{"id":30286,"date":"2023-09-28T07:51:09","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T05:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cricket.supersportschools.com\/?p=1381"},"modified":"2023-09-28T07:51:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T05:51:09","slug":"oppenheimer-michaelmas-week-a-rich-history-of-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=30286","title":{"rendered":"Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week: A rich history of excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Like Maritzburg College and Saint Charles, all of Hilton\u2019s matches will be played on their home ground. PHOTO: Brad Morgan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Ali Bacher, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, David Miller, Kevin Pietersen, Tony Grieg, and Ross Taylor. They\u2019ve all captained international cricket teams. What else do they have in common? They all played in the Michaelmas Cricket Week.<\/p>\n

INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS<\/h3>\n

The Michaelmas Cricket Week was first held in 1959, and since then this year\u2019s line-up of 20 schools has produced 98 internationals, so the potential for two players who are part of the 2023 week to take that number into triple figures exists. One thinks, for example, of Lhuan-dre Pretorius of St Stithians, who on Wednesday was bought by the Paarl Royals at the SA20 Auction, as a possibility.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the Royals\u2019 first pick was Hilton College\u2019s 2019 Head Boy, John Turner, who was recently selected for England\u2019s four-match T20 series against New Zealand at the end of August. Unfortunately, he was forced to miss it with injury, but he is likely to add his name to the list of internationals who played in the week in the near future.<\/p>\n

INTERNATIONAL COACHES<\/h3>\n

Former Michaelmas Cricket Week participants have also achieved in other aspects of the game. College\u2019s Graham Ford has coached Sri Lanka and Ireland, while Old Collegian, Dave Orchard, umpired at international level. Corrie van Zyl (Grey College), Ray Jennings (KES) and Mickey Arthur (Westville) all coached the Proteas, with Arthur also coaching Australia and Pakistan.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Lance Klusener (DHS) has coached Afghanistan, as well as the Dolphins, and Riaan Minnie (Northwood) is the current analyst and fielding coach for Namibia.<\/p>\n

GREATS OF THE GAME<\/h3>\n

And Barry Richards (DHS), a man named by the legendary Sir Donald Bradman in his all-time team, was also part of the Michaelmas Week. \u00a0He was named one of Wisden\u2019s Cricketers of the Year in 1969. It should be noted that Wisden never accords the honour to a cricketer more than once, or a player of his talent might have been recognised more times.<\/p>\n

Three decades later, Maritzburg College\u2019s Jonty Rhodes received the same honour. He is perhaps the most electric and best fielder of all time, which sometimes detracts from his ability with the bat. Rhodes captained College in 1987.<\/p>\n

Those two are far from the only players to participate in the Michaelmas Cricket Week to be recognised by Wisden as Cricketers of the Year. Some more? Tony Greig (Queens College), Clive Rice (Saint John\u2019s College), Kepler Wessels (Grey College), Lance Klusener (DHS), Shaun Pollock (Northwood), Graeme Smith (KES), Kevin Pietersen (Maritzburg College), Dale Benkenstein (Michaelhouse), Neil McKenzie (KES), Hashim Amla (DHS), Simon Harmer (Pretoria Boys High), and Devon Conway (Saint John\u2019s College).<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

AB de Villiers was never accorded the honour in a specific year, but he was named one of Wisden\u2019s five Cricketers of the Decade in 2019.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

SPONSOR<\/h3>\n

Since 2004, the event has been sponsored by Jonathan Oppenheimer and is now known as the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week, and it continues to draw some of the finest talent from throughout South Africa. This year, it runs from 30 September to 3 October.<\/p>\n

It is now into its 63rd edition, with Maritzburg College hosting it for the 62nd time. KES was the venue for the 1987 festival.<\/p>\n

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS<\/h3>\n

This year, hosts are joined by Glenwood, Kearsney, DHS, Michaelhouse, Hilton College, Saint Charles College, Northwood, Westville and Clifton College, from KZN.<\/p>\n

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Saint Charles College will play all of their matches at home. PHOTO: Brad Morgan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nine Gauteng schools \u2013 Affies, Cornwall Hill College, KES, Waterkloof, Jeppe, Pretoria Boys\u2019 High, Saint John\u2019s College, St Stithians, and Saint David\u2019s Marist Inanda \u2013 will also be in action, as will the Free State\u2019s Grey College.<\/p>\n

Historically, as demonstrated above, the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week has consistently featured some of the finest cricket talent in South Africa. Over the years, that talent has, beyond doubt, proved itself to be among the best in the world.<\/p>\n

Expect more of the same cracking cricket this year.\u00a0And get out there and enjoy some fine competition, if you have the time.<\/p>\n

FIXTURES<\/h2>\n

30 SEPTEMBER<\/h3>\n

Maritzburg College vs Affies, Goldstone\u2019s
\nGlenwood vs Cornwall Hill, Barns
\nKearsney vs KES, Collegians
\nDHS vs Waterkloof, Lynwood
\nMichaelhouse vs Jeppe, Eston
\nHilton College vs Pretoria Boys, Hilton
\nSaint Charles vs Grey College, Saint Charles
\nNorthwood vs Saint John\u2019s, Varsity
\nWestville vs St Stithians, Varsity 2
\nClifton vs Saint David\u2019s, Richmond<\/p>\n

1 OCTOBER<\/h3>\n

Maritzburg College vs Grey College, Goldstone\u2019s
\nWestville vs KES, Barns
\nMichaelhouse vs Cornwall Hill, Lynwood
\nClifton vs Pretoria Boys, Collegians
\nKearsney vs Waterkloof, Eston
\nHilton College vs St Stithians, Hilton
\nSaint Charles vs Jeppe, Saint Charles
\nDHS vs Saint David\u2019s, Varsity 1
\nGlenwood vs Saint John\u2019s, Varsity 2
\nNorthwood vs Affies, Richmond<\/p>\n

2 OCTOBER<\/h3>\n

Maritzburg College vs Pretoria Boys, Goldstone\u2019s
\nKearsney vs Saint John\u2019s Barns
\nWestville vs Jeppe, Lynwood
\nMichaelhouse vs Affies, Collegians
\nGlenwood vs St Stithians, Eston
\nHilton vs KES, Hilton
\nSaint Charles vs Saint David\u2019s, Saint Charles
\nClifton vs Grey College, Varsity 1
\nNorthwood vs Waterkloof, Varsity 2
\nDHS vs Cornwall Hill, Richmond<\/p>\n

3 OCTOBER<\/h3>\n

Maritzburg College vs Cornwall Hill, Goldstone\u2019s
\nNorthwood vs Grey College, Barns
\nClifton vs KES, Lynwood
\nGlenwood vs Jeppe, Collegians
\nWestville vs Waterkloof, Eston
\nHilton vs Saint David\u2019s, Hilton
\nSaint Charles vs St Stithians, Saint Charles
\nDHS vs Saint John\u2019s, Varsity 1
\nKearsney vs Affies, Varsity 2
\nMichaelhouse vs Pretoria Boys, Michaelhouse<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Ali Bacher, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, David Miller, Kevin Pietersen, Tony Grieg, and Ross Taylor. They\u2019ve all captained international cricket teams. What else do they have in common? They all played in the Michaelmas Cricket Week. INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS The Michaelmas Cricket Week was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":30015,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30286\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}