Author: froberholzer

Hoërskool Menlopark se boulers sal waarskynlik vir ’n geruime tyd nog slapelose nagte hê oor Benyael Morkel.

Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.superpsortschools.com)

Dié jongeling van Hoërskool Eldoraigne, wat verlede jaar nog in Graad 9 was, het blitsig sy stempel afgedruk in die groter Afdeling-A van die Finsbury-reeks, met sy vertoning met sowel die bal as kolf wat verseker het dat die span van Centurion met sewe paaltjies kon seëvier oor Menlopark.

Nadat hul talentvolle jong kolwer, Jan-Willem Pienaar, van voor met die kolf gelei om ‘n uitstaande 75 lopies aan te teken, kon die Parkies, met die bystand van aanvangskolwer, Owen Louwies (46), en Jacques de Villiers (27), die 200-merk verbysteek.

Morkel se heldedade het juis hier met die bal begin. In sy toegelate 10 beurte het Morkel drie paaltjies laat kantel vir slegs 39 lopies, voordat hy met die wilgerlat vir Menlo gelooi het

Dit was inderwaarheid nie slegs Morkel wat met die kolf beïndruk het nie. Die aanvangsvennootskap tussen Ryno Mulder en Kyle de Bruyn het heelwat belofte getoon en kan vorentoe nog heelwat hoofbrekens vir opponente besorg.

De Bruyn het geen tyd vermors om sy 55 lopies aan te teken nie en is uiteindelik, met die Eldos se totaal op 86, deur Pienaar (1/34), terug pawiljoen toe gestuur. Dit het die nodige grondslag gelê vir Morkel, wat bekend staan as ‘n aggressiewe kolwer .

Morkel se beurt was van korte duur, maar dodelik. In die 29 aflewerings wat hy trotseer het, het hy nie minder nie as 10 sesse en een vier gemoker vir sy 70.

Mulder, in teenstelling met Morkel se blitzkrieg, het 92 balle trotseer en was onoorwonne op 54 lopies toe die Eldos die teiken van 224 in slegs die 33ste beurt bereik het.

In Nelspruit het die verdedigende kampioen, Hoërskool Waterkloof, sy veldtog op oortuigende wyse met ‘n 42-lopie oorwinning oor Hoërskool Nelspruit afgeskop. Die tuisspan het die loot gewen en die besoekers uit Pretoria ingestuur om te kolf in uitdagende toestande met die baie reën wat die Laeveld oor die laaste paar weke ontvang het.

Nellies se Safwaan Miller (4/34) was verál ‘n vlieg in die Klofies se salf. Die draaier het vier keer ‘n paaltjie op nét die regte tyd te laat val.

Die Klofies se kaptein, Riley Miller, het egter die pas met die kolf aangegee met 42 lopies van 40 aflewerings, terwyl Jaydon Blom, wat spoedig besig is om sy stempel as ‘n kolwer af te druk, self 42 lopies laer in die orde aangeteken het. In die konteks van die wedstryd was dit van kardinale belang en kon die besoekers 183 haal voordat Miller die laaste paaltjie opgeraap het.

Waterkloof se aanvangsboulers, Jaco van der Walt (3/15) en Darius Marits (2/24), se netjiese lyn en lengte het die Nellies na drie beurte reeds in die pekel gehad, met die telling op 17/3. Ricardo Crous (2/18) het Nellies verder laat wankel.

Slegs Johan Duncan (37) en Vaughn van Zyl (25) kon verby die 20-lopie merk kom en moes toekyk hoe hul span se laaste paaltjie in die 41ste beurt, met die telling op 138, kantel.

Beknopte telkaarte:

Hoërskool Menlopark 223 (Jan-Willem Pienaar 75, Owen Louwies 46, Jacques de Villiers 27, Ekstras 21; Benyael Morkel 3/39, Kyle de Bruyn 2/34, Ruan Boshoff 2/48); Eldoraigne 224/3 (Benyael Morkel 70, Kyle de Bruyn 55, Ryno Mulder 54*; Murray Hofmeyr 1/37). Eldoraigne wen met sewe paaltjies.

