Author: mbloem

Rondebosch Boys’ High has a lethal weapon in the form of their left-arm spinner, Timothy Short. He returns for a second year for the Western Province Khaya Majola squad, which will contest the inter-provincial week in Bloemfontein from 16-21 December.

Short, who often shares the new ball, has continued to turn the ball and has positively impacted the fortunes of ‘Bosch with his excellence.

His ability to deliver influential bowling spells was on display when Rondebosch faced Wynberg Boys’ High in a 50-over clash early in November. Short dismantled the Wynberg chase in the middle overs, snaring 4/39 in nine overs.

With Rondebosch defending 225/9, it was mainly due to the spinner’s persistence that the Wynberg score collapsed from 163/5 to 188 all out. In the same game, he also showed that he’s a more than useful middle order batsman, scoring an unbeaten 49.

‘Bosch Head Coach, Rob Dalrymple, told SuperSport Schools that Short’s contributions extend beyond batting and bowling. “He is a natural leader and a strong academic, which saw Tim being elected as Deputy Head Boy of the school for 2026,” Dalrymple explained.

“He has a high EQ, coupled with a strong competitive spirit. His excellent cricket awareness makes him a great asset both on and off the field.”

Short’s passion for cricket began at a young age. He shared some of his fondest cricket-related memories, going back to his earliest recollections of the game: “My earliest memory of cricket would be going to watch my dad play club cricket, and throwing a ball around on the side of the field.

Cricket has run in the family. My grandpa played many years of first-class cricket, and my dad has always been super keen on cricket, so my passion for the game has always been there.

“Lots of backyard cricket with my two brothers when I was younger ignited my competitive spirit and love for a good battle.”

That’s the past. What about his future cricket ambitions? Short said he has a simple objective: “The only cricketing milestone in the near future that I am chasing is my first century for the Rondebosch 1st XI. Otherwise, I try not to think too far ahead and take each day as it comes.

“One thing I want for my future in cricket is to remain assured of how I want to play the game, who I want to be, and what I want to represent.

“Wherever I play, I want to make a positive impact on the people around me and, hopefully, step into more leadership roles down the line.

“In my personal life, I want to continue to grow in my faith and my relationship with the Lord. I really want to strive to be grateful for every opportunity that He gives me, and I hope to share His truth by living my life.

“Otherwise, I just want to stay true to myself and keep appreciating everything that people do for me.”

While Timothy Short is an outstanding all-round player, he didn’t hesitate to identify areas of his game that he’s aiming to improve: “If I had to pinpoint something that needs work, it would be my agility and pace in the field, and my fielding while bowling,” he said candidly.

Cricket South Africa has taken note of Short’s excellence. It earned him an invitation to the CSA National u17 Camp, which was held in Pretoria in September.

With his honest nature, strong leadership qualities, and all-round game, and his experience of winning the Khaya Majola Week in 2024, Western Province will look to Timothy Short to be one of their team leaders in Bloemfontein when they aim for back-to-back provincial titles.

On Saturday morning, Bishops Diocesan College hosted Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High and SACS for the final three matches of the Western Province Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two competition.

Bishops Diocesan College vs SACS (20-over) (Semi-Final One)

Playing on the Frank Reid Oval, Bishops won the toss and opted to bat first in their semi-final against SACS.

They delivered a strong batting display, which they backed up with a sound effort in the field to claim a hard-fought victory despite some impressive batting from the SACS’ top order.

When Bishops batted, Saeed Conrad caused them problems, capturing 4/35 from four overs. The hosts, though, scored at a healthy 8.3 runs per over to post 166/6 from their 20 overs.

Openers Alex Vintcent and Ibraheem Taliep put up a confident 38-run opening stand, with Vintcent knocking a rapid 25 runs off 17 balls, which included walloping three fours and a six. At the other end, Taliep rotated the strike effectively, striking a four and a six in his contribution of 23 off 21.

In at four, Thaafier Japtha’s unbeaten 38 off 36 included four fours and kept the run rate flowing at the end of the innings.

With Litha Kraai leading the way, the SACS run pursuit began well. He and Aqeel Waggie posted 57 runs for the first wicket. Kraai did most of the heavy lifting – with Waggie’s contribution being only 10 runs – and slammed seven fours and three sixes in an entertaining 55 off 37 deliveries.

