Author: mbloem

Saturday’s third round of T20 matches at the CSA u17 Rural Week concluded with the Lions becoming the only team to win their three pool matches.

Boland also remained unbeaten, but their game against KZN Coastal on Saturday afternoon was abandoned due to rain.

Once again, runs were hard to come by, with only one batsman making a fifty. During the pool matches, there were just three in three rounds in total.

Lukhanyo Nkomonye, however, struck an undefeated 42 from 47 balls to help steer Kei to a seven-wicket victory over Limpopo, in a match in which only one other batsman made it into the twenties.

Limpopo, led by Marcus Ngobeni‘s 37, posted 90 all out, with Bulumko Didi capturing 3/2 and Ahlumile Honono 3/27. Kei, then, replied with 92/3, which was the most comfortable run chase yet put together at the Rural Week.

Matters were much tighter in the clash between North West and the Northern Cape, with North West totalling 89 all out and coming up four runs short of Northern Cape’s 93/9.

Candin Coetzee, the sixth bowler introduced into the Northern Cape attack, won them the match by knocking back 3/18 in two overs, which included bowling André Dreyer, who had appeared to be playing a match-winning innings. He hit seven fours and a six in making 57 from 47 deliveries, while North West’s next best score was Otlotleng Modise‘s nine. 

Three batsmen in succession were dismissed for ducks – two of them by Liam Laing – as North West slipped from 64/3 to 89 all out in 6.4 overs.

In a tightly contested Eastern Cape derby, Eastern Cape Iinyathi number six, Akhanya Bontsi, got the runs flowing after a slow start from his peers, contributing an unbeaten 30 off 25 as the team from the Border region tallied 84/6 from their 20 overs.

In the run chase, Milani Manya troubled the Eastern Province (EP) batsmen, snapping up 3/12 in four overs. But Jordan Damons, whose wicket-taking tally reached 10 after only three matches, showed he’s no mug with the bat either, making 23 not out as EP reached 67/5 after 15 overs.

Unfortunately, that’s when rain came down, and the match was decided on the Duck-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method, with Eastern Province being declared the winners by just six runs.

The Lions’ bowlers set them up for their third win on the trot, dismissing KZN Inland for only 71 in 17.5 overs. Thabiso Mosebi starred, with an outstanding return of 3/9 from four overs.

It took the Lions 15 overs to overhaul the Inland total, and they did it with four wickets to spare. Mosebi was again to the fore, making a patient 23 not out from 42 balls, while Farhaan Patel played his part with 20 from 31. Sisekelo Dlamini snared 2/2 in one over for Inland, and Stuart Talanda claimed 2/13 in three.

Batting first at Uplands College, Mpumalanga made a poor start against Free State. The home side was on 12/3 in the fourth over when Hendré Nel made his way to the crease. However, together with Andries Coetzer, he reversed the momentum of the contest, with the duo sharing a 49-run fourth-wicket partnership off 36 deliveries.

Coetzer played it cool, yet he still walloped six fours in his otherwise conservative 29 off 33 balls. Nel, in contrast, played with aggression, launching three sixes and a four in an explosive 26 off 12. Their vital partnership helped Mpumalanga to 104/8.

Liam Singleton led the Free State attack, with 3/21 from four overs, while Dumisani Johnson kept the Mpumalanga batsmen in check with his 2/11 in four.

In reply, the Free Staters were bowled out for 86 in the final over of their innings. Zander Fourie, with 23, and Nhlonhla Debese, with 20, shared a 44-run stand for the fifth wicket in eight overs.

Ziyad Patel returned a very tidy 2/8 from his four overs, while Najmul Mustafa bagged 2/4 from one over as Mpumalanga won by 18 runs.

At Hoërskool Nelspruit, the match between Boland and KZN Coastal was rained out in the twelfth over, with Coastal on 49/5. Karel Hugo rocked the KZN side with 3/7 in only 1.3 overs.