Waterkloof 180 (Riley Miller 42, Jaydon Blom 42, Ricardo Crous 25, Darius Maritz 22; Safwaan Miller 4/34, Gherdy van Eededen 3/18); Hoërskool Nelspruit 138 (Johan Duncan 37, Vaughn van Zyl 25, Ekstras 22; Jaco van der Walt 3/15, Ricardo Crous 2/18, Darius Maritz 2/24). Waterkloof wen met 42 lopies.

There might be some echoes of “Build the man a statue” in the corridors of St Andrew’s School when FG Botha returns to school on Monday.

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

Botha produced a scintillating man-of-the-match performance as Saints came out on top against their fellow Bloemfontein power, Grey College, in the final of the Schools SA20‘s second phase at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Sunday, which brought together the top teams from the Free State, Northern Cape, and North West.

The all-rounder, batting at three went to the next level,with his batting, contributing the highest individual score of the weekend’s matches.

He needed only 51 deliveries to smash 74, with 40 of those coming from boundaries, made up of four sixes and four fours. Useful knocks from Reuben van Aarde (24), Naudé Botha (22), and Nikhil Sukraj (21*) further boosted the Saints innings as they tallied a healthy total of 182/4, which was also the highest team total of the event.

As if he hadn’t done enough with the bat, Botha went on to become the pick of his side’s bowlers, too. Sending down a full quota of four overs, he conceded only 23 runs, while snapping up two sticks. Grey College’s Pieter Smit played excellently. Reading the conditions well, he made a well-paced 57 runs from 47 balls.

His wicket, taken by Cullen Kakora (2/30) through a catch snaffled by Botha, was, however, the start of Grey College’s downfall. Lamla Mgedezi (22) and Henru de Wet (21), who couldn’t quite replicate his heroics of Friday’s and Saturday’s matches, tried valiantly but Saints’ tails were up and the rest of the bowlers chipped in with economical spells to restrict their neighbours to only 148/8.

It was a 34-run win for St Andrew’s and a second victory over Grey in a Schools SA20 final in  a few months.

Summarised scorecard

St Andrew’s School 182/4 (FG Botha 74, Reuben van Aarde 24, Naudé Botha 22, Nikhil Sukraj 21*; Edrich Hanekom 2/37); Grey College 148/8 (Pieter Smit 57, Lamla Mgedezi 22, Henru de Wet 21; FG Botha 2/23, Cullen Kakora 2/30). St Andrew’s School won by 34 runs.

A rematch of the Free State region’s final is set to light up Potchefstroom on Sunday morning.

This time they meet for the title in the Phase Two playoff round of the Schools SA20 competition with a place in the national final on the line.

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

The two Bloemfontein powerhouses, St Andrew’s School and Grey College, won their respective semi-finals with ease, setting up a rematch of the Free State final, which Saints won, on the JB Marks Oval.

St Andrew’s reversed an earlier loss to Potchefstroom Gimnasium, winning comfortably by 41 runs on the back of a fine batting performance by Andrew Sobiech. The opening batsman, who has been a prominent figure for his side right through the weekend, stepped up his game a further level, contributing a well-constructed 68 runs from 61 balls, with three fours and a six, to help his side reach the title decider.

Leon Athanasiou provided the needed support with an important 35 runs, which lifted St Andrew’s beyond 140  – a total that has proved hard to chase in Potchefstroom – and on to 148/4 from their 20 overs.

When Gimmies visited the crease, FG Botha continued the Bloemfontein side’s dominance, spinning a web around the local batsmen to snare 3/15 from his four overs. Athanasiou was in the thick of things again, claiming 2/5, and Cullen Kakora took 2/19, as Potch Gimnasium mustered only 107 all out in reply.

