Author: froberholzer

It took four days for the first century to be recorded at the 2026 Kovsie Smash in the City of Roses, Bloemfontein.

With the attention firmly on Thursday afternoon’s semi-finals, Hoërskool Sentraal‘s Erik Prinsloo seized the spotlight with a blistering knock.

He took just 49 deliveries to smash a breathtaking 125, which powered the Bloemfontein outfit to a commanding 125-run victory over Hoërskool Lichtenburg.

Prinsloo’s innings formed the backbone of Sentraal‘s imposing total of 253/7 from their 20 overs, which was the highest team score recorded at the tournament thus far.

In reply, the Liggies‘ Johan Duvenhage impressed with a patient 70, which was a notable effort given the demands of the shorter format of the game.

Heading into Thursday’s matches, three teams retained perfect records. It was, however, the two pre-tournament favourites, Hoërskool Eldoraigne and Transvalia, who booked their places in Friday morning’s final.

The Eldos brought an end to Hoërskool Kalahari‘s unbeaten run with a convincing 68-run victory. Captain Rowan McLaren registered his second half-century of the week, but it was Ruan Steyn who dominated proceedings with a commanding 66, which guided the Centurion-based side to a competitive 186/6.

Once again, the Eldoraigne bowling unit delivered collectively. Every bowler played their part with disciplined spells, most notably Vince Lotz, who returned figures of 2/9. Kalahari was restricted to 118/9, with Myburgh‘s 26 the lone highlight of the innings.

Transvalia produced a ruthless display to dismantle the hosts, Hoërskool Fichardtpark. The home side struggled from the outset against one of the most effective bowling attacks of the tournament, and Valia enhanced their reputation with another strong showing in their penultimate match.

Janco Jacobs was outstanding, claiming three wickets without conceding a run. He was well supported by Declan Steinmann, who returned figures of 2/8, and Aden Matthee, whose 2/9 further tightened the vice as Fichardtpark was skittled for only 54. Kriegler Botha‘s unbeaten 23 ensured the run chase was completed with ease.

A final which pits Transvalia‘s formidable bowling attack against Eldoraigne‘s powerful batting line-up promises a fitting climax to the tournament.

In other matches, Hoërskool Driehoek‘s Christiaan Schoeman struck 80 in his side’s comprehensive 83-run victory over Duineveld, while Hoërskool Overvaal‘s Janco de Lange recorded the third-highest individual score of the day, blasting an unbeaten 76 in a losing cause against Potchefstroom Volkskool‘s Stayers.

Summarised scorecards

Quarterfinals 

Transvalia 160/3 (Jeandré Barnard 71*, Declan Steinmann 36*, Divan Knoetze 34; Evan van der Merwe 1/14); Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 119/7 (Nolan Roets 39, Christiaan Stoop 21; Declan Steinmann 2/16). Transvalia won by 41 runs. 

Eldoraigne 218/4 (Vince Lotz 54, Jean du Randt 47*, Ruan Steyn 45, Benyael Morkel 33; Luke Venter 2/26); Oos-Moot 65/10 (Marnus Broodryk 24; Anhus Myers 3/5, Niclas Moller 2/8). Eldoraigne won by 153 runs. 

Hoërskool Pietersburg 89/10 (Stephan Swanepoel 25; Liam Laing 4/9, Carl Thole 3/9); Kalahari 90/0 (Louhan Noeth 52*, Carl Thole 25*). Kalahari won by 10 wickets. 

Fichardtpark 140/6 (Diederik de Vos 45, Jayden Geldenhuys 36, Davyd Oosthuizen 29*; Luann Le Roux 2/35); Overvaal 119/6 (Janco de Lange 42; Jayden Geldenhuys 3/13, Henrich Kemp 2/21). Fichardtpark won by 21 runs. 

Other results

Witteberg 151/5 (Janco Botha 74, Xander Fourie 52; Danny Botes 2/23, Erik Prinsloo 2/24); Sentraal 140/8 (Janré Bornman 51, Damian Smith 32, Riwan van der Westhuizen 23; Dumisani Johnsen 2/16, Lwazi Mosea 2/19, Xander Fourie 2/26). Witteberg won by 11 runs. 

Voortrekker 142/7 (Vlag Janse van Rensburg 39, Paul Naudé 37, Thato Nthebere 22; 2/13, Cobus Wilken 2/36); Jim Fouché 73/10 (Jayden Strydom 3/20, Janno Olivier 2/8, Vlag Janse van Rensburg 2/11). Voortrekker won by 69 runs. 

Hoërskool Sasolburg 152/6 (Stephan Roets 43, Andriaan van der Merwe 32, Jan-Hendrik Espach 32; Waldo van der Westhuizen 2/38); Goudveld 142/6 (Edrich du Plessis 42*; Nathan Bower 2/24). Hoërskool Sasolburg won by 10 runs. 

Merensky 148/7 (Waldo Mouton 52*; Divan Dreyer 3/25, Drikus Meiring 2/21); Driehoek 149/7 (Christiaan Schoeman 31, Ian van der Westhuizen 26*; Conrad Venter 3/22). Driehoek won by three wickets. 

Semi-finals 

Eldoraigne 186/6 (Ruan Steyn 66, Rowan McLaren 50, Jean du Randt 20; Wilrigh Mostert 2/20); Kalahari 118/9 (Myburgh de Klerk 26, Janko Noeth 24, Wilrigh Mostert 22; Vince Lotz 2/9, Juandré Badenhorst 2/15). Eldoraigne won by 68 runs. 

Fichardtpark 54/10 (Neven Olivier 8; Janco Jacobs 3/0, Declan Steinmann 2/8, Aden Matthee 2/9); Transvalia 56/1 (Kriegler Botha 23*; Jayden Geldenhuys 1/21). Transvalia won by nine wickets. 

Other results

Sentraal 253/7 (Erik Prinsloo 125, Daniel Pienaar 30, Damain Smith 29; Miquel Goncalves 3/35, Jurgen Hesse 2/43); Hoërskool Lichtenburg 128/3 (Johan Duvenhage 70*, Dovhan Wiese 20*; Ruardt Kleynhans 1/9). Sentraal won 125 runs. 

Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 159/8 (Damian Pretorius 34, Callum Campbell 26, Christiaan Stoop 20; Ethan Kruger 2/32, Zander Olivier 2/41); Overvaal 160/4 (Janco de Lange 76*, Luann le Roux 25, Zander Olivier 20*; Hanru Combrinck 2/21, Pierre Joubert 2/35). Overvaal won by six wickets. 