Summarised Scorecards

Mpumalanga 104/8 (Andries Coetzer 29, Hendré Nel 26; Liam Singleton 3/21, Dumisani Johnson 2/11); Free State 86/10 (Zander Fourie 23, Nhlonhla Debese 20; Najmul Mustafa 2/4, Ziyad Patel 2/8, Hendré Nel 2/19). Mpumalanga won by 18 runs.

Lions 72/6 (Thabiso Mosebi 23*, Farhaan Patel 20; Sisekelo Dlamini 2/2, Stuart Talanda 2/13); KZN Inland 71/10 (Thabiso Mosebi 3/9, Bokamoso Bantjie 2/15). Lions won by four wickets.

Northern Cape 93/9 (Ayaan Chaudhary 3/19, Jürgen Hesse 2/12, André Dreyer 2/17); North West 89/10 (André Dreyer 57; Candin Coetzee 3/18, Liam Laing 2/2, Janko Noeth 2/8). Northern Cape won by four runs.

Eastern Cape Iinyathi 84/6 (Akhanya Bontsi 30*; Enrique Strydom 2/18); Eastern Province 67/5 (Jordan Damons 23*; Milani Manya 3/12). Eastern Province won by six runs (DLS Method).

Limpopo 90/10 (Marcus Ngobeni 37; Bulumko Didi 3/2, Ahlumile Honono 3/27, Lukhanyo Nkomonye 2/13); Border Kei 92/3 (Lukhanyo Nkomonye 42*; Hlulani Maluleke 2/24). Border Kei won by seven wickets.

KZN Coastal 49/5; Boland 0/0. Match abandoned due to rain.

On Friday, no chasing outfit won their match at the CSA u17 Rural Week, which is being hosted in White River and Mbombela, Mpumalanga.

Boland became the first team to buck that trend on Saturday morning, chasing down Free State‘s 79/7 in 20 overs with five balls to spare, and finishing on 80/7.

Liam Singleton made it a difficult chase for the Boland boys, capturing 4/15 in four overs, but a patient 38 from 57 balls by opener, Noah Goliath, guided the Western Cape side to a tight victory.

Goliath’s 38 was the second-highest score of the match. Free State number four, Albie Swart, made a similar contribution, weighing in with an unbeaten 39 from 58 deliveries.

As was the case on day one, day two produced only one half-century and one five-for. Both came in the KZN Coastal versus Eastern Cape Iinyathi fixture.

Coastal opening batsman, Kian Topham, faced 70 deliveries and came close to scoring at a run a ball, making 66, which was the highest score yet at the tournament. His effort, and 31 from Jordan Gopaul, helped the KZN side to 128/7 from their 20 overs.

In reply, the Iinyathi mustered just 80 all out. Their chase was severely hampered by Heinrich Hattingh, who knocked over 5/21 in four overs. He received sound backing from Sahl Peerbhay, who snapped up 3/13.

Kei became the second side to win while chasing. They restricted KZN Inland to 97/8 and replied with 98/5 in 17.3 overs to record a five-wicket win.

Lukhanyo Nkononye struck an unbeaten 30 and Bunye Mdumba chipped in with 25 for Inland, but Sanele Mphathelwa laid waste to the KZN side’s top order, removing three of the top four batsmen, on his way to a superb 4/10 from his four overs.

Dillon Guelpa, then, anchored Kei’s successful run pursuit, smashing three fours and a six in his hasty 34 from 29 deliveries. Waleed Ghafoor claimed 3/17, but it wasn’t enough to prevent his side tumbling to a second successive defeat.

Hendré Nel picked up 2/16 in four overs and Ziyad Patel returned 2/11 in three as Mpumalanga limited the Northern Cape to only 87/7 in their 20 overs, with Janko Noeth’s 21 the best the batting side could muster.

It wasn’t an especially impressive total, but some splendid bowling ensured it was more than enough as Northern Cape blasted through the home side’s batting, sending them packing after only 14 overs for 56.

