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Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool’s bowlers sealed a cracking victory in a low-scoring affair against their old rivals King Edward School on Saturday.

The outfit from Pretoria restricted the home side to a modest 134 all out, with Xavier de Wet spearheading the attack and returning the impressive figures of 3/17.

Armin Snyman was also in on the action, claiming three victims at a cost of 44 runs, while Petrus Rautenbach, who has been in amongst the wickets all season long, picked up 2/31 in 5.5 overs.

Unfortunately for the hosts, it was only Zieg Roos who managed to defy the visitor’s bowling attack as wickets tumbled all around him. He knuckled down under difficult circumstances to contribute a well-played 32 from 35 deliveries. The disappointment for KES was the fact that many of their batsmen lower down the order made starts but failed to kick on from there.

In their reply, the Affie batters also experienced some difficulties and were in a bit of trouble at 64/4 in the 13th over. However, a classy performance from their outstanding all-rounder Divan de Villiers turned the tide in favour of the visitors. He batted superbly for his 39 from 48 balls.

He found good support, too, from Daniel Murray, who weighed in with a crucial 35 under severe pressure, as the pair guided the side from the Jacaranda City across the line with four wickets to spare.

King Edward might have lost, but it was a special day for Stuart Faber, who played his first game for the 1st XI. It began with his grandfather, Tutty Faber, who donned the famous red cap 66 years earlier, in 1957, on the same field, being invited to ring the bell to signal the start of play. Wonderful!

Summarised scorecard: 

King Edward School 134/10 (Zieg Roos 32, Xavier de Wet 3/17, Armin Snyman 3/44, Petrus Rautenbach 2/31); Affies 135/6 (Divan de Villiers 39, Daniel Murray 35; Chris Sabela 2/48, Cameron Smith 2/18). Affies won by four wickets.

The powerful Waterkloof First XI kept rumbling onwards, comfortably beating Potchefstroom Volkskool on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Noordvaal Gunn & Moore competition, to keep their quest to again be crowned the champions on track.

Having won the toss, the Klofies did the unusual, choosing to bowl instead of batting first. The Volkie batsmen responded by putting together a solid opening partnership.

Diaan van der Merwe (15, 42b) and Louis van Wyk combined wonderfully to tally 67 for the first wicket.

After Van der Merwe’s departure, Van Wyk kept going, scoring at a healthy strike rate of 134 as he made his way to a superb 89 from just 66 deliveries. His excellent innings included 14 boundaries, consisting of eight fours and six sixes. This laid the platform for Volkies’ stalwart Ludwich Schuld, whose form has been somewhat up and down, to make a strong contribution.

Schuld appeared to slowly make his way back to his old self and, after a nervy start, quickly constructed a well-played 58 from 66 balls. Combined with an attacking 39 from the powerful Eduan van der Merwe, his innings helped the Volkies to a competitive total of 276/9 from their 50 overs.

The impressive youngster, Franco Cronje spearheaded the Waterkloof attack, snaring a fine 3/32. Jacques van Niekerk also raised his hand, taking 2/61, while Jaydon Blom impressed with figures of 2/31.

The Klofie innings got off to a dismal start when the in-form Divan Behrens was dismissed on the very first ball he faced. This, however, didn’t stop Wian Ruthven and Marcus Bakker from going on the attack.

Ruthven counterpunched after the early loss, striking boundaries all around the wicket, as he raced along to the innings’ top score of 81 from just 50 balls. The ruthless opener’s knock included seven fours and six sixes.

Bakker, right on his heels, also played an entertaining knock, contributing 57 from 43 balls. He enjoyed a good stand with his captain Beukes van den Berg, who fell six runs short of a half-century.

Riley Miller rounded off a spectacular batting performance from the Klofies by blasting 77 from just 43 deliveries. He deposited the ball over the ropes six times and added five fours as Waterkloof recorded a comfortable five-wicket win to advance to the semifinals.

