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The defending champions of the Limpopo Super 8 League, Mohodi Boys Hub, showed signs that they have what it takes to successfully defend their title on Saturday.

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They impressed in a victory over Hoërskool Piet Potgieter, a dark horse title challenger, in their round-robin clash in Mokopane.

A tremendous bowling display from their mainstay, Kamogelo Morema,  who was well supported by Nyedi Photona, laid the platform for the visitor’s victory.

Morema, who was a member of the 2023 Mohodi side that made history by becoming the first Hub team in South Africa to win a Premier League trophy, showed his experience as he returned a splendid 3/4 from four overs.

Photona stole the limelight with his opening spell, however. Maintaining a consistent line and length, he tore through the Piet Pot top order to capture 4/21 from six overs. Only Piet Potgieter’s captain, Aeron Vaidyan, seemed comfortable at the crease as he top-scored with 30 runs from 33 deliveries, but his side slumped to a disappointing 103 all out.

Mohodi’s other seasoned campaigner, Victor Sehata, then, shone with the bat. He played with confidence, tallying an unbeaten 58 from 62 deliveries at the top of the order to steer the Hub team to a much-needed five-wicket victory.

Merensky Landbou Akademie’s head coach, Stebian van der Walt, would have enjoyed his team’s return to winning ways on Saturday, with the Plasies stamping their authority on proceedings in a convincing nine-wicket victory over Nkowankowa Boys Hub.

Wicketkeeper/batsman JP Botha was, once again, the star of the show. With Merensky needing only 79 to win, he paced his innings nicely, accelerating towards the end and signing off with a boundary to finish with an unbeaten 51 from just 34 deliveries.

Luka Heinlein and Timothy Baker were again the standouts with the ball. Heinlein picked up 3/18 in five overs, while Baker’s left-arm spin brought him a return of 3/28.

Hoërskool Pietersburg, the only unbeaten side in the league, kept their clean record intact. The men from the Limpopo capital thrashed their old rivals, Hoërskool Ben Vorster, by nine wickets. A good all-round bowling performance, led by young AJ Galloway’s 3/7, restricted the Vossies to only 79 all out.

Dian Gouws made light work of the small target, striking an unbeaten 47, while Nicholaas Oerlemans weighed in with 23 not out as the Pieties crossed the line in the tenth over.

Summarised scorecards 

Piet Potgieter 103/10 (Extras 36, Aeron Vaidyan 30; Nyedi Photona 4/21, Kamogelo Morema 3/4); Mohodi Boys Hub 106/5 (Victor Sehata 58*; Du Preez Coetzee 2/27, Ruben Oosthuizen 2/33). Mohodi Boys Hub won by five wickets.

Nkowankowa Boys Hub 78/10 (Nhlalala Malungani 18; Luka Heinlein 3/18, Timothy Baker 3/28, Rinaldo Borman 2/12); Merensky 79/2 (JP Botha 51*; Nhlalala Malungani 1/16). Merensky won by eight wickets.

Ben Vorster 79/10 (Extras 22, Anton Lourens 13; AJ Galloway 3/7, Ignus Ferrera 2/19, Andreas Jansen 2/29); Hoërskool Pietersburg 80/1 (Dian Gouws 47*, Nicholaas Oerlemans 23*; Kulani Mnisi 1/41). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by nine wickets.

If there was any team that needed a boost in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) heading into the weekend, it was coach Surprise Moriri‘s Mamelodi Sundowns u19 side.

SuperSport Schools Plus has documented the story of their fall from the top of the log. After a dominant start to the season, they were leapfrogged by Kaizer Chiefs, who were subsequently passed by the defending champions, Highlands Park, who rose to summit, after a magnificent run of results.

Rained-out games have cost the Brazilians, but, most of all, their success has undermined their campaign as many of their players have graduated into the professional ranks, turning out for Sundowns’ in the DStv Diski Challenge and the top-flight Premier Soccer League.

With a smile on his face, Moriri took the setbacks on the chin, celebrating his players’ progress from the development ranks while working with a new set of youngsters in an attempt to steady the club’s GDL challenge.

On the weekend, the coach received a major boost as the prolific striker Kamva Moni netted a hattrick against Panorama FC at Clapham High. That excellent return ensured that ‘Downs came away with a 3-2 victory despite strong resistance from Panorama.