SACS appeared to be on course for a victory, but Bishops’ captain Alex Vintcent, with 3/24 from his four overs, played a major role in halting their charge, with the visitors slipping from 118/3 to 140/8.

Michael Kruiskamp weighed in with 2/23 from four to help limit SACS to 145/8, which left Bishops the winners by 21 runs. They were through to the final.

Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High (20-over) (Semi-Final Two)

Wynberg won the toss on Bishops’ Oaks Oval and chose to field first in their semi-final against Rondebosch. That proved to be a good call as the Wynberg bowlers limited ‘Bosch to a low total. They followed that up with some excellent batting to win by seven wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Rondebosch opener Tyler Heyns cracked three fours and a six in scoring 26 runs off 17 balls, but his effort was the best that his side could muster.

Schalk Fourie was the only other ‘Bosch batsman to exit the teens, producing a steady 23 off 26. Otherwise, the Wynberg bowlers had the batsmen right where they wanted them. They limited run scoring and picked up wickets along the way.

Esihle Maziyane snared 2/13 in four overs, while Joshua Prince took 2/18 and Niyaaz Allie collected 2/22, also in four.

After 20 overs, Rondebosch had racked up a modest 117/8.

Qaeed Shaik, then, led Wynberg’s run chase, smashing four fours and two sixes in a vital contribution of 37 off 30 at the top of the order.

The third man to visit the crease, Matthew Mills, thrashed five fours along the ground in his unbeaten 36 off 39 and shared in a 58-run second-wicket stand with Shaik, the highest partnership of the match.

The next man in, Joshua Prince bashed three fours in his 29 off 30 as Wynberg won after 18.2 overs when they reached 118/3.

Raa’id Davids and Eli Aufrichtig were the only ‘Bosch bowlers to take wickets, claiming 1/15 and 1/18 respectively.

Bishops Diocesan College vs Wynberg Boys’ High (Final)

In the title decider, Wynberg won the toss and chose to field first against Bishops in front of a good crowd at the Frank Reid Oval. It took grit and determination in both innings for the home team to pull off a tight win over the talented Wynberg outfit.

Bishops’ skipper, Alex Vintcent, showed what playing each ball on its merit meant by facing 21 dot-balls, but still accumulating 38 runs off 40 balls, with four fours and a six.

In at three and seven respectively, Cameron Macbeth and Litha Mbiko contributed 28 each. Mbiko provided a valuable infusion at the end of the innings, blasting two fours and two maximums in his 18-ball stay, while Macbeth punched four fours in his 27-ball innings.

Leg-spinner Nicholas Stafford was spectacular across his three overs, snaring 4/11, which helped to limit Bishops to 138/8 after their 20 overs.

Wynberg’s run pursuit began well, with Fawaaz Hendricks and Qaeed Shaik mustering a 47-run opening stand before disaster struck, with Hendricks being run out for 18 from 16 balls. Shaik, meanwhile, tallied 26 off 21, with both batsmen hitting two fours.

Coming in at five, captain Michail Tarentaal stood tall in the middle overs, bashing six fours in his 48 off 37.

The Bishops’ bowlers stuck to their task, however, and kept the Wynberg run rate down to help swing the match in the hosts’ favour after Wynberg had reached 102/4 with five overs to go. They needed to score at just under eight runs per over to win.

Alex Vintcent, with 2/20 in three overs, played a major role in slowing down the visitors’ run rate.

The next five overs brought Bishops four wickets, which meant that not only were those deliveries dot-balls, but they also meant that new batsmen had to try to come in and score runs immediately.

Michael Kruiskamp and Matthew Schultz undermined their efforts. Kruiskamp returned 1/24 in four, while Schultz dialled up the pressure, knocking over 1/13 in four.

In the end, Wynberg came up eight runs short, finishing on 130/8.

Summarised Scorecards

Bishops Diocesan College 166/6 (Thaafier Japtha 38*, Alex Vintcent 25, Ibraheem Taliep 23, Michael Kruiskamp 23; Saeed Conrad 4/35); SACS 145/8 (Litha Kraai 55, Jordan Berry 25, Ulrich Roth 23; Alex Vintcent 3/24, Michael Kruiskamp 2/23). Bishops won by 21 runs.

