mid-on.

It was a dry spell for the Brakkies’ bowlers, who went wicketless as the visitors’ sole wicket came from a run out.

It took Millies only 12.1 overs to reach 90/1, which earned them a comfortable nine-wicket win.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Brackenfell 89/10 (Dean Hatting 27, Extras 21; Connor de Villiers 5/9, Ryan Trollip 2/0); Milnerton High 90/1 (Ryan Trollip 48*, Tristan Logie 36*). Milnerton won by nine wickets.

Last week, on Tuesday, Stellenberg High pulled off a shock four-wicket T20 win over Rondebosch Boys’ High. This week, on Tuesday, they added the scalp of another southern suburbs school to their growing list of victories.

Stellies visited SACS for a showdown on the De Villiers Oval and, after winning the toss, opted to bat first.

The visitors made a shaky start and lost two of their top-order batsmen for ducks as they stumbled to 18/3 after 3.2 overs.

That brought their captain, JJ Rothman, to the crease. The number five batsman stood strong, striking three fours and a six in his contribution of 39 runs from 38 balls.

Wilhelm Smet, who batted at four, partnered Rothman in a fourth wicket stand that produced 48 runs off 51 deliveries. He added four fours and 29 runs from 25 balls.

When Stellenberg lost their fifth wicket, leaving them on 87/5, Gerrard Kamalie made his way to the middle, where he delivered some late innings’ entertainment, lofting two sixes and hitting a four in an unbeaten 29 off 19 balls, which boosted the Jade Brigade to 133/8 after their 20 overs.

Abhay Kalan, as he often does, picked up multiple wickets for the hosts, capturing 3/14 in four overs. He impressed in the field, too, getting rid of Rothman by a run out.

Rob Anderson weighed in with 2/30, also from four overs.

In reply, openers Aqeel Waggie and Litha Kraai gave the Newlands’ school a solid start. Waggie blasted three fours and a six in his 22 off 16, while Kraai hammered two fours and a maximum, tallying a hasty 20 off 12.

The innings’ top score went to number six batsman, Benji Tilbury, who cracked two fours in his 26 off 29 balls.

Although SACS suffered no collapses, they were unable to build momentum, which left them having to bat aggressively late in their run chase, and that cost them vital wickets.

Gerrard Kamalie met the moment, knocking over 4/14 in his four overs to lead the Stellenberg attack. He was aided by a disciplined effort from his fellow bowlers, who conceded only two wides.

In the end, SACS came up well short, restricted to 114/7 from their 20 overs, which left Stellenberg with a 19-run victory.

Summarised Scorecard

Stellenberg High 133/8 (JJ Rothman 39, Gerrard Kamalie 29*, Wilhelm Smet 29; Abhay Kalan 3/14, Rob Anderson 2/30); SACS 114/7 (Benji Tilbury 26, Aqeel Waggie 22, Ulrich Roth 22, Litha Kraai 20; Gerrard Kamalie 4/14). Stellenberg won by 19 runs.

Bishops Diocesan College vs Pearson High

After a morale-boosting win over Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday, Bishops Diocesan College hosted Pearson High for a 50-over match on the Frank Reid Oval on Sunday.

When the coin flip fell in their favour, Bishops chose to bat first and made that decision count.

Number three batsman, Thaafier Japhta, gave the home side’s innings impetus with a fine knock, striking five fours and five sixes in a solid 79 runs off 71 balls.

He was, however, outdone by Harry Morgan, who made his way out to the middle after the fourth wicket went down. The middle-order menace then blasted six fours and six sixes in a superb 104 off 90 deliveries.

After Japhta was dismissed, the hosts were on 152/5, but they soon regained momentum through Morgan and Luc Dicey, who combined for 87 runs for the sixth wicket. Dicey’s contribution was 33 off 42, with two fours and two sixes.

Bishops lost their last wicket off the final ball of their innings, but by then they had totalled 321 runs.

Deanu Bezuidenhout was the most successful of the Pearson bowlers, claiming 3/59 in eight overs. Daniel Ritchie, meanwhile,  returned 2/58 from nine.

The Gqerbha school had been set an intimidating total to chase, and the home team’s bowlers revelled in that fact. Waco Bassick steamed in and ran roughshod through the visitors’ top order, capturing 3/5 in five overs. He also enjoyed good support.

