{"id":90415,"date":"2026-02-13T07:22:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T05:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=90415"},"modified":"2026-02-13T07:22:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T05:22:14","slug":"all-set-for-lift-off-at-the-clifton-t20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=90415","title":{"rendered":"All set for lift-off at the Clifton T20"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Durban High School has lifted the Clifton T20 Tournament Trophy twice. They’ll have 11 other teams eager to dethrone them in 2026. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ahead of three days of intense competition, the 12 teams participating in the third annual Clifton T20 Tournament<\/strong> received their playing kits at an opening dinner in the Ken MacKenzie Hall<\/strong>, at Clifton, in Durban, on Thursday. It’s an event eagerly anticipated by the players, who get to see their colourful attire for the first time at the dinner.<\/p>\n

Clifton’s Executive Headmaster, Adam Rogers<\/strong>, thanked the event’s sponsors – they include Mercedes-Benz, the lead sponsor, and the other premier sponsors, Edgars, Warm Heart, and City Logistics – and the people who have been hard at work behind the scenes organising the event.<\/p>\n

“Most importantly,” he said, ” I wish to welcome you, the cricketers, and thank you for the commitment and passion that you bring to this great game.<\/p>\n

“Cricket demands courage and character and composure. It asks you to compete fiercely and to represent your schools with pride. I have no doubt that you will do this and be a credit to your schools.”<\/p>\n

He also shared his excitement about a change to the event: the inclusion of four primary school teams, from Clifton Prep<\/strong>, Highbury<\/strong>, Northlands Primary<\/strong> and Westville Senior Primary<\/strong>. They’ll be in action on Saturday, the middle of the three days of competition, and their matches will be livestreamed on SuperSport Schools<\/strong>, while the showdown between Clifton and Highbury, for the Richards Procter Trophy<\/strong>, will be shown on DStv Channel 216, which will feature all the matches from the Crusaders Main Oval<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Clifton's
Clifton’s Executive Headmaster, Adam Rogers, extended a warm welcome to the competing teams. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools<\/a> or on DStv Channel 216<\/strong><\/p>\n

Durban High School<\/strong> (DHS) is the two-time defending champion. One of the key matches that will be featured on the Crusaders Main Oval at 14:30 on Friday will be the showdown between DHS and Ho\u00ebrskool Waterkloof, the Wildeklawer T20 title holder<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the 2025 tournament, Josh van Biljon, now the captain of DHS, delivered one of the highlights of the event, scoring a magnificent 103 not out against Klofies<\/em><\/strong> <\/a>in only 54 balls to help School<\/strong> <\/em>to 197\/6. They went on to win by 44 runs after restricting Waterkloof to 153\/8 in reply. Van Biljon was one of six centurions during the event.<\/p>\n

Last year, though, Waterkloof was not quite at full strength – they were close to it, but not quite there – as captain Franco Schmidt<\/strong> pointed out when asked about that during a Q-and-A session on Thursday evening. “Last year, we had a league game at school on the Saturday, so one of our main spinners and one of our main pace bowlers played the league match in Pretoria. That game was to decide if our final would be at home or away.”<\/p>\n

Picking a favourite to go all the way would be foolish, but there are plenty of teams that have put together strong seasons thus far.<\/p>\n

In Group A, the hosts, Clifton College<\/strong>, have been on a strong run in the W100 competition, winning three of their four matches, including wins over DHS, Westville Boys’ High<\/strong>, and Kearsney College<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Clifton Prep 1st XI with their Clifton College counterparts. For the first time, the Clifton T20 will include primary school teams in 2026. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kearsney has been in good recent form and is playing confidently. Hilton College<\/strong>, meanwhile, won the Switch Schools SA20 KZN Regional title<\/strong><\/a>, while St John’s College (Harare)<\/strong> has a young and unpredictable line-up, led by Luca Spagnualo<\/strong>, who will be playing in the Clifton T20 for a third time.<\/p>\n

Group B features last year’s runner-up, Westville Boys’ High, which is another team in good form. They lost in the final of the Switch Schools SA20, but recently avenged that defeat to Hilton<\/strong> <\/a>in a limited-overs clash.<\/p>\n

