David Loudon (left) and Josh Loon (right) were outstanding with bat and ball when Kingswood faced Muir College on Friday and Saturday. Photo: Supplied.
David Loudon smashed half-centuries on successive days to inspire Kingswood College to back-to-back victories over Muir College in T20 and 50-over matches, at City Lords, on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday evening, Loudon stroked an unbeaten half-century to lead Kingswood to 186/1, before the Kingswood bowling attack combined to limit Muir to 110/8 in reply.
On Saturday, Kingswood changed tack and opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
In a rain-affected match, Muir was limited to 190/9 in 40 overs. Loudon, then, struck another half-century as the home side galloped to 174/2 in only 20.1 overs to complete a comprehensive eight-wicket victory.
Kingswood vs Muir T20
Loudon and his opening partner, Josh Loon, wielded their bats like swords as they decimated the Muir bowlers in Friday’s T20 clash.
They were together for all but one ball of the Kingswood innings, partnering for 183 runs in 19.5 overs.
Loudon hit six fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 72 from 51 balls, while Loon was the top-scorer with a 70-ball 97 that featured 15 fours.
Kamva Douws scored a fighting run-a-ball 26 for Muir, but, at the other end of the pitch, a procession of wickets went down.
RomanoRichards stood firm, though, top-scoring with an unbeaten 39 from 37 balls, but his innings didn’t overlap that of Douws as the visitors struggled to put together meaningful partnerships.
Kingswood vs Muir 50-over
On Saturday, Loudon, the Kingswood captain, asked Muir to bat first, and this time, the visiting side produced a better batting effort.
Cody September scored a steady 41 from 92 balls to help Muir get to 190/9 in 40 overs and received decent support from Umair Jeeva (36) and Soso Makana (33), while Romano Richards chipped in with a handy 29 from 25 deliveries.
Muir’s progress was, however, greatly hampered by Sinawo Bakula and Josh Loon’s bowling efforts. They shared seven wickets between them, with Bakula capturing 4/38 from eight overs. Loon’s contribution was 3/25 from seven.
In reply, Kingswood lost Josh Loon early, for eight runs, but their top order quickly showed that the pitch wasn’t a minefield as they raced to 174/2 after only 20.1 overs.
Loudon, who replaced him, bashed nine fours and a six on his way to a 55 from only 35 balls. Daniel Jankins, who opened the batting with Loon, had the best seat in the house to watch Loudon’s fireworks while anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 60 from 70 deliveries.
Summarised Scorecards
Kingswood 186/1 (Josh Loon 97, David Loudon 72; Cody September 1/36, Daniel Duthie 0/29). Muir College 110/8 (Romano Richards 39, Kamva Douws 26; Daniel Jankins 2/16, Josh Loon 1/16). Kingswood won by 76 runs.
Muir 190/9 (Cody September 41, Umair Jeeva 36; Sinawo Bakula 4/38, Josh Loon 3/25). Kingswood 174/2 (Daniel Jankins 60*, David Loudon 55; Aaron Latola 1/30, Romano Richards 1/26). Kingswood won by eight wickets.
A focused effort in the field after a strong batting performance lifted Boland Landbou to a convincing T20 win over Milnerton High. Photo: Boland Landbou on Instagram.
Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High (50-over)
On Saturday, Paarl Boys’ High won the toss at Paul Roos Gimnasium, and decided to bat first. That decision backfired, however, as they were dismissed for a modest total, which the hosts chased down with eight wickets to spare.
Opener AB Jacobs had scored a century earlier in the week and he again made the highest score for Boishaai, entertaining the spectators with five fours in his 48 runs off 52 balls.
Lower down the order, Aiden Batt weighed in with a patient 32 off 67 to help extend the Paarl outfit’s innings to 158 all out after 40 overs.
James Holm shredded the visitors’ batting, capturing 5/27 from 10 overs, while Jason Raal knocked back 3/6 in only two overs.
Paul Roos then made light work of the run chase, thanks to a 153-run second wicket partnership between Luca Plekker and Enré van Zyl. Plekker hit an undefeated 74 off 73, hammering 10 fours and two sixes, while Van Zyl tallied nine fours in his 60 off 74.
Most of the Boishaai bowlers found the going tough, but Batt threatened, picking up a tidy 1/28 in 10 overs.
In the end, though, it took Paul Roos only 25 overs to reach 161/2 and claim victory.
Boland Landbou vs Milnerton High (20-over)
In a Friday afternoon friendly 20-over fixture, Boland Landbou opted to bat first when they hosted Milnerton High. TheFarmers bashed a big total and bowled well to defend it with ease, winning the match by 64 runs.
The home side’s Francois Prins showed why he bats third in the order by blasting five fours and seven sixes in an action-packed 92 runs off 50 deliveries. Then, Kobus Conradie, the sixth man in, didn’t take any sighters. He went after the Milnerton bowlers from ball one, cracking two fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 30 off 13.
