Author: froberholzer

Johan Feuth played a starring role in another commanding victory for Hoërskool Waterkloof in the Finsbury League‘s A Section on Saturday, as Klofies dismantled Hoërskool Rustenburg by 100 runs in Rustenburg.

Feuth was mesmerising during a 60-ball unbeaten innings that brought him a century as Waterkloof posted a challenging 265/5 from their 50 overs.

Batting at six, he injected momentum into the visitors’ innings, striking at a rate of 166 and plundering eight sixes and six fours on his way to an imperious 100 not out.

His decisive 142-run partnership with captain Franco Schmidt (49) both revived and anchored the Waterkloof innings.

Berto Grobler was the standout bowler for the home side, with his 3/54 from eight overs being just reward for the sustained pressure he generated.

In reply, Rusties‘ captain Thian Labuschagne fought valiantly, compiling a well-crafted 67. However, with little support around him and incisive spells from AJ de Villiers (2/22) and Rivan Booysen (2/29), the resistance crumbled as the defending sectional champions cruised to a comprehensive bonus-point victory.

Hoërskool Kempton Park, with a dramatic nine-wicket bonus-point triumph over Hoërskool Eldoraigne, blew the race for a place in the final on 21 February wide open. Their chances of making it to the title game were further aided by Potchefstroom Volkskool, who brought Die Hoërskool Menlopark‘s two-match winning streak to an end in Potchefstroom.

Kempies produced a ruthless bowling display, with Willem van den Berg and Stian van Breda skittling the visiting Eldos for a paltry 38. Van den Berg led the charge with an outstanding return of 4/13, while Van Breda captured 3/5. The pressure of losing seven wickets for 18 runs proved far too much for the visitors, who quickly folded.

Chasing just 39 for victory, Sheldon Kruger made light work of the task, striking an unbeaten 20 to seal a big win for Kempton Park on home soil.

The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method was called upon in Volkies‘ seven-wicket victory over Menlopark. Zander Nel, with 4/14, and Olefa Padi, with 3/42, led their efforts in the field, setting up their team for a comfortable run pursuit after sending Parkies packing for a modest 167.

With inclement weather closing in, Andries Venter ensured there were no late hiccups, scoring a composed 49 from 64 deliveries and, with good support from AW van der Merwe, who contributed 38, Potch Volkskool passed the DLS target before play was halted.

The timing of the victory could scarcely have been better for the Potchefstroom school, with just two rounds remaining before the final between the section’s top two.

Summarised scorecards

Hoërskool Waterkloof 265/5 (Johan Feuth 100*, Wian du Plessis 53, Franco Schmidt 49, AJ de Villiers 29; Berto Grobler 3/54); Hoërskool Rustenburg 165 (Thian Labuschagne 67, Rejean van de Venter 29; AJ de Villiers 2/22, Rivan Booysen 2/29). Waterkloof won by 100 runs. 

Die Hoërskool Menlopark 167 (Juan Lombaard 42, Jacques de Villiers 38, André Kruyshaar 20; Zander Nel 4/14, Olefa Padi 3/42, Johandré Jacobs 2/19); Potchefstroom Volkskool 85/3 (Andries Venter 49, AW van der Merwe 23; Wihan Spanneberg 1/1). Potchefstroom Volkskool won by seven wickets (DLS method). 

Hoërskool Eldoraigne 38 (Ruan Steyn 9; Willem van den Berg 4/13, Stian van Breda 3/5, Deon Lange 2/1); Hoërskool Kempton Park 39/1 (Sheldon Kruger 20*; Rowan McLaren 1/11). Hoërskool Kempton Park won by nine wickets. 

In Tzaneen, local bragging rights will be up for grabs when the long-time rivals, Merensky Landbou Akademie and Hoërskool Ben Vorster, meet for the first time in 2026 in a Finsbury League showdown.

Meanwhile, the toughest task in the D Section at present is to stem the flow of runs from the bat of Hoërskool Dr Malan captain Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg.