Rondebosch Boys’ High 117/8 (Tyler Heyns 26, Schalk Fourie 23; Esihle Mazinyane 2/13, Joshua Prince 2/18, Niyaaz Allie 2/22); Wynberg Boys’ High 118/3 (Qaeed Shaik 37, Matthew Mills 36*, Joshua Prince 29). Wynberg Boys’ High won by seven wickets.

Bishops Diocesan College 138/8 (Alex Vintcent 38, Litha Mbiko 28*, Cameron Macbeth 28; Nicholas Stafford 4/11); Wynberg Boys’ High 130/8 (Michail Tarentaal 48, Qaeed Shaik 26; Alex Vintcent 2/20). Bishops won by eight runs.

Western Province Boys U19 Squad

The 13-player Western Province squad to contest the Khaya Majola Week in Bloemfontein from 16-21 December is made up of players from five sides.

Bishops Diocesan College and Rondebosch Boys’ High supply four representatives each, plus one player who will not be travelling unless called upon. Wynberg Boys’ High has three representatives and a non-travelling reserve.

The Khayelitsha Hub and Gugulethu Hub have one player each in the line-up, while SACS had one player named among the non-travelling reserves.

Bishops’ opener Adnaan Lagadien retains his spot in the team. Last year, he was selected for the SA Colts’ side and earlier this year he represented SA u19 against England.

He’s played 10 innings and struck two fifties at the Khaya Majola Week, scoring 375 runs at an average of 37.5. He holds a steady strike rate of 84.08, while recording 42 fours and eight sixes in the competition.

Rondebosch top order batsman, Daniel Bosman has also kept his name on the team sheet. In eight innings at the inter-provincial week, he has scored 300 runs at an impressive average of 60. That includes two fifties, 25 fours, and seven sixes. His strike rate of 82.64 reflects his balanced batting approach.

Another southern suburbs’ batsman, Paul James, from Wynberg, has compiled 160 runs over four innings in the Western Province kit at an average of 53.33.

In 50 overs across five matches, ‘Bosch bowler Timothy Short has collected 8/136 at an admirable economy rate of 2.72. He’s recorded 13 maidens and bowled only six wides in his over 300 deliveries. He’s one of the bowlers to keep an eye on.

Bishops’ paceman Waco Bassick represented SA u19 in Namibia earlier this year and he has often proved to be the sharp point of the spear when leading the attack.

Hard-hitting James Robb-Quinlan, meanwhile, led Bishops to the Schools SA20 national title, and recently completed his career at the school by winning his 100th cap.

WESTERN PROVINCE KHAYA MAJOLA SQUAD

1. Waco Bassick (Bishops)
2. Daniel Bosman (Rondebosch)
3. Daniel Cooke (Rondebosch)
4. Paul James (Wynberg)
5. Michael Kruiskamp (Bishops)
6. Adnaan Lagadien (Bishops)
7. Unathi Magaloza (Khayelitsha Hub)
8. Hlumelo Mgweba (Rondebosch)
9. Joshua Prince (Wynberg)
10. James Robb-Quinlan (Bishops)
11. Qaeed Shaik (Wynberg)
12. Timothy Short (Rondebosch)
13. Sibahle Sigabi (Gugulethu Hub)

Non-travelling players

Noah Heath (Rondebosch)
Michail Tarentaal (Wynberg)
Benjamin Blackburn (SACS)
Litha Mibiko (Bishops)

Head Coach: Qaasim Adams
Assistant Coach: Lutho Pohlongo
Manager: Ashley Fernandez

Western Province Girls U19 Squad

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) Girls U19 Week will be hosted in Potchefstroom from 15-20 December, and the Western Province side features 13 players from a remarkable 11 different teams.

Victoria Hub and Stellenberg High provide two players. All the rest have one each.

WESTERN PROVINCE GIRLS’ U19 WEEK SQUAD

1. Lindokuhle Batyi (Khayelitsha Hub)
2. Nuha Benjamin (Victoria Hub)
3. Cara Bester (Durbanville High)
4. Jemma Botha (Wynberg Girls)
5. Chloe de Roubaix (Stellenberg High)
6. Kaylin Erasmus (Stellenberg High)
7. Jae-Leigh Filander (Fairmont High)
8. Mbhali Gqumayo (Gugulethu Hub)
9. Danielleh Hugo (Curro Durbanville)
10. Erin Scrooby (Reddam Constantia)
11. Sive Silati (Langa Hub)
12. Ashline Titus (Victoria Hub)
13. Imaan van Schalkwyk (Bergvliet High)

Head Coach: Vuyani Parafini
Assistant Coach: Ezryn van Aswegen
Manager: Nita Janse van Rensburg

“Naudé achieved 111 caps for St Andrew’s School, not only because of his playing ability, but also because of the positive energy he brings to the team environment.