Imraan Leith nabbed 2/14 in his four-over spell, while Matthew Edwards picked up 2/27 from seven.

Under a heavy onslaught, seventh man to the crease, Jude Septoo, hit out, clubbing three fours and a six, to top-score for Pearson with 20 off 13 balls.

Bishops, though, had the touring team’s number and dismissed Pearson for 108 to score a mighty 213-run victory.

HTS Drostdy vs Hoërskool Parel Vallei

Playing away from home on Saturday, HTS Drostdy won the toss and opted to bat first at Hoërskool Parel Vallei (PV).

The Donkies’ top order, however, struggled. By the fifteenth over, the visitors were labouring on 27/3. But their middle order came to the rescue.

Christopher du Toit, batting at four, lofted two sixes in his 40 off 76 balls. Up next, at five, Ruan Nortjé contributed 41 runs from 77 deliveries, hitting four fours and a six, and the pair added 89 runs for the fourth wicket, the highest stand of the match. Bryan Cochrane, in at six, punched three fours in his run-a-ball 34 off 34 balls.

Thanks mostly to those three impactful contributions, HTS Drostdy tallied 175 all out in 49.1 overs.

Daniel Dreyer led PV with a five-for, grabbing 5/41 from 10 overs, while Dirk van Zyl was exceptionally tidy, snaring 2/17 from his 10.

When Parel Vallei’s reply began, opener Sean Grant weighed in with 22 runs, but solid partnerships were missing from the home team’s response. Eventually, though, they found their way.

Number six batsman, Divan Sander, top-scored for the Somerset West outfit, making 39 from 53 balls, to steer PV towards victory, and they overhauled Drostdy after 44.1 overs, reaching 176/7, to win by four wickets.

Karel Hugo was the only visiting bowler to collect multiple wickets, claiming 3/50 in 8.1 overs.

Summarised Scorecards

Bishops Diocesan College 321/10 (Harry Morgan 104, Thaafier Japhta 79, Luc Dicey 33, Cameron Macbeth 29, Extras 20; Deanu Bezuidenhout 3/59, Daniel Ritchie 2/58); Pearson High 108/10 (Jude Septoo 20; Waco Bassick 3/5, Imraan Leith 2/14, Matthew Edwards 2/27). Bishops won by 213 runs.

HTS Drostdy 175/10 (Ruan Nortje 41, Christopher du Toit 40, Bryan Cochrane 34, Extras 21; Daniel Dreyer 5/41, Dirk van Zyl 2/17); Hoërskool Parel Vallei 176/7 (Divan Sander 39, Extras 33, Sean Grant 22; Karel Hugo 3/50). Parel Vallei won by three wickets.

SACS vs Paul Roos Gimnasium

After a comfortable win at home against Pearson High on Friday, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) hit the road on Saturday morning to face SACS in a limited-overs match on the De Villiers Oval.

PRG started poorly, crashing to 18/4 in the early going, with four of their first five batsmen dismissed for single-digit scores. Janko Webb, batting at four, was the only survivor of that early SACS onslaught.

He not only survived, but he made it two centuries in two days, hammering two sixes and an astounding 18 fours while contributing a desperately needed 127 runs off 134 balls.

Webb and Aiden Titus, who made 28, partnered for 67 runs for the sixth-wicket, which was followed by a 91-run stand between Webb and Dion Slabber, who added 31 runs of his own.

Those important partnerships lifted Ou Polla’s Boys from 37/5 to 195/7.

Abhay Kalan, the best of the SACS bowlers, with 4/32 from eight overs, at last halted Webb’s superb innings by bowling him.

Aqeel Waggie, Ronan Meintjies, and Saeed Conrad chipped in with two wickets apiece as PRG totalled 229 all out from 47.1 overs.

In reply, Aqeel Waggie and Benji Tilbury gave SACS a solid start, putting on 74 for the first wicket. Tilbury rotated the strike while scoring 24 runs. Waggie was more attacking, smashing six fours and four sixes in his 59 off only 48 balls.

However, after Tilbury departed, SACS began to lose wickets quickly, sliding from 74/1 to 124/6.