Hoërskool Pietersburg 101/8 (Stephan Swanepoel 30, Willem Viljoen 28*; Elmar Theron 3/10, Henco Erasmus 3/13); Oos-Moot 104/3 (Liam du Preez 58*; AJ Galloway 1/8). Oos-Moot won by seven wickets. 

Witteberg 151/5 (Dumisani Johnsen 53, Xander Fourie 37, Pieter Wessels 22*; WJ van Niekerk 2/29); Trio 152/7 (Myburgh 42, Dylan Young 30, Pedri Wilken 30; Dumisani Johnsen 2/35). Trio won by three wickets. 

Driehoek 174/7 (Christiaan Schoeman 80, Janco Smit 22; Wilmar Myburgh 3/23, Xander O’Connell 2/30); Duineveld 91/10 (Du Preez Faber 56; Leanardo Visser 2/1, Chris Saayman 2/10, Ian van der Westhuizen 2/10). Driehoek won by 83 runs. 

Voortrekker 137/5 (Paul Naudé 42, Jano Olivier 30, Andries Rautenbach 20*; Nathan Bower 2/25); Hoërskool Sasolburg 138/5 (Jan-Hendrik Espach 56, Liam Singleton 30*; Jordan Buitendag 2/16). Hoërskool Sasolburg won by five wickets. 

Wednesday will certainly be a day the South Africa u19 side would prefer to erase from memory as quickly as possible.

The young South Africans suffered their heaviest defeat of their three-match Youth ODI series, going down by a crushing 233 runs to India u19, who completed a 3–0 whitewash at Willowmoore Park, in Benoni.

As had been the case on Monday, it was once again the Vaibhav Suryavanshi show.

The teenage sensation surpassed his superb effort in Monday’s second match, blasting a scintillating century in another blistering onslaught on the South African attack.

Suryavanshi opened the batting alongside Aaron George, who also impressed, and their opening partnership of 227 effectively knocked the wind out of the hosts’ sails. In a rare occurrence, George’s superb innings of 118 from 106 deliveries was merely the second fiddle to his partner’s brilliance.

Just 14 years of age but the captain of the side, Suryavanshi exhibited breathtaking ball-striking and raced to 127 from just 74 balls, hammering 10 sixes and nine fours, while laying the foundation for India’s imposing total of 393/7.

With the century, the Indian skipper completed the three-match series with 206 runs at an average of 68.6.

Ntando Soni was the best of the South African bowlers. His figures of 3/61 included the prized wicket of the Indian captain during his second spell, which was, arguably, the highlight of South Africa’s 50 overs in the field.

Jason Rowles (2/59) and a spectacular run-out from Soni brought an end to a bruising innings that left the hosts facing the daunting task of chasing almost 400 for victory.

Chasing such a total was akin to rowing upstream without paddles. The South African batsmen were given little opportunity to settle in and wickets tumbled rapidly. After 11 overs, the scoreboard read 50/5 and the writing was on the wall.

Paul James, the younger brother of former SA u19 captain Juan James, and Daniel Bosman offered stubborn resistance. James top-scored with 41 from 49 deliveries, while Bosman battled his way to a patient 40 from 60 deliveries.

Once they departed, however, sustained pressure from a disciplined Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Kishan Kumar‘s 3/15, led to the home team collapsing to a disappointing 160 all out, which brought a difficult series for South Africa to a sobering conclusion.

Summarised scorecard

India u19 393/7 (Vaibhav Surhyavanshi 127, Aaron George 118, Vedant Trivedi 34, Mohammed Enaan 28*, Extras 26, Abhigyan Kundu 21; Ntando Soni 3/61, Jason Rowles 2/59); South Africa u19 160 (Paul James 41, Daniel Bosman 40, Corné Botha 36*; Kishan Kumar 3/15, Mohammed Enaan 2/36). India u19 won by 233 runs.

By the end of the fifth session of round-robin matches and three days of non-stop cricket, the quarterfinalists of the 2026 Kovsie Smash were confirmed.

The T20 event is being hosted by Hoërskool Fichardtpark in Bloemfontein.

The quarterfinals take place on Thursday morning, following a well-earned rest for all but Merensky Landbou Akademie and Duineveld, who met in Wednesday afternoon’s only match.

Heading into the quarterfinals, three teams remain unbeaten. Of those, Hoërskool Eldoraigne has arguably been the most impressive, and they delivered another commanding performance, this time against Hoërskool Driehoek.

The Eldos once again tallied more than 200, with captain Rowan McLaren and Benyael Morkel leading the charge. Morkel, who did not feature the previous day, struck his third consecutive half-century (50), while McLaren contributed a fluent 51.

Eldoraigne’s bowlers then restricted Driehoek to a meagre 98/6 from their 20 overs to seal a dominant 108-run victory.

The Centurion-based side will next face Oos-Moot in a meeting of Pretoria schools in the quarterfinals. Oos-Moot has lost only once in the tournament thus far, falling 15 runs short against Transvalia.

Transvalia and the 2025 runner-up, Hoërskool Kalahari, also have clean records. Transvalia brushed aside Hoërskool Trio, scoring a convincing 59-run victory, which showcased their balanced strength.

Waldo McLean (47) and Divan Knoetze (36) guided Valia to a competitive 157/7. Their bowlers then delivered, with Ethan Stroh (3/16) and Kriegler Botha (2/19) combining for figures of 5/35 as Trio was dismissed for 98.

Hoërskool Kalahari progressed comfortably, winning by five wickets, after chasing down the modest 67 all out posted by Potchefstroom Volkskool‘s Stayers.

Wilrich Mostert and Christiaan Stoop stood out, claiming two wickets cheaply each. It was, however, Mostert‘s unbeaten 26 that proved decisive for the Kuruman school.

In the first knockout round, Transvalia takes on the Volkies‘ Stayers, while Kalahari will be challenged by Hoërskool Pietersburg. The Pieties booked their place in the last eight with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Hoërskool Lichtenburg.

The tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Willem Viljoen, returned a destructive 3/13, while Stephan Swanepoel, who represented Limpopo at the Khaya Majola Week, lent strong support with 2/15 as the Liggies were restricted to 96/9.

Swanepoel then showcased his primary discipline, batting, striking an unbeaten 57 from just 25 deliveries to guide his side to victory in the 11th over.

Hoërskool Fichardtpark‘s Jayden Geldenhuys produced a superb innings and the highest score of the morning, striking nine fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 86 from 63 balls.