“He’s always welcome back at St Andrew’s and will be staying at the boarding house next year while studying – both to develop his game and to give back to the school by helping out the younger pupils.”

St Andrew’s School and 2025 Free State u19 Khaya Majola Head Coach, AJ van Wyk shared those words about Naudé Botha’s contribution to his team, and the school at large this week.

St Andrew’s has earned a reputation as a leading cricket-playing school by taking on teams from all across South Africa with success and has a strong record of producing South African Schools‘ players.

For Botha, choosing the Bloemfontein school was, however, about more than a cricket decision, although it has played a big role in his time there.

“It’s because of the opportunity, not just the opportunity to play cricket against top schools in our country, but it was an opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone and experience a bit of independence and thinking for myself,” he said of his decision to make Saints his high school.

“Being away from home is not easy but coming to St Andrew’s is definitely the best decision I have made so far. Another factor was when I came to St Andrew’s just to see what it was like and to walk around the school, I got a feeling in me that I belong here, and I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself.”

The batting all-rounder – he is also a wicketkeeper – is one of those personalities who brings out the best in those around him. He also delivers major contributions.

He was one of only two players to score a century at last year’s Khaya Majola Week and is often one of the top scorers in a match. It’s easy to see his value at the crease. However, there is more to see beneath the helmet.

When asked about the aspect of his game which he feels he needs to most work on, Botha didn’t mention any technical aspects. Instead, he addressed his mentality: “I would say just the ability to keep on going when I start well with the bat. I think there’s a lot of times when I get past fifty, and then suddenly, I lose my wicket cheaply. I think that’s cost me a lot of big scores so far. So, I think it’s best to just keep my focus for a longer period, and to simply take it ball by ball.”

On his mentality, coach Van Wyk spoke highly of the player’s positivity, loyalty and faith in God. He also spoke of the left-hander’s ability to perform when the challenges are at their toughest. “He’s one of those players who rises to the occasion. The better the bowler, the better he bats,” Van Wyk said.

The Saints star’ has predictably retained his spot in the Free State Khaya Majola team. He’s one of four players to achieve that feat, along with his St Andrew’s teammate, Cullen Kakora.

The Free State’s 13-player squad features six St Andrew’s players in total. Apart from Botha and Kakora, FG Botha, Nikhil Sukraj, Andrew Sobiech, and Bohlokwa Leketa were also included in the line-up. They’ll be in action in familiar conditions when the Khaya Majola Week takes place in Bloemfontein from 16 to 21 December.

But what does the future hold for Naudé Botha after school?

He shared some of his goals and dreams with SuperSport Schools Plus: “It would be to play cricket professionally. It has been a dream of mine for a long time. I remember imagining myself playing cricket professionally when I hit balls in my backyard, so that is something I want to work towards.

“As for my personal life, I want to finish my studies at the University of the Free State, where I am starting next year, and just to grow as a person, both mentally and spiritually.”

There’s a quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which goes: “Sure he that made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that capability and God-like reason to fust in us unused.”

Essentially, Hamlet is saying that God has not given us our talents randomly. Rather, he has given them to us so that we may use them. Naudé Botha has clearly understood his God-given talents. With his good nature, it’s easy to root for him to succeed in fulfilling his potential.

In Saturday’s big Durbanville derby, the home side, Hoërskool Stellenberg, won the toss and opted to bat first in their limited overs clash with Hoërskool Durbanville. The Jade Brigade was well prepared for the battle.

Despite posting only a seemingly average total, they exploited the favourable pitch conditions to the maximum to power their way to an outstanding 131-run win.

Stellies‘ opener, Aidan Pienaar played with caution at the top of the order, accumulating 22 runs from 54 balls.

Later, captain JJ Rothman, batting at number eight, added some spice to the run rate, walloping three fours and a six in his 45 off 50 deliveries.