Bradley Barnes was the best of the Millies‘ bowlers, claiming 2/36 from four overs as Boland Landbou tallied 181/5.
Facing a stiff challenge, Milnerton’s openers, Tristan Logie and Daniel Bloemetjie, to their credit, put up a good fight. Logie knocked a steady 31 off 33, striking three fours, while Bloemetjie thumped a four and two sixes in a defiant 20 off 11.
Gunther Schmidt, though, delivered the goods with the ball, snaring 3/19 in four overs. Conradie needed only 11 balls for his 2/2, while Troy Davis claimed 2/28 in four overs as Milnerton’s innings was ended with one ball remaining for 117.
Summarised Scorecards
Paarl Boys’ High 158/10 (AB Jacobs 48, Aiden Batt 32; James Holm 5/27, Jason Raal 3/6); Paul Roos Gimnasium 161/2 (Luca Plekker 74*, Enré van Zyl 60, Extras 26). Paul Roos won by eight wickets.
Boland Landbou 181/5 (Francois Prins 92, Kobus Conradie 30*, Gideon Kotze 25; Bradley Barnes 2/36); Milnerton High 117/10 (Tristan Logie 31, Daniel Bloemetjie 20; Gunther Schmidt 3/19, Kobus Conradie 2/2, Troy Davis 2/28). Boland Landbou won by 64runs.
Steele Grooteman was sensational with the ball and spun his way to a four-wicket haul to set KES up for victory. Photo: Supplied.
Michael Smithyman struck an unbeaten century to lead St David’s Marist Inanda to a thrilling final over three-wicket victory over Jeppe in a 50-over match on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Troy Gordon’s unbeaten half-century carried King Edward VII (KES) over the line against Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) on the John Hurry Oval at KES.
In Krugersdorp, Wander Roolvink led Noordheuwel to victory over Northcliff with a scintillating 80 not out.
At Jeppe, Jason Rowles, the St David’s captain, called correctly at the toss and chose to bowl first. His bowlers were made to labour by the home side, who tallied 298 all out. Smithyman, though, showed his class with a wonderful undefeated 104 off 118 deliveries to shepherd St David’s to 299/7 and victory with only one ball to spare.
When Jeppe batted, Aiden Reyneke joined Vegas Scott in the middle in the seventh over after Zizi Mkhize‘s departure. They, then, cobbled together a 74-run second-wicket partnership that ended after Scott’s dismissal for a brisk 76 from only 40 balls.
Reyneke continued, keeping his end intact, on his way to 100 from 106 deliveries. He received useful support from Lincoln Casais, who chipped in with a steady 47 from 66.
St David’s made a shaky start to their reply, losing both opening batsmen within the first 12 overs. Fortunately for them, that brought Smithyman and Rowles to the crease, and the pair constructed a solid 87-run third wicket stand, which kept the visitors in the contest. It ended with the exit of Rowles after he had blitzed 70 off just 40 deliveries.
None of the visitors’ next five batsmen made it to twenty. However, that wasn’t an issue for St David’s because they had Smithyman to see them to victory.
The toss went Bromley’s way, and the KES captain inserted the visitors to bat first. With Louis Kruyshaar putting up an unbeaten 80, Boys High tallied 244/8. Troy Gordon, then, one-upped Kruyshaar, weighing in with 93 not out, to pilot KES to victory.
In the early going, PBHS struggled to establish themselves with the bat, thanks to some wonderful bowling from the Player of the Match, Steele Grooteman. The spinner kept the visitors tied down, conceding only 17 runs in 10 overs, while bagging four wickets.
It wasn’t until Kruyshaar’s arrival in the middle that Boys High was able to push on to a respectable total. He and Victor Louw (40) shared a 78-run eighth-wicket partnership, which lifted the visitors beyond the 200-run mark.
KES stumbled out of the blocks in their reply, losing Tiago Dias and Luke Clark in the first 11 overs. When Gordon joined Urav Mukhija in the middle, the pair stabilised the innings with a 70-run third-wicket partnership. That was the platform they needed to go on to victory.
Noordheuwel vs Northcliff
At Noordheuwel, Wander Roolvink stood tall and bashed an unbeaten 58-ball 80 to lead the hosts to an emphatic eight-wicket triumph over Northcliff.
Jack Woolard, the Northcliff captain, thought batting first would help his side to put Noriesunder pressure. That didn’t work out well. The hosts made effective use of the pitch and the conditions to bowl out Northcliff for only 154 in 36.4 overs.
Ntokozo Tshabalala, the lone Northcliff batsman to go beyond the 30-run mark, scored a patient 47 from 64 balls.
The rest of the visitors’ batting lineup struggled to grab a foothold, and only Caleb Henenne made it beyond the teens. Two more reached double figures, but the rest fell for single-digit scores.
Noordheuwel didn’t stick around, chasing Northcliff’s 154 with zest. They charged to 158/2 after only 16 overs to bag an emphatic eight-wicket win.