In their previous outing, Moni netted the only goal of the contest as the Pretoria club claimed maximum points from Remember Elite Sport Academy at President Park.

Those two victories have lifted Sundowns to within seven points of the ‘The Lions of the North” at the top of the standings, and they have two games in hand.

Highlands Park, meanwhile, hammered Sevens Academy 5-2, while Kaizer Chiefs outlasted a stubborn Remember Elite Sport Academy, recording a 3-2 win.

Jomo Cosmos beat Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School 2-1, SuperSport United thrashed Wits Junior 7-1, and the School of Excellence handed Joburg City a 4-2 defeat.

Kathorus Hyper Academy and Randburg AFC shared a 1-1 draw, while NWU Vaal and the East Rand Athletic Club also had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

RESULTS

Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 Panorama FC
Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 Remember Elite Sport Academy
Jomo Cosmos 2-1 Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School
Kathorus Hyper Academy 1-1 Randburg AFC
North-West University Vaal 1-1 East Rand Athletic Club
TS Galaxy 2-0 Tuks
Highlands Park 5-2 Sevens Academy
Wits Junior 1-7 SuperSport United
Joburg City FC 2-4 School of Excellence

Reddam House Constantia’s girls’ senior water polo head coach Connor Whiting lauded his side’s ability to work as a team after they defeated their rivals, Herschel Girls School, 6-4 in the final of the Mackenzie Cup in Cape Town on Sunday.

The annual tournament, hosted by Reddam at the school’s Indoor Aquatics Centre, brought together 16 top teams in search of early-season silverware.

Despite the hungry opposition, it was the home side that rose to the occasion and did themselves proud in front of their home supporters.

Drawn in Pool A, they made short work of Rhenish, Pearson High, and Somerset College, dominating them on their way to the quarterfinals.

In the last eight, they came up against Rustenburg Girls’ High School. Raising their game to match the higher stakes, they scored a whopping 18 goals while conceding only four.

Olivia Geddes was in top form in that quarterfinals’ clash, netting five times, while Abigail Weatherall, Holly Strydom, and Bailey Donnachie all came away with hattricks. Captain Erin-Bella Nordgaard contributed a brace, and Abigail Bester and Summer Wain completed the drubbing.

In the semi-finals, the hosts faced their toughest test until then, Durban Girls’ College, while Herschel took on DSG Makhanda.

With expectations high, as the tournament drew towards its conclusion, Reddam didn’t disappoint their supporters and put on a show to dismantle the defending champions 11-3.

In the other semifinal, Herschel was also dominant, handing DSG a 9-2 defeat to set up an exciting All-Cape final between two of the region’s traditional powers.

The final was largely controlled by the hosts, but it was goalless after the first chukka, with Reddam staying in the contest thanks to a combination of good defending and goalkeeping from Iviwe Oduore.

When Herschel opened the scoring early in the second chukka, the hosts quickly replied through a Summer Wain penalty.

Olivia Geddes then gave Reddam the lead, scoring her side’s second goal with a superb shot from outside the box to deliver them a 2-1 advantage at the halfway mark.

The visitors responded in the third chukka and levelled matters before Holly Strydom edged Reddam ahead once more. The hosts, then, scored again through Geddes to make it 4-2 heading into the final chukka.

They didn’t look back, with Strydom striking for a second time in the contest before Geddes completed her hattrick to see the hosts to a tense 6-4 win.

“Teamwork was the big factor this weekend,” Whiting told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“We were missing three of our top players, who are in China with the SA u18 team, so a lot of girls had to step up this weekend, and they did well.

“We had to work harder as a team. We’ve always had strong players, but I think we clicked well as a team for the first time in a long time, and that helped.”

Whiting said his message to his players was simple: “I just told the team to stay consistent and show teams respect, whether it’s a tough or easy game,” he revealed.

“We had to try and keep the same tempo throughout the tournament and not drop the performance, and that’s easier said than done.

“I do, however, think we did well by keeping the same tempo of performance throughout, even though we dominated the pool stages.”

Reddam will next turn their attention to the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament, which takes place from Friday, 20 September to Sunday, 22 September.

They’re seeded in Pool D and will face the Western Cape duo of Wynberg Girls’ High School and Rhenish, as well as St Mary’s Waverley and St Mary’s DSG (Kloof).