Litha Kraai, batting at five, wielded his blade with intent, striking six fours and five maximums, in a fiery 77 off 61 deliveries, which included a seventh-wicket partnership of 89 with Abhay Kalan, who played patiently for 25 off 56.

When Kraai was dismissed, SACS was on 213/7. They needed only 17 runs to win with three wickets remaining. They managed only 12 of them as Dion Slabber and Morné Pauw stopped the hosts’ bid for victory on 225, leaving Paul Roos with a heart-stopping four-run win.

Slabber was expensive, going for 77 runs from his 10 overs, but his two wickets were crucial to PRG’s victory. Pauw ended the game and collected 2/26 from 7.3 overs.

Earlier, James Holm dismissed both openers, on his way to 2/40 from 10 overs. Marcus Conradie got stuck into the SACS middle order, claiming 3/43 from seven overs.

Hoërskool Strand vs Klein Nederburg Secondary

Hoërskool Strand was at home against Klein Nederburg Secondary for a limited-overs clash. It never went the distance as two bowlers dominated.

After they lost both openers within four balls of one another, Strand was on 24/2. Zaylin Rule provided their innings with some stability, making 46 from 80 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes, from his position at three in the batting order.

Matthew Barnard, at four, contributed 24 runs to their 60-run third-wicket partnership.

Nederburg’s Wasim Davids claimed both of their wickets and then every Strand wicket after that in a stunning performance. In only 9.2 overs, he knocked over an eye-opening 8/40, which kept Strand to 144 all out after 39.2 overs.

In reply, Klein Nederburg openers, Diego Lodewyk and Dineo Goedeman, gave their side a solid 62-run opening stand. Lodewyk hit out and struck five fours in his explosive 27 off 15, while Goedeman sent six deliveries to the boundary in his run-a-ball 30.

After Goedeman’s exit, however, the Nederburg innings unravelled. Astonishingly, Strand’s Benjamin de Reuk matched the visitors’ Wasim Davids by snapping up eight wickets. His, though, came at a cost of only 17 runs from nine overs.

Five of the Paarl outfit’s batsmen were dismissed for ducks as Klein Nederburg tumbled to 88 all out, leaving Strand with a handsome 56-run win.

Summarised Scorecards

Paul Roos Gimnasium 229/10 (Janko Webb 127, Dion Slabber 31, Aiden Titus 28; Abhay Kalan 4/32, Saeed Conrad 2/31, Ronan Meintjies 2/44, Aqeel Waggie 2/50); SACS 225/10 (Litha Kraai 77, Aqeel Waggie 59, Abhay Kalan 25, Benji Tilbury 24; Marcus Conradie 3/43, Morné Pauw 2/26, James Holm 2/40, Dion Slabber 2/77). Paul Roos won by four runs.

Hoërskool Strand 144/10 (Zaylin Rule 46, Matthew Barnard 24, Extras 23; Wasim Davids 8/40); Klein Nederburg Secondary 88/10 (Dineo Goedeman 30, Diego Lodewyk 27; Benjamin de Reuk 8/17, Keaton Gertze 2/17). Strand won by 56 runs.

St. Dominic’s College vs Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker

On Saturday morning, playing at home, in Welkom, St Dominic’s College won the toss and opted to field first in their match against Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker.

The fixture was supposed to be a 50-over match, but it ended up resembling a T20 as the bowlers seized the day and skittled the opposing batsmen in double quick time.

Onalenna Molale led the hosts’ bowling attack, knocking over 5/21 in six overs, while Mohammed Al Haddad also bowled six overs and claimed 3/31.

Voortrekker was deep in the mire on 19/6, but Jordan Buitendag and Thys Parsons, in at seven and eight respectively, mustered a 33-run seventh wicket partnership to take their side to 52/7. They hit two fours each, with the former tallying 17 runs off 20 balls, while the latter added 13 in a short nine-ball stay.

After only 16.2 overs, the visitors were bowled out for 85.

Chasing an unexceptional total for victory, St Dominic’s stumbled. Mohammed Al Haddad, who entered the fray at the fall of the first wicket, top-scored with 20 off 27, and led all players with his three fours. Around him, though, his teammates were knocked over like nine pins.