Stellenberg was further boosted by Gerrad Kamalie, batting at 10. He struck a four and a six in his unbeaten run-a-ball 32, which helped the hosts see out their 50 overs on 198/7.

Ruan van As was the only Durbies‘ bowler to claim multiple wickets, picking up 2/44 from his 10 overs. Jan-Oscar van Tonder was, meanwhile, largely responsible for the home side’s slow start, sending down an impressive four maidens in his 1/26 from 10 overs.

When Durbanville batted, openers Juan van Coller and Danté Mouton were kept on the defensive. They held Stellies at bay for 13.4 overs but produced only a 24-run opening stand. Van Coller contributed eight off 34 balls, while Mouton added 15 from 50.

After they were dismissed, wickets fell regularly. From 24 without loss, the visitors tumbled to just 67 all out. Eurich Vermeulen and Farrel Leigh Dido offered some resistance in the middle order, scoring 13 and 16 respectively, but Stellenberg’s bowlers had the bit between their teeth.

Captain Jan-Jak Alberts delivered brilliance with the ball, claiming 4/16 in 4.5 overs, while Aidan Pienaar clamped down on Durbanville’s batsmen, snaring 3/12 in 10 overs, five of which were maidens. Riku Doubell added to Durbies’ problems by snapping up 2/14.

Summarised Scorecards

Hoërskool Stellenberg 198/7 (JJ Rothman 45, Gerrad Kamalie 32*, Francois Hugo 25, Aidan Pienaar 22, Extras 22; Ruan van As 2/44); Hoërskool Durbanville 67/10 (Jan-Jak Alberts 4/16, Aidan Pienaar 3/12, Riku Doubell 2/14). Stellenberg won by 131 runs.

Rondebosch Boys’ High made the short trip to Bishops Diocesan College on Saturday for a southern suburbs’ derby a pleasant one by powering their way to a big victory on the Frank Reid Oval.

After bowling out the home side for just less than 200, ‘Bosch batted boldly to gallop to a nine-wicket win in the 50-over fixture.

Bishops’ captain, James Robb-Quinlan, playing his 100th match for the 1st XI, displayed some of his signature talent and hard hitting, blasting four fours and three sixes in scoring 73 from 70 balls.

However, only Daniel Perold, with an unbeaten 26, and Alex Vintcent, with 25, also made it beyond the teens, and then not by much,

Daniel Cooke dispatched both Bishops’ openers, on his way to 2/44 from five overs.

Raa’id Davids caused the hosts further problems, claiming 3/38 in 5.1 overs, including the final wicket of the innings.

Schalk Fourie, meanwhile, halted the home side’s momentum, sending down four maidens in his miserly return of 2/9 from six overs, which helped to hold Bishops to 194 all out after 41.1 overs.

When ‘Bosch batted, Michael Kruiskamp claimed the only wicket for the home side, removing opener Daniel Cooke. By then, though, Cooke had blasted six fours and two sixes in a quickfire 43 off only 24 deliveries.

Eli Aufrichtig and Cooke’s replacement, Adeeb Levy, proceeded to take the game away from Bishops, compiling an unbroken 144-run second-wicket partnership.

Aufrichtig kept the scoreboard ticking, striking nine fours in his undefeated 64 off 87 balls. Adeeb Levy finished as the match’s top scorer, stroking 10 fours in his 77 not out from 76 deliveries.

After only 30.1 overs, Rondebosch eased to 198/1 and victory in the derby with 119 balls to spare.

Summarised Scorecards 

Bishops Diocesan College 194/10 (James Robb-Quinlan 73, Daniel Perold 26*, Alex Vintcent 25, Extras 20; Raa’id Davids 3/38, Schalk Fourie 2/9, Ethan De Heer Kloots 2/26, Daniel Cooke 2/44); Rondebosch Boys’ High 198/1 (Adeeb Levy 77*, Eli Aufrichtig 64*, Daniel Cooke 43). Rondebosch won by nine wickets.

In their southern suburbs’ derby showdown against SACS on Saturday, Wynberg Boys’ High‘s decision to bat first on the De Villiers Oval. after winning the toss paid big dividends.