Roolvink led the charge with his unbeaten half-century and shared a dominant 123-run opening stand with Stephan Jooste that took only 12 overs. Jooste was out just three runs shy of a half-century.
Northcliff did not do themselves any favours by conceding 20 extras.
Summarised Scorecards
Jeppe 298/10 (Aiden Reyneke 100, Vegas Scott 76; Jason Rowles 2/36, Roberto Mariano 2/38, Christopher Emslie 2/83). St David’s 299/7 (Michael Smithyman 104*, Jason Rowles 70; Shreshth Kumar 3/65, Lincoln Casais 2/33, Reza Ayob 2/55). St David’s won by three wickets.
Pretoria Boys High 244/8 (Louis Kruyshaar 80*, Victor Louw 40; Steele Grooteman 4/17, Abdullah Mohammed 2/46). KES 246/4 (Troy Gordon 93*, Urav Mukhija 56; Jaydon Knott-Craig 1/40, Euan Gottfried 1/43). KES won by six wickets.
Northcliff 154/10 (Ntokozo Tshabalala 47, Caleb Henenne 20; Reney van den Berg 3/20, JD Bezuidenhout 1/26). Noordheuwel 158/2 (Wander Roolvink 80, Stephan Jooste 47; Regan van der Walt 1/39, Oliver Vermaak 0/24). Noordheuwel won by eight wickets.
Strand dismissed Charlie Hofmeyr cheaply but were made to work hard for victory. Photo: HS Strand on Instagram.
Hoërskool Strand vs Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr (50-over)
Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr won the toss and selected to bat first at Hoërskool Strand on Saturday.
Strand bowled well to dismiss the visitors for a low total, but they only just chased it down, getting home with two wickets to spare.
Charlies‘ opener Driaan Louw scored a dogged 18 runs off 73 balls, while, in at six, Robert Koen mustered 18 off 40. Together, they added 35 runs for the fifth wicket.
Benjamin de Reuck picked off the tail, taking 3/20 in 7.5 overs, while Nicolae Roux and Zaylin Rule chipped in with two wickets each as the Ceres locals scrambled to 101 all out.
Had it not been for 35 extras, they would have been dismissed well shy of triple figures.
Strand needed a player to anchor their response, and they found him in Zaylin Rule, who was the third man to the crease. He tallied the highest score of the match, striking three fours in his 24 runs from 60 balls. That, along with 25 extras, was enough to see Strand to 106/8 and victory after 35.3 overs.
Ruben Giliomee made it a nervous chase for the home side, capturing 3 for 30 in 10 overs, while Martin du Plessis and Russouw Matthee picked up two wickets apiece. It was not quite enough.
Hoërskool Goudveld vs Hoërskool Jim Fouché (50-over)
Hoërskool Goudveld hosted Hoërskool JimFouché(JF) in Welkom on Saturday, and the Bloemfontein school turned a match that could have run for 100 overs into one that lasted only 47.2 in total.
The home side struggled against JF”s tenacious bowling, which the visitors followed with an aggressive batting effort to win by eight wickets.
Louw Fouché top-scored for Goudveld, thumping three fours as he calmly collected 20 off 53 balls, but Cobus Wilken was lethal with the ball, knocking over 4/10 in eight overs. Jareth Scott lent strong support, claiming 2/23 in six overs as Gouties mustered only 101 all out after 34 overs.
Opener Niel Wilken then set JF up for victory with a rapid and unbeaten 52 from just 39 deliveries, which included six fours and a six.
His fellow opener Benco Olivier delivered the support that Wilken needed, contributing 21 off 23, while Franco de Necker helped to see the visitors across the finishing line, blasting four fours in his unbeaten 18 off 12.
Edrich du Plessis was the only Goudveld bowler to pick up any wickets, recording 2/24 from 3.4 overs as Jim Fouché reached 103/2 in only 13.4 overs (82 balls).
Summarised Scorecards
Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr 101/10 (Extras 35; Benjamin Reuck 3/20, Nicolae Roux 2/14, Zaylin Rule 2/16); Hoërskool Strand 106/8 (Extras 25, Zaylin Rule 24; Ruben Giliomee 3/30, Martin du Plessis 2/13, Russouw Matthee 2/21). Strand won by two wickets.
Hoërskool Goudveld 102/10 (Louw Fouché 20; Cobus Wilken 4/10, Jareth Scott 2/23); Hoërskool Jim Fouché 103/2 (Niel Wilken 52*, Benco Olivier 21; Edrich du Plessis 2/24). Jim Fouché won by eight wickets.
KES was large and in charge on their way to the Gauteng Lions’ Schools SA20 title. Photo: Supplied.
Tiago Dias stayed calm and displayed nerves of steel to shepherd King Edward VII (KES) to a nerve-wracking four-wicket victory over Jeppe in the Gauteng Lions‘ regional final of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two tournament
Friday afternoon’s thriller, played at St Stithians’ Dlamini Oval appeared to be smooth ride to the title for KES until that narrative was flipped on its head in sensational fashion by the best over any schoolboy bowler has enjoyed in the 20-over format in South Africa.