Marais Viljoen came out on top in a cliffhanger against Hans Moore in their quarterfinal.

Hansies won the toss and elected to bat first, but they struggled from the outset. Xavier Coetzee came to the rescue. He dug in and played a mature knock of 59 from 87 balls, to help his side to a total of 185 all out.

Cayden Ramage did most of the damage for the side from Alberton, claiming figures of 4/43 in his 9.1 overs.

With Marais Viljoen needing 186 for victory, Tian du Toit took charge. He played a superb innings of 70 not out, which broke the backbone of the chase. Cayden Ramage followed up his wonderful bowling performance with a vital knock of 34 after the Alberton side found themselves in a bit of trouble at the hands of Adrian Watson, who claimed 3/27.

However, with Du Toit still out in the middle at the end, Marais Viljoen got over the line in the 42nd over with three wickets to spare.

Summarised scorecards: 

Potchefstroom Volkskool 276/9 (Louis van Wyk 89, Ludwich Schuld 58, Eduan van der Merwe 39; Franco Cronje 3/32, Jacques van Niekerk 2/61, Jaydon Blom 2/31); Waterkloof 279/5 (Wian Ruthven 81, Riley Miller 77*, Marcus Bakker 57, Beukes van den Berg 44; Olefa Padi 2/51). Waterkloof won by five wickets.

Hans Moore 185/10 (Xavier Coetzee 59, Warren Minnaar 21, Adrian Watson 20, Adam Kruger 20; Cayden Ramage 4/43); Marais Viljoen 186/7 (Tian du Toit 70*, Ramage 34, Sheldon van Wyk 22; Watson 3/27). Marais Viljoen won by three wickets. 

 

By Siya Pongco 

Highlands Park FC were crowned the champions of the u19 Gauteng Development League on Sunday. It was a fait accompli as they were already confirmed as champions after a 2-1 win over Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School last weekend.

The Lions of the North were dominant. They won 27 of their 34 matches, drew four, and lost only three times. They netted 89 goals and conceded just 21. It was a remarkable season for the club, especially considering the toughness of the league, which is regarded as one of the best on the African continent.

On Sunday afternoon, in their final fixture, Highlands Park faced Joburg City in cold conditions. Neither the weather nor Joburg City could slow the march of the 2023 champions.

In the first half, however, Joburg City enjoyed the better of the contest, but they were unable to convert their opportunities into goals. Meanwhile, Highlands Park remained calm and stuck to their strengths, playing the ball from the back and knocking it around.

After the break, both teams began with pep and vigour. Joburg City, again, created chances without finding finishes.

It looked as if Highlands Park had taken the lead when they had the ball in the Joburg City net, but that goal was disallowed for offsides.

The champions kept up the pressure and eventually forced a penalty out of City. They struck from the spot, and it wasn’t long before they doubled their lead. It ended 2-0.

Soon after the final whistle, it was time for Highlands Park to celebrate a superb season.

The Day of the Champions at the KC Village 

Stream A Champs: GDL 

Joining Highlands Park on the podium was SuperSport United‘s under-17 side, led by coach Tumi Ndaba.

SuperSport played their last game of the season against Kathorus Hyper Academy, with the Academy looking to play the spoiler by taking a first half lead.

However, in the second half, the champions came back to life and scored two goals to close off an incredibly hard-fought season with another victory.

They did it the hard way after their goalkeeper was sent off. With no substitutions left, midfielder Abel Nyoni stood up and pulled off some dramatic saves in the dying stages of the game, which had the SuperSport United bench on their edge of their seats, cheering on the fill-in net-minder.

The Kaizer Chiefs under-15 side ended their season in fine fashion, defeating TS Galaxy 4-1 at their home ground.

There was a win by the same margin for the Chiefs’ under-13s, also over TS Galaxy, as they claimed the league title.

