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The bowlers ruled the roost in the first round of the Schools SA20 playoffs for the Northern Gauteng, Limpopo, and Easterns regions on Friday morning at Willowmoore Park, in Benoni.

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Playing on the Willowmoore Park Oval, Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) overcame the champion of the Easterns region, Hoërskool Kempton Park, by five wickets.

The Kempies’ batsmen didn’t quite fire on all cylinders. The bowling of Affies had plenty to do with that, and their left-arm opening bowler, Zian Labuschagne, stole the show.

Bowling two overs up front, and then coming back for a second spell of just one over, the seamer grabbed four sticks in his three overs, all while conceding only seven runs.

Jaden Beukes (2/13) and all-rounder Ruben Groenewald (2/25) lent a helping hand, sharing four wickets between them for just 38 runs.

The Kempies’ Sheldon Kruger (25) and captain, Marko Richter (20), fought hard against the persistant Affies’ bowlers to get their side into triple figures, but their last wicket fell with the score on 101.

Affies were also somewhat uncomfortable when they came out to bat. Wian Pieters, a rising star for Kempton Park, kept the Pretoria batsmen tied down with an impressive display of spin bowling, snapping up three wickets for only 13 runs in his four overs.

Groenewald, though, grabbed centre stage once more. Striking the ball cleanly, he raced to 33 from just 25 balls. His innings, in combination with Vihan Pretorius (19), broke the backbone of the run chase and their partnership of 40 saw Affies home in the 16th over.

Hoërskool Garsfontein and St Benedict’s College ensured a rough welcome awaited the two Limpopo representatives.

Bennies‘ Clayton Horlick smashed an unbeaten 71 runs in his side’s victory of 67 runs over Phalaborwa Hub. Edward Smith, also, chipped in with 33 not out to help the Bedfordview school to a formidable 154/4 from their 20 overs.

Then, opening bowler Matthew Elphick backed up Bennies’ good batting performance by returning an economical 3/10 from three overs. St Benedict’s put eight bowlers to work and only one went at six or more runs an over as the Limpopo side was restricted to a disappointing 87/7 in their 20.

Xander Venter, not for the first time this season, was a destructive force for Garsfontein in a seven-wicket win over Merensky Landbou Akademie. On this occasion, he excelled with the ball, snapping up three wickets for just four runs in three overs.

Zizwe Khumalo emulated Venter with a superb spell that brought him 4/6 from four overs. He and Venter also bowled one maiden over each as the Plasies slumped to 53 all out.

The Ysbere batsmen wasted no time in going after Merensky’s bowlers and charged to victory in the seventh over.

Summarised scorecards

Hoërskool Kempton Park 101 (Sheldon Kruger 25, Marko Richter 20; Zian Labuschagne 4/7, Jaden Beukes 2/13, Ruben Groenewald 2/25); Affies 105/5 (Ruben Groenewald 33; Wian Pieters 3/13). Affies won by five wickets.

St Benedict’s College 154/4 (Clayton Horlick 71*, Edward Smith 33*; Ripfumelo Mabunda 1/7); Phalaborwa Hub 87/7 (Ripfumelo Mabunda 17*; Matthew Elphick 3/10). St Benedict’s College won by 67 runs.

Merensky Landbou Akademie 53/10 (Extras 14, Timothy Baker 12; Xander Venter 3/4, Zizwe Khumalo 3/6, Ruan Coetsee 2/4); Hoërskool Garsfontein 54/3 (Charl van Staden 16; Timothy Baker 2/30). Garsfontein won by seven wickets.

Kyle Butler bagged a five-wicket haul to lay the foundation for St David’s Marist Inanda’s seven-wicket win over Hoërskool Middelburg in the first round of the Schools SA20 Gauteng Regional finals at Wits University on Friday.

Corné Oliver blew away the Hoërskool Secunda batting lineup and also captured a five-wicket haul, to lead Hoërskool Noordheuwel to a big 45-run win.

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St David’s won the toss and elected to bowl first on the B Field. They immediately made life difficult for Middelburg’s batsmen, who moved forward unevenly, in fits and starts, on their way to 118/9 in 20 overs.

St David’s needed only 15.5 overs to surpass that score, registering 121/3 to secure victory.

The Manack brothers, Armaan and Morteza, combined to provide St David’s with a first wicket in the second over of the Mpumalanga side’s innings. Morteza did the bowling and Armaan the catching to get rid of Daryl Chirimitikwa for a two-ball duck.

Things didn’t improve for Hoërskool Middelburg. They lost Herman Potgieter two-and-a-half overs later to the bowling of Hayden Campbell. However, worse was yet to come for the Middies. In the ninth over, Kyle Butler, who was bowling rockets, accounted for Eduan Strydom (18) with his first delivery. His third ball smashed into Hendré Nel’s stumps, and the fifth sent Zubair Desai’s stumps cartwheeling.