Hoërskool Sasolburg’s Adriaan van der Merwe responded with a rapid 48 of his own, which very nearly enabled his side to pull off a remarkable victory while chasing 160 to win. However, his dismissal proved pivotal as Sasolburg fell agonisingly short, losing by seven runs.

Fichardtpark will take on the unpredictable Overvaal in their quarterfinals’ clash.

Summarised scorecards

Day Three – Session 1

Eldoraigne 206/5 (Rowan McLaren 51, Benyael Morkel 50, Jean du Randt 39*, Ruan Steyn 26; Divan Dreyer 2/32, Ian van der Westhuizen 2/33); Driehoek 98/6 (Christiaan Schoeman 45*; Angus Myers 1/4). Eldoraigne won by 108 runs.

Transvalia 157/7 (Waldo McLean 47, Divan Knoetze 36; Dylan Young 2/35, Iwan du Plessis 2/31); Trio 98/10 (Zayne Williams 35; Ethan Stroh 3/16, Kriegler Botha 2/19). Transvalia won by 59 runs. 

Oos-Moot 125/7 (Marnus Broodryk 36, Chrisjan van Staden 28; Cobus Wilken 2/22, Wihan Pulsen 2/23); Jim Fouché 106/10 (Benco Olivier 20; Luke Venter 3/11, Henco Erasmus 3/18). Oos-Moot won by 19 runs. 

Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 67/10 (Christiaan Stoop 16; Wilrigh Mostert 2/7, Kopano Mosienyane 2/30); Kalahari 70/5 (Wilrigh Moster 26*; Christiaan Stoop 2/19). Kalahari won by five wickets.

Hoërskool Lichtenburg 96/9 (Jurgen Hesse 18; Willem Viljoen 3/13, Stephan Swanepoel 2/15); Hoërskool Pietersburg 97/2 (Stephan Swanepoel 57*; Jurgen Hesse 1/24). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by eight wickets. 

Fichardtpark 159/2 (Jayden Geldenhuys 86*, Damian Mulder 29, Davyd Oosthuizen 24*; Nathan Bower 2/32); Hoërskool Sasolburg 152/6 (Adriaan van der Merwe 48, Stephan Roets 23, Henco Roets 22; Christiaan Myburgh 2/38). Fichardtpark won by seven runs. 

Sentraal 157/9 (Damian Smith 39, Danny Botes 28, Erik Prinsloo 27; Thys Parsons 3/20, Jordan Buitendag 3/30); Voortrekker 137/9 (Andries Rautenbach 49; Ruardt Kleynhans 2/19, Erik Prinsloo 2/23, Danny Botes 2/30). Sentraal won by 20 runs. 

Witteberg 158/5 (WJ Geldenhuis 46, Xander Fourie 41, Dumisani Johnsen 30; Wynand Benade 1/8); Merensky 89/10 (Waldo Mouton 20; WJ Geldenhuis 3/9, Xander Fourie 3/14). Witteberg won by 69 runs. 

Goudveld 107/10 (Jeandré 37; Niekie Smit 3/8, Xander O’Connel 3/18, Marnus Myburgh 2/19); Duineveld 95/10 (Kian Naudé 18; Justin Swaine 2/11, Edrich du Plessis 2/17, Louw Fouché 2/23). Goudveld won by 12 runs. 

Session Two 

Duineveld 109/5 (Xander Olivier 29, Wilmar Myburgh 22*, Altus Vorster 2/25); Merensky 95/10 (Muhammed Khan 20, Sevreano Lackay 4/12, Wilmar Myburgh 3/19). Duineveld won by 14 runs.

Fixtures

Quarterfinals

Transvalia vs Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers – UFS 2
Oos-Moot vs Eldoraigne – UFS 3
Fichardtpark vs Overvaal – UFS 4
Hoërskool Pietersburg vs Kalahari – UFS Oval

Remaining fixtures

Hoërskool Sasolburg vs Goudveld – UFS 1
Hoërskool Lichtenburg vs Trio – Fichardtpark Oval
Jim Fouché vs Voortrekker – Casa, Grey College
Witteberg vs Sentraal – Tommix, Grey College
Merensky vs Driehoek – GCB, Grey College

Erik Prinsloo, of Hoërskool Sentraal, and Willem Viljoen, of Hoërskool Pietersburg, were the undisputed standout performers on Tuesday, the second day of the 2026 Kovsie Smash, which is being hosted by Hoërskool Fichardtpark, in Bloemfontein.

Prinsloo was the lone batsman to score consecutive half-centuries on day two, which featured 14 matches.

In the morning session, he anchored Sentraal‘s innings with a valuable 59 against Hoërskool Driehoek, which guided the Bloemfontein outfit to 172/7 in their 20 overs and on to a 38-run victory.

He was even better in the afternoon session, albeit in a losing cause. His 89 from 54 deliveries, the highest individual score of the day, overshadowed Damian Pretorius‘s 56 for the Potchefstroom Volkskool stayers’ team. However, Pretorius enjoyed the support that Prinsloo lacked, with captain Christiaan Verster contributing an unbeaten 30 that proved decisive in sealing Volkies‘ narrow seven-run win.

In the bowling department, Willem Viljoen shone brightest for the Pieties. He was the only player to claim four wickets in both of his side’s matches on Tuesday. Much like Erik Prinsloo’s Sentraal, Viljoen’s Pietersburg experienced mixed fortunes, recording one win and one defeat.

He saved his best for the second match, capturing 4/11 in a tight 10-run defeat to the hosts, Fichardtpark. Earlier in the day, he knocked over 4/24 in a 17-run victory over Duineveld.

Viljoen was well supported by Christiaan van der Merwe, who claimed 3/24. Still, that was not quite enough to overcome the efforts of Fichardtpark’s Dillan Geringer (3/9) and Christiaan Myburgh (3/10), who dismantled the Pieties’ batting line-up.

Wickets fell in abundance throughout the day, despite no bowler picking up a five-wicket haul. Eizer Behrens, of the Volkies Stayers, recorded the best figures of the day, taking four wickets for 10 runs in a tense encounter against Voortrekker in which Volkies successfully defended a modest 100 to secure a six-run victory. They were one of four teams to win both of their Tuesday matches.

Transvalia remained unbeaten in the tournament with comprehensive victories over Merensky Landbou Akademie and Jim Fouché (JF). The Plasies suffered a six-wicket defeat against Transvalia in the morning and JF were skittled for 51 as Valia added a 47-run victory in the afternoon.

Dylan Steinmann, also a standout fly-half for Transvalia’s 1st XV rugby side, was a top performer across the two matches, returning combined bowling figures of 6/29.

