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Om met die eerste oogopslag die topspan in die B-afdeling van vanjaar se Finsbury-reeks te probeer voorspel is ‘n haas onbegonne taak.

Volg al die aksie regstreeks op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Die afdeling is besaai met kriekettalent, regdeur die ses spanne wat deelneem.

Hoërskool Centurion wat afskuif van die A-afdeling, sal beslis die ander spanne op hul hoede hê. Hoewel die Woeries ‘n aantal maer jare beleef het, sal hulle vasberade wees om weer ‘n regmatige plek in die hoër afdeling te herwin.

Die span van Centurion het ook steeds ‘n Prinsloo in sy midde. Morné Prinsloo, die jonger broer van die uitstaande lopiemaker van 2024, Charl Prinsloo, het reeds gewys dat hy met sowel bal as kolf skade kan aanrig.

Die Woeries se ander veelsydige Morné, Morné Venter, het, saam met Prinsloo, ‘n beduidende rol om te vertolk, terwyl daar van aanvangsbouler, Kyle Fourie, verwag sal word om die pas met die nuwe bal aan te gee.

Die Woeries skop sy veldtog af teen Hoërskool Marais Viljoen in Alberton. Marais Viljoen, een van die kragte in die Noordvaal-krieketkringe die afgelope paar jaar, is self ‘n span om voor uit te kyk. Die kolwer en paaltjiewagter Jaden Govender, wat onlangs in die SA o.19-toerspan na Engeland ingesluit is, sal waarskynlik die span aanvoer.

Voorts wag die kolfvernuf van Abdullah Tadwala ook op Marais Viljoen se teenstanders. Tadwala beskik verder oor die vermoë om spanne vas te draai met sy akkurate draaiboulwerk en skroom nie om die nuwe bal op te neem nie. Aanvangskolwer, Tiaan Hall, sal ook oorgehaal wees om amok met die kolf te saai.

Die verdedigende kampioen van die Fain Noordvaal-kompetisie, Hans Moore, is ook in dié afdeling te siene, en die Moories het ‘n gros spelers van hul suksesvolle span van verlede jaar behou.

Xavier Coetzee, wat beskou word as een van die gevaarlikste kolwers in die Noordvaal, keer terug om nogmaals rillings langs boulers se rûe af te stuur. Adrian Watson neem die leisels as kaptein by Warren Minnaar oor, en sy veelsydigheid en ervaring sal ‘n groot rol in die Moories se strukture speel. Aanvangskolwer, Kenan Shaw, wat reeds waarskuwingskote by die Hoër Jongenskool Paarl se krieketfees in Januarie afgevuur het, sal ongetwyfeld ook ‘n reuse rol vervul vir die span van Benoni, wat eerskomende Woensdag teen Potchefstroom Gimnasium te staan kom.

Gimmies is, nes Hoërskool Kempton Park, een van die spanne met die gevaarlikste kolflyste in die afdeling. Ulrich Botha en Lukas Kotze se paaltjies aan die bopunt van hul kolflys sal hoog op prys gestel word.

Kempies se veelsydige Wian Pieters en hotklou-voorslagkolwer, Stian de Villiers, sal die vuur stook vir hul span. Die span van Kempton Park se eerste hekkie is Hoërskool Montana, waar kaptein, Luca Bairos, en die veelsydige Juan Theunissen op hulle wag.

Bepalings: 

Week 1:
Marais Viljoen t. Centurion
Hans Moore t. Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Montana t. Kempton Park

Week 2:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium t. Kempton Park
Centurion t. Montana
Marais Viljoen t. Hans Moore

Week 3:
Marais Viljoen t. Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Montana t. Hans Moore
Kempton Park t. Centurion

Week 4:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium t. Montana
Kempton Park t. Marais Viljoen
Centurion t. Hans Moore

Week 5:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium t. Centurion
Kempton Park t. Hans Moore
Montana t. Marais Viljoen

The schools’ water polo season has officially moved into gear in the Western Cape, just days after learners returned for the new academic year.

The action gets underway on Saturday, 18 January, when Bishops Diocesan College hosts its highly anticipated water polo tournament in the southern suburbs.