Butler wasn’t done. He claimed another two wickets in the 20th over to complete his five-wicket haul After his four overs, he returned a sparkling 5/31. Hayden Campbell and Morteza Manack each bagged a brace of wickets.

Gavin Genis, in the middle order, was the only Middelburg batsman to build up some momentum in his innings. However, he fought a lone battle in scoring a valiant 33-ball 37.

Morteza (35) and Armaan (40) Manack opened the batting for St David’s and constructed a 48-run opening run partnership that set the Sandton school on course for an easy victory.

Their stand was followed by a 51-run second-wicket partnership between Armaan and Kamogelo Phiri (33), which, went it ended, had St David’s on the cusp of the 100-run mark. Armaan Manack just missed out on seeing St David’s past the finishing line, though, losing his wickets two balls before his team secured victory.

On the A Field, Noordheuwel batted first and posted a stuttering 116/9. Their bowlers, though, put on a masterclass to dismiss Secunda for only 71 in 16.5 overs.

Noordheuwel lost Ethan Smith in the third over of their innings, but Dian Taljaard, who has been playing outstanding cricket, looked good as he carved 19 from 14 balls before he fell in the sixth over. Those wickets created a pattern that the Noordheuwel innings followed for the rest of the early afternoon as Nories failed to construct imposing partnerships and had to rebuild often.

Their top-scorer was Brandon Pieters, with 26 off 27 balls. No other Noordheuwel batsmen made it beyond the teens. However, they mustered enough runs to defend.

Alonzo Blankenberg and Nathan Erasmus provided Secunda with a decent start, putting together a 32-run opening stand. However, that was their first and last substantial partnership.

Gerhard Roolvink dismissed Blankenberg in the seventh over to break Secunda’s opening stand. Next, he combined with Gomo Sibi to run out Walt Vorster at the start of his following over. Roolwink, then, removed Nathan Erasmus, thus turning the contest in favour of Noordheuwel in the space of three deliveries.

Olivier joined in the act in the 13th over with the dismissal of Luan Swart. However, he bowled his best in the 15th over, capturing three wickets in five deliveries. The departures of Jayden Scholtz, Ceejay Webb, and Damian de Beer took Noordheuwel to the brink of victory. In the 17th over, Olivier sealed the deal by getting rid of Jean Loock.

Olivier’s bowling was a mystery Secunda’s batsmen failed to solve. In 2.5 overs, he conceded only seven runs while picking up five wickets. Gerhard Roolwink lent good support with two wickets for 11 runs, while Gomo Sibi and Tidi Moeketsane took a wicket each.

Scorecards

Hoërskool Middelburg 118/9 (Gavin Genis 37, Eduan Strydom 18, Kyle Butler 5/31, Morteza Manack 2/15). St David’s Marist Inanda 121/3 (Armaan Manack 40, Morteza Manack 35, Hendré Nel 1/30, Wildré Cilliers 1/11). St David’s won by seven wickets.

Hoërskool Noordheuwel 116/9 (Brandon Pieters 26, Dian Taljaard 19, Jean Loock 2/17, CJ Bakker 2/18). Hoërskool Secunda 71/10 (Nathan Erasmus 17, Nijan Swart 17, Corné Olivier 5/7, Gerhard Roolwink 2/11). Noordheuwel won by 45 runs.

Westville Boys’ High hosts Durban High School (DHS) on Bowden’s on Saturday in an intriguing limited-overs clash.

The Griffin impressed in a victory against Clifton last weekend, which they followed up with another strong performance in a 100-ball win over in-form Northwood on Wednesday.

The Horseflies, meanwhile, suffered a surprise defeat at Kearsney, but they were on their game on Wednesday in a 100-ball victory at Clifton.

There’s an interesting contrast between the teams’ bowling attacks. Westville’s strength, thus far, has been their spinners, with the left-armers, Ewan du Toit and Tristan Delvin, being especially effective.

They do, though, also have SA Colts seamer, Dayalan Boyce, to test the DHS batsmen.

School‘s attack is led by their fast bowlers, Bayanda Majola and Taine Havermann, who claimed nine of Kearsney’s 10 wickets last weekend.

Majola, who turned out for the SA u19 Emerging side in 2024, is comfortably the fastest bowler in KZN and one of the quicker bowlers in the country, no doubt. Havermann possesses good gas, too, and he hits the deck hard.

On the spin front, left-armer Dhilan Naraidu has an established track record of success.

The bigger question for DHS lies with their batting, which came up short against Kearsney. It has been inconsistent thus far, but opener Ismaeel Omar scored some welcome runs in their midweek game. Josh van Biljon was among the runs again and it is only a matter of time before he goes big.