Matthew Bromley, the KES captain, chose to put his trust in his bowlers when he won the toss and his seven-man attack performed tidily to restrict Jeppe to 141/8 from their 20 overs.
KES, then, appeared to be on course for a comfortable victory until Keegan Cockburn almost reversed the outcome with a brilliant exhibition of death-bowling, which sent five batsmen packing off five balls. Amid the mayhem, Dias stood firm and delivered a superb unbeaten half-century to steer KES to 145/6 and victory.
Earlier in the day, KES trounced Steyn City by 55 runs in the semifinals. In that fixture, Dias played a supporting role while Luke Clark notched a half-century to spearhead KES to an unassailable 216/8. They then limited Steyn City to 161/8 in reply.
In the title game, Clark fell early, but Dias took charge, slamming seven fours and three sixes in a match-winning 77 from 56 balls. Dias and Clark put on 27 for the opening wicket before Dias and Troy Gordon (46) combined for 105 runs.
Thanks to Dias’s aggressive striking, KES was consistently ahead of the required run rate. However, things almost went spectacularly pear-shaped for them when Ryan Young, the Jeppe captain, threw the ball to Cockburn to bowl the penultimate over. Despite not taking any wickets in his previous three overs, Cockburn had been in good form.
Not even in his wildest dreams, though, could Young have hoped for a better response. In jaw-dropping fashion, Cockburn ripped through KES, sending Gordon, Connor Fourie, Matthew Bromley, Wade McQuinn, and Abdullah Mohammed packing from consecutive deliveries, which saw KES tumbling from 132/1 to 132/6.
Dias, though, doggedly stuck to the task in front of him, scoring 10 of the 12 runs that KES still required to see his team to a four-wicket win.
Cockburn also starred for Jeppe in their semi-final clash with St John’s College earlier in the day, capturing 3/7 from only 2.3 overs as St John’s College was knocked over for only 78 in 14.3 overs.
What appeared to be a routine run chase proved to be anything but that. It took Jeppe until the last over of their innings to claw their way to 79/9 and, thus, book their place in the final against KES.
Summarised Scorecards
Final
Jeppe 141/8 (Vegas Scott 28, Lincoln Casias 25; Abdullah Mohammed 2/14, Connor Kuijers 1/19). KES 145/6 (Tiago Dias 77*, Troy Gordon 46; Keegan Cockburn 5/17, Goolam Ahmed 1/34). KES won by four wickets.
Semifinals
KES 216/8 (Luke Clark 53, Steele Grooteman 41; Kurt Losch 2/27, Max Burroughes 2/31). Steyn City 161/8 (Murray Leith 36, Joshua Michau 25*; Abdullah Mohammed 2/30, Connor Kuijers 2/31). KES won by 55 runs.
St John’s 78/10 (Nkosana Sibiya 17, Joshua Hall 15; Keegan Cockburn 3/7, Shreshth Kumar 3/13). Jeppe 79/9 (Ethan Elliott 18, Phomello Sekopane 16; David Ireland 3/23, Nkosana Sibiya 2/3, Ethan Robinson 2/12). Jeppe won by one wicket.
A strong batting performance set Grantleigh High up for an emphatic win over Felixton College in their Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two showdown. Photo: Grantleigh Schools on Facebook.
In a clash between Zululand schools, Grantleigh High benefitted from a strong start to their innings as they powered their way to a 70-run Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two win over Felixton College, at Grantleigh, on Friday.
After the hosts won the toss, their openers, Luca Olivier and Tristan van Rooyen turned the decision to bat first into an excellent call by clubbing 114 for the first wicket in only 8.4 overs.
Their damaging stand ended when Van Rooyen was caught by Jurgens Pretorius off the bowling of VeolanPalavar for 46 from only 27 deliveries, which included five fours and two sixes.
Olivier followed Van Rooyen back to the change room midway through the twelfth over, but by then Grantleigh had 133 runs on the board, and Olivier had contributed 59 of them, taking just 37 balls, six of which he dispatched for four and another for six.
The home side lost some momentum when they saw three batsmen dismissed in the space of eight balls for the addition of eight runs, which left them on 154/5 after 15.3 overs.
Heinrich Hattingh and Nazi Geza boosted the innings, however, by adding 32 runs in 16 balls. Geza was, then, dismissed off the second ball of the last over for 22 off 17, and Hattingh was out to the very last ball of the innings after chipping in with 15 from 12.
Jurgens Pretorius, the seventh bowler used by Felixton, was their most successful, snapping up 2/12 in three overs. Colby Whittaker picked up 2/35 in four, and Levi Olivier finished with 2/43 from his four.
Grantleigh High totalled a healthy 192/7, which was boosted by an unhealthy 32 extras added by Felixton, although only 14 of those were wides.