Hilton College visited Balgowan on Saturday for the latest chapter in the battle of the great rivals on the Roy Gathorne Oval. It began well for the visitors, but ultimately fell apart as the home side claimed a solid 52-run victory, thanks to an excellent performance in the field.

Hilton won the toss but took the unusual step of deciding to bowl first. It brought them some early success, but ‘House then began to find their way.

Kyle Christie accounted for opening batsman Michael Spencer in the second over, and Hilton captain Ethan van Heerden sent Murray Hall-Jones packing in the ninth, which reduced the home side to 25/2, but Sebastian Hofmeyr and Dylan Hewlett then added 61, with Hofmeyr taking on the lead role.

He eventually succumbed to a combination of James McGregor and David Hill, with the leg-spinner having him caught for a telling 43 from 49 deliveries, which featured five fours and a six.

Just 10 runs later, with the total on 96, Michaelhouse lost Dylan Hewlett, too, LBW to Simon Steyn for 18. His departure led to a mini-collapse as Ethan Muir and Cameron Strudwick followed for three each, both bowled by Hill. On 103 for 6, the Michaelhouse innings was wobbling.

Hayden Hewlett, in at five, held firm, however, and together with Radhesh Jhilmeet added 40 for the seventh wicket before Jhilmeet became another Hill victim, caught for 14. That brought Jean Luc Rey to the crease and he, with Hewlett, proceeded to steer ‘House towards a competitive total.

They shared a stand of 35 before Hewlett was caught off the bowling of Jayden Roux for a valuable 33 from 50 deliveries, which had included two fours.

Harry Vickery and Ross Moller helped Rey advance the total to just past a double-century, with Moller out to the second last ball of the innings, with the total on 202, as Kyle Christie captured the last two wickets to fall.

He finished with figures of 3/36, David Hill snared 3/44, and Simon Steyn snapped up 2/38.

On the Roy Gathorne Oval, where run-scoring is not the easiest, Michaelhouse had posted a total they could defend, but it was anyone’s game.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they stumbled out of the blocks in their reply, losing their first three wickets with only 14 runs on the board, and they continued to flail until Ethan van Heerden, batting ninth, took it to the ‘House attack. By then, though, their challenge was pretty much in the tank.

New ball bowlers Ross Moller and Harry Vickery had decimated the Hilton top order, with only Charles Swart, among the first seven batsmen, reaching double figures, and he made 10.

Just 14.2 overs into their reply, Hilton was facing a crushing defeat on 39/7. David Hill and Ethan van Heerden showed strong character, however, to staunch the bleeding. Together, they added 46 for the eighth wicket before Hill, tragically for Hilton, was run out by Cameron Strudwick for 22.

Kyle Christie joined Ethan van Heerden and they added 12 runs before Christie was bowled by Michaelhouse captain Strudwick for four. Hilton was on 97/9 after 32.3 overs.

With just one wicket standing, Van Heerden went on the attack and it worked wonders. He struck six fours and two sixes in an 84-ball knock which produced 64 runs before he was dismissed, caught by Murray Hall-Jones off the bowling of Hayden Hewlett.

He and James McGregor, who finished on 12 not out, had added 53 for the last wicket, lifting Hilton College to 150 all out after 41.1 overs.

Michaelhouse had won by 52 runs, but it could have been far worse for Hilton without their skipper’s defiant counterattack.

Moller was simply outstanding, sending down 10 over and capturing 4 for 18. His opening partner, Harry Vickery, picked up two early wickets, but came in for some stick later in the innings, to finish with 2 for 58 from 10.

Cameron Strudwick, with his accurate left-arm spin, kept Hilton in check and grabbed a couple of vital wickets, snaring 2 for 21 in 10.

Scores

Michaelhouse 202/10 (Sebastian Hofmeyr 43, Hayden Hewlett, Jean Luc Rey 32, Kyle Christie 3/36, David Hill 3/44, Simon Steyn 2/38); Michaelhouse 150/10 (Ethan van Heerden 64, David Hill 22, Ross Moller 4/18, Cameron Strudwick 2/21, Harry Vickery 2/58)

Michaelhouse won by 52 runs

South Africa’s Connor Doig and Maayan Laron, from Israel, were crowned the boys’ and girls’ champions of the J200 International Tennis Foundation (ITF) Tournament, which concluded at Curro Hillcrest on Saturday.