Fichardtpark‘s victory over the Pieties followed a convincing 37-run win over Hoërskool Lichtenburg earlier in the day. Captain Diederick de Vos led from the front with a composed 54, which laid the foundation for his side’s 124/8. They, then, restricted the Liggies to just 87/9 from their 20 overs.

Oos-Moot was the fourth team to go two from two. The Pretoria school overcame Witteberg by five wickets before grinding out a hard-fought nine-run victory over the Plasies.

Despite the defeat, Schalk Rossouw, Merensky’s captain, who represented the Limpopo Impalas u16 side at the CSA National Week in December, impressed with a rapid 65, which was the second-highest individual score across the 14 matches.

Summarised scorecards

Day Two – Session One

Hoërskool Pietersburg 152/5 (Jordan du Toit 44, Stephan Swanepoel 29, Willem Viljoen 27*; Wilmar Myburgh 1/19); Duineveld 135/9 (Wilmar Myburgh 42, Xander Olivier 41*; Willem Viljoen 4/24, Hancu Marais 2/18, Hennie Schoeman 2/20). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by 17 runs. 

Sentraal 172/7 (Erik Prinsloo 59, Juan van der Walt 40, Damain Smith 27; Divan Dreyer 3/23, Christiaan Schoeman 2/15); Driehoek 134/2 (Christiaan Schoeman 61*, Divan Dreyer 35, Janco Smit 20*; Reshé Wales 1/26). Sentraal won by 38 runs. 

Trio 133/8 (Myburgh Jacobs 34, Jaden Malherbe 30, Anthonie Pelser 24; Lou Fouché 2/14); Goudveld 52/9 (Damian Niewenhuyzen 11; Anthonie Pelser 3/10, Iwan du Plessis 3/15, WJ van Niekerk 2/4). Trio won by 81 runs. 

Fichardtpark 124/8 (Diederik de Vos 54; Dovhan Wiese 2/21, Oratile Mmasa 2/22, Juvan van Tonder 2/34); Hoërskool Lichtenburg 87/9 (Oratile Mmasa 20; Christiaan Myburgh 3/12, Dillan Geringer 2/13, Davyd Oosthuizen 2/22). Fichardtpark won by 37 runs. 

Witterberg 90/10 (Pieter Wessels 25; Elmar Theron 4/17, Henco Erasmus 2/7, Ian Labuschagne 2/7); Oos-Moot 93-5 (Chrisjan van Staden 33*, Ian Labuschagne 23*; Xander Fourie 3/13). Oos-Moot won by five wickets. 

Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 100 (Jacques Oosthuizen 33; Thys Parsons 4/19, Jordan Buitendag 2/7, Thato Nthebere 2/11); Voortrekker 94/10 (Thato Nthebere 26; Eizer Behrens 4/10, Evan van der Merwe 2/17). Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers won by six runs. 

Overvaal 69/7 (Cameron van der Westhuizen 21*; Kopano Mosienyane 3/7, Shané Corner 2/10); Kalahari 71/5 (Carl Thole 23*; Janco de Lange 2/13). Kalahari won by five wickets.

Merensky 60/10 (Muhammed Khan 16; Aden Matthee 2/10, Declan Steinmann 2/17); Transvalia 62/4 (Kriegler Botha 25*; Muhammed Khan 1/11). Transvalia won by six wickets. 

Session Two

Oos-Moot 167/9 (David White 38, Henco Marais 28, Chrisjan van Staden 27, Extras 25; Reuben de Beer 3/35, Wynand Benade 2/15, Henru Venter 2/24); Merensky 158/4 (Schalk Rossouw 65, Yogi Brahmbatt 42*, James Durant 20; Liam du Preez 2/25). Oos-Moot won by nine runs. 

Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 155/5 (Damian Pretorius 56, Christiaan Verster 30*, Nolan Roets 27; Herkie Malan 2/13); Sentraal 148/5 (Erik Prinsloo 89*, Juan van der Walt 20; Evan van der Merwe 1/5). Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers won by seven runs. 

Fichardtpark 104/10 (Davyd Oosthuizen 29, Ziaan van Heerden 25*; Willem Viljoen 4/11, Christiaan van der Merwe 3/24, Hancu Marais 2/14); Hoërskool Pietersburg 94/9 (Jan-Hendrick Boneschans 26; Dillan Geringer 3/9, Christiaan Myburgh 3/10, Davyd Oosthuizen 2/22). Fichardtpark won by 10 runs. 

Transvalia 98/10 (Kriegeler Botha 27; Wihan Pulsen 3/20, Johan van Dyk 2/10, Jean van Schalkwyk 2/16); Jim Fouché 47/10 (Benco Olivier 17; Declan Steinmann 4/12, Kriegler Botha 3/7, Aden Matthee 2/24). Transvalia won by 51 runs. 

Duineveld 83/9 (Du Preez Faber 26; Adriaan van der Merwe 3/7, Joshua Ford 3/12, Henco Roets 2/18); Hoërskool Sasolburg 85/5 (Jan-Hendrik Espach 46; Sevreano Lackey 2/14, Niekie Smit 2/20). Hoërskool Sasolburg won by five wickets. 

Voortrekker 57/10 (Vlag Janse van Rensburg 12; Ruan Boshoff 3/4, Rowan McLaren 2/3, Heinrich Klue 2/16); Eldoraigne 61/2 (Jean du Randt 41*; Rodney Turner 1/15). Eldoraigne won by eight wickets. 

BLOEMFONTEIN – Hoërskool Eldoraigne has emerged as the early favourite after the opening day of the Kovsie Smash, hosted by Hoërskool Fichardtpark, in Bloemfontein.

Like much of the country, the City of Roses experienced persistent rainfall on the eve of the tournament and intermittent rain throughout the first day. The conditions, however, did little to slow Eldoraigne‘s Benyael Morkel

He set the early pace with the bat, hitting back-to-back half-centuries to finish Monday’s games with 161 runs to his name.

He scored 62 in a morning match against Potchefstroom Volkskool’s stayers, which helped Eldos to a commanding 72-run victory. Then, in the afternoon, he followed that up with an even more dominant 99 not out against Hoërskool Sentraal. In both innings, Morkel struck at a run scoring rate in excess of 150.

Opening alongside him, Vince Lotz, an experienced campaigner for the Centurion-based outfit, was also in fine touch, amassing a combined 83 runs across the two fixtures.

Eldoraigne wrapped up their second match with another emphatic result, beating Tralies by 61 runs. Sentraal is one of three Bloemfontein schools competing in the tournament.