Inclement weather, coupled with the Northern Region Play-offs of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two, has meant that Merensky’s Plasies have yet to feature in a 50-over fixture this year, playing only T20 matches after their opening two games in the competition were washed out.

The Black Caps of Hoërskool Ben Vorster, meanwhile, have travelled to Klerksdorp and Meyerton to face Hoërskool Wesvalia, whom they defeated, and the Dokkies of Hoërskool Dr Malan, respectively.

For Plasies, the new year has marked the return of a familiar figure. Pieter van der Merwe, who was the Director of Cricket until 2017, has returned as the Head of Sport to, once more, take charge at Limpopo’s most renowned agricultural school.

In the Black Caps’ camp, history is waiting to be written, with an opportunity to defeat the Merensky Landbou for the first time in many years. To do so, though, they’ll have to win on the Merensky Oval.

Meanwhile, the rampaging Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg and his teammate Ruben Muller have been preparing for the visit of Heidelberg Volkskool to Meyerton.

The Dokkies’ captain has been in scintillating form, registering two centuries in as many matches, and his tally already stands at 261 runs from those two innings. To compound the threat he poses, his impact with the ball has been similarly significant, placing him among the leading wicket-takers in both matches.

Batting at the top of the order, Muller has provided strong support with scores of 80 and 90, but he’ll be eager to notch his first century of the campaign.

The fixture between Hoërskool Wesvalia and Hoër Tegniese Skool (HTS) Middelburg in Klerksdorp is no less significant, with potential implications for the promotion-relegation playoffs, which are scheduled for 21 February.

The Wessies, as noted earlier, fell short against the Black Caps, while their second fixture, against the Plasies, was abandoned, leaving them in a precarious position. HTS Middelburg remains winless after two outings.

Any log points would be a huge boost for either side, setting the stage for a contest that could go down to the wire should both teams fire on all cylinders.

With Hoërskool Middelburg on a roll, the other five sides in the C Section of the Finsbury League find themselves playing catch-up ahead of the third of the five rounds on Saturday

With a strong, well-balanced line-up, Middies surged to the top of the standings after an emphatic victory over Hoërskool Zwartkop last weekend.

Beyond tightening their grip on first place in the C Section, their 318-run demolition of Zwarries also saw their big guns rediscover their form. Khaya Majola star Eduan Strydom‘s magnificent 183 was the highest individual score recorded thus far in the Noordvaal in 2026.

Alongside him, another familiar name, Gavin Genis, has also found his rhythm, smashing 171 runs from just 66 balls in his last two innings.

The duo has sent a huge warning in flashing red lights to the Hoërskool Lichtenburg bowling attack that awaits them on Saturday.

They’re currently winless, but a victory for all-rounder Jurgen Hesse and his side would be a huge boost for Liggies‘ campaign, and it would give them some breathing room as the promotion-relegation matches draw nearer.

Zwartkop, who will be hurting after last weekend’s wipeout, has home advantage against the only other unbeaten side in the section, Hoërskool Dinamika, of Alberton.

Dinamika’s two victories owed a lot to valuable contributions from their lower-order batsmen. They don’t boast a star-studded line-up and have rather relied on balanced team performances to deliver good results. The all-round experience of Branko Steenberg, a regular in the 1st XI for several years, however, is a big asset.

For Zwarries, Wynand Frylick will be a key performer. His middle-order batting and bowling will need to fire if they are to rein in a confident Dinamika outfit in Centurion.

In the capital of Limpopo, Hoërskool Pietersburg welcomes Hoërskool Centurion for Pieties‘ first Finsbury fixture on their home ground.

Pietersburg won against Lichtenburg their last time out, thus staying within reach of the log leaders. Khaya Majola all-rounder Stephan Swanepoel leads a strong and experienced batting line-up, which also features AJ Galloway and Hanru Marias, who are both in their third year of 1st XI cricket.

Centurion heads to Polokwane armed with the all-round skills of Morné Prinsloo, the younger brother of Charl Prinsloo of the Northern Cape Heat, and Morné Venter, who will need to shine if the visitors are to topple Pieties, who are usually a formidable proposition on their home ground.