Bowling three overs each, Schalk Human removed three batsmen for 14 runs and Senzo Fillies claimed 3/18, while Noeth followed up his crucial innings with 2/15 from four. Hendré Nel, with 18 not out from only 13 balls, was the lone batsman to exit single figures.

The Lions’ 138/6 was the highest total of the morning session, and the third highest of the tournament so far. The third man to the crease, Ruben Muller, smashed three fours and three sixes in his 45 off 47, while the next man in, Bokamoso Bantjie bashed four fours in his 36 off 33.

North West was limited to only 107/6 in response, which left the Lions the comfortable winners by 31 runs.

In the morning session’s remaining match, Limpopo totalled just 75/9, but that was enough for them to score a 17-run win over Eastern Province (EP).

Only two batsmen, Logan Jansen van Rensburg, with 13, and AJ Galloway, with 11 not out, made it into the teens for Limpopo, but EP did themselves no favours, especially in such a low-scoring game, by conceding 22 extras.

Jordan Damons, who knocked over 5/12 on Friday in Eastern Province’s win over Northern Cape, was again to the fore, taking 4/11 in three overs.

Eastern Province looked on track for victory when their reply reached 38/3 in the 10th over, but they crashed to 48/8 in the space of only 15 balls and were eventually all out for 58 after only 12.5 overs.

AJ Galloway nabbed 3/10 and Fayzaan Ramdala removed three batsmen for 17 runs as Limpopo executed an astonishing reversal of their fortunes.

With the win, they joined the Lions and Boland as the only unbeaten sides after the first two rounds of matches.

Summarised Scorecards

Free State 79/7 (Albie Swart 39*; Chris Hughes 2/13, Adriaan Krynauw 2/17, Tyrique Boois 2/18); Boland 80/7 (Noah Goliath 38; Liam Singleton 4/15). Boland won by three wickets.

KZN Coastal 128/7 (Kian Topham 66, Jordan Gopaul 31; Milani Manya 3/15, Nonophela Gidane 2/26); Eastern Cape Iinyathi 80/10 (Extras 21; Heinrich Hattingh 5/21, Sahl Peerbhay 3/13). KZN Coastal won by 48 runs.

KZN Inland 97/8 (Lukhanyo Nkomonye 30*, Bunye Mdumba 25; Sanele Mphathelwa 4/10, Kwakhanya Jayiya 2/17); Kei 98/5 (Dillon Guelpa 34; Waleed Ghafoor 3/17). Kei won by five wickets. 

Northern Cape 87/8 (Janko Noeth 21; Ziyad Patel 2/11, Hendré Nel 2/16); Mpumalanga 56/10 (Schalk Human 3/14, Senzo Fillies 3/18, Janko Noeth 2/15). Northern Cape won by 31 runs.

Lions 138/6 (Ruben Muller 45, Bokamoso Bantjie 36; Christian Deetlefts 2/14, Divan Lombard 2/21, Ayaan Chaudhary 2/26); North West 107/6 (André Dreyer 29, Isah Bulbulia 23; Moremi Radebe 2/23, Bokamoso Bantjie 2/31). Lions won by 31 runs.

Limpopo 75/9 (Extras 22; Jordan Damons 4/11, Yonela Wana 2/11); Eastern Province 58/10 (AJ Galloway 3/10, Fayzaan Ramdala 3/17). Limpopo won by 17 runs.

St Andrew’s School has an experienced campaigner in their 1st XI Head Coach, AJ van Wyk.

The school has six representatives in the 13-player Free State Khaya Majola Week squad, including opening batsman Naudé Botha and all-rounder Andrew Sobiech. That’s six familiar faces for him to work with in the provincial outfit, for whom he is also the Head Coach.

Discussing his experiences as a coach, Van Wyk told SuperSport Schools Plus: “I’d say I’ve had more success as a coach than a player. As a player, I captained Kovsies (University of the Free State) for four seasons. I think we did pretty well in that period, but I have more achievements to talk about as a coach.