The one-day event seeks to continue Bishops’ 175th anniversary celebrations, which saw the school host a rugby and hockey festival last year.

The teams invited to the prestigious tournament include Bishops’ local neighbouring schools, SACS, Rondebosch Boys’ High, and Wynberg Boys’ High.

Reddam House Constantia, Paarl Boys’ High, and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), who recently hosted a pre-season festival, will also be a part of the action.

It will be the second consecutive week that the Cape sides meet after facing each other at the PRG festival a week ago.

Scores were not recorded at the PRG event. That wasn’t the focus of the pre-season outing. However, SuperSport Schools Plus understands that the matches were tightly contested and a very competitive season is expected.

The Bishops tournament will give coaches a further opportunity to answer critical questions about their squads before the SACS Nite Series kicks off on 21 January.

It’s also a chance for SACS and Bishops to sharpen their skills ahead of the SAC Shield, which SACS won last year by beating rivals Bishops 9-7 in the final.

The early season tournament furthers offers an opportunity to see which players have returned and who the newcomers are.

The action kicks off with a clash between SACS and Reddam House at 08:00 and will conclude with a humdinger when the hosts face SACS at 14:40.

Fixtures:

08:00 – SACS vs Reddam House Constantia; 08:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 08:40 – Bishops Diocesan vs Paarl Boys’ High; 09:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs SACS; 09:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Reddam House Constantia; 09:40 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Bishops; 10:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 10:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs SACS; 10:40 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 11:00 – Bishops vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 11:20 – Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS; 11:40 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Bishops; 12:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 12:20 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 12:40 – SACS vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 13:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 13:20 – Bishops vs Reddam House Constantia; 13:40 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 14:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 14:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High; 14:40 – Bishops vs SACS; 15:00 – Prize Giving.

Maritzburg College beat Northwood by 12 runs on Thursday afternoon at the Pietermaritzburg Oval in a key Schools SA20 clash to put themselves in a strong position to claim one of the places in Friday’s final for the KwaZulu-Natal region.

Nothing has yet been decided after the opening day, however.

In a meeting of the teams that had won their morning matches, College mustered just over 100 runs and then dismissed the Knights for just under 100.

The Red, Black, and White posted 105/6 in their 20 overs, led by Sphamandla Dzanibe‘s 29 from 37, which included one turbo-charged six off Ben Cilliers, over mid-wicket.

Up front, Tuskers’ Khaya Majola Week opener, Daniel Nadasan, weighed in with 27 from 34, also with a single six. Wicketkeeper Tian van Niekerk made a useful contribution, tallying 18 from 19 before he was run out.

Northwood bowled well. They don’t possess much pace in their attack, but good lines and lengths, and judicious use of flight made the College batsmen work hard for their runs.

Left-arm spinner Jordan Matthews snared 2/12 from his four overs, while Luke Allen and Kyle White bowled two overs each and together conceded only 14 runs.

When the Knights visited the crease, Maritzburg College got stuck into them early, with Samuel Hughes doing the damage by removing the first three batsmen with only 10 runs on the board. He went on the capture 3/11 from three. Nathan Pembridge also got his teeth into the top and middle order and claimed 3/17 from three.

However, two of the most important wickets went the way of College’s fielders, with top scorer, Jamie Wimble being run out for 23 from 23, which included a six, and the third-highest scorer, Luke Allen, being run out for 18 from 17. Alistair Duncan was the only other batsman to make it into double figures, chipping in with 19 from 26.

Northwood’s run chase was ended with seven balls remaining, with the Durban boys all out for 93.

In the morning, Northwood had beaten Hilton College by five wickets, with three balls to spare. Meanwhile, Hilton handed Glenwood a 27-run loss on Goldstone’s in their afternoon outing to match Northwood’s record of one win and one loss.

Should Hilton beat College on Friday and Northwood defeat Glenwood, that would leave Hilton, Maritzburg College, and Northwood with two wins and one loss each. There is much to play for.