The event brought together highly-ranked u18 players from across the world, which was a big boost for the sport in South Africa.

Officially sanctioned by Tennis South Africa, the tournament was the latest to be hosted by Curro Holdings at Curro Hillcrest. It will be followed by a J300 ITF event, also at Curro Hillcrest, from 16 to 21 September.

Boys’ Final

Doig (16), who hails from Westville, took out Australia’s Ty Host (17) 6-0, 7-6, after settling in quickly and capturing the first set in double-quick time. It was a set of contrasts as unforced errors cost Host, while Doig could do no wrong.

Credit to Host for a gritty and determined effort in the second set. He broke Doig early to establish a 3-0 lead, which opened up the possibility of the Australian forcing the contest into a deciding third set. However, he continued to be plagued by unforced errors, and his good work was undone as Doig broke back and held serve to level at 3-3. The players shared a few more breaks before they headed into a tie-break.

With the match on the line, some close line calls bothered Host, who fell away as Doig raced to a 7-0 win in the tie-break to claim the set 7-6, and with that, the title.

“It’s the first time I have played Ty and he is a strong player,” Doig said afterwards. “He came back well in the second set and I had to dig deep to stay in the set, let alone go on and win.

“This is my biggest tennis win to date and I hope to stay on the same level next week.”

It was a case of what could have been for Host. “I took some time to settle and that’s just nerves. I started the second set well but credit to Connor for how he fought back,” he said.

Girls’ Final

It was an all-Israel girls’ final as Laron (17) took on fellow countrywoman and No. 2 seed Mika Buchnik (17) in a match of attrition that lasted just short of two hours, with Laron earning a 7-5, 6-2 victory.

The clash saw more service breaks than holds and rallies of 15 or more shots were the norm.

The first set lasted an hour and 15 minutes as fortunes swung back and forth like a pendulum, with each service break being immediately nullified by another.

Leron edged 6-5 ahead after another service break and when she managed to hold her serve, she had closed out the set 7-5.

It was a case of more of the same in the second set, with Laron enjoying two early breaks to open up a 3-0 advantage. That proved to be too much for Buchnik to make up.

“It was a tough, tiring match and I had to work hard and concentrate. I have played Mika before and have now won our last two matches,” Laron said. “I’m in the right place heading into the coming week’s J300 tournament.”

Buchnik, while satisfied with her week’s work, was frustrated with her loss. “Maayan is like a wall as she just keeps getting the ball back. It was a hard match and mistakes at vital times cost me,” she said.

Buchnik had to be content with another runner-up finish in the girls’ doubles, with the Russian pair of Anna Bazderova and Ksenia Smirnova beating Buchnik Anna Maria Fedotova (Dominican Republic), the top seeds, 6-1, 6-3.

In the boys’ doubles final, the third seeds, Nikolai Barsukov (Germany) and Jacob Olar (USA), beat second seeds, Ivan Lutkin (Russia) and Kriish Tyagi (India), 6-0, 1-6, 11-9.

Durban High School (DHS) welcomed an in-form St Charles College, the recent winners of the Eston One Insurance Night League, to the Theobald Oval on Saturday for a 50-over clash.

After winning the toss, DHS captain Semal Pillay opted to bat first, but the early returns were poor. Omar Ismaeel, usually a steady performer up front, was bowled by Tristan Montile for four and his fellow opener, Ethan Cooper, followed soon after for a single, caught off the bowling of Montile.

Then, Montile bowled KZN u16 star, Josh van Biljon, for a duck. At 16/3, DHS had stumbled out of the gate. The captain, though, took on the responsibility of repairing the innings, and Josh Loots helped him add 57 for the fourth wicket in 14.3 overs.

Kaiyuran Naidoo got rid of Loots, caught for 21 after a 46-ball stay. Pillay, though, continued on, making his way to 49 before having his patient 76-ball knock, which had included seven fours, ended by Brendon Sunguro.

By then, DHS had progressed to 123/5 after 31.2 overs. Taine Havemann, who had shared in a 50-run partnership with Pillay, was still out in the middle, though, and he took charge of the DHS innings.

Sfundo Mthembu, Bayanda Majola, and Jared Havemann each racked up scores in the teens, while Taine Havemann played the anchor role. He was eventually the ninth man out, dismissed for a well-played 74 from 93 deliveries, with eight fours, yet another victim of Tristan Montile.