A demanding weekend of travel awaits the only two unbeaten sides in the Finsbury League’s A Section, as the Pretoria-based outfits head to the North West to defend the perfect starts to their campaigns.

The defending champion, Hoërskool Waterkloof, visits Rustenburg, where an unpredictable Hoërskool Rustenburg side will be waiting, while Die Hoërskool Menlopark faces in-form leg-spinner Olefa Padi and Potchefstroom Volkskool in Potchefstroom.

The sides from the Jacaranda City currently sit comfortably atop the log after the first two rounds, with both on 10 points following consecutive bonus-point victories. However, Klofies hold an early advantage thanks to a superior net run rate.

Net Run Rate (NRR) is the most common method used in cricket tournaments to rank teams. While points indicate how many matches a team has won or lost, NRR reflects how convincingly those results were achieved. In simple terms, it measures the difference between how quickly a team scores runs and how quickly it concedes them, averaged across the competition.

Since the start of the competition in early January, Waterkloof has been the early favourite. As has been the case in recent seasons, they boast a strong bowling attack that complements a gifted batting line-up.

Leading their attack is left-arm off-spinner Rivan Booysen, who has played an integral role in the defending champion’s early successes and tops the charts with six wickets from their first two fixtures.

Wian du Plessis and AJ de Villiers have impressed at the top of the batting order, while the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Rico van der Walt anchors the middle order. Now in his third year in the Klofies’ 1st XI, Van der Walt’s experience continues to fortify Waterkloof’s challenge.

Rusties, however, will not be an easy assignment despite going down to three consecutive defeats, including a loss to St Andrew’s School in the Central Region final of the Switch Schools SA20. They made the final, though, with an impressive win over Potchefstroom Gimnasium, and they remain a dangerous side, particularly on home soil.

Fast-bowling all-rounder Callie Fryer has come into his own and continues to impress with both bat and ball in his final year of school cricket. He presents a major threat to the visitors, especially since the home team is desperately in need of a win with promotion–relegation implications looming on 21 February.

A victory for Menlopark in Potchefstroom would further strengthen their grip on a top-two position. However, Padi’s form since the Cubs Week in Stellenbosch at the start of the year has been outstanding, and if the Volkies ‘ leg-spinner continues on his current trajectory, a duel with in-form Parkies‘ batsman Monré Koekemoer could provide the Potchefstroom crowd with plenty of fireworks.

Murray Hofmeyr‘s off-spin may also play a decisive role. The tall all-rounder was a key contributor to Menlopark’s win over Hoërskool Eldoraigne last weekend and appears to be finding his rhythm at just the right time as the competition moves into a crucial phase.

Eldos will also be hunting their first victory when they travel to Kempton Park to face Hoërskool Kempton Park. Kempies claimed their first win last weekend against Rustenburg, which has put Eldoraigne in the relegation crosshairs and makes Saturday’s clash a crucial one for the visitors.

Under pressure, the visitors will lean on the experienced opener, Vince Lotz, and all-rounders, Matthew Sampson and Benyael Morkel, to deliver. However, Kempton Park did not return to the A Section by chance, with players like Sheldon Kruger and Hanroux Siemens underlining the depth and quality in their line-up.

On Tuesday, 27 January, Hoërskool Hans Moore became the only team in the Finsbury League‘s B Section to register a second victory in this year’s competition when they romped to a commanding 226-run win over Hoërskool Marais Viljoen in Alberton.

They had beaten Potchefstroom Gimnasium the previous week, continuing a dominant run of form.

Hans Moore also enjoyed a strong showing at the Northern Regional Playoffs of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two competition over the past weekend, where they finished as the runner-up to Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) after a narrow three-run defeat in the final.

Their Switch Schools SA20 campaign was also the reason the fixture against Marais Viljoen was moved to midweek. The log leaders next turn their attention to Midstream College, who visit Benoni on Saturday.