Needing to bat at over nine-and-a-half run per over, Felixton was never able to challenge that tough ask.
Levi Olivier, batting fourth in the order, delivered 49 from 45 balls, cracking five fours and three sixes, but Felixton’s next best score, 23 from 33 balls by VeolanPalavar, was less than half of Olivier’s contribution.
Olivier and Rourke Whittaker, who made 17, combined for the innings’ best partnership of 53 for the fourth wicket but, when Olivier was caught by Luca Olivier off of Nazi Geza, only six balls remained and Felixton was on 114/4. They finished on 122/5, well short of the tough victory target.
Arnaav Singh, who took the new ball for Grantleigh, led their attack with a return of 2/26 from four overs, while Tristan van Rooyen turned the screws by picking up 1/13 from his four overs.
Summarised scorecard
Grantleigh High 192/7 (Luca Olivier 59, Tristan van Rooyen 46, Extras 32, Nazi Geza 22; Jurgens Pretorius 2/12, Colby Whittaker 2/35, Levi Olivier 2/43); Felixton College 122/5 (Levi Olivier 49, VeolanPalavar 23; Arnaav Singh 2/26). Grantleigh High won by 70 runs.
A local derby in a quarter-final round always stirs the butterflies. A clash between Hoërskool Garsfontein and Hoërskool Waterkloof makes for even greater excitement.
With the respective leagues across the Noordvaal having concluded, it’s time to decide the best of the best, with the two Pretoria giants clashing for the second time in this year’s 50-over season, in one of the highly anticipated quarter-finals.
The Klofies and the Ysbere advanced to the Fain Noordvaal Series as number one and two from the Titans region, although Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool snared the title, the first team to do so, and thereby dethroned Waterkloof, who claimed the title a record four consecutive times since 2020. Affies does not take part in the Fain Noordvaal Series.
The Klofies and Garsies also won the respective Wildeklawer T20 tournaments just a week ago. Kloof defeated Grey College in Pretoria, while the Ysbere beat Hans Moore at the Wildeklawer Diamantveld T20 tournament in Kimberly.
The Jacaranda City will furthermore be abuzz as four of the union’s Khaya Majola representatives are set to go head-to-head at Hoërskool Garsfontein on Saturday.
The Ysbere, of course, boast the leading run-scorer of the Titans Platinum League, Reuben van Zyl, who racked up a whopping 503 runs in seven matches at an astronomical average of 100.6. His stats include three centuries and a half-century, as he led the pack with more than 200 runs abreast of the second best, who, not so surprisingly, will be his Kloof opposite number, Rico van der Walt. Van der Walt amassed 289 runs in seven matches, scoring one century, in the previous meeting between these two sides, with his 132 helping the Klofies to win by 199 runs.
Darius Maritz and Garsies’ captain, Xander Venter, come up against each other in the bowling department, although Venter might have a say with the bat too, being one of Pretoria’s best all-rounders at schoolboy level. Performances from these four players should excite the Ysbere’s coach, Elmar Dorey, who will accompany the Khaya Majola side as assistant coach.
Merensky Landbou Akademie, victors of the Limpopo Super League, travel to Meyerton to face Hoërskool Dr Malan. The Dokkies turned the tables on Heidelberg Volkskool after a narrow one-wicket defeat in 2024, to snatch this year’s title with a convincing six-wicket victory.
An enticing encounter awaits between Limpopo’s two leading wicket-takers, Timothy Baker (14) and captain Luka Heinlein (13), who come up against a formidable Luka Pretorius and co. The Dokkies will look to go one better than last year, when they lost to Menlopark in the first playoff round.
The in-form Hoërskool Middelburg welcomes an equally impressive Potchefstroom Gimnasium in a fixture that should go down to the wire. The Middies have now won the Mpumalanga League for two consecutive years, while the Gimmies claimed the North West title mostly thanks to the red-hot bat of Christivan Coetzer. Coetzer has already accumulated an astonishing seven centuries this year, and his batting battle with Herman Portgieter and Eduan Strydom, at the top of the Middies order, might prove the deciding factor by the end of 100 overs.
Hoërskool Kempton Park, who ended Hoërskool Hans Moore‘s Fain Noordvaal title defence in the league stages already, hosts an unpredictable Hoërskool Monument. The Kempies have been exceptional throughout the season, particularly with Sheldon Kruger highlighting the start of the 2025/26 season with a double century, the only one in the Noordvaal thus far, in a friendly against Hoërskool Rustenburg. Monnas, however, are still victors from their beat and possess the all-round abilities of Logan Weetman, who will be a danger with both bat and ball.
Quarter-Final Fixtures – 25 October (Home teams named first):
Garsfontein vs Waterkloof – Pretoria
Dr Malan vs Merensky Landbou Akademie – Meyerton
Hoërskool Middelburg vs Potchefstroom Gimnasium – Middelburg
Hoërskool Kempton Park vs Monument – Kempton Park
SuperSport United faces title-challenging Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday in a Tshwane derby, which promises heightened excitement. Photo: Mondli Dube.
