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A cracking innings at the top of the order by Omar Ismaeel was pivotal in Durban High School‘s 46-run win over Clifton College in a W100 match played on the Theobald Oval on Thursday.

Ismaeel struck 12 fours in his 44-ball stay, which generated 70 runs and helped DHS to 156 for 7 from their 100 deliveries.

He was well supported by Semal Pillay, who made 32 from 22, with four fours and a six.

On the bowling front, Clifton’s Shahzaad Perumal, who played for KZN u17 last year, and was a non-travelling reserve for the u19 team, showed why he is highly regarded, capturing 2/15 with his left-arm spin.

He followed that up with a fine attacking innings, smashing one six and five fours in a 35-ball knock that left him undefeated on 54 before Clifton’s innings was brought to an end on 110/9. Unfortunately for Perumal, his partners came and went all too soon.

Only Cohen Naidoo and Zach Williamson joined him in double figures as the DHS bowlers dominated from the outset.

KZN u19 paceman Bayanda Majola was instrumental in the visitors’ late innings slide, capturing 3/23, while Bhavesh Naicker, who has been in good form, snared 2/10, and Semal Pillay demonstrated his all-round ability by picking up 2/17.

It was a solid victory for the Horseflies, and it comes on the back of a stirring limited overs win over Kearsney on Saturday, which reversed a defeat to the high-flying boys from Botha’s Hill in the W100 last week.

For many of the regular top KZN schools’ teams, inconsistency has been an issue early in the season. For the DHS 1st XI, however, it appears their arrow is pointing upwards.

After a middling 2023, they are, undoubtedly, a much-improved outfit, thanks to an infusion of exciting young talent, which began making its way into the 1st XI’s playing ranks last year.

Ismaeel, Pillay and Josh van Biljon, who was the third highest scorer on Thursday, with 16, were all members of the KZN team that claimed the Inter-provincial honours in December 2023 by going a perfect five for five in Oudtshoorn. Last year’s DHS u16A side was also very successful and with a year’s 1st XI experience under the belt for some key players, School has morphed into a far tougher challenge than it was a year ago.

Summarised score

Durban High School 156/7 (Omar Ismaeel, Semal Pillay 32; Shahzaad Perumal 2/15); Clifton 110/9 (Shahzaad Perumal 54* Bayanda Majola 3/23, Bhavesh Naicker 2/10, Semal Pillay 2/17) DHS won by 46 runs.

Selborne College, the defending champions, along with Affies, Glenwood High School, and Northwood, were among the winners on Thursday at the ITEC Water Polo Tournament, being hosted by Grey College in Bloemfontein.

Day one’s festivities started with a high-scoring clash between Affies, and Stirling High School. The Pretoria-based side was in superb form, and got off to the best possible start by scoring a mammoth 21 goals, while their relentless defence allowed only four goals in.

Last year’s winners, Selborne College, were challenged by Pretoria Boys High in their first encounter of the tournament.

Selborne came into the tournament off the back of a sixth-place finish against an elite field in last weekend’s SAC Shield in Makhanda, and they showed signs of the toll that tournament had taken when they lost concentration at times in the match.

Nonetheless, star scorer, Liam Hansen, netted a hattrick, while a brace from Armand Van Rooyen, and solitary goals from Thomas Caswell, Daniel Breetzke, and Connor Maree sealed the win for the Eastern Cape side.

Pearson High School was also in action on the opening day and will be disappointed after going down 11-19 to Durban’s Glenwood High School in a goal fest.

Another Kwa-Zulu Natal outfit that impressed was Northwood School, who produced a gritty performance against Jeppe High School for Boys.

The Knights were on the front foot from the get-go and led 5-2 in the second chukka. They continued their dominance in the final two chukkas, adding a further eight goals, to dismantle a disjointed Jeppe side 13-7.

The last match of the day was a non-tournament fixture, featuring Grey High against Grey College, with the team from Gqeberha claiming an impressive 13-7 win.

The hosts will need to dust themselves off as a blockbuster of a day awaits them on Friday, with four tough matches against Northwood, Stirling, Jeppe, and one of the tournament’s favourites, Affies.

The day’s action will commence with a clash between Stirling and Jeppe at 08:00, while Grey High and Pretoria Boys High will conclude matters at 19:00.

All the action will be live on SuperSport Schools.

Results: Day 1

Affies 21-4 Stirling High School
Glenwood High School 19-11 Pearson High School
Selborne College 8-5 Pretoria Boys High
Northwood School 13-7 Jeppe Boys High School
Grey High School 13-7 Grey College

Day 2, Friday, 02 February @Grey College

08:00 – Stirling High School vs Jeppe; 09:00 – Pretoria Boys High vs Glenwood; 10:00 – Grey College vs Northwood; 11:00 – Grey High vs Selborne; 12:00 – Grey College vs Stirling High School; 13:00 – Pretoria Boys High vs Pearson; 14:00 – Northwood vs Affies; 15:00 – Jeppe vs Grey College; 16:00 – Grey High vs Pearson High School; 17:00 – Glenwood High vs Selborne College; 18:00 – Grey College vs Affies; 19:00 – Grey High vs Pretoria Boys High.

CS Chiwanza contributed to the writing of this story.

With the introduction of shorter forms of the game, like T20 and 100-ball matches, opportunities exist for cricket teams to play more games and to boost their records. However, those short forms of the game also increase the likelihood of losses. One player can turn the tide. That’s why this team’s record of 21 consecutive victories, with only one rained out match to break up that streak of success, is truly remarkable.

Which school, you may ask, achieved this incredible feat? St Stithians College? No. Grey High School? No. Grey College? No. Rondebosch Boys’ High. No. King Edward VII? No. Affies? No. DHS? No.

The answer to the question is St Charles College. Playing in the hotbed of KZN, and participating in numerous events around South Africa, Saints’ 2019 squad, led by Zimbabwean international, Wessley Madhevere, put together a once-in-a-lifetime season, and while some might be surprised to learn about it, that amazing season didn’t just happen.