The group opens with Westville facing Northwood<\/strong>, one of the dark horses in some people’s minds, while Maritzburg College<\/strong> and St Charles<\/strong> face off in a Pietermaritzburg derby. Of the four, Saints<\/strong> <\/em>has been the least consistent, but there appears to be some consistency in many people’s assessment of them, that they, too, are a dark horse side.<\/p>\n

Group C features the defending champion, DHS, who’ve played some impressive cricket this season, led by a top-order that leans heavily on the skipper, Josh van Biljon, and left-handed opener, Ismaeel Omar<\/strong>, who was also one of last year’s six centurions.<\/p>\n

They’re far from a two-man team, though, and, among others, their bowling attack features the in-form Bonga Maphanga<\/strong>, who turned out for the Dolphins<\/strong> at the Khaya Majola Week<\/strong>, and leg-spinner, Tristan Quail, who is capable of stopping a team dead in its tracks with his accuracy.<\/p>\n

They’re going to be pressed hard by another team playing excellent cricket in 2025, Michaelhouse, whose spinners have been one of their strengths. Those bowlers have succeeded in putting their opposition under pressure, but they will be challenged from the very first game when they take on Waterkloof, who will go hard at ‘House<\/strong><\/em>. It should be a fascinating contest and will reveal a lot about both sides.<\/p>\n

\"The
The 12 captains in their playing kit. It’s going to be a colourful spectacle. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Glenwood<\/strong> completes the line-up. They’ve had a tough time this season thus far. However, they’re always a well-drilled team in the field, and that can carry a team far in the T20 format. They’ll look to their talented skipper, Kreesan Pillai<\/strong>, for inspiration as they attempt to pull off an upset or two.<\/p>\n

Rain could impact Saturday’s fixtures, according to weather reports. That will make winning on Friday, while producing strong net run rates, vital.<\/p>\n

FIXTURES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Group A<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday, 13 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

11:30 – Clifton vs Hilton, Crusaders Main
\n14:30 – St John’s vs Kearsney, Riverside<\/p>\n

Saturday, 14 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

08:30 – Clifton vs St John’s, Crusaders Main
\n08:30 – Kearsney vs Hilton, Crusaders 2
\n14:30 – Clifton vs Kearsney, Crusaders Main
\n14:30 – St John’s vs Hilton, Riverside<\/p>\n

Group B<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday, 13 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

08:30 – Maritzburg College vs St Charles, Crusaders Main
\n08:30 – Northwood vs Westville, Riverside
\n14:00 – St Charles vs Northwood, DHS
\n14:00 – Westville vs Maritzburg College, Northwood<\/p>\n

Saturday, 14 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

08:30 – Northwood vs Maritzburg College, Riverside
\n14:00 – St Charles vs Westville, Northwood<\/p>\n

Group C<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday, 13 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

08:30 – Michaelhouse vs Waterkloof, DHS
\n08:30 – Glenwood vs DHS, Northwood
\n14:30 – DHS vs Waterkloof, Crusaders Main<\/p>\n

Saturday, 14 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

08:30 – Waterkloof vs Glenwood, DHS
\n08:30 – DHS vs Michaelhouse, Northwood
\n14:00 – Glenwood vs Michaelhouse, DHS<\/p>\n

Sunday, 15 February<\/strong><\/p>\n

08:30 – Eliminator 1, Crusaders Main
\n08:30 – Eliminator 2, Crusaders 2
\n09:00 – 7th place, DHS
\n09:00 – 9th place, Northwood
\n09:00 – 11th place, Kingsmead Oval
\n11:30 – Semi-final 1, Crusaders Main
\n11:30 – Semi-final 2, Crusaders 2
\n14:30 – Final, Crusaders Main<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ahead of three days of intense competition, the 12 teams participating in the third annual Clifton T20 Tournament received their playing kits at an opening dinner in the Ken MacKenzie Hall, at Clifton, in Durban, on Thursday. It’s an event eagerly anticipated by the players, who get to see their colourful attire for the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":90417,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90415","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\/90415","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=90415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/90417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=90415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=90415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=90415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}