TS Galaxy played well, closing down spaces and putting in good defensive work, while their goalkeeper pulled off some crucial saves, but they could not stop the champions, who were consistently good throughout the season.

Stream B Champions; GDL Promotional champs

The Alaska Academy u19 side won the GDPL to secure a place in next season’s Gauteng Development League.

NWU Vaal, in their first season, won the under-17 GDPL, and will run out in the Gauteng Development League for the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, the East Rand Athletic Club Football won both the under-13 and under-15 GDPL to secure spots in the GDL.

Paul Roos Gymnasium beat Paarl Boys’ High by three wickets in an exciting battle in Stellenbosch on Saturday. While both sides struggled to find batting momentum and needed their middle-orders to come through to bolster their respective totals, it was the home team’s bowling performance that made the difference.

Paarl Boys’ High, sent in to bat by the hosts, wobbled up front. Johan Wege stood tall, playing with composure to tally 33, but his valiant effort couldn’t stymie the efforts of the formidable bowling duo of Callum Appollis and Luca Plekker.

They combined for six crucial wickets, picking apart Paarl Boys’ High’s batting, with figures of 3/13 and 3/32, respectively.

In their pursuit of 137, Paul Roos were subjected to their fair share of challenges. However, Cornel Swart, batting at six for the hosts, showcased his class with a resilient 57. His 46-run partnership with Beor van Reenen, who contributed a vital 24, was the turning point in the game.

Van Reenen was unbeaten at the end and, together with Appollis, saw the Stellenbosch side to victory without any further drama in the 33rd over.

Despite not being able to defend a low total, Renaldo Windvogel and Aden Batt bowled well for Boishaai to share five wickets between them.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecards:

Paarl Boys’ High 136 (Johan Wege 33, JJ van der Sandt 23; Callum Appollis 3/13, Luca Plekker 3/32); Paul Roos Gymnasium 137/7 (Cornel Swart 57, Beor van Reenen 24*, Riley Norton 20; Renaldo Windvogel 3/37, Aden Batt 2/20). Paul Roos won by three wickets.

Worcester Gimnasium 77 (Chad Potgieter 24, Extras 20; Charl Botha 4/12, Reuben Braxten 3/24, Johan Jansen van Rensburg 2/8); DF Malan 80/3 (Charl Botha 32*; Aiden Pekeur 1/14). DF Malan won by seven wickets.

Wittedrift 128 (Extras 54, Leighton Jonas 25; Tylo Josephs 4/26, Joydon Brown 3/26, Hardus Kleynhans 3/38); Hoërskool Punt II 34 (Extras 21; Ralu van Huysteen 7/10). Wittedrift won by 94 runs.

The annual St Stithians College Invitational Water Polo tournament is one of the highlights on the sports calendar. Most of the top water polo teams at school level attends the prestigious tournament in Johannesburg.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

All the Results 

Day 3

[ninja_tables id=”1058″]

Stellenberg secured a nail-biting four-run victory against Paarl Gimnasium on Saturday, thanks to Gerrad Kamalie‘s unwavering composure. A back-and-forth contest went down to the wire as both teams batted out their full 50 overs in an epic battle in Paarl.

Despite some very early setbacks for Stellenberg, when Charles King took catches off deliveries by Louis Koen and Willem Mattee, to reduce them to a precarious 4/2, Arno Koen displayed remarkable resilience. He weathered 121 deliveries and compiled a crucial 59 runs to provide a sturdy foundation for his team.

JJ Rothman‘s unbeaten 45 and Gerrad Kamalie’s vital 42 also significantly bolstered the score and an eyebrow-raising 41 extras proved to be crucial.

King spearheaded the bowling attack for Paarl Gimnasium, adding two wickets to the catches he pouched earlier.

Chasing 260 for victory, the hosts put up a valiant fight, with their innings nearly mirroring Stellenberg’s.

Kyle van Staten struck in his first over, before the Gimmies had scored any runs, but Jandré Botha managed to steady the ship with a solid 69 off 75 deliveries.