Midstream, newcomers to the B Section this year, made an immediate statement with an opening victory over the same Marais Viljoen side that Hans Moore beat on Tuesday. They fell short against Hoërskool Nelspruit in their second outing, however.

In Hans Moore, they face their sternest test against the B Section’s form side, who were unbeaten until the final of the Northern Regional Playoffs. Their impressive run included a 23-run win over Affies and a 24-run win over Hoërskool Garsfontein.

The middle-order match-ups should be intriguing. Over the weekend, the Hans Moore pitch offered batsmen the chance to score freely once they had settled in, and Midstream’s Dian de Villiers and Ryan Strauss will be keen to exploit those conditions.

However, they will come up against the in-form duo of Aidan Shaw and Xavier van Biljon, who own strong home ground records. They understand how to make the best use of the conditions. Adding to the challenge, the visitors will also have to contend with the Moories’ spin twins, Kearan Weyers and Kyle Wratten.

Jonathan Wiseman, now in his third year of 1st XI cricket, will take the new ball and lead the Midstream College attack.

Hoërskool Nelspruit, in their first home fixture of the competition, will welcome a wounded Potchefstroom Gimnasium side to Mbombela.

Gimmies, whose only defeat thus far has come at the hands of Hans Moore, possess a strong line-up, with batsman Christivan Coetzer among the key figures. However, the experience of Gherdu van Eeden in the middle order and the bowling of Safwaan Muller will present a tough challenge for the visitors.

Marais Viljoen stays at home for a second week in succession for a showdown against Hoërskool Montana in Alberton on Saturday.

Monties became Potchefstroom Gimnasium’s first victim when they failed to chase down a low total. They’ll be eager to rectify that this weekend, especially with their captain, Juan Theunissen, in good form early in the season. In four matches, he has compiled 216 runs, including 53 in the loss to Gimmies.

Marais Viljoen, in turn, will look to the brothers, Zaim Hashim and Rieshaeel Hashim, and their captain, Ethan van Rooyen, to step up. They need a win with promotion and relegation implications looming on the final weekend of the competition, on 21 February.

Summarised scorecard – 27 January 2026

Hans Moore 319/9 (Matthew Haigh 88, Xavier van Biljon 62, Tristan Harris 60, Kyle Wratten 41*, Isaac Aube 34; Hendré Cilliers 2/35, Jadon Pretorius 2/39, Marco Hoffman 2/48); Marais Viljoen 93/10 (Zaim Hashim 24; Nathan King 4/16, Ruan Wessels 2/7, Xavier van Biljon 2/16). Hans Moore won by 226 runs. 

Menlopark 217/10 (Monré Koekemoer 52, Jacques de Villiers 42, Murray Hofmeyr 37*, Jordan van Eck 20; Ruan Boshoff 3/35, Matthew Sampson 2/34, Benyael Morkel 2/45). Eldoraigne 165/10 (Vince Lotz 34, Logan Early 30, Matthew Sampson 23; Murray Hofmeyr 3/22, Monré Koekemoer 3/36, Verster Richter 3/53). Menlopark won by 52 runs. 

Hoërskool Kempton Park 201/10 (Sheldon Kruger 70, Anthony Stocight 28, Hanroux Siemens 23; Hendri Kemp 4/55, Xander Wenhold 3/7, Thian Labuschagne 2/38); Hoërskool Rustenburg 120/10 (Henlo van Rooyen 51, Xander Wenhold 25; Ewald van der Linde 2/8, Ruan Pretorius 2/15, Deon Lange 2/25). Hoërskool Kempton Park won by 81 runs. 

Sunday 

Potchefstroom Volkskool 264/10 (Theunis Nel 53, Handré de Beer 32, Extras 33, Riekert Kruger 30, AW van der Merwe 27, Righardt Kruger 27, Andries Venter 23; Callie Fryer 4/17, Hendri Kemp 2/66); Hoërskool Rustenburg 151/10 (Tristan van der Linde 50, Callie Fryer 22, Thian Labuschagne 20; Johandré Jacobs 5/18, Olefa Padi 4/39). Potchefstroom Volkskool won by 113 runs. 