Grey College‘s Henru de Wet, it seems, can’t be kept quiet. He was, once again, the main contributor in his side’s seven-wicket victory over the Northern Cape’s Kalahari. De Wet was devastating with the ball on this occasion and dismantled the Kalahari batting lineup. In only three overs, he captured five wickets for two runs.

Unfortunately for Kalahari, only Strauss van Heerden (16) and Liam Laing (11) made it into double figures, which left the Northern Cape side well short, dismissed for 57.

Grey College needed only one of their batsmen to settle at the crease and Edrich Hanekom (20) did the job. His innings put Grey in a position to chase down the Kalahari’s total in 8.2 overs.

As the only unbeaten in Potchefstroom, Grey College will head into the final favoured to reverse their previous defeat to St Andrew’s.

Summarised scorecards

St Andrew’s School 148/4 (Andrew Sobiech 68, Leon Athanasiou 35; Jahndre Coetzee 1/25); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 107/10 (Lukas Kotze 38, Ulrich Botha 26; FG Botha 3/15, Leon Athanasiou 2/5, Cullen Kakora 2/19). St Andrew’s School won by 41 runs.

Kalahari 57/10 (Strauss van Heerden 16; Henru de Wet 5/2, Edrich Hanekom 2/11); Grey College 58/3 (Edrich Hanekom 20; Carl Thole 1/17). Grey College won by seven wickets.

Grey College heads into the semi-finals as the only unbeaten side at the Schools SA20 regional playoffs in Potchefstroom after another emphatic victory on Saturday morning.

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

The Bloemfontein boys were made to work hard by the only other unbeaten team at that stage, Potchefstroom Gimnasium.

The Gimmies, having batted first on the JB Marks Oval posted a solid 143/5 in their 20 overs. Lukas Kotze (47) deserved a half-century but fell just three runs short, while the consistently impressive Ulrich Botha (44) also made a telling contribution.

Botha was the local side’s mainstay with the ball, too, heaping pressure on Grey by capturing three wickets for 26 runs.

The limelight, however, belonged to Grey’s star opening batsman, Christian Kind, and the all-rounder Daniel Hattingh. Kind made 53 at the top of the order, while Hattingh top-scored with 56 runs.

Their 81-run partnership bolstered Grey’s reply, which enabled the Bloemfontein school to maintain its winning streak. They will head into the playoffs as the favourites to go all the way.

St Andrew’s School, the Free State Schools SA20 champion, also, secured a semi-final spot after charging to a big 72-run victory over Kalahari at Potchefstroom Gimnasium’s Witrand Oval. The side from Kuruman mustered a disappointing 92 all out while chasing 165 for victory, with Janko Noeth providing nearly half their runs with a well-played 42.

Naudé Botha‘s batting prowess, however, stole the show. The 67 from his blade paved the way for Saints. Botha’s fellow opener, Andrew Sobiech, also chipped in with 37 of his own, while the spinners, FG Botha (3/12) and Nikhil Sukraj (3/20), inflicted irreversible damage with the ball.

In the upset of the weekend, Hoërskool Upington toppled Hoërskool Rustenburg by 16 runs on the Puk Oval. That defeat meant Rusties finished the event without a victory in Potchefstroom, which was where they won the North West Schools SA20 in September 2024.

After Upington posted only a moderate 121/8 in their 20 overs, their bowlers knew it was up to them to secure victory, and they delivered.

The Uppies‘ Vaylen Lombaard claimed two scalps for only nine runs and Likumi Aide played his part with two wickets, too. In the end, Rustenburg made just 105 all out.

Summarised scorecards

Potchefstroom Gimnasium 143/5 (Lukas Kotze 47, Ulrich Botha 44, Ruhann Steenkamp 24; Edrich Hanekom 2/32); Grey College 144/7 (Daniel Hattingh 56, Christian Kind 53; Ulrich Botha 3/26, Adriaan van Niekerk 2/26). Grey College won by three wickets.