“We won regionals in my first year as a coach and got to compete at nationals. That was a big highlight.”

“We’ve also been crowned Free State’s Switch Schools SA20 champions for two years in a row now. Those are two big highlights, as well.

“This is also my fourth season as the Free State Khaya Majola team’s Head Coach, which is also something I’m very proud of.”

From where did his passion for cricket come? Van Wyk shared some of his earliest and fondest memories of the sport with SuperSport Schools Plus: “I remember the first time I went to watch a Test match. It was right here at Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval, between South Africa and England. It was Kevin Pieterson’s debut for England, and he scored a century. The match ended in a tie.”

His first stadium experience provided AJ van Wyk with an unforgettable introduction to the game. However, he also shared, he was inspired by watching cricket on TV: “I remember watching Standard Bank Cup cricket on TV at home and then trying to replicate what the players did on TV outside in the backyard.”

Like many young players, Van Wyk had a role model whom he tried to emulate: “My childhood hero was Ryan McLaren. He always looked like the fittest player in the team.

“Funnily enough, when I first coached the St Andrew’s 1st XI against Grey College, McLaren was newly appointed as their 1st XI coach. We managed to get the better of them on that day. It’s a fond memory I have of getting to compete against him, and I’d say we have a good relationship to this day.”

Van Wyk also spoke about his own coaching hero: “I’d say my coaching hero is Justin Langer (former Australia men’s Head Coach). He’s big on team culture and spends a lot of time installing good values into his players. He teaches his players to put the team before themselves. That’s something I’ve added to my own coaching philosophy.”

Lastly, he shared his mission as a coach. “What got me into coaching was my desire to serve the game. Coaching is my way of doing that,” he explained.

“At school, I had often been the captain of the teams I played in. I enjoyed being in leadership roles, and coaching was a role that I wanted to try out. It has turned out really well. I enjoy seeing the students grow as both cricketers and Christians.”

“This is my seventh year with St. Andrew’s. I started as the u15A coach back in 2018. Then at the end of 2019, I took over as the 1st XI coach.

“In my time as the Head Coach and Director of Cricket, my hours haven’t just been spent on developing quality cricketers. I want to develop good men. I’m trying to use sport as a vessel to mould the players into men of Christ.”

AJ van Wyk had big shoes to fill when he took over as 1st XI coach and the Director of Cricket at St Andrew’s School from Gregg Hobson.

Hobson had guided Saints to the national T20 title in 2018 with a team that included, among others, future Proteas’ paceman Gerald Coetzee and Knights’ wicketkeeper-batsman Garnett Tarr. During his tenure, he had also coached a future legend of the game, Joe Root.

Hobson’s was a tough act to follow, but AJ van Wyk has done it with distinction. He has helped St Andrew’s to remain one the country’s leading cricket-playing schools, churning out Free State provincial players and a fair number of South African Schools players, too.

He’s taken the school’s strong cricket legacy and kept that fire of excellence burning strongly, and he’s far from done.

With the Khaya Majola Week taking place in Bloemfontein from 16-21 December, he also has an opportunity to further burnish his coaching record with Free State in familiar conditions.

St. Andrew’s School has been blessed with one of those rare players, someone who fits the description of Jack of all trades.

With the bat, Andrew Sobiech can open and handle the new-ball threat; or he can bat in the middle order to pick up boundaries at the end of an innings.

In the field, he takes catches from multiples positions, and he also accounts for opposition batsmen with his right-arm off-spin.

He has been included in the Free State Khaya Majola team, giving him an opportunity to display his talent at an inter-provincial level. He earned his place by producing excellent figures with both the bat and ball.

In a match against Selborne College at the Cape Schools Festival in October, Sobiech was at his very best. He scored 94 runs off 115 deliveries and then captured 5/26 in 8.1 overs to play the leading role in a big win for St Andrew’s.