It was the product of good planning, absolute commitment, and an innovative approach from a group of talented cricketers who put in the hard yards, which won them a number of games from a losing position. And when that run was finally ended, they had written their names into the annals of the Pietermaritzburg school, which was founded in 1875. In fact, a fountain was constructed, overlooking the St Charles Oval, to commemorate the side’s incredible achievements.

Murray Cole-Edwardes, the coach of that special team, explained how St Charles rocked South African schoolboy cricket with an intense, innovative, and always-at-’em approach.

When he arrived at the school, players were promoted to cricket teams in the same manner that they went up the academic ladder: the youngest players played for the youngest age groups and the matric students played in the open age groups, including for the 1st XI.

In 2017, the entire St Charles’ 1st XI was made up matric learners. It was a good side, good enough to score a last-ball win over Maritzburg College to win the T20 Night League. But there would be no experience to follow in 2018.

“I remember thinking, ‘Shucks, what happens next year? Now, does the second team become the first team or does under-16A become the first team?’ I didn’t like that. So, development was massively important for me,” Cole-Edwardes recalled.

He chose not to change the status quo regarding team selection. Instead, he decided to build for the future while continuing to guide the side he had inherited.

Then, when 2018 rolled around, the St Charles 1^st XI included four grade 10 boys. It was a big change from the school’s previous approach.

Cole-Edwardes looked at under-14 and under-15 players and identified the age groups’ most talented cricketers. Then he pulled those players together into a squad. “That was the start of a culture of growing and developing players before they came into it the first team,” Cole-Edwardes said. It proved to be a masterstroke. But that was not immediately evident.

After the 2017 season, a new and diverse team had emerged, and it contained only three matric learners. Cole-Edwardes had broken with tradition.

“I told them, ‘You are the best cricket players in the school. You didn’t make the first team just because you are in matric’,” said Cole-Edwardes. It was a statement he had to repeat over and over again throughout 2018 because his young team suffered many losses. Yet, all the while they were improving, both individually and as a unit.

Measured on results, 2018 was not a good year. But Cole-Edwardes stayed true to the process he had instituted.

“The culture shift was made, you put the team first,” he explained. “So, if I told [captain] Wessley Madhevere, he wasn’t going to open that day, it would be ‘no problem, sir’.”

Discipline was paramount and the observance of cricket etiquette was non-negotiable, Cole-Edwardes said.

The St. Charles badge has the inscription, “Fideli certa merces“, a Latin proverb. Translated, it means there is always a reward for the faithful. Cole-Edwardes’ team remained faithful to their preparation. They worked hard.

“We trained four or five days a week. We had gym on a Monday, net sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, and an open middle session on Thursday. We’d have a captain’s practice on a Friday now and then, which consisted of us doing a fielding session for an hour,” standout all-rounder Jason Login said, reciting a familiar routine.

It also wasn’t a case of the younger players filling the batting spots at the tail end of the Saints’ line-up. Boys were slotted into positions where they would end up playing for years. One of the younger players, Nathan Lindsay, for example, opened the batting.

Cole-Edwardes also emphasised fielding. Every player could contribute on that front and his goal was unequivocal: St Charles would be the best fielding team in the country.

Also, when it came to batting, he focussed on running between the wickets. Saints might not hit the most boundaries, but they could run more singles than anyone else.

He explained the concept: “We’re gaining through brilliant fielding, through brilliant running between the wickets, through partnerships, rather than massive sixes.”

It was about the team’s ability to exert pressure and to handle pressure.

It’s all good and well to have good concepts, but those have to be practically implemented and that takes buy-in from the players. It’s about having the talent to do those things, but, more importantly, it’s about having the desire and drive to always push to attain those goals and then raise the bar.

Fortunately for Cole-Edwardes, he had a special group of players who had bucketloads of character and a team ethic that would in 2019 deliver them a number of wins from precarious positions. Those results were, often, the consequence of tough practices which, Cole-Edwardes admitted, sometimes weren’t appreciated by the boys.

He spoke about long sessions, which he would conclude by setting the players challenges when they were tired and physically drained.

Those practices might have seemed a little over the top, but those rehearsals won them an unforgettable contest against Paarl Gimnasium in a do-or-die game at the Coca-Cola Schools National T20 Finals in 2019, with Saints in action as the champions of the Dolphins region.

It was a thrilling contest and as it drew towards its conclusion, so spectators and players from other schools began to flood towards the boundary of the field at the University of Pretoria. There was nothing in it.

Saints posted 135 all out. It wasn’t an imposing total, but fielding and bowling was the Pietermaritzburg school’s forte. They managed to defend their total, just, but that didn’t mean the contest was done. It simply meant that the tension had ratcheted up. Gim were restricted to 135 for 5 after a brilliant last over from paceman Keagan Crawford went for only five runs.

That sent the teams into a super over and the boys from the Western Cape did a fine job, posting 17 for 1. Wessley Madhevere and his brave side were on the back foot. They responded in inspiring fashion, however, and, incredibly, when their over was complete, they had also tallied 17 for 1.

What next? How would the contest be decided? It turns out such an eventuality had been considered in the rules for the event. The team that had scored more boundaries would win.

Physically, Paarl Gim had a bigger side, but Saints had scored more boundaries. They added the points for the win, and they were on their way to the final of the competition. Those long, tiring, big-hitting sessions had paid dividends.

Jason Login recalled those practices: “We did a number of different types of sessions, focussing on rotating the strike, sweeping and reverse sweeping, and facing the short ball, all to develop our range. On some days, for an hour, non-stop, we practised hitting sixes,” he said.

Cole-Edwards mentioned a practice when he challenged Login. The coach set up a bowling machine on the pitch in the middle of the field. Then he had junior boys strung out along the boundary. The challenge for Login was to hit successive sixes. Once he managed that, he was free to leave.

But it just wasn’t happening for Login. “His hands were sore, and he said ‘Sir, I can’t do this anymore’. I told him that he wasn’t going home until he hit six sixes. When you are in the final over and you need a six to win the game, your head must come back to this moment,” Cole-Edwardes told Login.