St Andrew’s School 164/5 (Naudé Botha 67, Andrew Sobiech 37, Reuben van Aarde 21; Janko Noeth 2/28); Kalahari 92/10 (Janko Noeth 42; FG Botha 3/12, Nikhil Sukraj 3/20, Erhard Barends 2/16). St Andrew’s School won by 72 runs.

Hoërskool Upington 121/8 (Roux Erasmus 28, CJ Botha 26; Waide Davey 2/15, Henlo van Rooyen 2/13); Hoërskool Rustenburg 105/10 (Waide Davey 18*; Vaylen Lombaard 2/9, Likumi Aide 2/19). Hoerskool Upington won by 16 runs.

Friday afternoon’s matches in the regional final of the Schools SA20 tournament in Potchefstroom – featuring the top teams from the North West, Northern Cape, and Free State -, demonstrated the unpredictability of T20 cricket, especially at the schoolboy level.

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

Potchefstroom Gimnasium remained one of only two unbeaten teams after toppling St Andrew’s School on the Puk Oval.

The boys from Bloemfontein couldn’t quite replicate what they did in the morning against Hoërskool Rustenburg and came up 19 runs short against the locals. The Gimmies‘ victory was led by an exceptional bowling performance from Thloni Thabatha.

Saints were well on track to record a second win, batting at nearly 10 runs an over, before Thabatha intervened. The seamer dismantled coach AJ van Wyk‘s side in just three overs. In that decisive spell, he captured five wickets while conceding only 11 runs.

Earlier, Ulrich Botha (55) and Jahndré Coetzee (54*) had batted superbly and combined for a vital 81-run partnership, which ultimately laid the foundation for Potchefstroom Gimnasium’s victory.

Saints’ Naudé Botha (37) and Jonathan Hickly (26*) fought valiantly, but their efforts were ultimately in vain.

Hoërskool Rustenburg suffered a second loss, going down by four wickets to a spirited Kalahari side on the University of Potchefstroom’s Ibbies Oval.

The off-spin of Janko Noeth proved integral to his sides’ success as he snared 4/17. Leander Smith (3/11) and Liam Laing (2/14), once again, provided good support as Rusties were restricted to only 101/9 from their 20 overs.

Hendré Robinson was Rustenburg’s mainstay with the bat, scoring a valuable 46 runs. Unfortunately, Tristan van der Linde (25) was the only other Rustenburg batsman to make a noteworthy contribution.

Kalahari’s SW van Heerden, as he had done in the recent Kovsie Smash tournament, came to his side’s rescue with an unbeaten 38 runs to seal a four-wicket win.

Grey College stayed in the ranks of the unbeaten sides, alongside Potchefstroom Gimnasium, after racing to a nine-wicket win over Hoërskool Upington at Potchefstroom Gimnasium’s Witrand Oval.

Off-spinner Lamla Mgezi‘s three wickets for only nine runs, supported by Edrich Hanekom‘s 2/7 kept the Uppies under pressure and they mustered only 54/7 from their 20 overs.

Opening batsman, Christian Kind, made light work of the run chase, smashing 22 not out as the Grey boys charged past the victory target in a flash for the second time on Thursday, thus firmly establishing themselves as one of the favourites.

Summarised scorecards

Potchefstroom Gimnasium 126/4 (Ulrich Botha 55, Jahndré Coetzee 54*; Andrew Sobiech 2/25); St Andrew’s School 107/10 (Naudé Botha 37, Jonathan Hickley 26*; Thloni Thabatha 5/11). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by 19 runs.

Hoërskool Rustenburg 101/9 (Hendré Robinson 46, Tristan van der Linde 25; Janko Noeth 4/17, Leander Smit 3/11, Liam Laing 2/14); Kalahari 103/6 (SW van Heerden 38*; Henlo van Rooyen 2/18, Thian Labuschagne 2/20). Kalahari won by four wickets.

