Author: froberholzer

Nel has complemented that impact with strong contributions of his own. The talented all-rounder has already claimed 18 wickets this season and scored 372 runs, including an unbeaten 144 against Lichtenburg last Saturday.

Dinamika, meanwhile, arrives in Middelburg with two victories from three matches, which have been built on collective performances rather than individual dominance. They resemble their hosts, with head coach Jacques Venter overseeing an experienced squad, ably led by captain Branko Steenberg. Alongside the skipper, Jared Cliffe is another player who could play a decisive role in Saturday’s 50-over contest.

Hoërskool Zwartkop hosts Hoërskool Pietersburg in another mouth-watering C Section clash, with both sides locked on 10 log points. A victory for either, especially with a bonus point, could dramatically alter the promotion playoff picture, especially if Dinamika springs an upset in Middelburg.

Were that to happen, three teams would be level on 15 log points heading into the final round.

In Centurion, the clash between Hoërskool Centurion and Hoërskool Lichtenburg could prove decisive in the battle to avoid relegation. Both Woeries and Liggies remain winless after three rounds. A win on Saturday, though, could potentially secure C Section status for the 2027 season.

The side forced to play the promotion-relegation fixture appears likely to face Hoërskool Dr Malan, of Meyerton, who have emerged as the D Section’s leading contenders for promotion.

On the eve of the penultimate round in the B Section of the Finsbury League, four teams remain firmly in contention for promotion to the top tier of the competition.

Until last weekend, Hoërskool Hans Moore stood alone as the only unbeaten side in the section, before one of this year’s new additions, Midstream College, brought Moories’ unbeaten run to an end.

That result left those sides level in the standings, while a victory for Hoërskool Montana at Hoërskool Marais Viljoen made it a three-way tie at the top, with all three teams on 10 points before they take on the coming weekend’s fixtures.

Only one point behind that trio, Potchefstroom Gimnasium is firmly in the hunt for a place in the final. Their prospects of making it through to the title game could be improved by the meeting of Midstream and Montana in Midrand on the weekend.

To compound Monties‘ challenge of playing away, three of Midstream’s top players – Jonathan Wiseman, Dian de Villiers, and Tehan Maré – have all shown they are in top form in recent weeks.

Captain Juan Theunissen has led Montana’s strong challenge by setting an outstanding example. He’ll need to rise to the occasion once more on Saturday in a contest that will surely feel like a semi-final showdown.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium, meanwhile, hosts Marais Viljoen in Potchefstroom. A bonus point victory over the visitors, who have struggled, could propel Gimmies into the driver’s seat with just one round remaining.

Marais Viljoen faces the looming threat of relegation, having gone winless in their three fixtures. On a positive note, their captain and top-order batsman, Ethan van Rooyen, has been in encouraging form. He’ll need to be on his game if the visitors from Alberton are to challenge the powerful Gimmies’ line-up.

Hans Moore will enjoy home-ground advantage for a second consecutive week when they host Hoërskool Nelspruit in Benoni. After an uncharacteristically subdued performance against Midstream a week ago, Moories will be eager to produce a more dynamic showing and get back to winning ways.

They have also bade farewell to their long-serving Director of Cricket, Paul Amorim, whose next chapter begins with Montana in Midrand this weekend.

A bonus-point victory would take Hans Moore to 15 log points and place them firmly in the pound seats because their healthy net run rate continues to separate them from the chasing pack.

The past weekend’s results, highlighted by Hoërskool Kempton Park’s emphatic victory over Hoërskool Eldoraigne, have blown the race for a place in the Finsbury League A Section final wide open.

While a Kempton Park win over the Eldos was not unexpected, the scale of the victory and the manner in which it was achieved certainly was.

They delivered a ruthless display, skittling Eldoraigne for a paltry 38 before cruising to a nine-wicket bonus-point victory at a crucial juncture of the competition.

That result leaves Kempies on 10 log points, level with Die Hoërskool Menlopark, as they prepare for their toughest test to date: a clash with the defending champion, Hoërskool Waterkloof, at the André van der Walt Oval in Pretoria on Sunday.

Waterkloof currently sits comfortably at the top of the standings and remains unbeaten in the competition. Last weekend, they beat Hoërskool Rustenburg by five wickets on Saturday, and followed that with a dramatic one-wicket triumph over Grey College on Sunday. Those results underline both their consistency and composure under pressure.