Playing a 50-overs-a-side match, Wynberg batted well to ensure that when SACS took to the crease they felt under pressure. That worked a treat as the home side struggled to put together partnerships, leading to a convincing 117-run win for the visitors.

Wynberg delivered a strong innings, with Matthew Saunders helping to lay the foundation with 60 runs from 102 deliveries, which included five fours.

In at four, Qaeed Shaik smashed two fours and two sixes in an impactful 57 off 63.

Later in the innings, middle order men, Joshua Prince and captain Michail Tarentaal, sped up the tempo to lift Wynberg to 265/6 total after their 50 overs. Prince clobbered three fours and two sixes in his 32 off 30, while Tarentaal cracked three fours and a maximum in his undefeated 30 off 19.

Benjamin Blackburn was the standout among the SACS bowlers, collecting 3/24 in 10 overs.

When it was the turn of SACS to bat, they found the Wynberg bowlers to be dialled in. Litha Kraai, however, stood alone like a lighthouse in the dark, scoring 71 runs, but support for him was slim. In just 31.2 overs, the visitors bowled out SACS for 148.

Raihan Khan was clinical, knocking back 3/9 in five overs. Prince followed up his strong batting performance with 2/20 in five overs, while Luke Kleinsmith, although a touch on the expensive side, captured the final wicket of the match to finish with 3/59 from 9.2 overs.

Summarised Scorecard

Wynberg Boys’ High 265/6 (Matthew Saunders 60, Qaeed Shaik 57, Fawaaz Hendricks 46, Joshua Prince 32, Michail Tarentaal 30*, Storme van Rooyen 22; Benjamin Blackburn 3/24); SACS 148/10 (Litha Kraai 71, Raihan Khan 3/9, Luke Kleinsmith 3/59, Joshua Prince 2/20, Ihsan Khan 2/36). Wynberg won by 117 runs.

Thirteen players from nine schools make up the Northern Cape u19 squad for the Khaya Majola Week, which takes place in Bloemfontein from 16 to 21 December.

Hoërskool Diamantveld has the highest representation, with four players in the line-up.

The Northern Cape Switch Schools SA20 champion, Hoërskool Kalahari, has two players in the squad, and the other seven schools have one each.

Roy Adams, of St Patrick’s CBC, is the head coach.

Diamantveld pace bowlers, Benjamin Potgieter and Danie van der Merwe, were also members of the Northern Cape side in 2024.

Van Der Merwe has recorded 6/148 across 42 overs in five matches for the Northern Cape provincial side thus far. His economy rate of 3.52 runs per over is an impressive feat in the 50-over format in which the Khaya Majola Week is played.

Diamantveld all-rounder, Nathan Baird, also returns for a second year in the provincial team. He enjoyed strong success in 40 overs last year, capturing 14/151.

St Boniface High all-rounder, Tebogo Mgobo, is the fourth of five returning players. In 2024, he picked up 7/125 in 50 overs, with his economy rate of 2.49 runs per over catching the eye. The ability to stifle scoring often leads to wickets in the limited overs form of the game.

The other returning player is Northern Cape High‘s Luqman Gool, who is also an all-rounder.

Most of the returning players performed better with the ball than the bat last year. Then again, the Khaya Majola Week, hosted in the Western Cape, very much tilted in favour of the bowlers with only Pranav Raichetti, of the Central Gauteng Lions, and Naudé Botha, of the Free State, scoring centuries.

In Bloemfontein, where conditions will be similar to those in which the Northern Cape schools play their cricket, there is likely to be a more even contest between bat and ball.

NORTHERN CAPE SQUAD

1. Benjamin Potgieter (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
2. Garren Stonestreet (Hoërskool Kathu)
3. Rethabile Mabuya (Tetlanyo Secondary)
4. Faizaan Kajee (St. Patrick’s CBC)
5. Noah Breyl (Karoo Tuisskool)
6. Tshidiso Mpofu (K.P. Toto Technical & Commercial)
7. Nathan Baird (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
8. Luqman Gool (Northern Cape High)
9. Hanru Rademeyer (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
10. Karl Thole (Hoërskool Kalahari)
11. Danie van der Merwe (Hoërskool Diamantveld)
12. Tebogo Mgobo (St Boniface High)
13. Kopano Mosenyane (Hoërskool Kalahari)

Head Coach: Roy Adams
Assistant Coach: Anthony Mabuya
Manager: Abdul Tier

Kuruman’s Hoërskool Kalahari will take a second shot at winning the regional title for the Northern Cape, North West and Free State after being crowned the Northern Cape champion of the Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two competition.