Opening batsman Alex Pitman led the way for coach David Griffiths‘ charges against Glenwood, cracking five fours and a six off of 50 deliveries, which brought him 58 runs. He and Robert Burman, who weighed in with 21 from 17, added 33 for the second wicket, while Pitman and Ben Erasmus added 31 for the fourth wicket.

The left-handed opener was the fifth man out in the 18th over, with Hilton on 112/5. They lost four more wickets as they hit out at the end, eventually finishing on 133/9.

Kamogelo Moloto benefitted from Hilton’s risky approach late in their innings, knocking over 4/16 in four overs. Krian Jugoo did a good job, bagging 1/20 in four, while Riley Foxcraft took 1/11 in two.

Up front, though, Hilton batted well, which ended up costing the usually immaculate off-spinner Kyle Bryan more than 10 runs an over.

When Glenwood batted, paceman Sechaba Gude struck twice early to remove the openers, Kressan Pillai and Donté van Wyk, which reduced the Green Machine to 9/2.

Krian Jugoo and Karabo Ntsieng, then, combined effectively to add 50 runs in 9.3 overs. Unfortunately for Glenwood, their strong partnership was ended by a run out, which saw Ntsieng depart for 19 from 32.

Jugoo continued and lasted until the 15th over, scoring 44 from 41 balls, with three fours and two sixes, before he was caught by Robert Burman off the bowling of David Hill.

Mishael Gunawardana, who had batted well in the morning against Maritzburg College, continued in the same vein, making 17 not out from just 11 deliveries, but, all around him, batsmen fell cheaply.

David Hill and Luke Campbell were mostly responsible for that, with Hill picking up a tidy 3/17 from four overs, while Campbell nabbed 3/21 from his four as Glenwood succumbed, restricted to 106/9 after their 20 overs.

It was a crucial win for Hilton, and it ensured that an intriguing day’s play lies in wait on Friday, which will also include the girls’ final between Dr JL Dube and Bonginhlanha on the Pietermaritzburg Oval in the morning.

Summarised scorecards

Maritzburg College 105/6 (Sphamandla Dzanibe 29, Daniel Nadasan 27, Jordan Matthews 2/12); Northwood School 93/10 (Jamie Wimble 23, Samuel Hughes 3/11, Nathan Pembridge 3/17). Maritzburg College won by 12 runs.

Hilton College 133/9 (Alex Pitman 58, Robert Burman 21, Kamogelo Moloto 4/16); Glenwood High School 106/9 (Krian Jugoo 44, Luke Campbell 3/21, David Hill 3/17). Hilton College won by 27 runs.

The u17 South African girls’ national team, known as Bantwana, faces Gabon on 18 January at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, in the second leg of their u17 Confederation of African Football (CAF) | FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier.

The Gabonese arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Thursday, ahead of the match, with the tie pretty much already decided.

South Africa is in a powerful position after thrashing Gabon 12-1 in their backyard, at the Stade de Franceville in Franceville, Gabon, on 11 January.

Coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo’s team ran riot in the away leg, scoring their 12 goals in the first half of the match. Khwezi Khoza led the charge with four goals, while Akhona Simamane and Nomfundo Nzuzo each scored a hattrick. Captain Katlego Malebana got in on the action, too, slotting two goals.

At halftime, South Africa held a commanding lead. Bantwana was, however, devastated not to finish the match as it was called off after the first half. Heading into the second stanza, Gabon had only six players fit to play. Thus, according to the Fifa rules, the match was suspended. South Africa was granted a 12-1 win.

After the match, Khumalo expressed her disappointment that the match had been called off midway through. “I’m very disappointed because the first game remains something big for us,” she told Safa Media. “It’s a start for these World Cup qualifiers, but again our mandate was to make sure we win the first leg so that we prepare ourselves for the next leg.”

Given the one-sided nature of their first-leg victory, Bantwana is expected to encounter few problems in securing another win in the second-leg match.

The contest kicks off at 16:00 at the renowned Lucas Moripe Stadium, and a large turnout of fans from Pretoria and the wider Gauteng region is expected.

South Africa is aiming to qualify for the 2025 u17 Fifa Women’s World Cup, which will be played in Morocco from 17 October to 8 November.