Saints‘ 1st XI Head Coach, AJ van Wyk, spoke highly of the all-rounder’s competitive spirit: “I first saw Andrew when he arrived at the school in Grade Nine. I saw him playing in the nets and noticed his ferocity. He doesn’t just love winning, he despises losing.

“He’s won St. Andrew’s a lot of matches with his passion. His desire to win is something which rubs off on his teammates. He’s set a high standard for future players who have to step up and fill his role.”

From where did Andrew Sobiech’s competitive nature stem? The all-rounder shared that story with SuperSport Schools Plus: “My earliest memory of cricket is from playing with my mates in the street. We played in the cul-de-sac near my house when we were still in primary school. They lived just two houses away, and we’d spend hours out there with a taped-up tennis ball, arguing over ‘outs’ and celebrating every big shot like it was the World Cup.

“Those moments are what made me fall in love with the game. It was pure fun, and it’s a feeling that’s stayed with me ever since.”

What cricket goals is he aiming to chase after his school days are done?

“Right now, my big goal is to make Cubs Week in January. From there, I’d love to push into much higher levels of cricket. You never know where your breakthrough might come from. It might be right around the corner, and I want to put myself in the best position to take it,” he said.

“In my personal life, I want to finish my studies, so that I have a solid foundation behind me. I also want to keep growing in my Christian faith and strengthen my relationships with the people I love. That balance is really important to me.”

Assessing his game, he said candidly: “The aspect of my game that needs the most work is consistency, especially when it comes to being mentally switched on from the first ball to the last. I know I’ve got the ability, but I want to sharpen that focus and make sure I can execute under pressure. Once I get that right, every part of my game will naturally lift.”

Interestingly, coach Van Wyk said Sobiech’s area of greatest improvement has been in the manner in which he approaches and thinks about the game. “I’d say his mentality has improved a lot. He used to play on emotion when he was younger. However, he has matured mentally. He now plays with focus and clarity. It’s helped him to become consistent in his performances.”

Andrew Sobiech is a workhorse, a player willing to and able to contribute to all aspects of the game. Given time and opportunity, the all-rounder will surely make his mark in one way or the other.

The Saints’ star is one to watch out for at the Khaya Majola Week. It takes place on familiar grounds to him, in Bloemfontein, from 16-21 December.

Wynberg Boys’ High has a natural mentor in the head coach of their 1st XI cricket side.

Since Pietie Loubser joined the school as a teacher in 2017, he has undergone an epic evolution in his eight-year long coaching career, moving through the ranks and showing that modest beginnings can be the foundation for far greater achievements.

⁠”When I joined as a teacher in 2017, I started coaching the u14C side,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “I loved the game and was one of the only coaches that would come and watch the 1st XI play on a Saturday, seeing that I was free.

“In the winter of that year, Andrew Wylie joined Wynberg. He quickly saw my passion and understanding of the game and pushed me into the u15A coaching role. I stayed in that role until Covid-19 hit.

“The then 1st XI coach received an opportunity to move abroad, and the school felt the need to have a teacher be involved alongside Ryan Maron, which is when I got my chance to work with the 1st XI. Ryan, then, got an opportunity with the Afghanistan men’s team as a fielding coach, and I took over the reins of the 1st XI.”

Loubser has a knack for developing talented players and four of them were included in Western Province’s 2025 Khaya Majola Week outfit. Joshua Prince, the son of retired Protea, Ashwell Prince, Paul James, and Qaeed Shaik were named in the 13-man squad, while captain and all-rounder Michail Tarentaal was designated a non-travelling reserve.

Loubser shared that he took lessons from another sport before transitioning into and applying them to cricket: “I didn’t really achieve that much as a cricketer myself, as I was limited with opportunities in the schools that I went to. Cricket just wasn’t a big sport,” he admitted.