Franco Boonzaaier also shone with a patient knock of 62, while King struck 37.

After Kamalie removed King, though, the hosts’ innings began to fall apart. Kamalie was excellent for Stellenberg on the day, taking three crucial wickets, executing a run out, and adding 42 with the bat.

Gimnasium needed eight runs in the final over, with three wickets standing, and the ball in Kamalie’s hand. The all-rounder rose to the occasion brilliantly.

The boys from Paarl managed singles off the first three balls, but Kamalie then struck off of successive deliveries before finishing the game with a dot ball to wrench victory for his team out of Gim’s grasp.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecard:

Stellenberg 259/7 (Arno Koen 59, JJ Rothman 45*, Gerrad Kamalie 42, Extras 41, Kyle van Staten 34; Charles King 2/35, Willem Mattee 2/36); Paarl Gimnasium 255/9 (Jandré Botha 69, Franco Boonzaaier 62, Charles King 37, Marinus Daling 31, Adriaan Louw 29; Gerrad Kamalie 3/44). Stellenberg won by four runs.

After Grey College were left without a fixture due to a late withdrawal, Hoërskool Kalahari answered their call and travelled to Bloemfontein to test their skills on Saturday.

It proved to be a tough day for the visitors as the hosts flexed their muscles, powering their way to a 221-run victory.

Batting first, Grey College laid down the law with a stellar performance at the crease, posting an imposing total of 346/7.

Their top-order batsmen were in full flight, with Adem Niewoudt and Cullen Marais combining for a formidable 117-run partnership. Niewoudt narrowly missed out on a century, falling for a commendable 94, while Marais provided strong support with an impressive 65.

Franco Bester and Keenan van Rooi tried their best to stem the flow of runs, with Bester being the standout performer among the Kalahari High bowlers. They combined to take all seven wickets for Kalahari, but the relentless Grey batsmen were a tough nut to crack and kept piling on the runs.

In reply to the daunting target set by Grey College, Kalahari found themselves under immense pressure from the start as their batsmen struggled to withstand the disciplined and relentless attack of the hosts’ bowlers.

Sicelo Matayi was the chief tormentor for Grey, dismissing the visitors’ three top batsmen while conceding only 36 runs.

Liam Lang offered some resistance for Kalahari at the tail-end, ending the innings unbeaten with 21 runs, but it made little impact on the outcome of the contest.

Grey’s team of stayers dismissed the team from Kuruman for 125 and look to be in fine form as they build towards next year.

Meanwhile, Cecil Parsons, Bethlehem Voortrekker‘s big Craven Week prop, smashed a powerful 82 off 43 deliveries, and Juan Theunissen weighed in with 62, to help their team chase down Fichardtpark‘s 205 in 29 overs.

Franco and Adrian de Necker combined for a partnership of 67 for Jim Fouché as they beat Welkom Gimnasium by six wickets.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecards:

Grey College 346/7 (Adem Niewoudt 94, Cullen Marais 65, Ruben Maree 36, Henru de Wet 36, Extras 34, Casper Troskie 31, Jaco Prinsloo 31; Franco Bester 4/66, Keenan van Rooi 3/52); Kalahari High School 125 (Liam Lang 21*; Sicelo Matayi 36/3, Darion Rabie 2/10). Grey College won by 221 runs.

Fichardtpark 205 (Davyd Oosthuysen 61, MJ Herbst 33, Zayne Williamson 31, Michael Cruywagen 23, Extras 23; Juan Theunissen 4/34, Heindre Serfontein 54/2, Andre Heunis 2/25); Voortrekker 208/6 (Cecil Parsons 82, Juan Theunissen 62, Extras 26, Andre Heunis 20*; Michael Cruywagen 4/30, Eben Botha 2/56). Voortrekker won by four wickets.