The pressure is on as the Gauteng Development League (GDL) barrels towards its conclusion. One hopes, only, that the weather doesn’t interfere as it did last weekend, when a couple of crucial top-of-the-table matches were forced to be postponed.
This weekend, the spotlight shifts to Mamelodi Sundowns, who will play in a Tshwane derby on Saturday, tackling SuperSport United at Eskom Megawatt Park.
Sundowns, second in the standings, need to bag every point possible if they are to prevent Highlands Park from winning the GDL for a third season in succession. They’re currently three points behind the Lions of the North.
Highlands Park leads the way with 74 points, while Sundowns has 71, and they have both played 31 matches. The Braziliansneed Highlands Park to drop points.
They do own a superior goal difference, which would be to their advantage should Highlands Park slip up. But SuperSport United presents a tough challenge for ‘Downs.
On Saturday, they overran Elspark United 7-0 and followed that impressive result with a 3-0 win over East Rand Athletic on Sunday.
Will the School of Excellence sustain that level of performance on Saturday, or will the Lions of the North own the park at their home, Balfour Park?
While the competition at the top of the league is intense, the battle for survival at the opposite end of the standings is on. Elspark United, in their first season in the GDL, appears set for a return to the GDL Promotional League. In 30 matches, they have picked up only three wins, four draws, and been beaten 23 times.
Tshiamo Selemela, who recently earned the man of the match against Kathorus Hyper Academy during the u19 GDL Festival, is set to be one of the pivotal players in the Tshwane derby for SuperSport United. Photo: Mondli Dube
With only 13 points to their names and four matches remaining, Elspark takes on 16th-placed Seven’s Academy on Saturday.
It has also been a difficult season for Seven’s Academy, who have just five wins, seven draws, and 19 losses from 31 matches, which leaves them with 22 points. It’s a battle at the bottom, but it could be a pivotal game in both clubs’ seasons. They’re split by East Rand Athletic Club, which is in 17th-place, with 21 points.
Kaizer Chiefs, who are on course for a sixth-place finish, haven’t performed to their usual standards this season, but they’ll have a chance to boost their points’ tally by three when they host Joburg City at home.
Panorama, who have been struggling for form, welcome the University of Pretoria (Tuks) to the Panorama Sports Ground in Roodepoort.
Randburg, who were in the thick of the title race at one point of the season, have fallen off the pace more recently, but they’re still fourth on the log. They go up against Jomo Cosmos at the Randburg Sports Complex.
In other matches, Wits Junior hosts Rockefvs at Marks Park, while Kathorus Hyper Academy will be visited by Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) at the Huntersfield Stadium.
On Sunday, TS Galaxy is scheduled to play against Joburg City, and Panorama takes on East Rand Athletic.
FIXTURES
Saturday, 25 October
14:00
Kaizer Chiefs vs Joburg City, Kaizer Chiefs Village
15:00
SuperSport United vs Mamelodi Sundowns, Eskom Megwatt Park
Elspark United vs Seven’s Academy, Elspark Sports Ground
Highlands Park vs School of Excellence, Balfour Park
Wits Junior vs Rockefvs, Marks Park
Panorama vs Tuks, Panorama Sports Ground
Randburg vs Jomo Cosmos, Randburg Sports Complex
Kathorus vs RESA, Huntersfield Stadium
Sunday, 26 October
16:00
TS Galax vs Joburg City, George Lea Park
16:30
Panorama vs East Rand Athletic, Panorama Sports Ground
Asher Hollister struck an aggressive 66 not out and, with a big assist from Aaron Blackburn, who clubbed an unbeaten 50, steered Kearsney College to a 10-wicket win over Thomas More College. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Northwood vs Ashton Ballito
Fresh off a strong showing at the Wildeklawer T20 in Pretoria, Northwood swept to a 102-run Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two win over Ashton Ballito on the Robin Smith Oval, in Durban, on Thursday.
After the toss went their way, the Knights opted to bat first, but matters didn’t exactly go smoothly, with James Wright and Andre Botha enjoying early successes with the ball, which included getting rid of the hard-hitting duo of Thomas Oosthuizen and Jamie Wimble for ducks.
At the top of the order, Ross McGlashan cracked four fours and a six in tallying 36 from 32 balls. He was the fourth man out, which left Northwood on 69/4 in the ninth over. Then, when James Searle followed for one, the Knights found themselves on 77/5 halfway through their innings.
Josh Mills and Keegan Reeves stopped the slide, however, by adding 58 for the sixth wicket. Wright got rid of Mills in the 18th over for the top score of the innings, 46 from 39 deliveries, five of which he rerouted for four.
Reeves ended with 16 and Max Nicholson was 14 not out when the hosts completed their 20 overs on 152/8.