“In my personal life, golf has always been the sport where I have achieved the most. I feel I have always been able to teach the boys a lot about mindset from what I have learned in golf. As a coach, being entrusted to take the 1st XI coaching role at Wynberg has been an honour.”

Loubser also reflected on his mentors and role models growing up. Fittingly, one of his inspirations was a Wynberg old boy, one of the legends of the game. “Growing up I definitely tried modelling my batting on Jacques Kallis and my bowling on Shane Warne. They would be my ‘playing role models’.

“From a coaching point of view, I was lucky enough to be coached by my dad. His calmness is something I’ve learnt to emulate.

“Andrew Wylie also played a big part in developing my knowledge of the game. The calmness he had on the side of the field was something I made a part of my coaching philosophy.

“I am very fortunate to work with Esmund van Wyk at the moment, as our beliefs and way of treating the players is exactly the same. I still learn from him on a daily basis.”

Pietie Loubser’s journey with Wynberg continues, and so, too, does his growth as a coach. He’s focused on developing the young talent in the school’s ranks while also dedicating himself to his ongoing evolution as a coach.

Small steps, taken calmly, always growing, always learning, always teaching.

In a three-day, double-innings match, which started slowly on Wednesday but picked up pace towards the end, Boland Landbou came away with a 10-wicket win over Parel Vallei High on Friday in Paarl.

Having won the toss at The Stiaan van Zyl Oval, Parel Vallei opted to bat first.

Their first innings covered the entire opening day, lasting 130.5 overs (785 deliveries), but they were limited to only 198 all out at 1.5 runs per over.

Chris Hughes and Divan Sander tested the hosts’ stamina in their 53-run third-wicket partnership.

Hughes contributed a watchful 30 runs off 133 balls, while Sander, who continued to play patiently after his partner was dismissed, weighed in with 60 off 194. He struck nine fours, which was more than half of the 17 that Parel Vallei scored in their first innings.

Francois Prins, the Paarl outfit’s sole representative in Boland’s 2025 Khaya Majola squad, sent down 10 maidens in his miserly 2/20 from 19 overs. Kobus Conradie and Troy Davis both bowled 31 overs, with Conradie’s featuring 13 maidens and a return of 2/49, while Davis’s effort was even tighter, with 18 maidens and figures of 2/35.

In reply, Boland Landbou’s openers, Kobus Conradie and Gideon Kotze, provided their side with a solid 128-run opening stand. Kotze smashed four fours and four sixes in his 77 off 130, while Conradie blasted nine fours and a single maximum in his more contained 71 off 220.

Louis du Plessis, who entered at the fall of the third wicket, struck four fours and two sixes in his 63 off 125. In at seven, Gunther Schmidt was the last of the heavy hitters in the hosts’ first innings, cracking four sixes and two fours in his 42 off 61 deliveries.

Hughes sent down a marathon 35 overs, of which 12 were maidens, and picked up 2/86. Dirk van Zyl matched Boland Landbou’s Davis and Conradie with 31 overs of his own, which earned him 3/81. The most successful of the visitors’ bowlers was, however, Rayyan Wally, who took care of the home side’s tail and snapped up 3/40 from 19.3 overs.

Boland Landbou finished day two on 288/7. On day three, they advanced their total to 319 before they were bowled out after 114.3 overs at the crease.

On Friday morning, the Bulldogs headed into their second innings, trailing by 121 runs.

The second time around, their innings took up only 71.4 overs, but it produced more runs than their long first innings, with the visitors tallying 213 all out.

Gunther Schmidt was on song, knocking over 4/21 in 12 overs, while Matthew Geldenhuys needed only nine overs to procure 3/38.

Opener Ben Traut offered stern resistance, walloping 14 fours and a six in his 72 from only 106 balls, while Daniel Adonis and Ruben du Plessis chipped in with 34 and 32 respectively.

Set only 93 runs for victory, The Farmers went after it with vigour.