Thinking back to that unforgettable win over Paarl Gim and the challenges Saints faced at the National T20 Finals, he said: “When you play these guys from Paarl and Waterkloof, they’re hitting sixes into the road. My boys are just clearing the boundary. And we had more success with it! Jeepers, here we are talking about being the best fielding team of all. And we’ve just had more success [hitting boundaries] than Paarl, which just was ridiculous!”

He also believed in living the methods he preached, and he would join his team in training. It helped to keep the players going, especially when he pushed them hard. There were times when he pushed them to the limit. Building strength in the gym was followed by running. When the players were close to spent, Cole-Edwardes positioned them close to the boundary and challenged them to prevent fours and sixes.

“I told them, ‘If you can stop three here, if you can stop two, that will be the difference.’ They would be stuffed. I would tell them, ‘You are playing four games in two days, and you will need to take a catch to win the game’,” said Cole-Edwardes.

While some of the specifics of fielding and batting were accorded special attention, there were other intangible qualities that helped carry the team to success. Leadership, for example, was not a one-man thing.

“In this 2019 team, Wes [Madhevere] was obviously a leader on the field,” Cole-Edwardes said. However, he revealed, in the change room there were three leaders: Madhevere, Clive Madande, and Jason Login. Madhevere was a Zimbabwean international, Madande would become one, and Login played for KZN Inland. He was also that player that could be counted on when the chips were down.

Mudhevere’s example in the field was outstanding, Cole-Edwardes said. “We trained like you’ve never seen at schoolboy level. You will never see a better fielder than Wessley in schoolboy cricket, ever.

“We trained so hard on our fielding, but, in terms of leadership, it was more like a core group of guys, rather than your captain.” As a trio, each player contributed a piece of the puzzle that led to effective, winning cricket.

Login’s grit and team ethic were most memorably on show in late 2018, when Saints faced Northwood away from home.

He wasn’t well. On the way to the match, he threw up in the bus. But Login didn’t want to let his teammates down. “He didn’t want to stay at home, but he should have,” Cole-Edwardes admitted.

Login argued that he felt better than he looked. His inability to keep anything down said otherwise. Cole-Edwardes pushed him down the batting order to number seven. A part of him hoped that Login wouldn’t be required to bat. However, St. Charles lost early wickets and found themselves on a precarious 55 for five before their innings was halfway through.

“We lost quite a few early wickets, so I had to rush out, having been to the bathroom loads. Walking out to bat, I just thought, we are here now, have fun,” Login said. He hobbled the length of the pitch for ones, but he couldn’t run twos. Still, he did an effective job of hitting fours.

In the end, St Charles cruised to an 89-run victory after posting 187 for 7, but it had looked dicey for a while. Login’s attitude exemplified how everyone in the team felt – they were in the team to serve the team.

Crucially, that win was where Saints’ outstanding run of success began, Cole-Edwardes said.

It was Northwood, again, who were the victims when St Charles delivered the kind of uncompromising victory that is often found in long unbeaten runs. It was a gut-check win in a game that it looked like they would lose.

As usual, Saints were good in the field and Northwood mustered just 108 for 5. But the St Charles batting was less successful. Three players made it into the twenties – Clive Madande (21), James Twycross (25), and Wes Madhevere (26) – but five players failed to better three runs.

However, when the chips were down, Kyle Moodley, with the field compressed to keep him from scoring, found a gap to hit a four and snatch a one-wicket win on Reece-Edwards Field.

Madhevere and company’s high-pressure game translated well against less familiar opposition, too, which they demonstrated exceptionally well at the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, hosted annually by St Alban’s College in Pretoria.

Saints showed just how constricting their fielding and bowling could be in three convincing victories over St Alban’s, St David’s Marist Inanda, and St Andrew’s School.

The best those three, all good cricketing schools, managed in any of the matches was the 116 for 7 put up by the hosts, but that hardly amounts to a significant total. St David’s managed only 75 all out. St Andrew’s were bowled out for 92.

In the first two matches, the leaders – Madhevere and Madande, both off-spinners, and Login, a leg-spinner – shared seven wickets between them. In the latter, Kian Channon was all but unplayable with the new ball as he captured a five-for.

The list of teams that Saints defeated during their magical run 2019 run included Grey College, Hilton College, Michaelhouse, Waterkloof, St Andrew’s College, Paarl Gimnasium, and St Andrew’s School, the national T20 champions the previous year, who later in the season brought Saints’ spectacular run to an end when, finally, an explosive T20 innings proved too much for the Pietermaritzburg school to overcome.

A remarkable fact about the St Charles’ season was the fact that only one of their batsmen scored a century, although it was a special effort from Jason Login, who achieved a rare feat by scoring a ton against Maritzburg College on Goldstone’s in a rained-out match. That fact, though, serves to underline just how much it was a case of everyone contributing, and it also demonstrates just how effective Saints were in the field.

On the bowling front, only Kian Channon, with the aforementioned five-for against St Andrew’s managed that feat. If ever there was a team that was greater than the sum of its parts, it was the St Charles College 1^st XI of 2019. Apart from Madhevere and Login, the only other player to earn selection to a higher team was Kyle Moodley, who joined Login in the Inland side.

St Charles’ successes also spoke volumes about the value of teamwork in cricket, something which all too often is not accorded enough importance.

While they had good opening bowlers, with Keagan Crawford and Kian Channon giving them a solid one-two punch, and Cameron Spangenberg backed them up with skilful seam bowling, the strength of the side lay in its varied spin attack and the exceptional support the bowlers received from the fielders.

Leading the way in the field was the skipper, whom coach Cole-Edwardes rated as the best fielder in South Africa. Madhevere was an excellent off-spinner, as was his fellow countryman, Clive Madande, while Jason Login provided the varied attack with a leg-spin option.

Both Madhevere and Madande set the tone with the bat, often taking the offensive to put pressure on the opposition’s bowlers. Login was the man for a tough battle, but along the way there were important contributions from all of the team’s players.