The Goldstone’s pitch offered a little bit of extra juice on Thursday morning as the KZN finals of the Schools SA20 got underway.

Maritzburg College vs Glenwood High School

Maritzburg College made full use of the favourable bowling conditions to restrict Glenwood to only 87/8. That was, very nearly, enough for the Durban school to pull off a victory.

Check out DStv Channel 216 and the SuperSport Schools App for live coverage of the Schools SA20

It was a good toss to win, and College struck early and often to have Glenwood wobbling on 19/4 after seven overs. Opening bowler Reece Willson was at the forefront of their challenge, removing three of the top four batsmen in the order, on his way to a superb return of 3/9 from his four overs.

Glenwood scrambled and added 21 for the fifth wicket, which went down with the total on 40. Unfortunately, for the Green Machine, 40/5 soon became 42/7.

At last, though, they found some traction when Rehaan Jhungbathur and Mishael Gunawardana joined forces. Together, they added 45 from 47 deliveries before Gunawardana was run out for 26 from 28 at the end of the Glenwood innings. Jhungbathur finished with 14 not out from 22.

Gunawardena made batting look a lot easier than his teammates had made it, finishing with an unbeaten 25 from 28 deliveries.

Willson’s outstanding spell was well supported by Karl Dedekind, who returned a miserly 1/10 from four, while Dom du Toit picked up 2/7 in two, and Sphamandla Dzanibe 1/19 from four.

While College might have had their eyes on a bonus point win, it quickly became a matter of survival as their innings spluttered from the start. It began with Ewald Bester being run out and soon the Red, Black, and White found themselves on 18/4.

Then, Karl Dedekind’s first scoring shot was a six, but it went through the hands of a fielder before clearing the boundary. That was one of three catches that Glenwood put down, and they also made a mess of a run out; they had more than enough chances to win the game.

Dedekind, meanwhile, went on to score 22 from 20 before he holed out to Kressan Pillai off the bowling of Akhil Maharaj. However, he and Luan van der Merwe had changed the momentum of the contest, sharing a stand of 41 for the fifth wicket in 46 balls.

Van der Merwe had played well for his runs, but he needed a partner to help him see College home. Kyle de Bruin duly played his part. The pair added 30 from 34 balls to take their side to victory with three overs and five wickets to spare.

Van der Merwe made 31 from 43, while De Bruin chipped in with 19 from 20.

Gunawardana sparkled for Glenwood, capturing 2/12 in three overs, while Kyle Bryan kept College in check, snaring 1/12 in four. Maharaj’s return was 1/16 in 3.

Hilton College vs Northwood School

On the Pietermaritzburg Oval, Hilton College started strongly against Northwood but lost momentum midway through their innings. That came back to bite them, with the Knights winning by five wickets, with three balls in hand.

Batting first, Hilton lost their openers by the time they had 30 runs on the board in the fifth over. Then, three batsmen – Robert Burman (25), Simon Steyn (27), and Jayden Roux (22*) – got in but didn’t make it out of the twenties.

Steyn delivered a dash of excitement, smashing a six and two fours in a 19-ball stay, while, at the end of the innings, Obakeng Motsepa weighed in with an unbeaten 22 from 23 as Hilton finished with 117/7 from their 20 overs, which included Motsepa and Roux combining for an unbroken partnership of 40.

Jordan Matthews was the pick of the Northwood bowlers, claiming 3/23 from his four overs. Ben Cilliers, meanwhile, heaped pressure on Hilton with his tight bowling, which earned him 1/12 from four.

Northwood’s successful reply owed plenty to opening batsman, David de Bruyn, who did a fine job anchoring the Durban side’s innings. He contributed 45 from 41 balls, striking two fours and a six, which made up 38 percent of their runs.

The Knights found their reply hamstrung by two run outs, but Alistair Duncan helped stabilise the innings with 20 not out from 25 balls, with a six. Jamie Wimble also cracked a six in a useful 17 from 13 before he departed with the total on 105.

Connor Leclezio then partnered with Alistair Duncan to take Northwood to victory.

Luke Campbell led the Hilton attack with a return of 1/18 from four, while David Hill bagged 1/21 from four, too.