In stark contrast to Parel Vallei’s run rate of 1.5 per over in the match’s first innings, Boland Landbou rocketed along at 7.4 runs per over in their second innings, reaching 94 without loss after just 12.4 overs to claim victory.

Francois Prins blasted seven fours and five sixes in an entertaining and undefeated 73 off 50 balls, while Kobus Conradie made sure to feed his fellow opener the strike. His contribution was an unbeaten 20.

Summarised Scorecard

1st Innings

Parel Vallei 198/10 (Divan Sander 60, Chris Hughes 30, Paul Kruger 29, Luke Engelbrecht 20; Francois Prins 2/20, Troy Davis 2/35, Kobus Conradie 2/49); Boland Landbou 319/10 (Gideon Kotze 77, Kobus Conradie 71, Louis du Plessis 63, Gunther Schmidt 42, Johannes Goosen 27, Extras 20; Rayyan Wally 3/40, Dirk van Zyl 3/81, Chris Hughes 2/86).

2nd Innings

Parel Vallei 213/10 (Ben Traut 72, Daniel Adonis 34, Ruben du Plessis 32; Gunther Schmidt 4/21, Matthew Geldenhuys 3/38); Boland Landbou 94/0 (Francois Prins 73*, Kobus Conradie 20*). Boland Landbou won by 10 wickets.

The CSA Boys National u17 Rural Week is nearing. It’s set to be hosted in Mpumalanga, from 5-8 December, with matches starting at 09:00 each day.

Uplands College (White River), Penryn College (Mbombela) and Rob Ferreira High (White River) will all be providing two fields each, while the White River Country Club will have a standby field prepared in case one of the schools’ venues becomes unavailable.

The event concludes on Monday, 8 December, with an awards’ ceremony being held that evening, where the batsman, bowler, all-rounder, and cricketer of the week awards will be presented.

The event features 12 teams: Northern Cape, Boland, Border, Eastern Province, Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Border Kei, KZN Coastal, KZN Inland, and North West.

They’ll be divided into four pools of three each. For the first three days of the event, the teams will play 50-overs-a-side matches, which means there will also be games played between sides from different pools.

After each team has played three matches, semi-finals will be played between the top finishers from Pools A and C, and Pools B and D.

The same format will apply for the Plate and Shield semi-finals, with the second-placed teams from each pool contesting the Plate and the third-place finishers playing for the Shield.

All of the knockout matches will be played in the 20-over format.

GROUPS

Pool A – KZN Inland, Border Kei, Lions.
Pool B – Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, North West.
Pool C – Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Border.
Pool D – Boland, Free State, KZN Coastal.

FIXTURES

Friday, 5 December
Lions vs Border Kei, KZN Inland vs Boland, Mpumalanga vs North West, Northern Cape vs Eastern Province,  Limpopo vs Border, Free State vs KZN Coastal.

Saturday, 6 December
Mpumalanga vs Northern Cape, Border Kei vs KZN Inland, Boland vs Free State, Eastern Province vs Limpopo, Lions vs North West, KZN Coastal vs Border.

Sunday, 7 December
KZN Inland vs Lions, Northern Cape vs North West, Eastern Province vs Border, Boland vs KZN Coastal, Limpopo vs Border Kei, Free State vs Mpumalanga.

The knockout 20-over matches will be played on Monday, 8 December.

When it comes to opening batsmen, one of their most valued qualities is consistency, and Bishops Diocesan College‘s Adnaan Lagadien has proved himself to be a dependable soldier in the opening overs with the bat.

He has retained his place in the Western Province Khaya Majola squad and is focused on producing the kind of form he showed for the SA u19 Emerging outfit last year at the inter-provincial tournament.

In a September 2024 clash against Zimbabwe, he top-scored with a hasty 112 runs off 87 deliveries, with his standout innings including 12 fours and three sixes, and that was but one of many outstanding innings by the opener.

At the beginning of that year, he smashed a memorable unbeaten double-century against Hilton College at the Peninsula Cricket Week.