Hoërskool Upington 54/7 (Extras 17, Wian Pienaar 12; Lamla Mgezi 3/9, Edrich Hanekom 2/7); Grey College 55/1 (Christian Kind 22*, Pieter Smit 20; Kriel du Plessis 1/11). Grey College won by nine wickets.

You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the North West, Northern Cape, and Free State regional playoffs in the second phase of the Schools SA20.

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

St Andrew’s School secured a tense two-wicket victory over Hoërskool Rustenburg at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Friday morning. Saints, though, found themselves in a massive pickle in their run chase after Augie Behrens threw the cat amongst the pigeons.

Defending only 124, after Thian Labuschagne‘s heroic 66, Behrens dismantled the Saints’ top order in a single over, snapping up three wickets in his first six balls.

The run out of Leon Athanasiou (2) off a no-ball, just an over later, added to the dismay of the Bloemfontein side. Reuben van Aarde (23) steadied their innings with a key contribution. However, another two quick wickets from Henlo van Rooyen (2/28) had Saints wobbling until Nikhil Sukraj and Grové du Preez came together.

With only two wickets in hand, Sukraj took charge, striking an unbeaten 24 runs, while 23 came from Du Preez’s bat, as the pair combined for a match-winning and unbroken 36-run partnership.

Besides Sukraj and Du Preez, Jonathan Hickley surely received congratulations in the changing room for his 4/6 from two overs, which played a significant role in restricting Rustenburg.

Grey College nearly let it slip against Kalahari in their clash on the North West University’s Ibbies Oval. Although it was in a losing cause, Kalahari’s Liam Laing’s efforts will surely haunt the Grey boys somewhat. He was by far the standout for Kalahari, top-scoring with 37 and claiming  3/22 with the ball, which had Grey scrambling at a stage.

The impressive Henru de Wet was once again Grey’s mainstay. He led the Bloemfontein school’s attack as they restricted Kalahari to 113/8 from their 20 overs. Then, he kept a calm head as wickets tumbled around him, accumulating an unbeaten 32 runs, which was what his team needed, and Grey College went on to a four-wicket victory.

Caiden Seleka smashed a 20-ball 44 not out to lead Potchefstroom Gimnasium to a convincing nine-wicket victory over Hoërskool Upington on the Puk Oval. Ulrich Botha (3/7) and Jahndré Coetzee (3/12) inflicted serious damage on Upington, sharing three wickets each, as their opposition was bundled out for a disappointing 56.

Seleka’s antics with the willow saw the local side chase down the score in the sixth over to build up momentum before their clash against St Andrew’s School on Friday afternoon.

Summarised scorecards

Hoërskool Rustenburg 123/8 (Thian Labuschagne 66; Jonathan Hickley 4/6); St Andrew’s School 124/8 (Nikhil Sukraj 24*, Grové du Preez 23*, Reuben van Aarde 23; Augie Behrens 3/9, Henlo van Rooyen 2/28). St Andrew’s School won by two wickets.

Kalahari 113/8 (Liam Laing 37, Myburgh de Klerk 33; Henru de Wet 2/10); Grey College 115/6 (Henru de Wet 32*, Daniel Hattingh 23; Liam Laing 3/22, Carl Thole 2/29). Grey College won by four wickets.

Hoërskool Upington 56/10 (Kriel du Plessis 16; Ulrich Botha 3/7, Jahndré Coetzee 3/12, Ruhann Steenkamp 2/10); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 57/1 (Caiden Seleka 44*; Kriel du Plessis 1/16). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by nine wickets.

Om met die eerste oogopslag die topspan in die B-afdeling van vanjaar se Finsbury-reeks te probeer voorspel is ‘n haas onbegonne taak.

Volg al die aksie regstreeks op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Die afdeling is besaai met kriekettalent, regdeur die ses spanne wat deelneem.

Hoërskool Centurion wat afskuif van die A-afdeling, sal beslis die ander spanne op hul hoede hê. Hoewel die Woeries ‘n aantal maer jare beleef het, sal hulle vasberade wees om weer ‘n regmatige plek in die hoër afdeling te herwin.