Another standout for Eldoraigne was Heinrich Klue, who became the first bowler to claim a five-wicket haul, knocking over 5/13 to lead the way against Volkies’ youthful batting line-up.

Janco de Lange was the cornerstone of Hoërskool Overvaal’s two victories, which came against Hoërskool Trio and Goudveld Hoërskool, respectively.

De Lange, who clearly enjoyed the batting conditions at the Kovsies C Field, was the only batsman besides Benyael Morkel to record consecutive half-centuries on the opening day.

He launched his campaign with a brisk 53 from 39 balls to steer his side to a seven-wicket win over the Trio. His follow-up innings of 77 from 58 balls against Goudveld was even more commanding and powered Overvaal to the largest margin of victory margin on the day – a 74-run triumph.

De Lange’s influence extended beyond the bat. He also made telling contributions with the ball, finishing the day with five wickets, which included a splendid 4/8 against Gouties.

Cobus Wilken, of Jim Fouché, left it late to return the best bowling figures of the tournament thus far. He was outstanding against Merensky Landbou Akademie, capturing a remarkable 5/8 to restrict the Tzaneen school to just 67/9 from their 20 overs.

In a comprehensive win over Witteberg, he snapped up 3/7. That left him atop the wicket-taking charts at the end of the day with eight scalps to his name at a miserly cost of only 15 runs.

In addition to the aforementioned five-wicket hauls, the opening day also featured five four-wicket hauls, including De Lange‘s superb effort against Goudveld.

Juvan van Tonder, of Hoërskool Lichtenburg, and Sevreano Lackey, of Duineveld, both returned figures of 4/11. Van Tonder’s spell was particularly significant as it enabled Liggies to defend a modest total of 76 after Lackey had ripped through Lichtenburg’s innings.

Transvalia, along with the 2025 runners-up, Hoërskool Kalahari, also finished the day unbeaten.

Kriegler Botha raised his bat for a half-century (57) in Transvalia‘s opening 15-run victory over Oos-Moot at the Kovsies Oval on Monday morning. Divan Knoetze, then, weighed in with 43 in a 30-run win over Witteberg at the Tommix Oval.

For Kalahari, Louhan Noeth recorded the second-highest individual score of the day with 75 in a six-wicket victory over Goudveld.

His effort was followed by a crucial 57 from Strauss van Heerden as the Kuruman outfit edged out Trio by three wickets in a tense encounter. Noeth added a further 27 runs in that win.

Summarised scorecards 

Day One – Session One

Eldoraigne 171/4 (Benyael Morkel 62, Vince Lotz 53; Hanru Combrinck 2/33); Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 49/9 (Christiaan Verster 14; Heinrich Klue 5/13, Niclas 2/7). Eldoraigne won by 72 runs (DLS). 

Transvalia 155/6 (Kriegler Botha 57, Janco Jacobs 46*; Marnus Broodryk 1/6); Oos-Moot 140/7 Marnus Broodryk 33, Christo van Heerden 28, Ian Le Roux 24*; Janco Jacobs 3/14). Transvalia won by 15 runs. 

Trio 122/9 (Pedri Wilken 22; Vaughan van Vuuren 3/16, Rouche Le Roux 3/22); Overvaal 123/3 (Janco de Lange 53, Luann Le Roux 25, Ethan Kruger 20; Robbie van der Vyver 1/5). Overvaal won by seven wickets. 

Goudveld 124/2 (Jeandré Ferreira 45*, Kellan Kleynhans 35, Zandré Zietsman 28; Janko Noeth 2/22); Kalahari 125/4 (Louhan Noeth 75, Myburgh de Klerk 27*; Waldo van der Westhuizen 2/12). Kalahari won by six wickets. 

Driehoek 94/3 (Christiaan Schoeman 47*, Chris Saayman 21*; Vlag Janse van Rensburg 1/8); Voortrekker 97/6 Thato Nthebere 27, Thys Parsons 24*; Durandt Lubbe 3/22). Voortrekker won by four wickets.

Hoërskool Lichtenburg 62 (Oratile Mmasa 15; Henco Roets 3/8, Adriaan van der Merwe 2/5, Liam Singleton 2/7); Hoërskool Sasolburg 63/5 (Liam Singleton 30*; Jurgen Hesse 3/17). Hoërskool Sasolburg won by five wickets. 

Duineveld 54/10 (Duawayne Olivier 12*; Damian Mulder 3/14, Jayden Geldenhuys 2/6, Dillan Gereinger 2/12); Fichardtpark 55/5 (Christiaan Myburgh 11*; Niekie Smit 4/26). Fichardtpark won by five wickets. 

Jim Fouché 90/7(Jodan Vorster 24; Xander Fourie 4/14, Anru Erasmus 2/17); Witteberg 34/10 (Xander Fourie 13; Cobus Wilken 3/7, Jean van Schalkwyk 3/11, Zeke Cloete 2/0). Jim Fouché won by 56 runs. 

Day One – Session Two

Eldoraigne 219/4 (Benyael Morkel 99*, Ruan Steyn 35, Vince Lotz 30, Jean du Randt 27; Reshe Wales 1/32); Sentraal 158/5 (Damian Smith 41, Erik Prinsloo 25, Janré Bornman 23, Rivan van der Westhuizen 22*; Heinrich Klue 2/14). Eldoraigne won by 61 runs. 

Overvaal 167/3 (Janco de Lange 77, Ethan Kruger 51, Extras 22; Louw Fouché 1/22); Goudveld 93/10 (Kellan Kleynhans 19; Janco de Lange 4/8, Alexander Jacobs 2/14). Overvaal won by 74 runs. 

Trio 163/3 (WJ van Niekerk 43, Myburgh Jacobs 39; Liam Laing 2/35); Kalahari 164/7 (Strauss van Heerden 57, Warko Smit 33, Janko Noeth 27; Iwan du Plessis 3/15, Anthonie Pelser 3/28). Kalahari won by three wickets. 

Transvalia 148/7 (Divan Knoetze 43, Declan Steinmann 28*, Kriegler Botha 23; Kyle Nel 2/11, Lwazi Mosea 2/18); Witteberg 118/8 (Dumisani Johnsen 39; Aden Matthee 2/7, Abrie Botha 2/21). Transvalia won by 30 runs. 

Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 124/10 (Christiaan Stoop 34, Nolan Roets 27; Divan Dreyer 3/22, Durandt Lubbe 2/22); Driehoek 65/10 (Louis Pieterse 21; Damian Pretorius 3/6, Eizer Behrens 2/7, Pierre Joubert 2/20). Potch Volkies Stayers won by 59 runs. 