Up front, Nathan Lunderstedt was a fine foil to Madande’s attacking approach. Humphrey van der Merwe, meanwhile, was a hard-hitting middle-order batsman, who would regularly find the boundary. Kyle Moodley usually batted at seven, but often went in at three if an early wicket fell. James Twycross, the regular number three, was a useful back-up bowler and also the team clown.

Put together, the players, each with their own special qualities, were able to supply the little nuances that different situations required. They were able to dovetail, producing complementary cricket, with each small detail adding another piece to the winning puzzle.

There was no leaning on one special talent. The St Charles 1^st XI of 2019 was a team in the best sense of the word, and teamwork was their special talent.

RESULTS

St Charles 187 for 8 (K. Channon 59, J. Login 50); Northwood 98/10 (W. Madhevere 3/14, C. Madande 3/28, C. Spangenberg 2/10) SCC won by 89 runs.

Framesby 150 all out (J. Login 5/43); St Charles 197/10 (J. Twycross 31, C. Madande 30); Framesby 53/1; SCC won on the first innings by 47 runs.

Pearson 90/10 (W. Madhevere 5/25); St Charles 90/10 (W. Madhevere 34); Pearson 58/5; St Charles 59/2 (C. Madande) SCC won by 8 wickets.

St Charles 200/10 (H. van der Merwe 89, K. Moodley 30); Muir 59/10 (J. Twycross 4/0) SCC won by 141 runs.

St Charles 131/6 (J. Login 44, C. Madande 37); Grey College 124/9 (C. Spangenberg 3/27, J. Login 3/16, including hat-trick) SCC won by 7 runs.

DHS 146/10 (C. Spangenberg 3/28); St Charles 150/4 (W. Madhevere 53*) SCC won by 6 wickets.

Ladysmith High 28/5; St Charles 29/3; SCC won by 7 wickets.

Hilton College 67/9 (K. Channon 3/10, C. Madande 2/12, K. Crawford 2/14); St Charles 68/7; SCC won by 3 wickets.

St Charles 164/4 (C. Madande 71, N. Lunderstedt 31); Michaelhouse 104/10 (C. Madande 4/14, W. Madhevere 3/7, K. Crawford 2/7) SCC won by 60 runs.

St Charles 252/10 (W. Madhevere 52, H. van der Merwe 42); Clifton College 181/10 (J. Login 3/28, S. Mdingi 3/35) SCC won by 71 runs.

St Charles 156/6; Westville Boys’ High 118/10 (W. Madhevere 2/17, J. Login 2/19) SCC won by 38 runs.

St Alban’s 116/7 (J. Login 3/19, C. Madande 2/17, W. Madhevere 2/26); St Charles 118/5 (C. Madande 54) SCC won by 5 wickets.

St Charles 136/8 (C. Madande 43); St David’s Marist Inanda 75/10 (J. Login 3 for 8, W. Madhevere 2 for 10, C. Madande 2 for 12) SCC won by 61 runs.

Northwood 108/5 (C. Madande 2 for 19, W. Madhevere 2 for 28); St Charles 109/9 (W. Madhevere 26, J. Twycross 25) SCC won by one wicket.

St Charles 158/10 (W. Mahhevere 51*); Kearsney 61/4 after 10 overs; rained out.

St Charles 161/10 (C. Madande 38, W. Madhevere 36); St Andrew’s School 92/10 (K. Channon 5/17) SCC won by 69 runs.

T20 National Finals

St Charles 170/5 (J. Login 53, J. Twycross 38); St Andrew’s College 153/8 (C. Madande 3/33) SCC won by 17 runs.

St Charles 141/6 (J. Twycross 61, J. Login 34); Waterkloof 126/10 (W. Madhevere 3/32, C. Spangenberg 2/18, C. Madonde 2/24) SCC won by 15 runs.

St Charles 205/3 (W. Madhevere 65, C. Madande 48); Queens High 115/9 (K. Crawford 3 for 13, C. Spangenberg 3 for 30) SCC won by 90 runs.

St Charles 135/10; Paarl Gimnasium 135/5; Super over: Paarl Gim 17/1; St Charles 17/1; St Charles won on most boundaries.

St Andrew’s School 153/7; St Charles 129/6; St Andrew’s won by 24 runs.

Four capped Junior Springboks are amongst a group of 35 players who will attend this year’s SA Rugby Academy Programme to continue preparations for the international season, which includes the inaugural Under-20 Rugby Championship in Australia and the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa.

The talented group of rugby players will assemble from Monday, 4 February at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and will be together intermittently until the end of June.

Ten players return for a second stint with the SA Rugby Academy programme, including four who represented the Boks in last year’s World Rugby event in Cape Town.

The four capped Junior Boks in the squad are Zachary Porthen (prop, DHL Western Province), JF van Heerden (lock, Vodacom Bulls), Litelihle Bester and Jurenzo Julius (both centres from the Hollywoodbets Sharks).

The Academy is one of the key pillars in preparing the top juniors in the country to make the step up to the SA Under-20 squad. The well-structured programme was launched seven years ago and aims to balance formal education with high-performance training and player welfare.

In announcing the group of Academy players, which consists of 21 forwards and 14 backs, Nhleko emphasised that the door is not closed to players who might have missed out.

A further eight players have been identified but were not considered for the initial part of the programme because of injury.

According to the Junior Bok head coach, the provincial U20 and U19 competitions, as well as the Currie Cup, FNB Varsity Cup and the EPD programme have given them a very good idea of the wider group of players to consider for the Academy intake.

“We are pleased with the composition of the group and whilst we already started with the planning process last year, and continued with it into January, when we held some position specific and alignment camps, the hard work will now start in earnest,” said Nhleko.

“Our alignment and position specific camps gave us a very good opportunity to engage early with the players, as well as their coaches and conditioning staff.

“We could present to them what we expect from those selected and what they would need to do to improve on so that they can stay in consideration for the Academy Programme.”

Nhleko also mentioned they will continue to monitor a wider group of players and engage with coaches at provincial, universities, and clubs to ensure they track all the players in the system.