Summarised scorecards

Glenwood 87/8 (Mishael Gunawardene 25*, Reece Willson 3/9); Maritzburg College 88/5 (Luan van der Merwe 29*, Karl Dedekind 23, Mishael Gunawardena 2/12). Maritzburg College won by 5 wickets.

Hilton College 117/7 (Simon Steyn 27, Robert Burman 25, Jayden Roux 22*, Obakeng Motsepa 22*, Jordan Matthews 3/23); Northwood 118/5 (David de Bruyn 45, Alistair Duncan 20*, Luke Campbell 1/18). Northwood won by 5 wickets.

Die handboeke is skaars uitgedeel of die skole wat aan die jaarlikse Finsbury-reeks deelneem betree reeds die krieketveld op Saterdag, 18 Januarie.

Volg al die aksie regstreeks op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

Afdeling A verwelkom vanjaar een nuweling, naamlik Hoërskool Eldoraigne wat die plek neem van Hoërskool Centurion. Dit volg nadat die Eldos vir die Woeries verlede jaar in die promosie/relegasie-wedstryd geklop het.

Die verdedigende kampioen van die Afdeling, Hoërskool Waterkloof, begin sy aanslag op die titel weg van die huis, met ‘n betreklike jong klofie-span wat na die Laeveld reis vir ‘n kragmeting met Hoërskool Nelspruit. Die span van Pretoria het volgens breier, Cobus Pienaar, ‘n taamlike jong span, maar is dit welbekend dat die krieket-pyplyn by die skool in ‘n stewige fondasie lê.

Die middelorde-kolwer, Riley Miller, voer die span vanjaar aan, en as ‘n matriekleerder is dit sy derde jaar in die Klofies se eerste krieketspan en bring hy hope ervaring tafel toe. Miller is boonop een van die land se beste veldwerkers op skolevlak.

Rico van der Walt neem die leisels as paaltjiewagter oor by eks-kaptein Beukes van den Berg. Van der Walt het reeds gewys wat in hom steek en sal as ‘n Graad 11-leerder heelwat verantwoordelikheid op sy skouers neem met die kolf.

Die Klofies het voor die einde van die skoolvakansie reeds ‘n gesonde hoeveelheid krieket agter die rug gekry met hul toer na die jaarlikse Peninsula-krieketfees in die Kaap, waar hulle met Rondebosch en Kie kragte gemeet het.

Die Nellies se Vaughn van Zyl is oorgehaal om die Klofies op tuisbodem te verwelkom. Van Zyl was verlede jaar sy span se grootste uitblinker met die bal in die reeks en sy selfvetroue sou ‘n hupstoot verkry het nadat hy verlede jaar vir Mpumalanga by die Khaya Majola-week verteenwoordig het.

Verlede jaar se naaswenners, Potchefstroom Volkskool, beskik oor ‘n kranige groep wat vanjaar weer in aksie is, met aanvangskolwer, Louis van Wyk, wat die leisels van kaptein oorneem, terwyl sy kollega in die middelorde, Eduan van der Merwe, ‘n paaltjie sal wees wat die Volkies se teenstanders so vinnig as moontlik sal wil kry.

Draaier, Olefa Padi, beloof om weer ‘n prominente deel van die Volkies se boulaanval uit te maak, terwyl die staatmaker met die nuwe bal, Herman Hesse, ook op sy pos is om die pas as die Volkies se voorste naatbouler aan te gee. Die span van Potchefstroom moet egter langer wag om sy reeks af te skop.

Die Volkies is veronderstel om met Hoërskool Rustenburg in sy eerste uitstappie swaarde te kruis, maar die Rusties moet eers Fase Twee van die Schools SA20 aandurf. Dit is egter iets wat in die Rustenburgers se guns tel, aangesien die groot name, Callie Fryer en Nathan Rossouw, teen daardie tyd ook van hul internationale dienste teen Engeland se o.19 span sal teruggekeer het. Fryer se spoed en swaai met die nuwe bal is ‘n groot bate, terwyl Rossouw se veelsydigheid die boul-en kolflys aansienlik versterk.