Welkom Gimnasium 86 (Extras 28, Kayden Barrows 18; Pieter Conradie 4/13, Marco de Lange 2/11); Jim Fouché 87/4 (Adrian de Necker 31, Franco de Necker 27; Donald Schoeman 2/17). Jim Fouché won by six wickets.

Parel Vallei outperformed Curro Durbanville in a thrilling end-of-season clash in Somerset West on Saturday.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first, which allowed their top-order batsmen to put early pressure on the Curro team.

Their innings began steadily as openers’ Quan van der Merwe, with 55, and Joshua Pretorius, with 37, laid the foundation for a solid total.

Van der Merwe’s half-century included 10 boundaries as the duo got their side to 107 before Pretorius was caught by TJ Moshenyane off a delivery by Reece Bald.

Christopher Hughes joined Van der Merwe at the crease and held up his end after Bald and Moshenyane had combined for a second time to remove the threat of further damage by Van der Merwe.

Having finally made their breakthrough, the Durbanville side had their tails up, taking two more wickets without conceding another run, before Joshua Smit, batting at six, steadied the ship for the home team, making 44 to help them to 246/9.

It was a challenging total, but Curro Durbanville appeared up for that challenge as they moved smoothly along to 92 for 2.

Their top scorer, Dean Huesmann, showed their intent, smashing five sixes and two fours as he raced to 42 before Henry Jones turned the game for the home team with a phenomenal bowling spell. He captured five wickets for only 33 runs and pouched two catches.

Reece Bald played well for Durbanville, resolutely defying the Parel Vallei bowlers, but after Pretorius dismissed Vaughan Flanagan, the rest of the batting lineup fell apart in the face of the onslaught by Henry Jones.

With that, Parel Vallei ended their year on a high and will be keen to build upon the momentum of a very successful term when 2024 rolls around.

Chris Roets was also a five-wicket taker. He knocked over 5 for 17 as Hoërskool Bellville beat Westerford by seven wickets, while Miya Kopo also got in on the act, snapping up 5 for 33 for HTS Bellville in their victory over Milnerton.

Wendal Bantam also starred for HTS, capturing 4/11 and then making an unbeaten 58 to see his side to victory.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecards:

Parel Vallei 246/9 (Quan van der Merwe 55, Joshua Smit 44; Extras 42; Christopher Hughes 39, Joshua Pretorius 37; Janré Lourens 2/34, Caleb Jonkers 2/43, TJ Moshenyane 2/44); Curro Durbanville 157 (Dean Huesmann 42, Reece Bald 38*, Vaughan Flanagan 28; Henry Jones 5/33, Joshua Pretorius 2/26, Christopher Hughes 2/39). Parel Vallei won by 89 runs.

Boland Landbou 211/7 (Marius du Plessis 60, Lohann Louw 38, H Swart 32*; Xander van Aarde 2/35, Hugo Bredell 2/51); Durbanville High School 45 (Tobias Roelofse 17; Gunther Schmidt 4/10; Francois Prins 4/15). Boland Landbou won by 166 runs.

Westerford 105 (Imaad Hassan 26, Nicholas Lombard 22; Chris Roets 5/17, Wian van den Heever 2/9); Hoërskool Bellville 109/3 (Gustav Maass 28; Owen Kretschmer 26*, Onke Matzishana 23; As’ad Salie 1/25). Hoërskool Bellville won by seven wickets.

Milnerton 86 (Connor Huxham 21; Miya Kopo 5/33, Wendal Bantam 4/11); HTS Bellville 90/5 (Wendal Bantam 58*; James Hoare 2/15, Rico Blom 2/18). HTS Bellville won by five wickets.

Katlego Sekopane’s outstanding performances with bat and ball propelled Queens High School to a convincing victory over Parktown Boys High on Saturday.

Sekopane led from the front, top scoring with a wonderfully constructed 69 from 87 deliveries. He then paced the bowling attack, sending down six overs and claiming a damaging 3/22.