Sunday’s forthcoming match sets up an intriguing contest between the in-form bowling pair of Kempies’ Willem van den Berg and Stian van Breda and Waterkloof’s experienced middle order. With a “must-win” label firmly attached to the visitors from Kempton Park, the ingredients are in place for a compelling contest.

Menlopark, meanwhile, returns to action on their home ground after suffering a seven-wicket defeat away to Potchefstroom Volkskool. Menlo hosts Rustenburg, who are winless and desperate for points. A significant boost for the Rusties, however, will be the return of Callie Fryer.

Rustenburg was without their strike bowler against Waterkloof because Fryer was making his first-class debut for the North West Dragons over the past weekend. His duel with Monré Koekemoer, Jacques de Villiers, and Jan-Willem Pienaar in the Parkies‘ middle order, on the traditionally bouncy Pretoria wickets, could be one of the highlights of the round.

In Centurion, Hoërskool Eldoraigne welcomes Potchefstroom Volkskool for another pivotal encounter. The Volkies are only one point behind Kempton Park and Menlopark in the standings, and a victory over last year’s runner-up would put them in a strong position to challenge for a place in the final, which they last reached in 2024.

For Eldoraigne, the situation is far more precarious. Still without a win, they find themselves locked in a battle with Rustenburg to avoid relegation, and they have only two rounds remaining to edge ahead of the North West side.

Hoërskool Rustenburg‘s Callie Fryer has become the latest young talent to be called up by a South African franchise.

On 31 January, the Rusties‘ all-rounder made his debut for the North West Dragons at just 17 years and 294 days old, featuring in their CSA Four-Day Competition fixture against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins at the JB Marks Oval.

Batting first in the four-day encounter, the Dolphins were put under pressure as Fryer wasted no time in making his mark on the opening day of his first-class career.

The right-arm quick dismissed the in-form Romashan Pillay for 34 before later removing former Proteas Test batsman Khaya Zondo for 25.

Fryer ended an impressive debut innings with figures of 2/32 at a miserly economy rate of 2.67, which was the best return of any Dragons’ bowler, ahead of established performers, including Caleb Seleka and Ruan de Swardt.

Fryer has long been earmarked for higher honours, and, in 2025, he twice represented the South African u19 side, playing against Bangladesh and England.

Since making his 1st XI debut for Hoërskool Rustenburg in Grade 10, Fryer has been a cornerstone of their line-up. His raw pace, relentless work ethic and willingness to run in hard for extended spells make him a constant threat. At first, he made his mark as a bowler, but his batting has continued to develop steadily, and he is now a genuine all-rounder.

His prowess with the bat was on full display during the most recent edition of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Competition, where he struck a commanding 149 during the provincial phase. More recently, Fryer produced another telling performance with a crucial half-century against St Andrew’s School in the Central Region Playoff Final in Potchefstroom during phase two of the competition, scoring an unbeaten 54.

Rustenburg head coach Jan van Staden expressed immense pride in Fryer’s rapid rise. Since identifying the youngster’s potential early on, Van Staden has steadfastly maintained a quiet confidence that Fryer’s talents, which have been central to Rustenburg’s recent success, would eventually translate into opportunities at higher levels.

Fryer is set to return to the Rusties’ teams for their A Section Finsbury League clash against Die Hoërskool Menlopark on Saturday. His experience of cricket at franchise level will, no doubt, serve Hoërskool Rustenburg well as they head into the last two rounds of the 2026 competition.

For the first time in several years, the 50-over spoils in the Tzaneen derby fell the way of the Black Caps of Hoërskool Ben Vorster, who held their nerve to claim a narrow eight-run victory over Merensky Landbou Akademie in Section D of the Finsbury League on Saturday.

It was the first of several encounters between the sides from behind the citrus curtain in 2026 across different leagues.

The same Ben Vorster group that won on Saturday had already tasted success against their rivals late last year when they dethroned them as the Limpopo champions in the Switch Schools SA20 competition.

The Black Caps made the correct call at the toss and elected to bat first, posting a competitive 171 before being dismissed in the 41st over.

While not a commanding total, it was one that still required discipline and application to chase down. Ruben Pohl, a key figure in the Ben Vorster batting line-up over recent seasons, led the way with a top score of 36.

He was well-supported by Wilhelm Brummer and Aidan von Straate. Von Straate anchored the innings with a composed 31, while Brummer injected late momentum with a valuable 32 not out from just 28 deliveries.

The lanky Logan Janse van Rensburg was the hosts’ standout with the ball, sending down a full quota of 10 overs while nabbing an impressive 4/24.