Westville has enjoyed steadier returns for their top-order so far, and they have a good number of batsmen – Kyle McGough, Sean McGough, Seth Simpson, Tristan Delvin, and Bhaskar Sewlal, among others – capable of putting up significant scores. Like DHS, though, they, too, are seeking greater consistency.

Northwood School vs Kearsney College

Northwood, who welcome Kearsney to the Robin Smith Oval, go into the game with the advantage of far greater experience than their opponents, but that didn’t stop Kearsney from upsetting DHS in their last limited-overs outing.

The Knights, though, are playing good cricket, especially in the longer formats of the game, where their controlled and steady focus stands them in good stead.

Captain Kyle White, and fellow top-order batsmen Tuswa Phetha, Ross McGlashan, and David de Bruyn have all been among the runs, while left-arm spinner Jordan Matthews is putting together a superb season, well backed up by the off-spin of Ben Cilliers.

Jamie Wimble, Northwood’s opening bowler, has been a valuable cog in their team, not only claiming wickets but scoring runs, usually quickly, too.

In recent matches, Rivan Moodley has made a significant impact for Kearsney as a top-order batsman and leg-spin bowler. He’s provided a big boost for their batting, which has been patchy.

On the bowling front, Kearsney’s opening bowlers, Litha Gonya and Michael Groom, have been impactful.

Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse

Michaelhouse travels to Pietermaritzburg to take on Maritzburg College. The hosts have been very good at home.

College has strong depth in their bowling ranks and, with Goldstone’s offering a fair contest between bat and ball, the Red, Black, and White has flourished.

Like most of KZN’s teams, they’re chasing more consistency with the bat. There have, thus far, been no centuries recorded in KZN this season at 1st XI level.

Captain Daniel Nadasan is a grafter and, if he gets himself in, he gives College a cornerstone from which to build. Karl Dedekind has, meanwhile, been a reliable performer, except this past Saturday when he was the unfortunate victim of a first-baller.

Sphamandla Dzanibe is another to watch. He plays some delightful strokes and is a strength in the middle to lower order, where he usually bats.

Michaelhouse suffered a horrendous batting collapse last time out against St Charles. After Ethan Muir and Kian Blignaut gave them a solid 59 runs for the opening wicket, only Ben Heuer joined them in double figures as ‘House lost their last eight wickets for 32 runs.

They need to do better than that, and they have batsmen who have done well in the past, including Graydon Leslie, Michael Blignaut, and Hayden Hewlett.

Their bowling has been a strength, with Thandanani Zuma and Luke Mitchell, the openers, leading the way.

The College attack will challenge ‘House in many ways. Nathan Pembridge has been among the wickets lately, while Samuel Hughes and Reece Willson form an effective new-ball relationship.

With support from left-arm seamer Sphmandla Dzanibe and spinners, Dom du Toit and the skipper, Daniel Nadasan, College is spoilt for choice.

St Charles College vs Glenwood High

Glenwood, beaten at College last weekend, returns to Pietermaritzburg to face St Charles College, who have been boosted by their win over Michaelhouse, which they followed with a 100-ball win against the Red, Black, and White on Thursday.

With all-rounder Bandile Mbatha back in their ranks after he excelled for SA u19 against England u19 in an ODI series, Glenwood will feel far more optimistic about their chances. Mbatha’s return is a massive plus.

While the Green Machine has done well in the field, their batting has been less impressive. Krian Jugoo and Kressan Pillai, who scored 39 runs in a win at St Charles at the start of 2024, need to deliver more, and that begins with the openers providing them with a good platform.

Rehaan Jhungbathur was very good for Glenwood last weekend at College, scoring 46, but he received little support. Karabo Ntsieng missed out, but he has previously shown an ability to knuckle down and hold up his end.

Saints‘ seamer Ryan Clarke produced one of the performances of the season thus far at Michaelhouse, knocking over 6/24, including a hat-trick, to lead the visitors to victory.

SA u19 Emerging’s Rowen Rajah also brings the heat for the home team with his pace, while Kairuyan Naidoo has been another consistent performer for St Charles for a while now.

The home side’s batsmen will look to give their top-order to give them something to defend. Thando Zama made a crucial fifty at ‘House last time out, and captain Rico Honiball was among the runs in a 100-ball win over College, but there’s been a little too much miss and not enough hit from Saints, and they’ll be focussed on building an innings.

Hilton College vs Clifton College

Clifton College, off the back of a couple of tough losses, against Westville and DHS, heads up to Hilton College for a showdown with another team that could also do with a victory or two.

Hilton’s kryptonite has been Northwood, who grabbed three wins in just over a week from coach David Griffith‘s charges.