Die span van Centurion het ook steeds ‘n Prinsloo in sy midde. Morné Prinsloo, die jonger broer van die uitstaande lopiemaker van 2024, Charl Prinsloo, het reeds gewys dat hy met sowel bal as kolf skade kan aanrig.

Die Woeries se ander veelsydige Morné, Morné Venter, het, saam met Prinsloo, ‘n beduidende rol om te vertolk, terwyl daar van aanvangsbouler, Kyle Fourie, verwag sal word om die pas met die nuwe bal aan te gee.

Die Woeries skop sy veldtog af teen Hoërskool Marais Viljoen in Alberton. Marais Viljoen, een van die kragte in die Noordvaal-krieketkringe die afgelope paar jaar, is self ‘n span om voor uit te kyk. Die kolwer en paaltjiewagter Jaden Govender, wat onlangs in die SA o.19-toerspan na Engeland ingesluit is, sal waarskynlik die span aanvoer.

Voorts wag die kolfvernuf van Abdullah Tadwala ook op Marais Viljoen se teenstanders. Tadwala beskik verder oor die vermoë om spanne vas te draai met sy akkurate draaiboulwerk en skroom nie om die nuwe bal op te neem nie. Aanvangskolwer, Tiaan Hall, sal ook oorgehaal wees om amok met die kolf te saai.

Die verdedigende kampioen van die Fain Noordvaal-kompetisie, Hans Moore, is ook in dié afdeling te siene, en die Moories het ‘n gros spelers van hul suksesvolle span van verlede jaar behou.

Xavier Coetzee, wat beskou word as een van die gevaarlikste kolwers in die Noordvaal, keer terug om nogmaals rillings langs boulers se rûe af te stuur. Adrian Watson neem die leisels as kaptein by Warren Minnaar oor, en sy veelsydigheid en ervaring sal ‘n groot rol in die Moories se strukture speel. Aanvangskolwer, Kenan Shaw, wat reeds waarskuwingskote by die Hoër Jongenskool Paarl se krieketfees in Januarie afgevuur het, sal ongetwyfeld ook ‘n reuse rol vervul vir die span van Benoni, wat eerskomende Woensdag teen Potchefstroom Gimnasium te staan kom.

Gimmies is, nes Hoërskool Kempton Park, een van die spanne met die gevaarlikste kolflyste in die afdeling. Ulrich Botha en Lukas Kotze se paaltjies aan die bopunt van hul kolflys sal hoog op prys gestel word.

Kempies se veelsydige Wian Pieters en hotklou-voorslagkolwer, Stian de Villiers, sal die vuur stook vir hul span. Die span van Kempton Park se eerste hekkie is Hoërskool Montana, waar kaptein, Luca Bairos, en die veelsydige Juan Theunissen op hulle wag.

Bepalings: 

Week 1:
Marais Viljoen t. Centurion
Hans Moore t. Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Montana t. Kempton Park

Week 2:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium t. Kempton Park
Centurion t. Montana
Marais Viljoen t. Hans Moore

Week 3:
Marais Viljoen t. Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Montana t. Hans Moore
Kempton Park t. Centurion

Week 4:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium t. Montana
Kempton Park t. Marais Viljoen
Centurion t. Hans Moore

Week 5:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium t. Centurion
Kempton Park t. Hans Moore
Montana t. Marais Viljoen

Die handboeke is skaars uitgedeel of die skole wat aan die jaarlikse Finsbury-reeks deelneem betree reeds die krieketveld op Saterdag, 18 Januarie.

Volg al die aksie regstreeks op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

Afdeling A verwelkom vanjaar een nuweling, naamlik Hoërskool Eldoraigne wat die plek neem van Hoërskool Centurion. Dit volg nadat die Eldos vir die Woeries verlede jaar in die promosie/relegasie-wedstryd geklop het.