Finsbury League – Section B

Midstream College 121 (Maarten Nortje 28, Extras 27; Samuel Day 4/15, Kesha Moore 2/15); Hoërskool Nelspruit 122/7 (Extras 30, Marcus Froneman 22; Jonathan Wiseman 3/32, Dian de Villiers 2/23). Hoërskool Nelspruit won by three wickets. 

Potchefstroom Gimnasium 137 (Bernard Judels 36, Extras 21, Lukas Kotze 20; Jovhanne Conradie 4/35, Durandt Stassen 2/33); Montana 114 (Juan Theunissen 53; Thloni Thabatha 3/9, Adriaan van Niekerk 3/30). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by 23 runs. 

Finsbury League – Section C

Hoërskool Middelburg 420 (Eduan Strydom 183, Gavin Genis 89, Nijan Swart 77, PJ van der Merwe 28; Stian Scholtz 4/42); Zwartkop 102 (Stian Scholtz 33; Hendré Nel 4/11, Wilré Cilliers 2/22, Nijan Swart 2/27). Hoërskool Middelburg won by 319 runs.

Hoërskool Pietersburg 258 (AJ Galloway 85, Stephan Swanepoel 59, Extras 37, Alex Thomson 33, Jan-Hendrick Boneschans 25; Eduhan van den Berg 5/12, Johan Duvenhage 2/60); Hoërskool Lichtenburg 161 (Johann Duvenhage 40, Juwan van Tonder 22; Christiaan van der Merwe 5/24, AJ Galloway 2/27, Willem Viljoen 2/34). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by 97 runs.

Dinamika 228 (Connor Griffin 84, Liam de Swardt 27, Jared Cliffe 24, Jesse Simpson 24*; Johan Boshoff 2/24, Meyer Ginter 2/27, Eben Kotze 2/39); Hoërskool Centurion 72/4 (22) (Morné Prinsloo 32*; Jayden Smith 2/14).

Finsbury League – D Section

Dr Malan 370/8 (Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg 120, Ruben Muller 90, AJ Els 73, Glangi Morrico 30, Extras 24; Rivoningo Chauke 3/54, Mpotsheng Mashalane 2/80); Ben Vorster 148 (Christiaan Duvenhage 38, Talent Ndlovu 30; Aldo Kotze 3/38, Glangi Morrico 2/18, Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg 2/19). Dr Malan won by 222 runs.

HTS Middelburg 147 (Extras 41, Jandré de Clerq 37, Armand Kotze 20; Kehan Baird 4/28, Jaco Botha 2/31); Heidelberg Volkskool 105/4 (12.4) (Kehan Baird 47*, Dave Pelzer 26*; Heinrich Botha 2/13). Match Abandoned.

Dramatic and pulsating are just two words that aptly describe the final over of the Northern Region final of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Tournament, played on Sunday in Boksburg.

Relive all the Switch Schools SA20 action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

There was some upheaval to begin the day, with the venue of the title game being moved to Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) after rain swept through Benoni on Saturday evening and swamped Willowmore Park.

A thrilling 40 overs unfolded, with the contest going down to the very last ball. Following some final over drama, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) claimed the trophy after holding on for a nail-biting three-run victory over Hoërskool Hans Moore.

When the final over began, Moories required seven runs from the last six deliveries. Zian Labuschagne took the ball for Affies.

Within the space of three balls, the contest shifted dramatically, with Affies, in a scarcely believable sequence, executing three consecutive run outs from the first three deliveries of the over. Stunned, Hans Moore was able to muster only three runs from the remaining three deliveries.

While Labuschagne did exceptionally well to hold his nerve in the closing moments, his fellow fast bowler, Armin Snyman,  returned 2/20 from three overs and, crucially, he got rid of in-form Aidan Shaw, who put together a magical run throughout the event.

After scoring a magnificent unbeaten 103 on Friday against Hoërskool Garsfontein, he weighed in with a half-century in a 23-run win over Affies on Saturday. In the final, he added a composed 75 from 61 balls, two runs more than his contribution in the previous day’s win over the Pretoria school. That took his total to breath-taking 300 runs from five matches at an average of 75.