However, ultimately, the difference came from the bowling of Rivoningo Chauke, the Black Caps’ Cubs Week representative, whose four-wicket haul proved decisive. He claimed 4/34 from 8.1 overs, while Talent Ndlovu provided excellent support, taking 3/29.

Despite their good returns, an inflated extras count from the Ben Vorster attack nearly proved costly. If they improve on that, they’ll be a far more dangerous team in the remaining two rounds of the competition.

In Meyerton, Hoërskool Dr Malan captain Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg continued his remarkable run of form, striking his third consecutive century as the Dokkies secured a hard-fought three-wicket victory over Heidelberg Volkskool.

The victory target of 226 was set largely through the efforts of Dave Pelzer, whose unbeaten 93 was the foundation upon which the Volkies’ innings was built.

In Dr Malan’s reply, Jansen van Rensburg was as devastating as he had been in the preceding two weeks. The Dokkies’ skipper needed just 63 balls to compile a blistering 111, an innings featuring 14 fours and five sixes.

He was superbly supported by Jacques Nel, whose fluent 62 played a match-winning role in their decisive 180-run partnership.

In Klerksdorp, an outstanding all-round display from Jandré Greyling underpinned Hoërskool Wesvalia‘s commanding 90-run victory over Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg.

Greyling first starred with the bat, top-scoring with a brisk 65 from 60 balls, as Wesvalia posted an imposing 267/4 from their 50 overs. He then delivered a decisive 5/39 in eight overs with the ball to set up his side’s win.

Ethan Walker, with 20 runs and 2/22, and Ziandré Stopford, with 24 and 2/37, also enjoyed productive all-round outings to complement Greyling‘s match-defining performance.

Summarised scorecards 

Ben Vorster 171/10 (Ruben Pohl 36, Wilhelm Brummer 32*, Aidan von Straate 31, Christiaan Duvenhage 29, Extras 20; Logan Janse van Rensburg 4/24, Schalk Rossouw 3/23, Altus Vorster 2/35); Merensky 163/10 (Extras 43, James Durant 19; Rivinongo Chauke 4/37, Talent Ndlovu 3/29). Ben Vorster won by eight runs. 

Heidelberg Volkskool 225/9 (Dave Pelzer 93*, Quentin Dietrechesen 38, Vaughn Steynvaart 37, O’Neill Ponton 3/39, Damian du Plessis 2/28); Dr Malan 228/7 (Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg 111, Jacques Nel 62; Francois Smith 4/24, Jaco Botha 2/51). Dr Malan won by three wickets. 

Wesvalia 267/4 (Jandré Greyling 65, L Maritz 49, Quwen Fourie 40*, Jordan Lategan 25, Ziandré Stopford 24, Ethan Walker 20, Extras 20; Henco Britz 2/26); HTS Middelburg 177/10 (Eddie Harris 38, Armand Kotze 31, Hugo Bierman 25; Jandré Greyling 5/39, Ethan Walker 2/22, Ziandré Stopford 2/37). Wesvalia won by 90 runs. 

Hoërskool Middelburg all-rounder Gavin Genis has been in a rich vein of form with the bat since the start of the 2026 calendar year, and on Saturday, he took that purple patch to an extraordinary height.

His blistering form was on full display in a monumental double-century in Lichtenburg, where Middies powered to a staggering 470-run bonus-point victory over Hoërskool Lichtenburg in the Finsbury League‘s C Section.

His unbeaten 219 propelled the visitors to an astonishing 563 all out, which was achieved in just 42.5 overs.

The off-spinning all-rounder required a mere 83 deliveries to reach the landmark, unleashing carnage with 36 boundaries, with more than half of them, 19, sent flying over the ropes.

Remarkably, 182 runs, or 83 percent of his total, came from fours and sixes. He was well supported by the hard-hitting Hendré Nel, who joined in the destruction by blasting 142 from just 70 deliveries. His innings featured 17 fours and seven sixes.

Despite the dominance of his knock, Nel’s innings was the supporting act in his partnership with Genis. They were together for only 21.2 overs, but added a colossal 334 runs in that time.

In the context of Middleburg’s massive onslaught, Juwan van Tonder‘s 4/77 was an exceptional return.

After his batting heroics, Nel was far from finished. Brimming with confidence, the Middies’ paceman ripped through the Liggies’ batting line-up to cap his day with the sensational haul of 5/19 from just six overs. Ricardo Ras maintained the squeeze, with 3/20, as the hosts were bundled out for a meagre 66.