Batting first, Queens endured a rocky start, losing two wickets for only 16 runs. However, when Pranay Tailor joined Sekopane, the pair got to work rebuilding their side’s innings.

Tailor continued his purple patch with the bat, notching up yet another half-century, with 50 from 82 balls, in a 123-run partnership with Sekopane.

Mzwakhe Mkhwananzi also got in on the action with an important 33 in the latter stages of the innings, helping his side to a very defendable 249/9 in their 50 overs.

Aarush Siddapur shone with the ball for the visitors. In a wonderful eight-over spell, he snapped up 4/30. Uwais Mahomed impressed, too, chipping in with an economical seven overs that brought him a return of 2/26.

Unfortunately for the visitors, their reply began shakily, and they soon found themselves in heaps of trouble on 65/4. Miles Makudu resisted, however, demonstrating good composure to register the innings’ highest score of 33 from 50 balls. Yahya Bhaba fought hard for a valiant 22 from 58 deliveries, but the Queens’ bowlers were on top.

Despite the efforts of the Parktown pair, Sekopane’s cheap three wickets, together with Kamogelo Matji’s 2/25, was too much for the visitors.

Although they spent almost 49 overs out in the middle, Parktown were restricted to a paltry 128 all out, leaving Queens the winners by a handsome 121-run margin.

Summarised scorecard: 

Queens High School 249/9 (Katlego Sekopane 69, Pranay Tailor 50, Mzwakhe Mkhwananzi 33, Kabelo Rapodile 23; Aarush Siddapur 4/30, Uwais Mahomed 2/26) Parktown Boys High 128/10 (Miles Makudo 33, Yayha Bhaba 22; Sekopane 3/22, Kamogelo Matji 2/25). Queens High School won by 121 runs. 

Adam Cannata’s exceptional performance with the ball proved instrumental in Pretoria Boys High’s victory of 40 runs over their old foes Jeppe High School for Boys on Saturday. In just seven overs, he bagged an impressive four wickets for only 28 runs.

Batting first at Jeppe, Pretoria Boys High’s opening pair of Luke Marshall (40, 83b) and Marc van der Merwe (24, 39b) got the visitors off to a positive start on a tricky Marshall Oval pitch.

They put on an opening stand of 43 runs before Van der Merwe fell victim to Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin (2/49).

Then, Tinotenda Mutekwa (3/47) and Shreshth Kumar (3/32), with three wickets apiece, set about dismantling the PBHS batting.

A solid foundation had been laid, however, and Nicholas Rossouw stood firm under severe pressure to top score from the visitors. He was out just six runs shy of a fifty, with his 44 coming off of 77 deliveries.

With a number of batsmen chipping in here and there, Boys High totalled 213 all out.

The Jeppe batsmen soon discovered that 213 might be a better score than it appeared as they began to lose wickets regularly.

The top order all managed decent starts, with Tiago Almeida‘s 27 from 34 balls leading the way. Ryan Young also made it into the twenties, but he was dismissed with his score on 23.

Together with Cannata, Jenson Breetzke put the skids under the home team, knocking over 2/26, while Conner Hall also contributed two wickets.

In the end, Jeppe’s batsmen produced enough starts, but none came through with an innings of substance to finish off the game. They were all out for 173 as Pretoria Boys High recorded a comfortable victory over their long- time rivals.

Summarised scorecard: 

Pretoria Boys High 213/10 (Nicholas Rossouw 44, Luke Marshall 40, Marc van der Merwe 24; Tinotenda Mutekwa 3/47, Shreshth Kumar 3/32, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin 2/49); Jeppe 173/10 (Tiago Almeida 27, Ryan Young 23, Sipho Potsane 23, Mohamed Ismail 21, Harcourt-Baldwin 20; Adam Cannata 4/28, Jenson Breetzke 2/26, Conner Hall 2/38). Pretoria Boys High won by 40 runs.