Eldoraigne loods as nuweling sy aanslag teen die gevaarlike Hoërskool Menlopark. Die Parkies is oudergewoonte ‘n sterk aanspraakmaker om die afdeling te wen, met voorslagkolwers, Matt van der Westhuizen en Dian van Zyl, wat mooi op dreef is na die onlangse Grey-krieketfees in Bloemfontein.

Snelbouler, Tiaan Serfontein, sal vir nog ‘n jaar opposisie-kolwers skrik op die lyf jaag. Sy ervaring in moeilike situasies is ook uiters waardevol in die Parkies se strewe om uiteindelik die Klofies as kampioen te ontroon. Dié twee spanne word as die vroeë gunstelinge in die Afdeling beskou.

Bepalings:

Week 1:
Nelspruit t. Waterkloof
Rustenburg t. Potchefstroom Volkskool
Menlopark t. Eldoraigne

Week 2:
Waterkloof t. Eldoraigne
Rustenburg t. Menlopark
Nelspruit t. Potchefstroom Volkskool

Week 3:
Waterkloof t. Menlopark
Nelspruit t. Rustenburg
Potchefstroom Volkskool t. Eldoraigne

Week 4:
Potchefstroom Volkskool t. Waterkloof
Eldoraigne t. Rustenburg
Nelspruit t. Menlopark

Week 5:
Waterkloof t. Rustenburg
Eldoraigne t. Nelspruit
Menlopark t. Potchefstroom Volkskool

The Department of Basic Education’s national senior certificate results for 2024 have been released.

We have compiled a list of public schools and their performances during the exams. We will update the list as the schools release their statistics.

If you are the head of academics or the marketer at a public school and your statistics are not complete, missing, or have any discrepancies please contact us via hello@superschoolsnews.co.za.

The DBE Matric results per school: 

[ninja_tables id=”62456″]

*D/C indicates distinctions per candidate

Exciting and compelling action is expected when Potchefstroom hosts the playoff round of the Schools SA20 competition for teams from the North West, Free State, and Northern Cape, from 17-19 January.

Check out DStv Channel 216 and the SuperSport Schools App for live coverage of the Schools SA20

The playoffs bring together the champions and runners-up from those regions, with the winners of the weekend’s second-phase competition advancing to phase three, at which a national champion will be crowned.

The teams have been split into two pools and Friday’s matches will go a long way towards determining the semi-finalists.

The respective North West and Free State champions, Hoërskool Rustenburg and St Andrew’s School, will get the ball rolling.

Saints, the 2018 T20 national champions, with a team that included Proteas‘ fast bowler Gerald Coetzee and ITEC Knights‘ wicketkeeper/batsman Garnett Tarr, were crowned the Free State champion after an emphatic five-wicket victory over their neighbours, Grey College, in the final on 27 October last year.

The hero for St Andrew’s with the bat in the final, FG Botha, will be a prized wicket for the Rusties, while Naudé Botha, who was one of only two batsmen to score a century at the Khaya Majola Week (the other was St Stithians’ Pranav Raichetti, for the Central Gauteng Lions), will be another St Andrew’s batsman to watch. All-rounder Andrew Sobiech, Nikhil Sukraj, and Khaya Majola Week seamer, Cullen Kakora, will have a significant role to play with the ball.

Come their turn, Rusties’ captain, Thian Labuschagne, and the hard-hitting Tristan van der Linde will be vital at the top of the order in either setting up defendable scores or leading the run chase. They will have their work cut out for them in the absence of paceman Callie Fryer and all-rounder Nathan Rossouw, who’ll both be away on international duty representing the SA u19 side in one-day internationals against England.

Grey College, who are the favourites to go all the way, face a dangerous Kalahari in their first match. The side from Kuruman demonstrated some explosive qualities in the recent Kovsie Smash T20 tournament, finishing as the runner-up.

The Grey side includes SA Schools’ opening batsman, Christian Kind, and they have enjoyed a strong start to 2025, winning all three of their matches at the Grey College Cricket Festival last weekend, which included a solid five-wicket victory over Namibia’s u19 team.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium would love to get off to a flyer against Hoërskool Upington on Friday. An early victory would serve as a major boost as Grey College and St Andrew’s await them in their following two encounters.