In Pretoria, Phillip Potgieter and Dawid Hanekom combined to bring Hoërskool Dinamika‘s perfect run to a halt, starring in Hoërskool Zwartkop’s commanding 128-run victory over the visitors from Alberton. Potgieter top-scored with a composed 60, while Hanekom added a crucial 43.

Hanekom’s influence continued with the ball. His penetrative spell of 3/13 proved telling and, despite a defiant 51 from Jared Cliffe, Dinamika was restricted to 132 all out in pursuit of 261.

In Polokwane, a disciplined bowling display from Hoërskool Pietersburg saw Pieties brush aside Hoërskool Centurion by 49 runs.

Defending a modest 162, experienced campaigners AJ Galloway and Stephan Swanepoel led from the front. Galloway spearheaded the home side’s bowling attack, capturing 4/28, while Swanepoel’s off-spin proved devastating as he snared 3/7 in 5.2 overs.

Willem Viljoen chipped in with 2/14, as the Woeries were dismissed for 113 in their reply.

Summarised scorecards 

Hoërskool Middelburg 563/10 (Gavin Genis 219*, Hendré Nel 142, Extras 52, Nijan Swart 37, Frederik Boshoff 32; Juwan van Tonder 4/77, Oratile Mmasa 3/94, Eduhan van den Berg 2/29); Hoërskool Lichtenburg 66/10 (Jurgen Hesse 25; Hendré Nel 5/19, Ricardo Ras 3/20, Eduan Strydom 2/4). Hoërskool Middelburg won by 470 runs. 

Zwartkop 260/10 (Phillip Potgieter 60, Dawid Hanekom 43, Extras 40, Esli Rall 29*, Liam van Wyk 24; Daniel Kerns 3/39, Andrew Marais 3/66); Dinamika 132/10 (Jared Cliffe 51, Andrew Marais 26, Dawid Hanekom 3/13, Stian Scholtz 2/38). Zwartkop won by 128 runs. 

Hoërskool Pietersburg 162/10 (Jan-Hendrik Boneshans 29, Hanru Marais 25, Willem Viljoen 23; Tyler Broodryk 3/34, Aden Schadle 2/8, Morné Prinsloo 2/46); Hoërskool Centurion 113/10 (Morné Prinsloo 32, Lubin Serfontein 24; AJ Galloway 4/28, Stephan Swanepoel 3/7, Willem Viljoen 2/14). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by 49 runs. 

Grey College came agonisingly close to capping off their Pretoria tour on a high note, narrowly failing to topple one of the capital’s cricketing heavyweights, Hoërskool Waterkloof, on their home ground, the André van der Walt Oval.

The hosts won the toss and elected to chase, fully aware that conditions typically favour the side batting second. That call ultimately proved decisive as Klofies snatched a hard-fought one-wicket victory over the visitors from Bloemfontein.

Just a day earlier, Grey College had been forced to dig deep to claim a three-wicket win over Pretoria Boys High on the Hofmeyr Oval.

When Grey found themselves under pressure in the early going, Daniel Hattingh and Juan Maree anchored the visitors’ innings. Both passed the 30-run mark, with Hattingh opting to go on the counter-attack, striking three sixes and two fours in a brisk 33 from just 21 deliveries. By contrast, Maree adopted a more measured approach, compiling 32 from 40 balls.

Their contributions, along with a useful 28 from Peter le Roux, lifted the visitors to 147 all out.

Johan Liebenberg was the standout with the ball for Waterkloof, snapping up 3/36 from six overs. His performance came as little surprise to those familiar with Liebenberg’s rise. In 2025, when he was 15 years old, he captured an extraordinary 99 wickets in 56 matches in that age group during the calendar year.

In Jano Venter, Grey found a bowler to lead their attack. He took the new ball and immediately made inroads into the Klofies’ formidable batting line-up. In just 4.2 overs, the hosts were left tottering on 5/4, with Venter in devastating form.

Captain Franco Schmidt then drew on his experience and joined forces with Johan Feuth, fresh off a century against Hoërskool Rustenburg the previous day, to stabilise the home side’s innings.

Together, they engineered a match-defining partnership of 65 runs before Feuth became Venter’s fourth victim. Schmidt pressed on, eventually departing for a resolute 57, though the contest remained finely balanced.

In the end, Rian Klopper held his nerve, contributing an unbeaten 21 to steer Klofies to a nail-biting one-wicket victory.