Only three more runs were added before the Saints’ opening bowler secured a five-for by bowling Sibusiso Msibi for two. DHS had tallied 226 all out.

Without his regular new ball partner, Rowen Rajah, who is on duty with the SA Emerging u19 team, Montile did a tremendous job of shouldering the responsibility of being entrusted with the new ball and finished with 5 for 36 from 8.5 overs.

Zimbabwean international, Brendon Sunguro, was a touch on the expensive side on a ground that doesn’t easily give up runs, but he still snared 2 for 58 from 10 overs.

In reply, St Charles lost Connor Riley early to Taine Havemann for a single, but Cian Fortmann and captain Marcell Wellmann steadied the innings with a stand of 54 for the second wicket before Dilhan Naraidu trapped the dangerous Fortmann in front for 15.

Then, with the total on 76, he had the on-song Wellman caught by Semal Pillay for 46 from only 36 balls, which had included five fours and two sixes.

Kwanele Nqayi didn’t last long before he was bowled by Pillay for four, and Naraidu, then, struck again, once more teaming up with Pillay to have Rico Honiball caught for 27, which had included three fours. With his departure, St Charles was in a tricky position on 100 for 5.

They navigated it well, for a while, with Sunguro and Clarke adding 37 for the sixth wicket before Sunguro was LBW to the express pace of Bayanda Majola for 26, which had come for just 28 balls, four of which were dispatched to the boundary.

Clarke went on to make 17, but the Saints’ run chase lost steam as no other batsmen made it into double figures.

Naraidu did most of the damage, returning the superb figures of 4/24 from nine overs, which included three of the Saints’ top four, while Jared Havemann snared 2 for 8 in 4.4 overs with his leg-spin, and Bayanda Majola returned 2 for 48 from his pace.

St Charles were all out for 163 after only 34.4 overs and DHS had, in the end, posted a handsome 63-run victory.

Scores

Durban High School 226/10 (Taine Havemann 74, Semal Pillay 49, Joshua Loots 21, Tristan Montile 5/36, Brendon Sunguro 2/58); St Charles College 163/10 (Marcell Wellmann 46, Rico Honiball 27, Brendon Sunguro 26, Dilhan Naraidu 4/24, Jared Havemann 2/8, Bayanda Majola 2/48)

Durban High School won by 63 runs

The Rondebosch Boys’ High u15 water polo team put on a masterclass to dismantle Clifton College 10-2 in the final of the annual Ian Melliar Cup Water Polo Tournament in Cape Town on Sunday.

The tournament, which is hosted by Wynberg Boys High, returned this year for its 17^th edition, and, with a stacked line-up of the country’s best water polo-playing schools, it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Relive the action on SuperSport Schools.

On their way to the final, both Rondebosch and Clifton impressed in the pool stage.

However, it was ‘Bosch that shone from the get-go, winning their five round-robin matches against Hilton College, St Andrew’s College, Glenwood House, St David’s Marist Inanda, and Pretoria Boys High.

The side, coached by Jordan Maehler and managed by Penny Ashwell, then faced Paul Roos Gimnasium in the quarterfinals and dominated that encounter to come away with a convincing 13-7 victory.

Rondebosch’s run of tough fixtures didn’t end there. In the semis, they had to overcome last year’s winners, Bishops Diocesan College, while Clifton took on the home team, Wynberg.

Coach Maehler’s side got the job done, beating their southern suburbs rivals, 13-8. Meanwhile, in the second semi-final, Clifton did just enough to edge out Wynberg 7-6.

The final was a different story, with ‘Bosch starting strongly and dominating the first half. At half-time, they led 4-0, courtesy of goals by Dante Moore, Kiaran Bennewith, and a brace from the dangerous Zack Labuschagne.

The second half was business as usual for the Cape side, despite Clifton showing fight, through Daniel Nothard and Nabil Bejia, up front.

Rondebosch scored their fifth through Jason Warneke before Ryan Lawlor made it six. Two goals in quick succession from Lincoln Burger and Mitchel Rodgers sparked Clifton back to life, giving them hope of staging a late comeback in the fourth chukka.

It was the local side that finished strongly, however, with four more goals in the quarter. The influential Noah Reiback finally got onto the scoresheet before Lawlor, and Warneke completed their doubles to extend the ‘Bosch advantage to 9-2 with two minutes to play.