Shaw’s excellent effort on Sunday placed the Benoni school in a strong position to push for victory, but his departure triggered a rapid collapse. Earlier, Affies had set Moories a competitive target of 139 after totalling 138/6, which was built around a vital 36 from Christian Linde, with Paul Bester (25*) and JP Botha (22) adding valuable cameos.

For Hans Moore, the left-arm off-spinner Kearan Weyers once again led their charge with the ball, nabbing an impressive 2/16 from his four overs. It was, however, not enough to halt the Affies juggernaut. They continued their remarkable trophy run after lifting the Titans Platinum League title late last year.

Their attention next focuses on the Final Showdown, to be hosted at the University of Pretoria in March. They’ll fancy their chances playing in their home city.

Summarised scorecard

Affies 138/6 (Christian Linde 34, Paul Bester 25*, JP Botha 22; Kearan Weyers 2/16); Hans Moore 135/8 (Aidan Shaw 75, Sohil Jugnath 22; Armin Snyman 2/20). Affies won by three runs.

Summarised scorecards

Final 

Dr EG Jansen 88/6 (Bruzaan Goosen 33*, Tenique Williams 20; Tshepiso Motswi 2/17); Nkowankowa Cricket Club – Did not bat. Match abandoned – Bowl-out Result: Nkowankowa Cricket Club 1, Dr EG Jansen 0.

Session 1

Nkowankowa Cricket Club 100/7 (Blondy Baloyi 22, Extras 22; Jessica Morgan 3/9); Dr EG Jansen 37 (Mika du Plessis 10; Pontsho Mopayi 4/6). Nkowankowa Cricket Club won by 63 runs. 

Not a hailstorm, nor strong winds and heavy rain could prevent the two semi-final favourites, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) and the unbeaten Hoërskool Hans Moore, from booking their places in the final of Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Northern Region playoffs.

Relive all the Switch Schools SA20 action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Moories, the only team with a clean record, secured their spot in the title game, but, as was the case in both semi-finals, a bowl-off was needed after inclement weather intervened and prevented any reply from the teams batting second.

According to the competition’s rules, a bowl-off takes place when bad weather prevents play, and the match must have a result. It consists of a nominated bowler from each side bowling one over, with each ball that hits the stumps counting for one point.

Fortunately, the Rowlin Cricket Academy could host bowl-offs. If no indoor facility had been available, the finalists would have been decided by a coin toss.

At one point in their bowl-off, Hans Moore trailed 1-2, but they came through with a 3-2 win over Hoërskool Ben Vorster. Affies got by Hoërskool Garsfontein by a 4-3 margin.

Before the heavens opened, Hans Moore was well placed against the Black Caps, having reached 121/5 in 16 overs. Xavier van Biljon, who had been relatively quiet with the bat thus far, hit his straps, striking four fours and a six in a fluent 40 from 30 balls.

Aidan Shaw continued his run of influential performances, clearing the boundary once and sending four deliveries into it as he weighed in with 42.

Kulani Mnisi was the standout bowler for the Tzaneen outfit, returning the impressive figures of 2/14 from his two overs.

Affies faced a sterner challenge. When play was halted after 15 overs, they were on 88/3. Vihan Pretorius, the scorer of a spectacular century on the opening day, was unbeaten on 25, while opener AJ Morkel had laid a solid foundation with a vital 36.

The Ysbere‘s disciplined bowling effort was spearheaded by Ruan Cuyler, who continued his fine form with an economical spell of 1/14 from four overs.

The final, a rematch of Saturday morning’s group encounter, which Hans Moore won by 23 runs, is scheduled to get underway at 09:30 on Sunday at Willowmoore Park.

Summarised scorecards

Hans Moore 121/5 after 16 overs (Aiden Shaw 42, Xavier van Biljon 40; Kuhlani Mnisi 2/14); Ben Vorster – Did not bat. Match abandoned – Bowl-out Result: Hans Moore 3, Ben Vorster 2.