Die verdedigende kampioen van die Afdeling, Hoërskool Waterkloof, begin sy aanslag op die titel weg van die huis, met ‘n betreklike jong klofie-span wat na die Laeveld reis vir ‘n kragmeting met Hoërskool Nelspruit. Die span van Pretoria het volgens breier, Cobus Pienaar, ‘n taamlike jong span, maar is dit welbekend dat die krieket-pyplyn by die skool in ‘n stewige fondasie lê.

Die middelorde-kolwer, Riley Miller, voer die span vanjaar aan, en as ‘n matriekleerder is dit sy derde jaar in die Klofies se eerste krieketspan en bring hy hope ervaring tafel toe. Miller is boonop een van die land se beste veldwerkers op skolevlak.

Rico van der Walt neem die leisels as paaltjiewagter oor by eks-kaptein Beukes van den Berg. Van der Walt het reeds gewys wat in hom steek en sal as ‘n Graad 11-leerder heelwat verantwoordelikheid op sy skouers neem met die kolf.

Die Klofies het voor die einde van die skoolvakansie reeds ‘n gesonde hoeveelheid krieket agter die rug gekry met hul toer na die jaarlikse Peninsula-krieketfees in die Kaap, waar hulle met Rondebosch en Kie kragte gemeet het.

Die Nellies se Vaughn van Zyl is oorgehaal om die Klofies op tuisbodem te verwelkom. Van Zyl was verlede jaar sy span se grootste uitblinker met die bal in die reeks en sy selfvetroue sou ‘n hupstoot verkry het nadat hy verlede jaar vir Mpumalanga by die Khaya Majola-week verteenwoordig het.

Verlede jaar se naaswenners, Potchefstroom Volkskool, beskik oor ‘n kranige groep wat vanjaar weer in aksie is, met aanvangskolwer, Louis van Wyk, wat die leisels van kaptein oorneem, terwyl sy kollega in die middelorde, Eduan van der Merwe, ‘n paaltjie sal wees wat die Volkies se teenstanders so vinnig as moontlik sal wil kry.

Draaier, Olefa Padi, beloof om weer ‘n prominente deel van die Volkies se boulaanval uit te maak, terwyl die staatmaker met die nuwe bal, Herman Hesse, ook op sy pos is om die pas as die Volkies se voorste naatbouler aan te gee. Die span van Potchefstroom moet egter langer wag om sy reeks af te skop.

Die Volkies is veronderstel om met Hoërskool Rustenburg in sy eerste uitstappie swaarde te kruis, maar die Rusties moet eers Fase Twee van die Schools SA20 aandurf. Dit is egter iets wat in die Rustenburgers se guns tel, aangesien die groot name, Callie Fryer en Nathan Rossouw, teen daardie tyd ook van hul internationale dienste teen Engeland se o.19 span sal teruggekeer het. Fryer se spoed en swaai met die nuwe bal is ‘n groot bate, terwyl Rossouw se veelsydigheid die boul-en kolflys aansienlik versterk.

Eldoraigne loods as nuweling sy aanslag teen die gevaarlike Hoërskool Menlopark. Die Parkies is oudergewoonte ‘n sterk aanspraakmaker om die afdeling te wen, met voorslagkolwers, Matt van der Westhuizen en Dian van Zyl, wat mooi op dreef is na die onlangse Grey-krieketfees in Bloemfontein.

Snelbouler, Tiaan Serfontein, sal vir nog ‘n jaar opposisie-kolwers skrik op die lyf jaag. Sy ervaring in moeilike situasies is ook uiters waardevol in die Parkies se strewe om uiteindelik die Klofies as kampioen te ontroon. Dié twee spanne word as die vroeë gunstelinge in die Afdeling beskou.