Hoërskool Lichtenburg 76/10 (Juvan van Tonder 25, Extras 23; Sevreano Lackey 4/11, Niekie Smit 3/9); Duineveld 65/10 (Xander Olivier 20; Juvan van Tonder 4/11, Dovhan Wiese 2/9). Hoërskool Lichtenburg won by 11 runs. 

Merensky 67/9 (Waldo Mouton 14; Cobus Wilken 5/8); Jim Fouché 69/3 (Franco De Necker 27*; Waldo Mouton 2/11). Jim Fouché won by seven wickets. 

The brilliance of 14-year-old Indian prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi ultimately overshadowed a century from Jason Rowles as India u19 secured victory in the three-match Youth ODI series with a second successive victory over South Africa u19 on Monday.

The eight-wicket win in a rain-affected contest at Willowmoore Park saw the visitors take a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Suryavanshi first captured global attention in 2024 when the Indian Premier League‘s Rajasthan Royals signed him at just 13 years of age. In 2025, he made history by debuting at 14 and, since then, the teenage sensation has continued to shatter records.

On Monday, in Benoni, he broke Rishabh Pant‘s record for the fastest half-century at u19 level, reaching the milestone from just 15 balls to better Pant’s mark by three balls.

Last year, Suryavanshi registered the fastest century at the Youth ODI level, requiring only 52 balls to reach triple figures against England in Worcester.

His innings on Monday lasted only 24 balls, produced 68 runs, and it included an astonishing 10 sixes and just one four. His assault placed India firmly in control while chasing South Africa’s 246, which was built around a superb innings from 17-year-old Jason Rowles.

He batted with authority, facing 113 deliveries for his 114 before being dismissed by India‘s standout bowler on the day, Kishan Kumar, who finished with figures of 4/46. The top-order batsman from the Central Gauteng Lions punished anything short, striking three sixes and seven fours.

However, he received limited support. Only Daniel Bosman (31) and Adnaan Lagadien (25) also made it past 20.

In contrast, Suryavanshi, who captained the visitors, enjoyed solid support. Abhigyan Kundu (48*) and Vedant Trivedi (31*) both contributed unbeaten knocks as India cruised to a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) revised target of 174 following rain delays. Thanks to Suryavanshi’s fireworks, it took India only 23.3 overs to complete the run chase.

Despite the dominance of the Indian batting line-up, Michael Kruiskamp stood out with the ball for South Africa, claiming the only two wickets to fall, which included bringing an end to Suryavanshi‘s breathtaking blitzkrieg.

Summarised Scorecard:

South Africa u19 245/10 (Jason Rowles 114, Daniel Bosman 31, Adnaan Lagadien 25; Kishan Kumar 4/46, Ramanujam Sukumar Ambrish 2/47); India u19 176/2 (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 68, Abhigyan Kundu 48*, Vedant Trivedi 31*, Aaron George 20; Michael Kruiskamp 2/23). India u19 won by eight wickets (DLS). 

The third edition of Hoërskool Fichardtpark‘s Kovsie Smash, in Bloemfontein, will feature two highly anticipated new entrants.

Hoërskool Eldoraigne, a consistent contender in the top leagues within the Titans‘ structures, and Potchefstroom Volkskool, one of North West‘s leading producers of talent, will both be in action in the City of Roses.

The tournament will feature 19 teams in competition across five days.

The side from Potchefstroom is likely a stayers’ outfit as another Volkies‘ team will be in action at the Grey Cricket Fest in Gqeberha. They will, nonetheless, be a strong team that highlights the depth of talent in the North West.

Adding further intrigue to an already exciting week of cricket is the round one showdown between Eldos and Potch Volkskool, who meet on Monday morning.

The tournament features three Bloemfontein schools: Hoërskool Fichardtpark, Jim Fouché, and Hoërskool Sentraal.

Hoërskool Wesvalia, the winner of the tournament’s first two editions will not be back to challenge for a hat-trick of titles.

The 2025 finalists, Hoërskool Kalahari, from Kuruman, is expected to be a strong contender again. They begin their campaign against Goudveld at Grey College‘s  Tommix Oval.

Hoërskool Lichtenburg, another new entrant, will face Hoërskool Sasolburg on Monday morning, while Oos-Moot and Transvalia go head-to-head on the University of the Free State‘s (UFS) Oval in a match-up that promises early fireworks.

As the name of the tournament suggests, Kovsies (UFS) host the week, along with Hoërskool Fichardtpark, Hoërskool Sentraal, and Grey College.

Limpopo’s Merensky Landbou Akademie sits out the opening round. The Plasies, the northernmost visitors to Bloemfontein, will make an eight-hour journey from Tzaneen and face Jim Fouché in their opening fixture at 14:00 on Monday.

Day three, often referred to as “moving day”, will be highlighted by a meeting between Volkies and Kalahari, while Hoërskool Pietersburg and the Liggies (Hoërskool Lichtenburg) lock horns in the same session.

Matches on Monday and Tuesday will begin at 09:00 and 14:00, while Wednesday will feature only one full round, with most sides enjoying a break in the afternoon.

Thursday’s opening session will see the contenders in quarterfinals’ action, which will be followed by the semi-finals in the afternoon.

The final takes place on the Kovsies’ Oval at 09:00 on Friday morning.

FIXTURES (for the first three days)

Monday – 5 January – Session 1 (09:00)

Oos-Moot vs Transvalia – UFS 1
Jim Fouché vs Witteberg – UFS 2
Trio vs Overvaal – UFS 3
Driehoek vs Voortrekker – UFS 4
Potch Volkskool vs Eldoraigne – UFS Oval
Fichardtpark vs Duineveld – Fichardtpark Oval
Sasolburg vs Lichtenburg – Casa, Grey College
Goudveld vs Kalahari – Tommix, Grey College

Session 2 (14:00)

Wittebrg vs Transvalia – UFS 1
Jim Fouché vs Merensky – UFS 2
Goudveld vs Overvaal – UFS 3
Driehoek vs Potcefstroom Volkskool – UFS 4
Sentraal vs Eldoraigne – UFS Oval
Duineveld vs Lichtenburg – Fichardtpark Oval
Hoërskool Sasolburg vs Pietersburg – Casa, Grey College
Kalahari vs Trio – Tommix, Grey College

Tuesday – 6 January – Session 1 (09:00) 