Bishops’ Head Coach, Visser Gildenhuys, gave SuperSport Schools Plus some insight into Lagadien’s stoic ability to bat for long periods of time: “Off the field, he has put in a lot of work at the gym, adding to his power-hitting ability and overall conditioning.

“He also added to his skillset by becoming an off-spinner, making him a more complete player.

“One of his strengths is his ability to take the game forward and attack the bowler. He can access any part of the field, which makes him a massive asset in any format.”

Lagadien’s hard work has not only improved his game. The hard-hitting opener has also become a yardstick of quality against which all Bishops’ cricketers can measure themselves.

Gildenhuys explained: “Adnaan’s work rate and the number of hours he puts in has definitely had an impact on his fellow teammates and cricketers in the school. When the younger players in the school always see Adnaan in the nets outside of team practice, it inspires them to be like him.

“With the extra work he puts in, he helps cultivate a good work ethic and self-discipline among the school’s cricketers.”

Lagadien shared what ignited his passion for the sport: “My earliest memory of cricket was playing mini cricket for Ottoman (a cricket club in Cape Town). Ever since then I felt that cricket is for me, as it made me feel comfortable and happy,” he said.

That’s the past, but what lies in his future? “In the next five years, I want to make my Western Province men’s debut,” Lagadien shared. “In my personal life, I want to finish studying psychology and giving back to my community in any way I can.”

In the present, he has identified areas of his game on which he feels he needs to work. “Fitness is something I’m working on and can improve,” he reckoned. “I think when it comes to cricket, fitness plays a big role, as the fitter you are, the longer you stay focused.

“Another thing, from a batting point of view, is playing the pull shot. I think it’s just not one of my strengths, but I’m working on it.”

Adnaan Lagadien has set himself high standards, and he is intent on fulfilling his potential.

At last year’s, Khaya Maiola Week, which was won by Western Province, he was selected for the SA Colts side. Earlier this year, he was a top performer for Bishops when they won the Schools SA20 national title.

In Bloemfontein, from 16-21 December, he’ll be aiming to again be an influential contributor by leading Province’s title defence from the top of the order, with authority.

Playing away from home, Stellenberg High won the toss and opted to bat first against Paarl Gimnasium in a T20 on Friday afternoon. That decision didn’t pay off.

The home side restricted Stellies to a low total and Gimmies then smashed their way to an emphatic nine-wicket win with plenty of balls to spare.

While the Jade Brigade initially struggled to get going, JJ Rothman’s arrival at 26/3 produced some sturdy resistance. The Stellenberg skipper cracked three fours and a six in a defiant innings of 33 runs from 38 balls. Around him, though, his fellow batsmen exited in quick succession.

After Rothman’s dismissal, the visitors fell to 96/8. They went on to complete their 20 overs on 107/9.

The Paarl Gim bowlers shared the wickets around, with Beon Swanepoel taking 2/16 in four overs, De Waal Vivier 2/17, and Charles King 2/18, also both in four.

Faced with a moderate total, Gim’s Wiaan Munnik and Matt Dippenaar went hard at the Stellies’ bowlers.

Dippenaar faced 37 balls, striking five fours and two sixes, before retiring hurt for an impactful 51. Munnik, meanwhile, went unbeaten, thumping two fours and two maximums in his 41 off 34. Together, the duo added 95 runs for the second wicket.

Aidan Pienaar claimed the sole wicket to fall when he had Beon Swanepeol caught by John Naudé for six.

When Gim overhauled Stellenberg High’s total, they had 36 balls still in hand.

Summarised Scorecards

Paarl Gimnasium 113/1 (Matt Dippenaar 51*, Wiaan Munnik 41*); Stellenberg High 107/9 (JJ Rothman 33; Beon Swanepoel 2/16, De Waal Vivier 2/17, Charles King 2/18). Paarl Gimnasium won by nine wickets.