Thys Parsons bagged the best bowling figures of the match in only two overs, claiming 3/3, while Rodney Turner sent down eight overs and picked up 3/19.

Vlag Janse van Rensburg and Jordan Buitendag both chipped in with two wickets apiece as St Dominic’s was limited to only 65 all out, leaving Bethlehem Voortrekker with a 20-run victory.

Hoërskool Witteberg vs Hoërskool Fichardtpark

Playing at home on Saturday, Hoërskool Witteberg also chose to field after they won the toss against Hoërskool Fichardtpark. Thanks to the dominance exerted by each side’s fielders and bowlers, the match proved to be another short-lived 50-over bout.

Batting at three, captain Diederik de Vos top-scored for Fichies, hammering three fours in his 19 off 25 balls, but runs were hard to come by. Opener Damian Mulder, with 13, was the Bloemfontein school’s second-highest scorer.

Xander Fourie shone for Witteberg, sending three batsmen packing for 18 runs from his six overs. Anru Erasmus chipped in with 2/15 from three, Kyle Nel claimed a tidy 2/12 from four, and WJ Geldenhuis wrapped up the Fichardtpark innings with his 2/10 in 4.1 overs.

After only 20.1 overs, Fichardtpark was all out for 73.

In response, Witteberg initially struggled to get their run chase going. In the sixth over, they wobbled on 15/3. Enter Dumisani Johnson.

He punched two fours and smashed a six in an unbeaten 21 from 35 deliveries to guide the Bethlehem side to victory.

It took them 20.2 overs to post 74/5, thus giving them a five-wicket winning margin.

Hoërskool Jim Fouché vs Hoërskool Trio (Kroonstad)

In yet another short-lived 50-over battle on Saturday in the Free State, Hoërskool Jim Fouché (JF) also chose the field first option against Hoërskool Trio. That decision paid off.

Johan van Dyk was the pick of the hosts’ bowlers, cleaning out 4/31 in six overs, while Jean van Schalkwyk and Cobus Wilken chipped in with 2/19 and 2/1 respectively as Trio’s batsmen battled at the crease.

Last weekend, against Welkom Gimnasium, Wilken made history when he scored 192 off 128 balls, slamming a whopping 20 fours and seven sixes. With that supreme innings, he now holds the record for the highest individual score by a Jim Fouché batsman across all formats.

Caleb Butler, batting at seven, was one of only three Trio batsmen to reach double figures, with his 21 proving to be their highest score. Their innings was over after 20.1 overs, with the Kroonstad locals all out for 80.

Jim Fouché, counter to the narrative of the region’s other matches, looked comfortable out in the middle. They were, however, subjected to a scare before settling in, with both of their openers dismissed within the first seven balls of their innings, which left JF on 3/2.

Franco de Necker, batting at four, top-scored with an unbeaten 43 off 38, hitting four fours and a six, while Eckard Meyer, who preceded him to the crease, contributed 15 runs to their 57-run third wicket partnership.

Wilken arrived after Meyer’s departure, and quickly slashed three fours in an undefeated 15 off eight deliveries to help seal a seven-wicket win.

Summarised Scorecards

Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker 85/10 (Extras 21; Onalenna Molale 5/21, Mohammed Al Haddad 3/31); St. Dominic’s College 65/10 (Mohammed Al Haddad 20; Thys Parsons 3/3, Rodney Turner 3/19, Vlag Janse van Rensburg 2/16, Jordan Buitendag 2/22). Bethlehem Voortrekker won by 20 runs.

Hoërskool Fichardtpark 73/10 (Xander Fourie 3/18, WJ Geldenhuis 2/10, Kyle Nel 2/12, Anru Erasmus 2/15); Hoërskool Witteberg 74/5 (Dumisani Johnson 21*; Juan Mostert 2/12, Dylan Gerener 2/23). Witteberg won by five wickets.

Hoërskool Trio (Kroonstad) 80/10 (Caleb Butler 21; Johan van Dyk 4/31, Cobus Wilken 2/1, Jean van Schalkwyk 2/19); Hoërskool Jim Fouché 81/3 (Franco de Necker 43*; DJ van Niekerk 2/22). Jim Fouché won by seven wickets.