Andre Botha picked up 2/11 in two, while James Wright returned 2/23 in four, but the Ashton let themselves down by bowling 24 wides and conceding 30 extras.
It was, nonetheless, a solid effort in the field from the visitors. Unfortunately, for the north coast school, their batting performance failed to match the standard of their bowling. They lasted only 15.5 overs and were bowled out for 50.
Opening batsman, Alex Lawrence, top-scored with 13, but after him every other score was in single figures. The primary reason for that was Hamza Amla, who laid waste to Ashton’s batting with a spectacular spell of 3.5 overs that brought him an eye-opening 6/5.
Three others picked up a wicket each and a run out helped, too. Lawrence’s 13 was matched by the 13 extras conceded by the Knights. Still, they only just made it to a half-century.
Westville Boys’ High vs Kloof High
On Bowden’s, the home team, Westville Boys’ High mauled Kloof High‘s bowlers after the Griffinhad slipped to 27/2 in the third over. After that, the visitors enjoyed no more successes as Aidan Baudach and Tristin Delvin combined for an unbroken third wicket partnership of 217 in 17.2 overs.
Delvin top-scored with 103 from just 55 balls, eight of which he smashed for six, and another five which were sent to the boundary. Baudach also reached triple figures, making exactly 100 not out from only 62 balls, making it the rare occasion when two batsmen scored a century in the same innings of a 20-over match.
Aiden Lorentz, like the other Kloof High bowlers was expensive, but he picked up the only two wickets to go down, finishing with 2/50 from his four overs.
The visitors, then, found the going out in the middle a whole lot tougher than Westville had found it to be. They mustered only 62/9 from their 20 overs, with Aiden Lorentz making 15 and Matt Sheppard 11, but that was it for scores in double figures.
Misbah Nair put the skids under Kloof, snaring 3/7 in three, while Aarin Rasmussen claimed 2/9 in four as Kloof, after losing their ninth wicket in the 17th over, held on to see out their 20 overs. In the end, though, Westville won by a huge margin of 182 runs.
Kearsney College vs Thomas More College
Thomas More College had scored a confidence-boosting 15-run win over Curro Hillcreston Wednesday, but Kearsney College showed the visitors that there are levels to the game as they roared to a 10-wicket victory on the AH Smith Oval, in Botha’s Hill.
The visitors chose to bat first and did a decent job of it, tallying 111/5. They were prevented from a bigger total, though, by a stuttering start, which saw Thomas More in trouble on 29/4 in the ninth over.
Sebastian Rizzato and Matthew Naicker fought back effectively with a 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket in 5.2 overs, which ended when Rizzato was caught by James Bishop off Matt Rice for 28 from only 18 balls, which included three sixes and two fours.
Naicker went on to make 40 not out. He had faced 34 deliveries and struck five fours and a six.
Only James Bishop, with 2/9 from two, picked up more than one wicket as Kearsney employed seven bowlers.
The difference between the teams was revealed when Kearsney batted. They needed only 7.4 overs to overhaul Thomas More’s 111, with Asher Hollister and Aaron Blackburn powering their side to victory.
Hollister, who had missed a whole lot of cricket matches while proving himself to be one of the best young golfers in the country, showed what the Kearsney 1st XI had been missing by taking only 29 balls to score an undefeated 66, which featured 12 fours and a six.
Blackburn, meanwhile, was even more brutal in his assault on the Thomas More bowlers, ending with 50 not out from 17 deliveries. He smashed four sixes and five fours and allowed only two dot balls.
Michael Fourie gave up 20 runs in two overs, which wasn’t great, but the next best of the visitors’ bowlers went for 15 an over as Kearsney’s openers dominated.
Summarised scorecards
Northwood 152/8 (Josh Mills 46, Ross McGlashan 36, Extras 30; Andre Botha 2/11, James Wright 2/23); Ashton Ballito 50/10 (Hamza Amla 6/5). Northwood won by 102 runs.
Westville Boys’ High 244/2 (Tristin Delvin 103*, Aidan Baudach 100*, Aiden Lorentz 2/50); Kloof High 62/9 (Misbah Nair 3/7, Aarin Rasmussen 2/9). Westville Boys’ High won by 182 runs.
Thomas More College 111/5 (Matthew Naicker 40*, Sebastian Rizzato 28; James Bishop 2/9); Kearsney College 117/0 (Asher Hollister 62*, Aaron Blackburn 50*). Kearsney College won by 10 wickets.
Phoenix Elites SA team (left to right): Boitumelo Rasehlo, Melissa Sall, and Sonia Dlomo. Photo: Supplied.
Phoenix Elites SA, known for its commitment to community development and upliftment, is once again doing its bit to promote women’s football by hosting the first-ever Annual Phoenix Elites SA Games at the Boksburg Stadium, on Saturday, 25 October.
The Annual Phoenix Games follows an announcement made months ago by Phoenix Elite SA about its partnership with the Gauteng Women’s Soccer League, which is set to kick off next month.