It’s going to sound like a stuck record, but batting consistency has been in short supply for Hilton. They are talented, no doubt, but the pitches they’ve played on have required a longer time for the batsmen to play themselves in, and Hilton has missed out too often because of that.

Much depends on their openers, Ben Hockly and Alex Pitman. They’re a dangerous duo and capable of destroying any attack.

Clifton’s attack features the exciting leg-spinner Shiraz Perumal, who is coming off a five-for against DHS last weekend. He’s part of a varied unit, which challenges batsmen in many different ways. Off-spinner Blake Johnson has been in good form, as has Caleb Naicker. Both have picked up five-fors early in the season.

Captain Tim Saulez is a useful seamer, but one wonders how much the responsibility he has taken on with the bat – Saulez has been very good thus far in 2025 – might impact his bowling. Being an effective all-rounder is always a balancing act. Often, when one discipline goes up, the other goes down.

Too often this season, Clifton has had one batsman do well in each match, but they’ll be looking for more than that. Good partnerships, after all, deliver good totals, and those are needed.

Sechaba Gude will spearhead Hilton’s attack, but it’s mostly spinners that Clifton will have to deal with, and Hilton has some good ones, including Benoit Rey, Luke Campbell, David Hill, and Simon Steyn.

FIXTURES

Westville Boys’ High vs Durban High School
Northwood School vs Kearsney College
Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse
St Charles College vs Glenwood
Hilton College vs Clifton College

KUALA LUMPUR. –  South Africa u19 Women have booked their place in the ICC u19 Women’s T20 World Cup final after a five-wicket victory over Australia u19 Women on Friday.

After being sent in to bowl first, the Junior Proteas made an early attack as Nthabiseng Nini struck with the very first delivery to dismiss opener, Ines McKeon.

However, the standout performance came from Ashleigh van Wyk, whose remarkable spell of 4/17 in three overs dismantled Australia’s batting lineup. With wickets falling at regular intervals, South Africa restricted Australia to 105/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

Chasing 106 for victory, opener Jemma Botha (37), captain Kayla Reyneke (26), and Karabo Meso (19) ensured a comfortable run chase, reaching the target with 11 balls to spare.

Van Wyk, who was named Player of the Match, reflected on her performance:

“I kept myself calm by breathing after each ball, staying present in the moment, and reminding myself and my teammates that every ball is an event. I stuck to what has been working for me and followed the team plan throughout the tournament, backing myself and the hard work we have put in over the last 18 months.

“You always need support to achieve victory. It’s never just about what I do, t’s about the way my teammates and management back me. That support allows me to play with heart and without regrets, whether things go my way or not.

“As a team, we rely on our management for mental preparation, but the key to lifting the trophy is playing for each other. We back each other, celebrate each other’s successes as if they were our own, and function as a family and a unit,” she concluded.

South Africa will now face the winner of the ongoing match between India U19 Women and England U19 Women at the Bayuemas Oval.

South Africa u19 Women Squad: ICC u19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 (18 January – 02 February)

Kayla Reyneke (Captain, Western Province), Jemma Botha (Western Province), Fay Cowling (Lions), Jae-Leigh Filander (Western Province), Monalisa Legodi (Titans), Simoné Lourens (Titans), Karabo Meso (Lions), Seshnie Naidu (Dolphins), Nthabiseng Nini (Dragons), Luyanda Nzuza (Free State), Diara Ramlakan (Lions), Diedré van Rensburg (North West Dragons), Mieke van Voorst (Eastern Storm), Ashleigh van Wyk (Eastern Storm), Chanel Venter (Titans).

SA u19 Women Fixtures:  ICC u19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 (18 January – 02 February)

Saturday, 18 January @ 08h30 SAST – 1st Match: New Zealand vs South Africa u19 (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by 22 runs (DLS Method).

Monday, 20 January @ 08h30 SAST – 2nd Match: South Africa u19W vs Samoa (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by 10 wickets.

Wednesday, 22 January @ 08h30 SAST – 3rd Match: South Africa u19W vs Nigeria (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by 41 runs (DLS Method).

Super Six Stage

Saturday, 25 January @08h30 SAST- South Africa u19W vs Ireland (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by seven wickets.

Tuesday, 28 January @04h30 SAST- South Africa u19W vs USA (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak)

Friday, 31 January @ 04h30 SAST – South Africa u19W vs Australia u19W (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur) – South Africa won by 5 wickets.

Friday, 31 January @ 08h30 SAST – 2nd Semi-final (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)

Sunday, 02 February @ 08h30 SAST – Final (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)

The annual ITEC Grey College Water Polo Tournament kicked off on Thursday with 12 teams in action. The competition continues through the weekend until just after midday on Sunday, when the final will be played.