Despite a superb spell of 4/24 from Venter and Daniel Hattingh’s 2/6 from one over, Hoërskool Waterkloof did just enough to survive a stern examination.

Summarised scorecard 

Grey College 147/10 (Daniel Hattingh 33, Juan Maree 32, Peter Le Roux 28; Johan Liebenberg 3/36, Juan Swart 2/5, Rivan Booysen 2/12); Waterkloof 152/9 (Franco Schmidt 57, Johan Feuth 29, Rian Klopper 21*; Jano Venter 4/24, Daniel Hattingh 2/6). Waterkloof won by one wicket. 

Hoërskool Hans Moore‘s spotless record in the B Section of the Finsbury League came to an abrupt end on Saturday when Midstream College scored a surprise victory in Benoni.

In a low-scoring thriller, the Midrand school edged past the section’s only unbeaten team with two wickets in hand.

Batting first, Hans Moore was restricted to only 132 all out, with Aidan Shaw, as has become the norm, carrying their batting. In difficult conditions, he continued his excellent run of form. His 63 made up almost half of his side’s total.

Support, however, proved scarce. Sohil Jagnath weighed in with a gritty 32, standing firm against relentless pressure from Tehan Maré and the rest of the Midstream bowling attack.

Maré was the pick of the bowlers, capturing 3/12, while Jonathan Wiseman was, as ever, a constant threat, finishing with 2/14.

Midstream’s reply resembled Moories‘ innings, but their top scorer enjoyed greater support. Rikus Cilliers led the way with 38, while two additional contributions of 20-plus runs from Wian de Bruin and Keegan Gibson proved decisive.

Despite disciplined spells from Nathan King and Isaac Aube, who both claimed 2/21, Midstream did just enough to battle their way to a memorable victory.

In Nelspruit, Christivan Coetzer was near his fluent best as he guided Potchefstroom Gimnasium back to winning ways with a man-of-the-match 87 against Hoërskool Nelspruit.

In contrast to his usual attacking style, though, Coetzer showed restraint and maturity, facing 110 deliveries, while rotating the strike with authority and stroking eight fours.

Jahndré Coetzee excelled when Potch Gim was in the field, claiming 3/27, the best figures of the match, which helped to restrict Nellies to 171 all out in pursuit of a victory target of 214. Luan Siebrits stood out for the hosts with a well-made 61, but he was their only batsman to pass 30.

In Alberton, Hoërskool Montana captain Juan Theunissen delivered a commanding all-round performance in his side’s six-wicket victory over Hoërskool Marais Viljoen.

Theunissen was particularly incisive with the ball, ripping into the Marais Viljoen batting with a telling 4/16 from just six overs as the hosts were dismissed for a mere 89.

He then capped off a fine day by top-scoring with 28, the highest individual contribution in the Monties‘ innings, to guide his side to a comfortable win inside 22 overs.

Summarised scorecards

Hans Moore 132/10 (Aidan Shaw 63, Sohil Jagnath 32; Tehan Mare 3/12, Jonathan Wiseman 2/14, Dian de Villiers 2/20); Midstream College 134/8 (Rikus Cilliers 38, Wian de Bruin 22*, Keegan Gibson 20; Nathan King 2/21, Isaac Aube 2/21, Kyle Wratten 2/30). Midstream College won by two wickets. 

Potchefstroom Gimnasium 213/10 (Christivan Coetzer 87, Ulrich Botha 33, Thloni Tabatha 31; Kesha Moore 3/35, Gerdu van Eeden 3/45, Hanru van der Merwe 2/28); Hoërskool Nelspruit 171/10 (Luan Siebrits 61, Jeandré de Bruyn 22, Dian Boucher 20; Jahndré Coetzee 3/27, Henré Cronje 2/26, Adriaan van Niekerk 2/54). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by 42 runs. 

Hoërskool Marais Viljoen 89/10 (Hendré Cilliers 31, Ethan van Rooyen 27; Juan Theunissen 4/16, Woudter Kotsze 2/10, Durandt Stassen 2/12, De Wet du Toit 2/26); Hoërskool Montana 90/4 (Juan Theunissen 28; Ethan van Rooyen 2/24). Montana won by six wickets. 

Just across the road from Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool, where Affies battled their way to a thrilling seven-run win over St David’s Marist Inanda on Saturday, another gripping contest between two traditional powerhouses of South African schoolboy cricket unfolded.