Luke Jeffrey put the final nail in the coffin in the dying seconds of the match to deliver his side to an emphatic 10-2 win in front of their home supporters.

In the third/fourth play-off match between Bishops and Wynberg, it was Bishops who reigned supreme, scoring a 10-5 win to take home bronze.

Final Standings

Rondebosch Boys’ High
Clifton College
Bishops Diocesan College
Wynberg Boys’ High
Hilton College
Kearsney College
Paul Roos
Grey High
Reddam Constantia
SACS
Affies
St Andrew’s College
St Stithians College
St John’s College
Glenwood House
St David’s Marist Inanda
Paarl Boys’ High
Pretoria Boys’ High
Cape Town Invitational
St Alban’s College
Jeppe High School for Boys
Maritzburg College
Grey College
Wynberg u15 squad

Teun Kloppenberg and Tristan Grundling scored brilliant unbeaten half-centuries as Grey High School cantered to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Selborne College on the Pollock Oval, at Grey High, on Saturday.

Kloppenberg crushed 13 fours and a six on his way to an outstanding 87 off 81 deliveries, while Grundling struck seven fours and two sixes for his 58 off 56 deliveries.

Their half-centuries helped Grey High chase down Selborne’s total of 245, which they achieved in 49.4 overs. Grey High’s 248/5 came up off of 43.4 overs.

Nathan Howell decimated Selborne’s top four batters for next to nothing, with the visitors’ top four of Adam Rodgers, Reece Wait, Michael Hess, and Jacques van der Merwe scoring only a combined 27 runs off 50 deliveries. With their leading batsmen back in the hut, Selborne was staring at the possibility of a total below 100.

They were, however, rescued by Tre’ Gilbert and Waedon Plaatjies. Gilbert displayed great control as he hit 14 fours and a six on his way to a brilliant 104 off 107 balls. Plaatjies was happy to play a supporting role and grafted his way to 67 runs off as many deliveries as Gilbert faced. The next best batsman for Selborne was Liso Ndzamela, who contributed 13 runs to the total.

Opening bowler Likhona Gcora led the Grey High bowling attack, bagging four wickets for 36 runs at a run rate of 3.72 per over. His regular new ball partner Ben Ristow did not start in the match. Instead, Nathan Howell shared the new ball and did a fine job, picking up four wickets for 59 runs in 10 overs.

Grey High enjoyed a positive start to their run chase, thanks to a 74-run opening partnership between Luke Tait (28) and Josh Rennie (33). Grey High, then, experienced a wobble and was under the pump over the next 7.1 overs. They added only five runs and lost three more wickets. Richard Gilbert’s charges had slipped to 79/4 and were in trouble.

They needed someone to come through with an inspired knock if they were to regain control of the innings. Instead of one person, they got two, Kloppenberg and Grundling. The duo didn’t simply absorb the pressure the visitors were piling on, they fought fire with fire. Throughout their innings, they consistently scored a run rate of above a run-a-ball. Selborne’s attack was blunted.

Jacques van der Merwe was Selborne’s most successful bowler, picking up two wickets for 34 runs in 10 overs, while Ndzamela, Rogers, and Wait took a wicket each.

Scores

Grey High School 248/5 (Teun Kloppeneberg 87*, Tristan Grundling 58*, Josh Rennie 33; Jacques van der Merwe 2/34, 1/18 Reece Watt, Adam Rogers 1/38); Selborne College: 245/10 (Tre’ Gilbert 104, Waedon Plaatjies 65; Likhona Gcora 4/36, Nathan Howell 4/59)

AJ Jeggels spun a web around the Woodridge College batsmen, while Andrew Muir scored his second half-century in two days, as Graeme College romped to a six-wicket victory over their opponents on the Somerset Field at Graeme College on Saturday.

When they batted, Graeme College faced a low target of 96 runs in 50 overs after their bowlers had run through the Woodridge batting line-up, bowling them out for a paltry 95 in 25.4 overs. The hosts replied with 97/4 in 17.4 overs.

Graeme College made good use of the conditions after they won the toss and elected to field first. Ethan Bokbaard, who made his first XI debut this season, took the new ball and proved to be almost unplayable. The grade 11 seamer accounted for three of Woodridge’s top four batsmen for single figures within the first 10 overs of the match.