Some training matches against senior provincial outfits are part of the plan to assist the Junior Boks in their preparations for the season, with South Africa again hosting the World Rugby U20 Championship for a second successive year in Cape Town during June and July, when the SA U20s will be pooled with England, Argentina, and Fiji in Group C.

The Junior Boks finished third last year after beating England in their bronze medal playoff game in the Athlone Stadium, while France defended their U20 world title successfully.

2024 SA Rugby Academy squad:

Props: Casper Badenhorst (Vodacom Bulls), Ronan Dutton (Lions), Reno Hirst (Lions), Mbasa Maquabela (Vodacom Bulls), Zachary Porthen (DHL Western Province)**, Ruan Swart (Vodacom Bulls).

Hookers: Luca Bakkes (DHL Western Province)*, CJ Erasmus (DHL Western Province), Juan Smal (Vodacom Bulls).

Locks: Keanu Coetzee (Vodacom Bulls), Ulrich van der Westhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Thomas Dyer (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jaco Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls),Bathobele Hlekani (Hollywoodbets Sharks), JF van Heerden (Vodacom Bulls)**.

Loose forwards: JJ Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Sibabalwe Mahashe (Lions)*, Divan Fuller (DHL Western Province), Sphephelo Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Thabang Mphafi (Lions)*, Wandile Mlaba (DHL Western Province – will attend the programme intermittently).

Scrumhalves: Hassiem Pead (Lions), Ezekiel Ngubene (DHL Western Province).

Flyhalves: Liam Koen (Vodacom Bulls), Tyler Sefoor (Toyota Cheetahs)*, Thurlon Williams (Lions)*.

Centres: Litelihle Bester (Hollywoodbets Sharks)**, Joshua Boulle (DHL Western Province), Jurenzo Julius (Hollywoodbets Sharks)**, Philip-Albert van Niekerk (Vodacom Bulls).

Outside backs: Jayden Bantom (Vodacom Bulls), Michail Damon (Vodacom Bulls), Alfondso Isaacs (Vodacom Bulls), Joel Leotlela (DHL Western Province & SA Sevens)*, JC Mars (DHL Western Province).

* Denotes players selected for the 2023 Academy Programme

** Denotes players selected for the 2023 Academy Programme and Junior Boks

The following group of players are presently injured and were not considered for the initial phase of the SA Rugby Academy programme: Nicolas Snyman (prop, Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ethan Bester (hooker, Hollywoodbets Sharks), Adam de Waal, Andre Goedhals (locks, both DHL Western Province), Asad Moos (scrumhalf, DHL Western Province), Bruce Sherwood, Grant de Jager (centres, both DHL WesternProvince), Gino Cupido (outside back, DHL Western Province).

Bishop Diocesan College maintained its unbeaten record in the SACS Night Series with a 16-9 defeat of Paul Roos Gimnasium in round two of the tournament in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Both sides entered the showdown off the back of hard-fought campaigns at the SAC Shield in Makhanda, where Paul Roos claimed fifth place, while Bishops lost 10-11 in the final against SACS.

They were also among the winners in the opening round, in which Bishops shocked SACS 11-5 and Paul Roos thumped Wynberg 11-6.

The Bishops versus Paul Roos clash got off to a flying start, with both sides trading goals in quick succession, which left them level at 3-3 after the first chukka.

Bishops, then, came out firing in the second chukka, and gained the upper hand, scoring a further three goals courtesy of an Owen Cross double, and a goal by Bryn Parry to go into half-time 6-3 to the good.

There was very little to separate the teams early in the third chukka, as both goalkeepers, Nicholas Ward and Jordan de Sousa, remained resolute and firm between the sticks.

Bishops, however, created more chances and found their goal-scoring touch once more, scoring a further five goals through Parry by the end of the contest, while Tim Young, and captain Ross Stewart netted twice each to complete their hattricks, much to the delight of head coach Jabulani Sibiya in the dugout.

Paul Roos continued working hard and kept themselves in the match, down by three goals at the end of the third quarter.

Try as they might, though Vaughn Marlow‘s side couldn’t break the Bishops’ wall, and despite impressive late cameos by Juan-Paul Germishuis, and Migael Terblanche, the damage had already been done, leading to the Stellenbosch school’s first defeat of the tournament.

In other matches

There was a surprise in the second match of the day as Rondebosch Boys High handed SACS their second straight defeat of the tournament.

The win for Jared Wingate’s team comes after they achieved an impressive fourth-place finish at the SAC Shield. Rondebosch was all over the hosts, and with Noah Reiback, Brad Warneke, Harry Soboil, Matt Gulpin, and Connor Arbuthnot all getting on the scoresheet, they came away with a two-goal victory.

Wynberg Boys High picked up their first victory of the tournament, claiming a 10-8 win over Reddam House Constantia.

They will next face a highly motivated Rondebosch side, while Reddam will turn its attention to the team in top spot, Bishops.

Both Paul Roos and SACS will seek to return to winning ways when they clash in round three on 7 February.

Results: SACS Night Series round two

Bishops Diocesan College 16-9 Paul Roos Gymnasium
Rondebosch Boys High 9-7 South African College School
Wynberg Boys High 10-8 Reddam House Constantia

Scorers

Bishops 16: Tim Young (x4), Ross Stewart (x5), Bryn Parry (x2), Owen Cross (x2), James Malan, Michael Voogt, Noah Edmunds. Paul Roos 9: Arkin Marais (x2), Adam October (x2), Salahuddin Ayyubi khan, Milan Herman van der Westhuizen, Juan-Paul Germishuis, Migael Terblanche (x2).

Rondebosch Boys High 9: Noah Reiback, Brad Warneke, Harry Soboil, Matt Gulpin, Connor Arbuthno. SACS 7: Nicholas Fall (x3), Connor Melling-Williams (x3), Ma Lecuona.

Wynberg Boys High 10: Tristan Van Rooyen (x2), Ryan Barkhuizen, Jack Centurier-Harris, Alex Barrett (x2), Ross Prinsloo, Sebastian Kastern (x3). Reddam House Constantia 8: (scorers not provided).