Kalahari vs Overvaal – UFS 1
Potcefstroom Volkskool vs Voortrekker – UFS 2
Goudveld vs Trio – UFS 3
Driehoek vs Sentraal – UFS 4
Lichtenburg vs Fichardtpark – UFS Oval
Pietersburg vs Duineveld – Fichardtpark Oval
Merensky vs Transvalia – Casa, Grey College
Witteberg vs Oos-Moot – Tommix, Grey College

Session 2 (14:00) 

Potchefstroom Volskool vs Sentraal – UFS 2
Eldoraigne vs Voortrekker – UFS 4
Pietersburg vs Fichardtpark – UFS Oval
Hoërskool Sasolburg vs Duineveld – Fichardtpark Oval
Jim Fouché vs Transvalia – Casa, Grey College
Merensky vs Oos-Moot – Tommix, Grey College

Wednesday – 7 January – Session 1 (09:00) 

Voortrekker vs Sentraal – UFS 1
Driehoek vs Eldoraigne – UFS 2
Jim Fouché vs Oos-Moot – UFS 3
Merensky vs Witteberg – UFS 4
Kalahari vs Potchefstroom Volkskool – UFS Oval
Hoërskool Sasolburg vs Fichardtpark – Fichardtpark Oval
Pietersburg vs Lichtenburg – Casa, Grey College
Trio vs Transvalia – Tommix, Grey College
Duineveld vs Goudveld – GCB Oval, Grey College

A 137-run partnership between Harvansh Pangalia and RS Ambrish guided India u19 to a 25-run Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) victory over South Africa u19 in the first Youth ODI at Willowmoore Park, in Benoni, on Saturday.

With the win, the visitor took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Overcast conditions and the threat of rain prompted South Africa to opt to bowl first, a decision that initially paid dividends.

The home side’s new-ball pairing – JJ Basson, of Hoërskool Noordheuwel, and Bayanda Majola, of Durban High School – both struck inside the powerplay, leaving India in early trouble at 34/2 in the sixth over.

However, Pangalia and Ambrish demonstrated the ebb and flow of 50-over cricket with a match-defining partnership that steadied the Indian innings. Pangalia played the dominant role but fell agonisingly short of a century, striking seven fours and two sixes in his 93 from 95 deliveries. Ambrish provided solid support by compiling 65 from 79 balls.

For the hosts, Basson was the standout bowler. He claimed three wickets in his second spell to finish with figures of 4/54 from his 10 overs. Two run outs in the final over, one initiated by captain Muhammed Bulbulia, limited India to 301 all out.

A total in excess of 300 at Willowmoore Park is a stern challenge and that was underlined when the hosts lost early wickets.

Opening batsman, Jorich van Schalkwyk, saw three partners depart within the first 10 overs. Deepesh Devendran posed the main threat, returning figures of 2/33. Despite the pressure, however, Van Schalkwyk, clearly comfortable in Benoni’s batting conditions, stood firm.

The South African and international record-holder for the highest individual score in Youth ODIs – he scored 215 against Zimbabwe u19 in July 2025 – looked fluent at the crease – an encouraging sign for the remainder of the series.

He was unbeaten on 60 when inclement weather finally brought proceedings to a halt. Armaan Manack offered valuable support, but his run out for 46, shortly before the interruption, contributed to South Africa finishing 25 runs short of the DLS target.

Summarised scorecard

India u19 301 (Harvansh Pangalia 93, RS Ambrish 65, Kanishk Chouhan 32, Khilan Patel 26, Vedant Trivedi 21, Abhigyan Kundu 21; JJ Basson 4/54); South Africa u19 148/4 (Jorich van Schalkwyk 60*, Armaan Manack 46; Depeesh Devendran 2/33). India u19 won by 25 runs (DLS).

The third annual Kovsie Smash, hosted by Hoërskool Fichardtpark in Bloemfontein, will, alongside the Cubs Week in Stellenbosch, be the first official schools’ cricket week to usher in the new year.

This year’s edition will see 19 teams competing for the title previously held by Hoërskool Wesvalia of Klerksdorp.

The tournament will begin on Monday, 5 January and conclude on Friday, 9 January, with a new champion set to be crowned at the end of the week.

Defending champions Wesvalia will not be in attendance this year. However, Hoërskool Kalahari from Kuruman, strong contenders and finalists at the 2025 edition, will return and are expected to feature prominently once again.

Two new entrants will add further intrigue to the competition. Hoërskool Eldoraigne, a heavyweight from the Titans region in Pretoria, and Potchefstroom Volkskool, led by Christiaan Verster, will both join the action across the City of Roses in 2026.

Groups:

Group A: Jim Fouché, Transvalia, Witteberg, Oos-Moot, Merenky.
Group B: Fichardtpark, Lightenburg, Hoërskool Sasolburg, Duineveld, Pietersburg.
Group C: Sentraal, Eldoraigne, Voortrekker, Driehoek, Potchefstroom Volkskool.
Group D: Goudveld, Trio, Overvaal, Kalahari.

The Teams:

Voortrekker: Vlag Janse van Rensburg, Paul Naudé, Thys Parsons, Teboho Matsoso, Thato Nthebere, Jayden Strydom, Abi Tshonti, Jordan Buitendag, Ruan Heunis, Janno Olivier, Andries Rautenbach, Fourie Scheepers, Vuyo Maqhubu.

Hoërskool Driehoek: Divan Dreyer, Luicius Goosen, Ruan Hattingh, Jaden Heckler, Durandt Lubbe, Drikus Meiring, Louis Pieterse, Chris Snyman, Christiaan Schoeman, Janco Smit, Duan Taljaard, Ian van der Westhuizen, Leonardo Visser.

Duineveld: Wilmar Myburgh, Marnus Myburgh, Kian Naudé, Niekie Smit, Joshua Visagie, Xander Oliver, Xander O’Connell, Duwayne Olivier, Sevreano Lackay, Derick Cloete, Du Preez Faber, André van Niekerk, Pieter Coetzee.

Eldoraigne: Luan Oosthuizen, Vince Lotz, Angus Meyers, Benyael Morkel, Ruan Steyn, Juan du Randt, Rowan McClaren, Logan Early, Matthew Sampson, Niclas Moller, Ruan Boshoff, Heinrich Klue, Juandré Badenhorst.

Fichardtpark: Diederick de Vos, Davyd Oosthuizen, Damian Mulder, Daniël Badenhorst, Heinrich Kemp, Jaden Geldenhuys, Juan Mostert, Neven Olivier, Tristan Beukes, Aiden Britz, Henco Thompson, Christiaan Myburgh, Dillan Geringer, Ziaan van Heerden.