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Northwood, who finished in third place last year, cruised to an 18-3 win over George’s Glenwood House in their opener. Then, they edged out 2024’s runner-up, Affies, 10-9 in a very tight clash. Affies responded well by handily defeating East London’s Stirling High 13-5.

There was a rude introduction for the Grey College II team. They were trounced 22-4 by the host’s first team and Reddam House Constantia made light work of them, rolling to a 23-1 win.

Reddam went on to beat Grey High 9-6 and Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) 12-9 to finish the day with a perfect record of three wins from three outings, which thrust them to the top of the Pool B standings.

That was not the only defeat that Boys High suffered. They lost a heart-breaker to Maritzburg College, who scored a nail-biting 8-7 win. The Red, Black, and White, also, scored another one-goal win over Grey College.

Jeppe High School for Boys took on St John’s College and St Benedict’s College recently in preparation for the Grey College tournament, producing mixed results, with St John’s scoring a 16-5 win, and Jeppe beating Bennies 27-11 in a high-scoring fixture.

Having those contests under the belt appeared to help, though, as Jeppe opened their account in Bloemfontein with a 14-7 win over Paarl Boys’ High.

A new champion will be crowned on Sunday. Selborne College, who won in 2023 and 2024, are not defending the title.

THURSDAY RESULTS  

Pool A

Jeppe 14-7 Paarl Boys’ High
Northwood 10-9 Affies
Northwood 18-3 Glenwood House
Stirling 5-13 Affies
Stirling 6–5 Paarl Boys’ High
Glenwood House 9-10 Stirling

Pool B

Maritzburg College 8-7 Pretoria Boys High
Pretoria Boys High 9–12 Reddam House Constantia
Reddam House Constantia 23-1 Grey College II
Grey College II 4–22 Grey College
Grey High 6-9 Reddam House Constantia
Grey High 9-8 Pretoria Boys High
Grey College 8-9 Maritzburg College

St Charles College, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, welcomed their city neighbours, Maritzburg College, to Saints on Thursday for a Tuskers 100 Baller Series clash.

Both sides were coming off victories on the weekend, with St Charles scoring an impressive win at Michaelhouse and College downing Glenwood on Goldstone’s.

The visiting captain, Daniel Nadasan, won the toss and elected to bat first, and he and Sphamandla Dzanibe combined for a 26-run stand for the first wicket from 27 balls.

Dzanibe, then, was caught by Thando Zama off the speedster, Rowen Rajah, for nine from 16 balls. Nadasan followed for 14 from 19, a victim of Caleb Sharp.

That brought Karl Dedekind and Tian van Niekerk together and they added a decent 41 from 35 balls but were never quite able to break the shackles of the Saints’ bowlers.

Van Niekerk kept the scoreboard ticking with 18 from 19 deliveries but was unable to reach the boundary. Dedekind struck a six and three fours in his knock and finished undefeated on 38 from 32, but College came up one run shy of a run a ball for their innings, compiling 99/4.

The St Charles’ bowling was economical, with six bowlers being employed and the most expensive of them, Caleb Sharp, picking up 1/16 from 15 balls, which underlines the good job they did. Kaiyuran Naidoo captured 1/15 from 20 balls and Rowen Rajah 1/18 from his 20.

It wasn’t the stiffest of targets for Saints to chase, but they lost Thando Zama, who starred against Michaelhouse, early. Zama’s fellow opener Covhan Baatjies didn’t make a big contribution, but captain Rico Honiball took charge for the home side.

Batting third in the order, he played a controlled and effective knock, striking four fours in an innings of 39 from 31 balls before he became one of three victims of Nathan Pembridge.

Honiball needed another of his side’s batsmen to deliver if Saints was to win. Connor Simpson stepped up. He cracked three fours in a 19-ball stay, which delivered an unbeaten 24 runs, as he and Ryan Clark saw St Charles to a comfortable six-wicket victory with 18 balls to spare.

Pembridge was the standout bowler for College, returning a sparkling 3/15 from 20 deliveries.

Hilton College vs Sweetwaters Hub

Just outside Pietermaritzburg, Hilton College hosted the Sweetwaters Hub on the Hart-Davis Oval and bowled tidily to restrict the visitors to 73/6 from their 100 balls.

Sweetwaters’ opener, O. Madlala scored a defiant 20 from 39 balls and hit four fours, which made up two-thirds of his side’s boundaries. Only one other batsman was able to exit single figures, however.

Benoit Rey led the Hilton attack, snapping up 3/15 from 20 balls, while Jayden Roux bagged 1/10 from 15, and David Hill 1/17 from 20.