In January of this year, they made it to the semi-finals of the regional event in Potchefstroom, and they’ll be aiming to better that performance when they visit the North West city in January 2026 for another crack at the crown.

Their status as Northern Cape champions was confirmed in late October when they took on Hoërskool Diamantveld, on the Kimberley Country Club’s B Oval.

Kalahari opted to bat first in the title game after winning the toss.

Both sides found run scoring to be challenging, but the Kuruman crew excelled in the field and successfully defended a modest total to win by 13 runs.

Strauss van Heerden and Myburgh de Klerk were the only Kalahari batsmen to exit the teens, with Van Heerden hitting three fours in his 20 runs off 21 balls. De Klerk, meanwhile, adopted a more cautious approach, striking only one four in his 23 off 36, but his effort proved to be valuable in a low-scoring contest.

Francois Hattingh was on fire for Diamantveld, delivering a devastating spell, which earned him 5/20 from 3.5 overs. Cobus Fourie, with 2/12, also made matters difficult for the Kuruman school, who were bowled out for 112 after 18.5 overs.

Fourie, then, opened the batting and played his part by dispatching four balls for four in scoring 29 from 32, but Janko Noeth removed the next three batsmen in the order for a combined 12 runs before the fifth man in, Hanru Rademeyer, slowed the slide.

He and Fourie added 38 runs for the fourth wicket before Fourie fell. Two runs later, on 71, Rademeyer followed for 27 from 26 deliveries, which included four fours.

Seven overs remained, and Kalahari took charge of them, with Diamantveld adding only 28 more runs while losing three more wickets.

Liam Laing was a big reason for the Kimberley side’s struggles, capturing a miserly 3/10 from his four overs, while Noeth, who had struck early, finished with 3/18 from four. A couple of run outs, involving both Laing and Noeth, also slowed Diamantveld’s progression.

After 20 overs, they finished on 99/8, still 13 runs shy of Kalahari.

With the win, Kalahari joins, among others, the Free State champions St. Andrew’s School, and North West champions, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, at the regional final in January.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Kalahari 112/10 (Myburgh de Klerk 23, Strauss van Heerden 20; Francois Hattingh 5/20, Cobus Fourie 2/12); Hoërskool Diamantveld 99/8 (Cobus Fourie 29, Hanru Rademeyer 27; Liam Laing 3/10, Janko Noeth 3/18). Kalahari won by 13 runs. 

In a round three match of the Western Cape’s Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two competition, Khayelitsha Hub won the toss against Wynberg Boys’ High and chose to bat first on the Jacques Kallis Oval, on Wednesday.

Wynberg made that decision appear questionable as the hosts’ bowlers got on top of the visiting batsmen, while a strong fielding performance made batting progress even tougher, which led to the Khayelitsha side being dismissed for a low total.

The home side, then, without having to press hard, made the chase look comfortable and went on to a convincing seven-wicket win.

At first, opener Ayola Sam looked exciting for the Khayelitsha Hub, hitting two fours in his 13 runs off 15 balls, but his stay was soon ended by Wynberg captain Michail Tarentaal, who caught and bowled the dangerman.

Raihan Khan was a weapon for the home team, knocking over 3/8 in three overs, while Nicholas Stafford claimed 2/17 in four as the Khayelitsha Hub was restricted to just 78/9 after their 20 overs.

All Wynberg needed was a good start and their job would be almost done. They got it from openers Matthew Saunders and Matthew Mills, who scored 29 runs each in a 53-run first wicket partnership. Mills finished unbeaten, having struck two fours and a six.

Ntando Ham, though, did his best to undermine Wynberg’s charge to victory. He was electric, snaring 3/13 in four overs.

Despite his outstanding effort, Wynberg eased to victory, reaching 80/3 after 15.1 overs.

Summarised Scorecard

Khayelitsha Hub 78/9 (Raihan Khan 3/8, Nicholas Stafford 2/17); Wynberg Boys’ High 80/3 (Matthew Mills 29*, Matthew Saunders 29; Ntando Ham 3/13). Wynberg won by seven wickets.