Goudveld: Damian Nieuwenhuis, Delan van Zyl, Christiaan Swart, Edrich du Pessis, Louw Fouché, Zandré Zietsman, Waldo van der Westhuizen, Kamohelo Moloke, Kellan Kleinhans, Juandré Ferreira, Justin Swaine.

Jim Fouché: Niel Wilken, Benco Olivier, Franco de Necker, Cobus Wilken, Jodan Vorster, Ruan Kleyn, André Kleyn, Johan van Dyk, Christiaan Odendaal, Jareth Scott, Jean van Schalkwyk, Neyden Viljoen, Wihan Paulsen, Adriaan Engelbrecht.

Hoërskool Kalahari: Janko Noeth, Carl Thole, Louhan Noeth, Shane Corner, Liam Liang, Myburgh de Klerk, Kopano Mosienyane, Kabeli Pisoyakgosi, Wilrigh Mostert, Warko Smith, Franco Louw, Strauss van Heerden.

Lichtenburg: Johan Duvenhage, Dovhan Wiese, Jurgen Hess, Ruan Botha, Miquel Goncalves, Hanro van den Heever, Juwan van Tonder, Oratile Mmasa, Guilaume Nel, Reinhard Cronje.

Merensky: Schalk Rossouw, Waldo Mouton, Yogi Brahmbatt, Muhammed Khan, Vir Patel, Altus Vorster, Daan Vorster, James Durant, Hanru Venter, Reuben de Beer, Conrad Venter, Wynand Benade.

Oos-Moot: Liam du Preez, Chrisjan van Staden, David White, Marnus Broodryk, Luke Vender, Christo van Heerden, Ian le Roux, Ian Labuschagne, Kevin Liddle, Elmar Theron, Ruben Erasmus, Henco Erasmus.

Overvaal: Zander Olivier, Ethan Kruger, Luann le Roux, Rouche le Roux, Austin Coetzee, Alex Banes Jacobs, Llewellyn Labuschagne, Cemeron van der Westhuizen, Ruwan Pieterse, Vaughn van Vuuren, Janco de Lange.

Pietersburg: Stephan Swanepoel, Hanru Marais, AJ Swanepoel, Willem Viljoen, Hennie Schoeman, Duan van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Boneschans, Jordan du Toti, Alex Thomson, Christiaan van der Merwe, Marinus Boneschans, Rolando Caroto.

Porchefstroom Volkskool: Christiaan Stoop, Christiaan Verster, Nolan Roets, Jacques Oosthuizen, Eizer Behrens, Hanru Combrink, Damian Pretorius, Drikus Calitz, Evan van der Merwe, Benja Calitz, Pierre Joubert, Callum Campbell.

Hoërskool Sasolburg: Liam Singleton, Jan-Hendrik Espach, Joshua Ford, Stephan Roets, Lwanele Khubeka, Nathan Bower, Dean Harris, Adriaan van der Merwe, Henco Roets, Lindo Radebe, Tyron Roux, Tiaan Swarts.

Sentraal: Daniel Pienaar, Juan van der Walt, Erik Prinsloo, Janré Bornman, Jaco Buys, Willem van Staden, Riwan van der Westhuizen, Damian Smith, Danny Botes, Herkie Malan, Reshé Wales, Ruardt Kleunkleynhans, SJ Janse van Noordwyk.

Transvalia: Declan Steinmann, Janco Jacobs, Ashton Cachia, Marco Jacobs, HJ Heyes, Kriegler Botha, Eduann Raubenheimer, Jeandré Barnard, Waldo McLean, Aden Matthee, Divan Knietze, Floris Pretorius, Ethan Stroh, Abrie Botha.

Trio: Zayne Williams, WJ van Niekerk, Myburgh Jacobs, Anthonie Pelser, Henrico van der Merwe, Lwan du Plessis, Pedrie Wilken, Chesline Mogasi, Zothile Zane, Jaden Malherbe, Dylan Young, Robbie van der Vyver.

Wittebrg: Anru Erasmus, Dumesani Johnson, HJ Eksteen, Janco Botha, Kyle Nel, Lwazi Mosea, Mila Oerson, Heiken Venter, Pieter Wessels, Tian Jordaan, WJ Gildenhuys, Xander Fourie.

The South African Schools side powered their way to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over the SA Colts in a T20 clash at the Mangaung Oval as the Khaya Majola Week concluded in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

In 2024, the SA Colts defeated SA Schools for the first time since 2018. Both of those victories were achieved at Newlands, in Cape Town.

However, the contest in Bloemfontein tilted very firmly in the favour of SA Schools.

The fixture also included former Proteas‘ batsman Stiaan van Zyl, who was one of the two umpires.

The day, though, belonged to Hilton College‘s Ben Hockly and Armaan Manack, of St David’s Marist Inanda. They combined for an unbeaten 134-run partnership as SA Schools chased down a victory target of 149 in just 17.3 overs.

Manack, who was named the Player of the Match, top-scored with an unbeaten 68 from only 51 deliveries. At the other end, Hockly finished unbeaten on 63 from 41 balls. His innings included three towering sixes on the expansive Mangaung Oval.

Hockly will join the University of Pretoria in 2026, as will the Player of the Tournament, Reuben van Zyl. Although he missed out with the bat on Sunday, scoring only eight, Van Zyl, a wicketkeeper/batsman, nonetheless made a valuable contribution by being part of two run outs in the Colts’ innings.

Xavier Coetzee, who was named the Batsman of the Week, was the standout performer for the SA Colts. Continuing his outstanding form from the previous five days, he struck a brisk half-century, making exactly 50 from 34 balls, before becoming the first batsman to be run out.

His exit occurred during a strong spell from Rondebosch Boys’ High‘s Daniel Bosman, who snared 3/23 from his four overs of off spin.

He was well supported by Taywin Adams, of Klein Nederburg, who clamped down on the Colts, capturing 2/13 in four.

The innings had earlier been steadied by a productive 50-run partnership between Coetzee and Westville Boys’ High stalwart Seth Simpson, who made 33, with his only two boundaries both going for six.

Glenwood‘s Bandile Mbatha, a star performer for SA u19 against England at the start of 2025, threatened with the ball for the Colts, claiming 1/10 from two overs, including the key wicket of Van Zyl, who was caught at long-on by Kamogelo Matlala.

Summarised scorecard

SA Colts 148/9 (Xavier Coetzee 50, Seth Simpson 33; Daniel Bosman 3/23, Taywin Adams 2/13); SA Schools 151/2 (Armaan Manack 68*, Ben Hockly 63*; Bandile Mbatha 1/10). SA Schools won by eight wickets.