Requiring only 74 to win, Hilton’s openers, Ben Hockly and Robert Burman, went after the Sweetwaters’ bowlers with controlled aggression.

Hockly, the Hilton captain, lashed nine fours in his innings of 47 not out from 25 balls, while Burman finished on 20 not out from only nine deliveries as Hilton cruised to a 10-wicket victory in double-quick time.

Scorecards

Maritzburg College 99/4 (Karl Dedekind 38*, Kaiyuran Naidoo 1/15); St Charles College 101/4 (Rico Honiball 39, Connor Simpson 24*, Nathan Pembridge 3/15). St Charles College won by 6 wickets.

Sweetwaters Hub 73/6 (O. Madlala 20, Benoit Rey 3/15); Hilton College 77/0 (Ben Hockly 47*, Robert Burman 20*). Hilton College won by 10 wickets.

Helpmekaar Kollege’s Leendert Koekemoer made a memorable comeback during Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 in the 400m for boys u19. The meeting was hosted by Curro Hazeldean at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.

In the third heat the World Junior Championship silver medalist from the Hoërskool Ermelo, Kryn Romijn, dipped under 47 seconds with a time of 46.50 seconds.

Koekemoer’s last race for his school was at this meeting last year where he tore his hamstring. Koekemoer was drawn in the fourth and final heat and was a man on a mission. He won the race in an excellent time of 45.96 seconds. His time as well as Romjin is faster than the best time in the world so far in 2025 which was set by Australian Jordan Gilbert (46.79) earlier this year.

Tyran Brooks (u16) of Marais Viljoen walked away with the award for the best senior male track athlete of the meeting. He produced some impressive performances for this early on in the athletics season in the middle distances. He won the 1 500m in 4 minutes and 2.72 seconds to set a new meeting record. This performance also brought him 927 points.

In the 3 000m he also set a new meeting record as he crossed the finish line in an impressive 8:39.79. This was worth 967 points. Brooks participated as part of the invitational team.

The best athlete in the field for seniors was Dewald Bezuidenhout (Affies) who was also part of the invitational side. His best attempt in the shot put for boys u16 touched the ground for the first time at 17.19 metres. It also bettered the previous record of 16.61m held by Brandon Matthews (Transvalia).

Bezuidenhout secured a silver medal in the discus event with a throw of 47.46m. He only lost out on a gold medal thanks to an attempt of 47.58m by Garsfontein’s Jaden Stewart.

Dr. Malan’s Darius Botha (u15) started his competitive season with a bang as he received the maximum amount of points for both of his events. His 2,000 points naturally gave him the award of the junior male athlete of the meeting. He won the shot put with an attempt of 18.70m and the discus with a throw of 65m.

The throw of 65 metres in the discus bettered the previous meeting record of 59 metres by a massive six metres. It stood behind the name of Bezuidenhout since last year’s inaugural TUT Top 13 meeting. Bezuidenhout’s u15 shot put record of 18.84m did survive Botha’s onslaught.

Three of the gold medalists in the 100m sprints – Inam Dlunge (u19), Mukona Manavhela (u17) and Thato Mahlatsi (u16) all from Curro Hazeldean dipped under 11 seconds but none of the 100m records of the meeting was bettered during the meeting.

It is difficult to better Olympic medalist Bayanda Walaza (Curro Hazeldean) meeting record of 10.34 seconds. Dlunge did however put up an exhilarating performance as he blitzed the 100m in 10.56 seconds.

Manavhela moved to Curro Hazeldean from Jeppe High School for Boys and his winning time of 10.73 seconds came close to bettering Ofentse Nondabula‘s (Jeugland) record of 10.72 seconds. Manavhela’s own record of 10.85 seconds for boys u15 also survived. He also won the 200m sprint in an excellent time of 21.60 seconds.

Mahlatsi won his race in 10.92 seconds and he was almost surprised to have dipped under 11 seconds.

Two Free Staters stole the show during the second annual Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 meeting hosted by Curro Hazeldean at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.

Rumé Burger (Oranje) and Judy Watson (Fichardtpark) were the two top-performing female athletes on the track and field respectively.

Burger set a new personal best in the 100m for girls u17 with a magnificent time of 11.73 seconds. She also won the 200m sprint in 24.05 seconds. Both these performances set new meeting records. She is the daughter of former Blitzbok Philip Burger, while her grandfather, Thys Burger, represented the Springboks in three tests.

Rumé received a total of 1,950 points for her two performances according to the points system. Her winning time in the 100m is faster than the u19 record set by Randburg’s Chané Vermeulen (11.76) during last year’s meeting.

Watson won the discus as well as receiving a bronze medal for the shot put event for girls u19. Watson accumulated a total of 1,818 points out of a maximum of 2,000 points to walk away with the award for the best senior field athlete during the meeting.