Earlier this year, Melissa Sall, the Managing Director of Phoenix Group SA, told SuperSport Schools Plus that the organisation was setting up its own tournament in October. She said it would be distinctly different from any other.
Earlier this week, SuperSport Schools Plus spoke with Sall again about the forthcoming event.
Sall said the primary goal of her organisation is to instigate change across the regional leagues, not limited to a single league, and thus create a significant impact.
Many regional teams lack sponsorship, and managing a club in South Africa poses considerable challenges, as most clubs depend on the national governing body of South African football, the South African Football Association (SAFA), for assistance, but that is often not nearly enough.
“We have pinpointed teams within the regional league, including one team from outside the province [of Gauteng], namely Rustenburg City, to take part in this tournament,” Sall said.
“The essence of the tournament is to bridge the gap between the financial support that the teams require and their internal needs, such as equipment. For instance, some girls do not have soccer boots, and there is a need for hygiene products – sports bras, and similar items,” she elaborated.
Sall also informed SuperSport Schools Plus that all teams participating in the annual games will have their affiliation fees for the season in their respective leagues covered. That is a substantial commitment and one that will alleviate some of the financial pressures under which clubs find themselves.
The affiliation fee for teams in regional leagues amounts to R3000. Any teams that earn promotion to the Sasol League will also receive R3000 towards their affiliation fee for the 2026 season.
Phoenix Elites SA recently organised the Legend x Sponsor Mixer to commemorate the partnership, legacy, and the future of the game. During the festivities, Joseph Mkhonza was honoured for his 33-year contribution to women’s football, a legacy that has paved the way for the current generation of women’s football in South Africa. Photo: Phoenix Elites SA on Facebook.
“When I did the evaluation, if a team struggles to cope in the regional league, it will even be more difficult for them to survive in the Sasol League. Within the Sasol League, the teams are required to travel even further than what the regional league would,” Sall explained.
She also said the group is seeking additional sponsors, including corporates, to essentially adopt a team and accompany them throughout their journey.
There are significant prizes available, with a total value of up to R100 000 at the Boksburg Stadium on Saturday. The prizes have been uniquely structured to align with the specific needs that have been identified.
Sall said it is the goal of Phoenix Elites SA to hold the tournament not only once a year but twice a year.
She also mentioned a goal of including all teams from various regions across all leagues, encompassing the Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL) teams, the Sasol League, and potentially even Hollywoodbets Super League teams.
Sall also spoke about what will set the Phoenix Elites event apart. “For us to see change, it would need all of us in sport and even the corporate world to support this initiative,” she said. “The biggest problem we have with tournaments right now is that the tournament comes, one team wins, and that is it. There’s no follow-up with the team.
“There’s no one working to actually secure proper sponsors for the teams. Phoenix Elite SA is trying to connect teams with corporate business, and that would definitely be the game changer for us.”
Recently, Phoenix Elite SA paid tribute to and celebrated the iconic former coach of Banyana Banyana and ex-Kaizer Chiefs‘ player, Joseph Mkhonza, for his contributions in paving the way for numerous current South African women’s football legends.
Mkhonza boasts over 30 years of experience in advancing women’s football in South Africa and remains active with his club, the Springs Home Sweepers, which earlier this year announced a transformative partnership with Mkhonza’s previous club, Kaizer Chiefs.
Sall said that when Mkhonza was honoured and celebrated, many former Banyana Banyana players, whom he had coached, were present.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s tournament, Sall said the players should anticipate a great deal of enjoyment, and she extended an invitation to fans of the beautiful game to get out and take in the action.
“A lot of our sponsors will be pulling through, like the Legends Barbershop, which has offered to give all the girls who need it a haircut on the day. And the teams will be able to meet the people behind all the sponsorship of the event,” she added.
“All I can say is that I truly believe in the sports’ industry. The more we stay together, we can definitely make this work for our girls.
“Ultimately, that is what is keeping girls and boys from the streets and getting involved in wrong things. It also allows us to support them within the sport and within their school careers as well,” she concluded.
FIXTURES
Boksburg Stadium
Group A
08:30 – Absalom Tete vs Diambars Sunwards
09:20 – Rustenburg City vs Silver Spears Sport
10:10 – Absalom Tete vs Rustenburg City
11:00 – Diambars Sunwards vs Silver Spears Court
11:50 – Absalom Tete vs Silver Spears Sport
12:40 – Diambars Sunward vs Rustenburg
Group B
08:30 – Albertho Girls’ Soccer Academy vs East Rand Ladies
09:20 – Kathorus United vs PCF Ladies
10:10 – Albertho Girls’ Soccer Academy vs Kathorus United
11:00 – East Rand Ladies vs PCF Ladies
11:50 – Albertho Girls’ Soccer Academy vs PCF Ladies
12:40 – East Rand Ladies vs Kathorus United