Round 3 Fixtures, 7 February

17:00- Rondebosch Boys High vs Wynberg Boys High
18:00- Bishops vs Reddam House Constantia
19:00- SACS vs Paul Roos Gymnasium

 

Another exceptional batting performance from Kearsney College captain Ross Coetzee was the key to his side’s W100 win over Glenwood, who produced an enthusiastic run chase, which came up only five runs short, on Wednesday in Botha’s Hill.

Coetzee was ruthless towards the Green Machine’s bowlers. He entered the fray 15 balls into Kearsney’s innings, after the departure of Murray Weyer. It was only off the last of his team’s 100 balls that the skipper was run out, but by then he had inflicted major damage on the visitors.

Coetzee cracked 89 from 45 deliveries, blasting seven of them over the boundary, and adding nine fours, too. He and Matthew De Oliveira, who had shared a 131-run partnership in a W100 victory over DHS a week earlier, enjoyed a 130-run stand this time around.

De Oliveira was very effective, finishing on 38 not out from 33 balls, with three fours and two sixes, but he played second fiddle to his captain, whose exceptional innings was the difference between victory and defeat as Glenwood launched a hearty run chase after Kearsney had tallied 161 for 3.

Glenwood’s KZN Schools’ stars, Ntando Soni, who also opened the bowling for South African Schools, and Bandile Mbatha, came in for some tap, and returned similar figures, with both conceding 33 runs from their 20 balls.

Kyle Bryan picked up the wicket of hard-hitting Cameron Veenstra for 15 from 14 balls and finished with 1/28 from his 20 deliveries.

Glenwood, in their response, lost a number of wickets in the early going, but they kept their foot firmly planted on the accelerator and made the home team sweat.

Kearsney’s chief tormentor was Krian Jugoo, who made 59 from only 37 deliveries, which included four sixes and three fours. He came in at the fall of the first wicket, just four balls into the Glenwood reply, and stuck around until another 80 balls had been bowled, eventually becoming the fifth man to depart, with the total on 134.

Sibonelo Phewa, with 27 from 19, and Kyle Bryan with an unbeaten 22 from 18, almost got Glenwood across the line. Ultimately, however, they ended only a six shy of victory, on a brave 156/5.

While most of his Kearsney team-mates came in for some punishment, Michael Groom stood out for his economical return, picking up 1/15 from his 20 balls.

Jack O’Donovan did a good job, claiming 2/27 from his 20, while opening bowler Ryan Browning took 2/29 from 15.

Westville had beaten Northwood by four wickets in a limited overs match at Northwood on the weekend. They faced off on the Robin Smith Oval on Wednesday again, and it was, once more, Westville who came away with the win, this time by a comfortable 62 runs.

The Griffin batted first and accumulated 159/9 in their 100 balls. There was no major contributor, but a watchful 33 from captain Nicandro Kistna, 31 from Roxton Payne, and 20 each from Seth Simpson and Josh Beck, helped them to a solid total. Max Robertson, a real weapon at the top of the order in all of the shorter formats of the game, was run out for 10.

Payne’s runs came from only 16 deliveries and included three sixes. Beck, meanwhile, struck a six and a four in a 10-ball stay.

Pride Buthelezi was a little on the expensive side, but he also ended the innings of three batsmen – Nicandro Kistna, Kaeden McAllister and Josh Beck – capturing 3/37 from 20 balls. New ball bowler Andrew Deeb knocked over 2/26 in 20.

The Knights, in their response, were never able to get their run rate close to the 1.6 runs per ball they required for victory. It was pretty much a run-a-ball pace throughout.

Thusa Phewa and Kyle White put on a solid 49 runs for the second wicket, before White was caught by Max Robertson off the bowling of Sekou Shangase for 24 from 25 balls. Phewa was the fourth man out, bowled by Shangase, for the innings’ top score of 27.

Harley Jagga did some good work, sending three deliveries to the boundary in his knock of 19 from 16, but there was little support of note beyond those contributions.

Shangase did a sterling job for the visitors, snapping up 4/23 from his 20 balls, while Heath Stott was very effective, too, picking up 2/14 in 15 deliveries.

Skipper Nicandro Kistna employed seven bowlers and they all responded with impressive economy rates, as Northwood failed to get on top of any of the bowlers.

Summarised scores

Kearsney College 161/3 (Ross Coetzee 89, Matthew De Oliveira 38*; Kyle Bryan 1/28); Glenwood High School 156/5 (Krian Jugoo 59, Sibonelo Phew 27, Kyle Bryan 22*; Jack O’Donovan 2/27, Ryan Browning 2/29, Michael Groom 1/15) Kearsney College won by 5 runs.

Westville Boys’ High (Nicandro Kistna 33, Roxton Payne 31, Josh Beck 20, Seth Simpson 20; Pride Buthelezi 3/37, Andrew Deeb 2/26, Kyle White 1/12); Northwood School 97/7 (Thusa Phewa 27, Kyle White 24, Harley Jagga 19; Sekou Shangase 4/23, Heath Stott 2/14, Josh Beck 1/13) Westville Boys’ High won by 62 runs.

St John’s College got the better of St Stithians in a Johnny Waite T20 clash played on Mitchell Field on Wednesday with a well-rounded performance.

Thomas Ivers led the way with the bat for the home side, after captain Joe MacRobert had opted to bat first. Macrobert was shifted up to open the innings with Nkosana Sibiya, and the pair got the visitors off to a fast start.

Macrobert, with a quick-fire 30 from 15 deliveries, which included five fours and a six, provided the kind impetus coach Bongani Ntini would have been hoping for when he made the move. Sibiya weighed in with 19 from 17 balls.

Benefitting from that good platform, Ivers blasted his way to a well-played half-century from just 35 deliveries, which steered St John’s to a better than par total of 172/9 from their 20 overs.

Cayden Sunker was the pick of the St Stithians’ bowlers, claiming 3/25 from his three-over spell. Ethan Jacobs lent good support, picking up 2/32 in four.