The final will be played on Sunday morning between the two highest-ranked sides. The winner of that game will advance to the next round, the national finals, to be hosted at the University of Pretoria from 12-15 March.

FIXTURES

Friday, 17 January

09:00 – Hoërskool Rustenburg vs St Andrew’s School, JB Marks Oval; Hoërskool Upington vs Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Puk Oval;
Kalahari vs Grey College, Ibbies Oval

14:00 – Grey College vs Hoërskool Upington, JB Marks Oval; St Andrew’s School vs Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Puk Oval; Kalahari vs Hoërskool Rustenburg, Ibbies Oval.

Saturday, 18 January

09:00 – Potchefstroom Gimnasium vs Grey College, JB Marks Oval; St Andrew’s School vs Kalahari, Puk Oval; Hoërskool Rustenburg vs Hoërskool Upington, Ibbies Oval

14:00 – Log no. 1 vs Log no. 2, JB Marks Oval; Pool A 1 vs Pool B 2 (semi-final), Puk Oval; Pool B 1 vs Pool A 2 (semi-final), Ibbies.

Sunday, 19 January

09:30 – Log no.1 vs Log no.2, JB Marks Oval

Vanjaar se Kovsie Smash-kampioen, die Hoërskool Wesvalia van Klerksdorp, spog met twee verteenwoordigers in SuperSport Schools Plus se Span van die Toernooi.

Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Soos met enige gekombineerde span wat gekies word, sal daar altyd ‘n aantal ongelukkige spelers wees wat nié die span gehaal het nie. Dié span sal nêrens speel nie en is slegs gekies deur SuperSport Schools Plus om erkenning te gee aan van die uitstaande spelers op die toernooi.

Wesvalia se twee verteenwoordigers is die broers, Eduard en Marneau Dreyer. Eduard was as aanvangskolwer soos gewoonlik ‘n staatmakers vir die span van Klerksdorp.

Hy was met 301 lopies, teen ‘n gemiddeld van 50.2 lopies per beurt, die voorste lopiemaker in Bloemfontein. Hy was verlede jaar met 282 lopies ook die voorste lopiemaker toe Wesvalia ook die kroon gedra het.

Marneau Dreyer was in die eindstryd teen Kalahari van Kuruman een van die grootste uitblinkers. Hy het die toernooi met die hoogste kolfgemiddeld van 69.5 lopies afgesluit, met ‘n totaal van 139 lopies wat van sy kolf gevloei het.

Hy het boonop met sy draaiboulwerk ook nie te vrot gevaar nie, om slegs 3.43 lopies per boulbeurt af te staan.

In SuperSport Schools Plus se span sal Jeandré Barnard (Transvalia) met Eduard Dreyer die kolfwerk open. Barnard was met 203 lopies die kolwer wat die tweede meeste lopies na Dreyer aangeteken het. Sy Transvalia-spanmaat, Ashton Cachia, sal as paaltjiewagter diens doen, terwyl Kriegler Botha, wat die toernooi as voorste paaltjievraat met 19 slagoffers afgesluit het, ook ingesluit is.

Die naaswenners, Kalahari, se SW van Heerden, het keer op keer tot sy span se redding gekom met ‘n astronomiese treftempo van 223.5. Dit het sy plek in die span bespreek. Hoërskool Pietersburg se Celliers van der Merwe se veelsydige vertonings het vir hom ook ‘n plek in die span losgeslaan. Hy was veral ‘n staatmaker met die nuwe bal en het 12 paaltjies laat kantel.

SuperSport Schools se span: 

Eduard Dreyer (Wesvalia), Jeandré Barnard (Transvalia), Rinaldo Bornman (Merensky), Ruann Esterhuizen (Hoërskool Upington), Marneau Dreyer (Wesvalia), SW van Heerden (Kalahari), Ashton Cachia (Transvalia), Kriegler Botha (Transvalia), Celliers van der Merwe (Hoërskool Pietersburg), Janco de Lange (Overvaal), Joshua Visagie (Duineveld).