He dismissed Jayden Damons (8), Lukhanyo Ndulama (0), and Randy Syce (5) before they posed a threat. In his six overs, he captured 3/26. With the top order neutralised, it was time for Jeggels to work his magic. The off-spinner expertly dismantled Woodridge’s middle order and finished the match with the brilliant figures of 4/22 from seven overs.

Ethan Moothoo offered some resistance, but not even he could withstand the pressure from Graeme College, and he was dismissed after scoring a laboured 17 off 46 balls. Oliver Puttergill (13) and Daniel Darlow (12) were the only other Woodridge players to reach double figures.

Had Graeme College’s bowlers been more disciplined, they would have bundled out Woodridge for a score closer to 65. However, they conceded 30 extras, with Jason Damons and Muir the chief culprits. They contributed a combined 21 extras between them, 12 of them from Damons, while Muir had nine.

Muir made amends by creaming eight fours and two sixes on his way to an unbeaten 55 off 51 deliveries to secure victory for his side. A measure of the quality of the grade 10 player’s innings was the fact that he tallied only one four less than the entire Woodridge batting line-up combined, and he struck more sixes than the visitors, too.

Muir headed into the match on the back of a blistering unbeaten and match-winning half-century for Graeme in a Schools SA20 match on Friday. He transferred those run-scoring abilities to the 50-over game by taking control of a chase that appeared to be stalling.

The hosts were two wickets down, with three runs on the board, after 1.4 overs, when Muir arrived at the crease. Not too long after that, Graeme College was drowning on 13/3. Things stabilised, thanks to a 28-run partnership between Muir and Luphelo Mdyesha. From there, Muir took control of the match as he batted his side to victory, with Athandile Feni (9*) for company in the middle.

During their innings, Woodridge’s batsmen were never able to get comfortable. The score crept along at a snail’s pace, advancing at only 3.7 runs an over. In their run chase, Graeme College sailed along at 5.47 runs per over, which looked rather handsome compared to their opponent’s run rate.

The victory is a good confidence booster for coach Odwa Xonxa’s side, which heads for the Cape Schools Festival next week where they will have to be at their best as one of their first matches will be against Wynberg Boys’ High.

The coach feels his team is in a better position to compete this season, given that they have enjoyed good preparations, which included six weeks of net sessions. That’s something they didn’t have in previous seasons.

They also produced solid showings at the Pearson Festival where they won four out of four contests. Zuko Pontshi scored a brilliant century in one of those matches, while Corbin Tidbury, an u16 player, chalked up a couple of half-centuries.

“One of our goals for the season is to get some of our boys into the provincial side,” Xonxa shared. With the start his side has made to the season, that looks quite possible.

Summarised Scorecard

Woodridge College 95/10 (Ethan Moothoo 17, Oliver Puttergill 13, Daniel Darlow 12; AJ Jeggels 4/22, Ethan Bokbaard 3/26); Graeme College 97/4 (Andrew Muir 55*, Luphelo Mdyesha 17; Wayden Bishop 2/20, Keagan Collett 2/20)

Graeme College won by 6 wickets

The Heritage Sevens, the latest round of the High School Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota, proved to be a triumph for Hoërskool Middelburg (HS Middelburg) as both their u15 and u17 teams went unbeaten and claimed their age group titles on Saturday in Middelburg. Unfortunately for Helpmekaar, they had to settle for the runner-up spot in both competitions.

Ben Viljoen made HS Middelburg work hard for their first u17 victory, with the local school winning 19-0. It was, however, the first of three shutouts for the Middies in Group B, with each win by a bigger score: 35-0 vs Patriot and 52-0 vs Steelcrest.

At last, in the semi-finals, Hoërskool Kanonkop managed to score twice against HS Middelburg, but it was one-way traffic as Middies powered their way to a 59-14 win.

Helpmekaar, who won their opener only 28-17 against Bergvlam, followed up with big wins over Barberton and Eastdene Combined, tipping fifty points both times, and they then held off HTS Middelburg in the semi-finals, recording a 24-19 victory.

In the final, the Middies secured a 10-point win, taking the title by a 24-14 margin.

There was joy for Patriot in the Bowl final, where they handed Rob Ferreira a 31-14 loss, while Ben Viljoen got by Kempton Park 24-19 to lift the Plate.