Bepalings:

Week 1:
Nelspruit t. Waterkloof
Rustenburg t. Potchefstroom Volkskool
Menlopark t. Eldoraigne

Week 2:
Waterkloof t. Eldoraigne
Rustenburg t. Menlopark
Nelspruit t. Potchefstroom Volkskool

Week 3:
Waterkloof t. Menlopark
Nelspruit t. Rustenburg
Potchefstroom Volkskool t. Eldoraigne

Week 4:
Potchefstroom Volkskool t. Waterkloof
Eldoraigne t. Rustenburg
Nelspruit t. Menlopark

Week 5:
Waterkloof t. Rustenburg
Eldoraigne t. Nelspruit
Menlopark t. Potchefstroom Volkskool

Exciting and compelling action is expected when Potchefstroom hosts the playoff round of the Schools SA20 competition for teams from the North West, Free State, and Northern Cape, from 17-19 January.

Check out DStv Channel 216 and the SuperSport Schools App for live coverage of the Schools SA20

The playoffs bring together the champions and runners-up from those regions, with the winners of the weekend’s second-phase competition advancing to phase three, at which a national champion will be crowned.

The teams have been split into two pools and Friday’s matches will go a long way towards determining the semi-finalists.

The respective North West and Free State champions, Hoërskool Rustenburg and St Andrew’s School, will get the ball rolling.

Saints, the 2018 T20 national champions, with a team that included Proteas‘ fast bowler Gerald Coetzee and ITEC Knights‘ wicketkeeper/batsman Garnett Tarr, were crowned the Free State champion after an emphatic five-wicket victory over their neighbours, Grey College, in the final on 27 October last year.

The hero for St Andrew’s with the bat in the final, FG Botha, will be a prized wicket for the Rusties, while Naudé Botha, who was one of only two batsmen to score a century at the Khaya Majola Week (the other was St Stithians’ Pranav Raichetti, for the Central Gauteng Lions), will be another St Andrew’s batsman to watch. All-rounder Andrew Sobiech, Nikhil Sukraj, and Khaya Majola Week seamer, Cullen Kakora, will have a significant role to play with the ball.

Come their turn, Rusties’ captain, Thian Labuschagne, and the hard-hitting Tristan van der Linde will be vital at the top of the order in either setting up defendable scores or leading the run chase. They will have their work cut out for them in the absence of paceman Callie Fryer and all-rounder Nathan Rossouw, who’ll both be away on international duty representing the SA u19 side in one-day internationals against England.

Grey College, who are the favourites to go all the way, face a dangerous Kalahari in their first match. The side from Kuruman demonstrated some explosive qualities in the recent Kovsie Smash T20 tournament, finishing as the runner-up.

The Grey side includes SA Schools’ opening batsman, Christian Kind, and they have enjoyed a strong start to 2025, winning all three of their matches at the Grey College Cricket Festival last weekend, which included a solid five-wicket victory over Namibia’s u19 team.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium would love to get off to a flyer against Hoërskool Upington on Friday. An early victory would serve as a major boost as Grey College and St Andrew’s await them in their following two encounters.

The final will be played on Sunday morning between the two highest-ranked sides. The winner of that game will advance to the next round, the national finals, to be hosted at the University of Pretoria from 12-15 March.

FIXTURES

Friday, 17 January

09:00 – Hoërskool Rustenburg vs St Andrew’s School, JB Marks Oval; Hoërskool Upington vs Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Puk Oval;
Kalahari vs Grey College, Ibbies Oval

14:00 – Grey College vs Hoërskool Upington, JB Marks Oval; St Andrew’s School vs Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Puk Oval; Kalahari vs Hoërskool Rustenburg, Ibbies Oval.

Saturday, 18 January

09:00 – Potchefstroom Gimnasium vs Grey College, JB Marks Oval; St Andrew’s School vs Kalahari, Puk Oval; Hoërskool Rustenburg vs Hoërskool Upington, Ibbies Oval

14:00 – Log no. 1 vs Log no. 2, JB Marks Oval; Pool A 1 vs Pool B 2 (semi-final), Puk Oval; Pool B 1 vs Pool A 2 (semi-final), Ibbies.

Sunday, 19 January

09:30 – Log no.1 vs Log no.2, JB Marks Oval