Watson won the discus with a throw of 46.90 metres while launching the shot put ball 11.87m for the bronze. The shot put for girls u19 was won by Jeandré Jacobs (Eldoraigne) with an attempt of 13,67m to set a new record. Helpmekaar’s Keira Pienaar (11.95m) bagged the silver medal.

Voortrekker of Bethlehem’s Lisa Rautenbach also enjoyed a good day in the Jacaranda City as she won the discus (38.17m) and shot put (13.35m) for girls u17. Rautenbach’s performance in the shot put was the best of the two as it brought her a total of 870 points. In the discus, she received 868 points for her performance.

The award for the best senior track athlete went to Prestige College, Tumi Ramokgopa. She won the 200m sprint in a quick-fire 24.44 seconds while also securing gold in the 100m hurdles for girls u19 in only 13.72 seconds. Her personal best in the short hurdles is a blistering 13.26 seconds which she achieved last year during the Curro Podium Northern Regional meeting.

Ramokgopa received a total of 1,876 points for her two performances on Wednesday.  She was also a member of SuperSport Schools’ Class of 2024 for her performances during last year.

Helpmekaar’s Lenka du Toit was the best junior girl on show on the track. She won the 90m hurdles (13.95) and 300m hurdles (43.34) convincingly. In the longer hurdles, her nearest opponent was more than four seconds behind her. In the shorter hurdles she had a bit more competition as Oranje’s Klara van Wyk (14.11) also set a respectable time to walk away with the silver medal.

Danyelle Pienaar of Oranje set a new record in the 400m hurdles for girls u17 in a time of 1 minute and 2.92 seconds. It was with 910 points one of the best performances during the meeting. Curro Hazeldean’s young sprinter Mokgadi Maake also deserves a mention as she crossed the finish line in 25.23 seconds in the 200m for girls u15.

JOHANNESBURG. – Cricket South Africa (CSA) continues to pave the way for the nation’s future cricketing stars, ensuring that the sport is accessible to aspiring players and all who want to play it.

As the South Africa u19 Women prepare for the ICC u19 Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final, their journey is a testament to CSA’s commitment to nurturing young talent and providing a platform for excellence.

A crucial pillar of CSA’s development framework is the KFC Mini-Cricket programme, one of the largest grassroots initiatives on the continent. The programme has played a vital role in shaping many of the players competing on the world stage today.

Among them are Karabo Meso and Seshnie Naidoo, who have already earned their debuts for the senior national team, an achievement that underscores the strength of South Africa’s talent pipeline.

Western Province’s Jae-Leigh Filander, Jemma Botha, and skipper, Kayla Reyneke are also a product of the KFC Mini Cricket programme.

“I started playing Mini Cricket in Grade 1 after watching my brother play. I thought I could beat him, and from that moment, I fell in love with the game,” shared Filander.

“Mini Cricket played a crucial role in my journey because it introduced me to the sport and fuelled my passion to keep playing. I would advice to young cricketers to keep playing the sport. If you have a passion for the game, everything will fall into place. Always give 100% because, in the end, hard work and dedication will take you far,” said Filander.

Meanwhile, the CSA National Weeks serve as another key stepping stone in a young cricketer’s journey, fostering age-group cricket and allowing players to hone their skills at a competitive level.

Easterns’ rising stars, Mieke van Voorst and Ashley van Wyk, exemplify the success of this system. Having progressed through the U13 and U16 Girls Cricket Weeks, they now find themselves representing South Africa at the World Cup while also making a significant impact in the Women’s Pro Series for Eastern Storm in Division 2.

Reflecting on their partnership, the duo credits their time together at the U16 National Week for strengthening their on-field chemistry.

“Representing our country in a World Cup semifinal is a big moment for us, but we’re staying calm and trusting in our preparation. We have incredible support from our coaches and management, ensuring that we are mentally and physically ready.

“We strongly believe that if you put in the hard work behind the scenes, your dreams will become reality. It may seem far away, but if you take it step by step, success will come,” said van Wyk.

Their commitment is not only evident on the international stage but also in their determination to elevate their domestic team.

“We relied on each other a lot, batting together for long periods allowed us to understand and complement each other’s game. We are always striving for Division 1 status with Eastern Storm. The experience we’ve gained at the World Cup will help us bring back valuable insights and lift the overall standard of play within our squad,” shared van Voorst.

The Women’s Pro Series has been instrumental in developing and nurturing young talent across South Africa. The professionalisation of women’s cricket, sparked by the Proteas Women’s historic ICC T20 World Cup final appearance on home soil, was further strengthened by investments from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and key partners.

With the entire SA U19 Women squad already gaining exposure to professional cricket at such a young age, these rising stars are well-positioned to make a lasting impact on the game in the years to come.