Affies 88/3 after 15 overs (AJ Morkel 36, Vihan Pretorius 25*; Ruan Cuyler 1/14); Garsfontein – Did not bat. Match abandoned – Bowl-out Result: Affies 4, Garsfontein 3.

Hoërskool Hans Moore kept their unbeaten record intact with an emphatic 23-run victory over Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) in the Northern Regional Playoffs of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two, in Benoni, on Saturday morning.

Relive all the Switch Schools SA20 action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

It came as no surprise that Moories’ challenge was led by their talisman, Aidan Shaw. His bat has been red-hot since the opening match on Friday morning, and he followed up a superb century against Hoërskool Garsfontein with a commanding half-century against Affies.

As he did on Friday, Shaw anchored Hans Moore’s innings and controlled the proceedings with maturity and authority.

He faced 50 deliveries and struck five sixes and four fours, on his way to a match-defining 73 before being dismissed by Armin Snyman (2/18), who impressed with the new ball.

Another cornerstone of the hosts’ efforts was Stephan Vermaak, who provided valuable support with a fine all-round performance.

First up, he contributed a brisk 31 with the bat before falling to JP Botha (2/11), who now boasts an outstanding 10 wickets from three matches. Vermaak then delivered the decisive blow with the ball. His 3/15 turned the contest on its head as Affies lost their last seven wickets for just 56 runs.

Xavier van Biljon added further pressure, claiming 2/20, to help seal an outstanding victory for the Benoni school, who moved on to a semi-final showdown against Hoërskool Ben Vorster, brimming with confidence.

The Black Caps dramatically booked their semi-final place by edging out Hoërskool Marais Viljoen by a single wicket after a tense run chase of 118 to win.

Mphotseng Mashalane played a decisive hand with a blistering 38 from only 15 balls, while young Dirk Nortman added a composed unbeaten 21 in a match-winning 48-run partnership.

Ben Vorster pulled off a recovery despite a devastating burst from Ethan van Rooyen (4/20), which tore apart the Limpopo side’s reply. Van Rooyen also top-scored for the Marais Viljoen, with 38, while he and Jadon Pretorius (3/11) combined for seven wickets in quick succession.

Hoërskool Garsfontein, and in particular young fast bowler Nathan Ferreira, hit their stride at the perfect time ahead of their semi-final rematch with Affies later on Saturday. Bowling second change, Ferreira ripped through Merensky Landbou Akademie’s batting, capturing 5/22.

Fifteen-year-old opener Willem Mostert stood strong for the Plasies, though, carrying his bat for a well-compiled and assured 46. Despite his efforts, they totalled only 102/9, a total that the Ysbere chased down comfortably in just 10.5 overs.

Richardt Joubert led the charge with an unbeaten 55 from 38 balls. Ruan Cuyler, after claiming 2/9 with the ball, added 49 not out with the bat.

Summarised scorecards

Hans Moore 136/6 (Aiden Shaw 73, Stephan Vermaak 31; JP Botha 2/11, Armin Snyman 2/18); Affies 113/10 (Ethan Williams 20; Stephan Vermaak 3/15, Xavier van Biljon 2/20). Hans Moore won by 23 runs. 

Marais Viljoen 116/7 (Ethan van Rooyen 37, Jacques Ferreira 22; Sontag Ramatsoma 3/11, Mpontseng Mashalane 2/19, Rivoningo Chuake 2/20); Ben Vorster 118/9 (Mpotsheng Mashalane 38, Dirk Nortman 21*, Kuhlani Mnisi 21; Ethan van Rooyen 4/20, Jadon Pretorius 3/22). Ben Vorster won by one wicket. 

Merensky 102/9 (Willem Mostert 46*; Nathan Ferreira 5/22, Ruan Cuyler 2/9); Garsfontein 105/0 (Righardt Joubert 55*, Ruan Cuyler 49*; Topher Elphinstone 0/12). Garsfontein won by 10 wickets.