In a nail-biting game, Grey College claimed a three-wicket victory over Pretoria Boys High School on Boys High’s Hofmeyr Oval.

The clash was the opening fixture of a two-match tour for the Bloemfontein school, ahead of a visit to the André van der Walt Oval on Sunday to face an in-form Hoërskool Waterkloof.

The visitors won the toss and elected to send their hosts in, a decision that paid immediate dividends as Grey snapped up three early wickets inside the opening six overs.

It marked the beginning of a memorable day with the ball for Michael Sacks. Responsible for two of the early breakthroughs, the Grey College spearhead went on to claim a further three wickets, leaving him with the outstanding and match-defining figures of 5/29 from 6.3 overs.

He was well supported by the rest of the attack, with wickets shared evenly across the unit, as Pretoria Boys High was bowled out for 200. Timothy Gordon anchored the home team’s innings, top-scoring with a composed 59.

The conditions were challenging. In the face of disciplined bowling, however, Grey College’s Christian Kind and Peter le Roux absorbed the early pressure superbly, with their 93-run opening stand providing the foundation for a successful run chase.

Kind was the first to depart, bowled by Steyn Botha for a well-compiled 46. Le Roux followed for 39, also falling to Botha, who returned 3/43.

With the openers dismissed, Botha, with strong support from Ruan Coetzee (2/41), threatened to derail Grey’s pursuit. When the visitors slipped to 153/6, the result was very much up for grabs. However, River Scott (36) and Bergh Vorster (25*) calmly steered the innings back on track and took Grey College to victory.

Vorster, in particular, demonstrated outstanding composure, and he was there at the end when a three-wicket win was secured in the 45th over.

Summarised scorecard

Pretoria Boys High 200 (Timothy Gordon 59, Louis Kruyshaar 28, Victor Loux 26, Tshepang Baloyi 24; Michael Sacks 5/29); Grey College 201/7 (Christian Kind 46, Peter Le Roux 39, River Scott 36, Daniel Hattingh 27, Bergh Vorster 25*; Steyn Botha 3/43, Ruan Coetzee 2/41). Grey College won by three wickets. 

Not even a century from Sohail Seonath was enough for St David’s Marist Inanda to halt Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool‘s (Affies) imperious run of form and victories.

The Pretoria school was pushed all the way, but they eventually secured a gripping seven-run win after 100 overs in Pretoria on Saturday.

It was a tough test for the Johannesburg side, taking on a team that is arguably, alongside Hoërskool Waterkloof,  the capital city’s premier cricketing outfit at present.

When the coin flip went their way, Affies elected to bat. At first, that decision appeared questionable, with the hosts losing AJ Morkel (20) and Dylan Stander (13) inside the opening 10 overs to St David’s new-ball bowler Christopher Emslie.

Yet sustained team success is often underpinned by contributions coming from multiple sources, especially when the chips are down, and that proved to be the case for Affies, whose lower order rose to the occasion.

Dawie Barnard, batting at eight, top-scored with a match-defining 60, while Zian Labuschagne weighed in with a composed and vital 34. Their crucial 69-run partnership swung the momentum in the hosts’ favour.

Emslie’s early heroics were later overshadowed by an outstanding spell from Kairiv Koobair, whose 3/37 dismantled the talented Affies’ middle order almost single-handedly.

In the St David’s reply, Seonath set about the pursuit of 225 with his customary composure. He faced 133 deliveries and stroked eight fours and three sixes in an innings that was not only a testament to his stroke play but also to his exceptional running between the wickets.

It took Affies almost the visiting side’s entire innings to end Seonath’s resistance. At last, though, in the 49th over, he was dismissed for a superb 102 with St David’s on 210. They went on to finish on 217/9.

The prized wicket of Senoath was a fitting reward for Labuschagne, who capped off a fine all-round performance by delivering his full quota of 10 overs and returning 2/53. It was, however, Christian Linde who had the final say, with his incisive spell of 2/22 sealing a tense and hard-fought victory for the home side.

Summarised scorecard

Affies 224/9 (Dawie Barnard 60, Zian Labuschagne 34, Christian Linde 23, AJ Morkel 20; Kairiv Koobair 3/37, Christopher Emslie 2/37, Roberto Mariano 2/38); St David’s Marist Inanda 217/9 (Sohail Seonath 102, Jonah Gruskin 39, Extras 22; Christian Linde 2/22, Zian Labuschagne 2/53). Affies won by seven runs.