Bishops Diocesan College vs Paarl Boys’ High

Playing in a 65-overs-a-side declaration format match on the Frank Reid Oval, Bishops Diocesan College won the toss and decided to bat first against Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday morning.

There’s no doubt that the Diocesan College outfit was looking for a measure of revenge after last weekend’s action, when Boishaai defeated the 2025 national champion in the semi-final of the Western Cape Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two, before going on to win the regional title.

The hosts batted consistently, with seven of their first eight batsmen making it into the twenties. The exception was Harry Morgan, who top-scored with 45 runs off 35 balls, whacking two fours and four sixes along the way.

Aden Batt, the Boys’ High captain, led from the front as usual, snaring 4/70 with his left-arm spin after an arduous 17.4 overs.

Christo Muller was effective in his five overs, claiming 2/23, as Bishops posted 238 all out after 49.4 overs.

The Boishaai top order was fairly effective in the chase. Opener Neil Louw top-scored with the match’s only half-century, cracking six fours in an otherwise conservative 54 off 96 balls. His fellow opener, Reese Peterson, contributed 21 to an opening stand of 61 runs.

Christo Muller, who came in at three, added a solid 27 off 40 balls, and the visitors, on 122/3, appeared to be in good shape. The Bishops’ bowlers, though, were eager to have their say.

Thaafier Japhta challenged the batsmen throughout his 16 overs, which brought him 3/45, while Harry Morgan matched that return, with his 3/45 coming from 11.3 overs.

After 58.3 overs, Paarl Boys’ High was bowled out for 186, leaving Bishops the winners by 52 runs, and giving them the satisfaction of quickly reversing the setback they had suffered the previous weekend at Boishaai’s hands.

Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Paarl Gimnasium

Lady luck favoured Paarl Gimnasium at the toss in their 50-over bout against Rondebosch Boys’ High in Cape Town, on Saturday. They found the going tough against a tight ‘Bosch bowling attack, however.

Opener Wian Munnik scored 22 runs, while his fellow opener, Franco Boonzaaier, struck four fours in his measured 48 off 103 deliveries.

Derrick Groenewald, the fifth man to the crease, was the third and final Gimmies‘ batsman to go beyond 20, adding a steady 31 off 51.

Timothy Short, the Rondebosch left-arm off-spinner, was in peak form. He captured a commanding 6/23 in nine overs, including three wickets in his final over, which reduced Paarl Gim from 144/7 after 43 overs to 145 all out after 44.

The Rondebosch run chase didn’t start smoothly, with three of their top five being dispatched for single-digit scores. Their bowling hero, Timothy Short, with 20 off 30, and Tyler Heyns, with 37 off 67, provided the innings with some substance.

However, the southern suburbs side found themselves staring down the barrel on 102/8. Matthew Brooks, at six, stood his ground, though. He held the innings together and played well with the tail, on his way to an unbeaten 36 off 64 balls, with four fours, which guided ‘Bosch to 150/9 after 45 overs and a nail-biting win by just one wicket.

Wian Munnik and De Waal Vivier came ever so close to seeing the visitors to victory, claiming 3/26 from 10 overs, and 3/31 from nine, respectively.

Summarised Scorecards

Bishops Diocesan College 238/10 (Harry Morgan 45, Waco Bassick 29, Litha Mbiko 26, Alex Vintcent 25, Luc Dicey 24, Cameron Macbeth 24, Thaafier Japhta 23, Ibraheem Taliep 23; Aden Batt 4/70, Christo Muller 2/23); Paarl Boys’ High 186/10 (Neil Louw 54, Christo Muller 27, Ra-eez Isaacs 21, Reese Petersen 21; Thaafier Japhta 3/45, Harry Morgan 3/45, Waco Bassick 2/22). Bishops won by 52 runs.

Paarl Gimnasium 146/10 (Franco Boonzaaier 48, De Waal Vivier 31, Wian Munnik 22; Timothy Short 6/23, Alex du Plessis 2/8); Rondebosch Boys’ High 150/9 (Tyler Heyns 37, Matthew Brooks 36*, Extras 21, Timothy Short 20; Wian Munnik 3/26, De Waal Vivier 3/31). Rondebosch Boys’ High won by one wicket.