Set a challenging run chase, St Stithians’ opening batsmen, Liam Mudenda and Pranav Raichetti played well and delivered the kind of start Saints would need to successfully pursue the big St John’s total.

They put on 93 in 11.2 overs before Mudenda was out to Daniel Bruwer for a sparkling 55 from 33 deliveries, which included five fours and three sixes.

However, David Ireland’s spell of two wickets for 27 runs, which included the dismissals of Raichetti for 40 and the dangerous Emile Odendaal for 10, swung the momentum back in favour of St John’s.

Not even a quick cameo from Aidan van der Westhuizen (24, 14b) was enough to lift St Stithians to the win as they were held to 157/4 in their reply.

King Edward VII School showed their class in a convincing victory over the tournament’s defending champions, Jeppe High School for Boys. 

Opening batsman Callum Ritchie led the way with a remarkable 90 runs from just 57 deliveries, which featured a whopping seven sixes and six fours. Tiaan Goosen also got in on the action, filling the supporting role well, with 42 runs, which helped KES to a sound 173/3 from their 20 overs.

The wicket had appeared to be batsmen-friendly when KES was at the crease, but Jeppe’s batsmen struggled with the track. Tiago Almeida was the pick of his side’s batsmen, but his run-a-ball 21 runs simply wasn’t going to cut it when Jeppe needed to score at 8.7 runs per over to win.

After Almeida’s departure, things went pear-shaped for Jeppe as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and they were soon in deep trouble on 47/7.

A late flurry from Keegan Caxerio (19) and Munib Ayob (17) put a better slant on the Jeppe scorecard, but their team’s challenge never materialised.

Matthew Burgess starred with the ball for KES, bagging 2/6, while Christian Sabela (2/11) and Callum Ritchie (2/16) also excelled in a superb bowling effort, which took KES to a convincing 82-run victory.

Summarised scorecards

St John’s College 172/9 (Thomas Ivers 50, Joe MacRobert 30; Cayden Sunker 3/25, Ethan Jacobs 2/32); St Stithians 157/4 (Liam Mudenda 55, Pranav Raichetti 40; David Ireland 2/27). St John’s College won by 15 runs.

King Edward VII School 173/3 (Callum Ritchie 90*, Tiaan Goosen 42, Cameron Smith 26; Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin 1/15); Jeppe High School for Boys 91/10 (Tiago Almeida 21; Matthew Burgess 2/6, Christian Sabela 2/11, Callum Ritchie 2/16, Michael Holmes 2/28). King Edward VII School won by 82 runs.

Hoërskool Sentraal het Dinsdag hul buurskool in die Rosestad, Fichardtpark, met sewe paaltjies ore aangesit na ‘n venynige vertoning deur hul boulers.

Beleef weer al die aksie op SuperSport School – Registreer nou – Skakel na die wedstryd

Die Tralies kon die tuisspan vir 49 lopies in 11 beurte uitboul in die Motheo-krieketliga bepaling. Liam Pretorius en Reshé Wales was aan die voorpunt van die aanval met drie paaltjies elk, terwyl AJ Joubert en Johan van den Heever elkeen twee Fichie-paaltjies kon plattrek.

Benewens sy uitsonderlike prestasie met die bal in die hand, kon Pretorius ook vier vangskote benut om verdere druk op Fichardtpark te plaas.

Michael Cruywagen kon vinnig van Sentraal se aanvangspaar ontslae raak, maar Van den Heever se onoorwonne 28 lopies vanaf 18 balle het die Tralies in die 13de beurt van die T20-kragmeting oor die lyn gedryf.

Hy het die wedstryd met styl afgerond deur twee agtereenvolgende grenshoue te moker vir ‘n indrukwekkende sege vir die besoekers.

Saterdag pak Sentraal vir Hoërskool Sasolburg in Bloemfontein, terwyl Fichardtpark by Hoërskool Trio in Kroonstad ‘n draai maak.

In ‘n wedstryd met heelwat meer aksie wat die kolwers betref, het Jim Fouché se Adrian de Necker (101*) en Cobus Wilken (51*) se vennootskap ‘n reuse oorwinning oor RPC aan die Bloemfonteiners besorg.

Beknopte telkaarte:

Fichardtpark: 49 (Extras 14; Liam Pretorius 3/12, Reshé Wales 3/14, AJ Joubert 2/10, Johan van den Heever 2/10). Sentraal: 53/3 (Johan van den Heever 28*; Michael Cruywagen 2/1). Sentraal wen met sewe paaltjies.

Jim Fouché: 202/3 (Adrian de Necker 101*, Cobus Wilken 51*; Junior 1/14). RPC: 92/9 (Khanye 31; Lian Theron 3/6, Cobus Wilken 2/12, Marco de Lange 2/27). Jim Fouché wen met 110 lopies.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium sal sy onoorwonne status in Afdeling-B van die Finsbury-reeks wil behou, wanneer die span van Noordwes Saterdag teen ‘n selversekerde Hans Moore in Potchefstroom te staan kom.

Kaptein, Tommie Botha, is tot dusver Gimmies se sleutel tot sukes, en het reeds agt paaltjies in die eerste paar rondes laat kantel.

Botha is ewe bedrewe met die kolf, na ‘n indrukwekkende begin teen Hoërskool Montana in ronde een.

Gimmies se draaier, Caiden Seleka, het verlede naweek ook ‘n waarskuwing gerig aan die res van die afdeling. Die alsydige speler het die vloer met die Hoërskool Monument se boulers gevee om ‘n pragtige honderdtal te behaal.

Die aanvangskolwer, James Wood, sal ook ‘n gevaar vir Hansies se boulers inhou. Hy het ook reeds ‘n vyftigtal onder die belt en sy lopietal staan reeds op 107 na twee rondes.

Hans Moore beskik self oor ‘n sterk kolflys en dit gaan interessant wees om te sien hoe die twee teen mekaar opweeg. Hansies se aanvangskolwer, Stephan Vermaak, behoort die toon aan te gee na die suksevolle beurt van 97 waarmee hy die Montana-boulers in die tweede ronde geboelie het.