In the u15 competition, HS Middelburg was extended by Ben Viljoen in their pool game, winning 26-12 after cruising to a 45-0 win over Bergvlam. Helpmekaar, meanwhile, beat Rob Ferreira 26-7 and then ran roughshod over Eastdene Combined, putting up 75 points.

Ben Viljoen showed they were a team to be reckoned with in the quarterfinals, beating HTS Middelburg 21-12, while HS Middelburg 2 pushed Rob Ferreira hard before succumbing 12-19. Helpmekaar and HS Middelburg both progressed without conceding a point, with Helpies crushing Barberton 60-0 and Middies taking down the hosts, Kanonkop, 38-0.

Unsurprisingly, it was tighter in the semi-finals, with Middelburg accounting for Ben Viljoen 21-7 and Helpmekaar ousting Rob Ferreira 36-12.

Middies then lifted their game in the final, romping to an emphatic 22-0 win over Helpmekaar.

Steelcrest strode to the Bowl title, beating Bergvlam 33-5, while HS Middelburg 2 decisively beat HTS Middelburg 24-5 in the Plate final.

U17 RESULTS

Group A

Barberton 49-0 Eastdene Combined
Bergvlam 17-28 Helpmekaar
Barberton 7-52 Helpmekaar
Bergvlam 31-7 Eastdene Combined
Barberton 21-31 Bergvlam
Eastdene Combined 0-59 Helpmekaar

Group B

HTS Middelburg 19-0 Ben Viljoen
Steelcrest 0-31 Patriot
HTS Middelburg 35-0 Patriot
Steelcrest 7-31 Ben Viljoen
Ben Viljoen 24-10 Patriot
HTS Middelburg 52-0 Steelcrest

Group C

Edu College 0-62 Kempton Park
Kanonkop 52-0 Meridian Karino
Edu College 5-7 Meridian Karino
Kanonkop 28-10 Kempton Park
Kempton Park 57-0 Meridian Karino
Edu College 7-56 Kanonkop

Group D

HS Middelburg 53-7 HTS Witbank
Rob Ferreira 43-7 Generaal Hertzog
HS Middelburg 26-0 Generaal Hertzog
Rob Ferreira 19-24 HTS Witbank
HTS Witbank 10-10 Generaal Hertzog
HS Middelburg 36-7 Rob Ferreira

Semi-finals

Shield

Eastdene Combined 17-33 Steelcrest
Edu College 0-10 Generaal Hertzog

Bowl

Barberton 12-38 Patriot
Meridian Karino 0-48 Rob Ferreira

Plate

Bergvlam 0-19 Ben Viljoen
Kempton Park 14-12 HTS Witbank

Cup

Helpmekaar 24-19 HTS Middelburg
Kanonkop 14-59 HS Middelburg

Finals

Bowl

Patriot 31-14 Rob Ferreira

Plate

Ben Viljoen 24-19 Kempton Park

Cup

Helpmekaar 14-24 HS Middelburg

U15 RESULTS

Group A

Edu College 17-58 Kanonkop
HTS Middelburg 34-0 Kanonkop
HTS Middelburg 60-0 Edu College

Group B

Ben Viljoen 57-7 Bergvlam
HS Middelburg 45-0 Bergvlam
HS Middelburg 26-12 Ben Viljoen

Group C

Steelcrest 17-19 Barberton
Middelburg 2 31-14 Barberton
Middelburg 2 32-0 Steelcrest

Group D

Eastdene Combined 0-66 Rob Ferreira
Helpmekaar 26-7 Rob Ferreira
Helpmkeaar 75-0 Eastdene Combined

Quarterfinals

Cup

HTS Middelburg 12-21 Ben Viljoen
HS Middelburg 38-0 Kanonkop
Middelburg 2 12-19 Rob Ferreira
Helpmekaar 60-0 Barberton

Semi-finals

Bowl

Edu College 0-10 Bergvlam
Steelcrest 22-0 Eastdene Combined

Plate

HTS Middelburg 42-5 Kanonkop
Middelburg 2 10-0 Barberton

Cup

Ben Viljoen 7-21 HS Middelburg
Rob Ferreira 12-36 Helpmekaar

Finals

Bowl

Bergvlam 5-33 Steelcrest

Plate

HTS Middelburg 5-24 Middelburg 2

Cup

HS Middelburg 22-0 Helpmekaar