South Africa u19 Women Squad: ICC u19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 (18 January – 02 February)

Kayla Reyneke (Captain, Western Province), Jemma Botha (Western Province), Fay Cowling (Lions), Jae-Leigh Filander (Western Province), Monalisa Legodi (Titans), Simoné Lourens (Titans), Karabo Meso (Lions), Seshnie Naidu (Dolphins), Nthabiseng Nini (Dragons), Luyanda Nzuza (Free State), Diara Ramlakan (Lions), Diedré van Rensburg (North West Dragons), Mieke van Voorst (Eastern Storm), Ashleigh van Wyk (Eastern Storm), Chanel Venter (Titans).

SA u19 Women Fixtures:  ICC u19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 (18 January – 02 February)

Saturday, 18 January @ 08h30 SAST – 1st Match: New Zealand vs South Africa u19 (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by 22 runs (DLS Method).

Monday, 20 January @ 08h30 SAST – 2nd Match: South Africa u19W vs Samoa (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by 10 wickets.

Wednesday, 22 January @ 08h30 SAST – 3rd Match: South Africa u19W vs Nigeria (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by 41 runs (DLS Method).

Super Six Stage

Saturday, 25 January @08h30 SAST- South Africa u19W vs Ireland (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – South Africa won by seven wickets.

Tuesday, 28 January @04h30 SAST- South Africa u19W vs USA (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) – Match Abandoned.

Semi-finals

Friday, 31 January @ 04h30 SAST – South Africa u19W vs Australia u19W (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)

Friday, 31 January @ 08h30 SAST – India u19W vs England u19W (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)

Sunday, 02 February @ 08h30 SAST – Final (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)

Munib Ayob held his nerve and defended 10 runs in the 20th over to help Jeppe High School for Boys secure a tight five-run win over St John’s College in a Johnny Waite Trophy thriller contested on the Mitchell Field, in Houghton, on Thursday.

Jeppe won the toss, opted to bat first, and put up 139/5. St John’s had a shot at bagging the win when they completed the 19th over needing 11 runs from the remaining six balls to snatch the win.

Munib Ayob was up for the challenge, however, and he produced a fine over to lead Jeppe to victory after they restricted the St John’s reply to 134/9.

Sipho Potsane, the Jeppe captain, planned to employ Ayob’s skills at the death and used him sparingly early on. The pacer delivered one over in the powerplay and the 14th over, too, which cost him 11 runs in total.

At the death, he did a superb job. He bowled the 18th over and conceded only five runs. Then, he won the game for Jeppe in the last over, which also went for only five runs.

The Jeppe bench might have been on the edge of their seats at the start of the final over because of the presence of an accomplished batsman, Nkosana Sibiya, at the crease. Ayob calmed their nerves, however dismissing the St John’s star, who represented the Central Gauteng Lions’ u16 team at the end of 2024, with his first delivery of the last over.

Sibiya was the key wicket. Batting third in the order, he had arrived at the crease in the first over and played a patient innings, scoring at around a run-a-ball while holding the St John’s run chase together. He turned up the heat in the 19th over by plundering 14 runs off Reza Ayob, which left St John’s needing 11 runs for the last over. Sibiya, then, fell for a valiant 52 off 44 balls.

Ayob drove the final nail in the host’s coffin by removing Joshua Hall three balls after Sibiya’s dismissal. The pacer finished with two wickets for 21 runs from four overs. Reza Ayob, Potsane, and Zizi Mkhize also bagged two wickets each, while Franco Nortjie took a single wicket.

Earlier in the day, Ayob shared a 66-run fifth-wicket partnership with Keegan Caxeiro that helped Jeppe set St John’s a run rate of seven runs an over to win. They came together in the 11th over, after the dismissal of Ryan Young. While Caxeiro departed after scoring a well-played 40 off 32 deliveries, Ayob remained unbeaten on 32 off 29 balls.

Jeppe struggled to engineer partnerships of substance. Mkhize and Tiago Almeida got Jeppe underway with a 22-run opening stand, which was followed by Mkhize and Aiden Reyneke’s 30-run second-wicket partnership. Reyneke and Young then added 10 runs.

Herman Basson was the most successful bowler for St John’s with a tidy two wickets for 15 runs from four overs, while Alec Loveland and Nkosana Sibiya finished with a wicket each.

Scorecards

Jeppe High School for Boys 139/5 (Keegan Caxeiro 40, Munib Ayob 32*, Herman Basson 2/15, Alec Loveland 1/19) St John’s College 134/9 (Nkosana Sibiya 52, Ethan Robinson 19, Munib Ayob 2/21, Zizi Mkhize 2/21). Jeppe won by five runs.