Adrian Watson sal sy bes probeer om die Gimmie-kolwers op hul tone te hou. Sy vier paaltjies vir slegs 11 lopies teen Montana sou vir seker sy selfvetroue goed gedoen het. Watson is egter nie die enigste bouler waarvoor Gimmies op hul hoede moet wees nie. Brenton Francis sal ook weer sy pond vleis wil eis ten einde ‘n oorwinning vir sy span te verseker.

Hoërskool Kemptonpark reis na Krugersdorp waar hulle teen ‘n sukkelende Hoërskool Monument te staan kom. Kempies se Martin Williams en Warren Pretorius behoort uit te sien na nog ‘n geleentheid om die paaltjies te laat spat.

In die toporde, hou Floors Mynhardt groot gevaar in na sy onoorwonne vyftigtal in die Kempies se oorwinning oor Eldoraigne verlede naweek.

Monument, steeds wenloos in vanjaar se reeks, sal na JD Landsberg kyk vir inspirasie. Landsberg is huidiglik Monnas se voorste lopiemaker en ook ‘n gevaarman met die bal in die hand.

André van Niekerk behoort die aanval te lei en sal graag sy goeie spelpeil met die bal wil voortsit. Hy en Landsberg sal hard spook om Monnas terug op die wenpad te plaas.

Hoërskool Eldoraigne sal Saterdag tuisvoordeel wil benut wanneer hulle teen ‘n jong Montana-span te staan kom. Die Eldo’s se nederlaag teen Kemptonpark het egter hul ritme ietwat versteur.

Johan Broekman het puik vertoon met die kolf teen die Kempies en sal daarop wil voortbou om broodnodige ritme vir sy span te herwin.

Die veelsydige Cameron Welsh sal wil opmaak vir sy teleurstellende vertoning verlede naweek. Hy vorm ‘n belangrike skakel op Eldo’s se kolflys en sal ook die Pretorianers se boulaanval lei.

Montana soek steeds na ‘n eerste oorwinning in vanjaar se kompetisie. Rowan Sweetman, die Monties se aanvangskolwer, is tot dusver sy span se uitblinker. Hy sal sy ervaring en kalmte tafel toe wil bring met die hoop dat sy span vir Eldo’s kan pootjie.

 

Kwena Maphaka equalled the record for the most five-wicket hauls in a single ICC u19 Cricket World Cup after bagging his second five-for of the tournament against Zimbabwe.

After topping Group B, ahead of England and the West Indies, South Africa opened their Super Sixes account with a dominant performance to win by nine wickets.

Opening the attack, Maphaka struck early, capturing three wickets before Ronak Patel (32) and Ryan Kamwemba (24) were finally able to offer some resistance for the Zimbabweans.

A bowling change, however, saw Tristan Luus strike and remove both Patel and his captain, Matthew Schonken, while Riley Norton ratcheted up the pressure from the other end, bowling successive maidens before sending Kamwemba back to the sheds.

Mashford Shungu survived 47 deliveries to frustrate SA at the tail-end, but Maphaka carried his exceptional form into the second half of his spell to send the wickets of two more Zimbabwean batsmen flying.

Debutant, Raeeq Daniels, who came in as a replacement for the injured Martin Khumalo, took the final catch to end Shungu’s innings, and with that the Zimbabwean batting effort was over, too.

With South Africa’s neighbours having been despatched for only 102, Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Steve Stolk wasted no time in launching the South African reply.

In just 10 overs, the duo raced to 86 before Stolk lost his wicket.

Pretorius produced his best knock of the tournament thus far, scoring 53 not out from 39 balls, with nine fours and a six, to drive South Africa to victory in the 14th over, with David Teeger (10*) in support.

In an extremely competitive pool, where the net run rate might very well come into play again, it was an encouraging start for the home side, but there remains plenty of hard work ahead for the young Proteas.

Coach Malibongwe Maketa‘s charges won’t have time to celebrate their lopsided win. They’re back in action again on Friday against Sri Lanka.

On Tuesday, India sent a loud and clear message to their rivals by thumping New Zealand in the opening match of the Super Sixes.

Musheer Khan scored a massive 131 runs to help his side to a fourth win on the trot. The five-time champions, who are defending the title they won in the West Indies in 2022, are one of the favourites heading into the business end of the competition.

The West Indies, meanwhile, left it to the third delivery of the last over of their match to chase down Sri Lanka‘s 231, while Ahmad Hassan drove Pakistan to a win over Ireland with an undefeated 57.

Super Sixes Summarised Scorecards

Zimbabwe u19 102/10 (Ronak Patel 32, Ryan Kamwemba 24; Kwena Maphaka 5/34, Tristan Luus 3/25); South Africa u19 103/1 (Lhuan-dré Pretorius 53*, Steve Stolk 37; Anesu Kamuriwo 1/31). South Africa won by nine wickets.

India u19 295/8 (Musheer Khan 131, Adarsh Singh 52, Uday Saharan 34; Mason Clarke 4/62); New Zealand u19 81/10 (Oscar Jackson 19; Saumy Pandey 4/19, Musheer Khan 2/10, Raj Limbani 2/17). India u19 won by 214 runs.

Sri Lanka u19 231/10 (Dinura Kalupahana 53, Malsha Tharupathi 42, Supun Waduge 31, Pulindu Perera 24, Extras 23; Raneico Smith 4/47, Nathan Edward 2/47); West Indies u19 232/7 (Steve Wedderburn 61, Jordan Johnson 39, Stephan Pascal 33, Nathan Sealy 27*; Vishwa Lahiru 2/32, Dinura Kalupahana 2/39, Sineth Jayawardena 2/39). West Indies u19 won by three wickets. 

Ireland u19 181/10 (John McNally 53, Harry Dyer 31; Ubaid Shah 3/31, Ali Raza 2/18, Amir Hassan 2/34, Ahmad Hassan 2/37); Pakistan u19 182/7 (Ahmad Hassan 57*, Haroon Arshad 25, Saad Baig 25, Azan Awais 21; Harry Dyer 4/35). Pakistan u19 won by three wickets.