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Aiden Reyneke‘s superb innings of 121 not out from only 56 deliveries laid the platform for Jeppe‘s 96-run thumping of Hoërskool Monument in Wednesday’s playoff rounds of the Johnny Waite T20 competition.

After winning the toss, Jeppe batted first, progressing neatly along until Reyneke decided to let loose on the Monnas’ attack.

The opening batsman smashed 10 fours and a whopping eight sixes as he zipped along at a strike rate of 216, with 88 runs, or more than 70 percent of his total, coming in boundaries.

Ryan Young joined in on the festivities, combining well with Reyneke in an impressive 148-run partnership. Young took only 37 balls to rustle up 57, which helped Jeppe post a formidable 230/3 in their 20 overs.

Unfortunately for Monument, their batsmen were unable to match what Jeppe’s batsmen managed. Apart from Keegan van Wyk, who contributed a good-looking 33 from 32 balls, the rest of the Monnas’ line-up was guilty of settling in, only to lose their wickets shortly after that.

Shresh Kumar played a large role in the Krugersdorp side’s downfall, claiming an impressive four scalps for 47 runs. Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin (2/15) and Tinotenda Mutekwa (2/30) did their bit, too, as Monnas were restricted to a disappointing 134/9 in reply, leaving Jeppe to march on to the next round in style.

Queens High School from Johannesburg edged out an inspired Randburg side, claiming a nail-biting five-run victory that went down to the last ball.

Out in the middle first, Queens were boosted by a snappy 66 off only 39 balls from Pranay Tailor. Kabelo Rapodile, meanwhile, played the steady hand, contributing a mature 36, to help Queens tally 164/5.

Randburg got off to a solid start in pursuit of 165 for victory, but a cluster of wickets then went down, reducing them to 78/3 in the 12th over. Josef van den Berg stood firm, however, heaving the ball to the boundary nine times as he put together the match’s highest score of 86 from just 44 deliveries. His powerful blast included seven sixes and only two fours.

Richard Barnard added 22 but, unfortunately for Randburg, after the pair departed, they fell behind the required run rate and were on 159/6 when their overs ran out.

St David’s Marist Inanda made light work of Northcliff in their encounter, with the Manack duo batting beautifully to see their side to a 10-wicket victory.

The Saint David’s bowlers kept Northcliff in check at 146 for 8 after their 20 overs. Then the Manacks went to work. Armaan Manack, fresh off a massive 140 against St John’s College, lashed 84 off only 38 balls, while Morteza Manack, while not quite as brutal, was ruthless nonetheless, weighing in with a scintillating 60 from 40 balls.

That onslaught saw St David’s breeze across the line in the 13th over.

For Northcliff, it was the duo of Kyle Davies and Frank Devenish who stood out. Davies top scored with a fine 46, while Devenish provided a lift with a quickfire 41.

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: 

Jeppe 230/3 (Aiden Reyneke 121*, Ryan Young 57; Rieghardt Prinsloo 1/26); Monument 134/9 (Keagan van Wyk 33; Shresh Kumar 4/47, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin 2/15, Tinotenda Mutekwa 2/30). Jeppe won by 96 runs. 

Queens School 164/5 (Pranay Tailor 66*, Kabelo Rapodile 36; Jordan Hepner 1/26); Randburg 159/6 (Josef van den Berg 86, Richard Barnard 22; Kamogelo Matji 1/12, Pranay Tailor 1/13). Queens School won by five runs. 

Northcliff 146/8 (Kyle Davies 46, Frank Devenish 41, Alex Wiest 21; Avela Sibisi 2/22, Oliver Botha 2/26); St David’s Marist 148/0 (Armaan Manack 84*, Mortexa Manack 60*). St David’s Marist won by ten wickets. 

Hans Moore continued with the form that saw their batsmen dominate at the recent Gimmie Cricket Fest, surpassing 300 yet again in their Gunn & Moore playoff match against Dr Malan on Saturday.

Warren Minnaar led the charge with a superb 84 from just 62 deliveries. It was, however, the opening batsman, Adrian Watson, who laid the platform for Minnaar to floor the accelerator. Batting with maturity, Watson contributed 74 from 90 balls, as he and Tihan Eloff got the Hansie innings going after the loss of an early wicket.

Jaco Smit (37, 31b) and Keanan Shaw (34, 25b) also chipped in with valuable knocks to ensure Hans Moore comfortably crossed the 300-run mark, posting a big 314/9.

Amidst the run-scoring chaos, Xander Anley (3/49) and Tristan Ashwin (3/68) bagged six scalps between them in an effort that saw the Dokkies pull it back somewhat.

The Hansies’ dominance continued in the field. Adam Kruger was the pick of their bowlers, bagging the hard-to-believe figures of two for nine from the nine overs he sent down. Watson, again, played a fine supporting role, this time picking up 2/21 with the ball.

Dewald Erasmus shone for Dokkies, compiling a resilient 62 from 65 deliveries, while Colby Retief (38, 66b) delivered a fighting knock at the top of the order.

Unfortunately for Dr Malan, the pair’s efforts were in vain as they fell well short, losing by a thumping margin of 138 runs.

In the showdowns between two Potchefstroom schools and the winners and runners-up of the Limpopo Super League, it was the Potch boys that ruled the roost.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium crossed swords with Bochum HUB and dominated the contest, rolling to an eight-wicket victory.

Batting first, the Bochum boys set about laying a platform from which to accelerate in the latter stages of their innings. Marnu Cronje and Tommie Botha had other ideas, however, as they tore through the Bochum line-up. Botha claimed four scalps for only 12 runs, while Cronje was equally impressive, capturing 4/19.

Kamagelo Morema was the only Bochum batsman to make it beyond 20. He finished with 29 from 33 balls as the side from the outskirts of Polokwane slumped to a disappointing total of 84 all out.

In response, Righardt Joubert launched a fierce attack, clubbing a blistering 33 from just 12 deliveries to set his side on course for victory. Marnu Cronje weighed in with 29, and the visitors from Potchefstroom sprinted to the win in only the 14th over to secure their spot in the quarterfinals.

There was also a six-wicket win for Potchefstroom Volkskool in their match against Limpopo runners-up, Hoërskool Pietersburg.

Philip Weterman (38, 67b) and Michael Nel (34, 59b) got the Pieties off to a very good start, combining nicely for a 66-run opening partnership. However, things went pear-shaped after they departed. When Eduan van der Merwe and co exerted pressure on the Pietersburg batting, they were rewarded, with wickets falling at regular intervals.

Van der Merwe was the pick of the Volkie bowlers, snapping up 3/16, while Dian Liebenberg and Diaan van der Merwe chipped in with two wickets each as Pietersburg were held to just 127/10.

Louis van Wyk then continued with his recently found form, making a half-century to lead the Volkies’ run chase with a solid 51 from 46 deliveries. Attie Liebenberg chipped in with a valuable 28, while Kobus Pienaar plundered 20 from just nine balls.

Much like Gimnasium had done in their win, Volkskool reached the victory target in double-quick time, claiming the victory in the 17th over with six wickets to spare.

Monument were comfortable winners against Transvalia, cruising to a seven-wicket victory. Andre van Niekerk led the way for Monnas, laying waste to the Transvalia batting with a sensational return of 6/18 as the side from Krugersdorp restricted the Vanderbijlpark team to only 112/10.

With the willow in hand, Nicholas van der Colff came close to overhauling the Transvalia total all by himself. In just 35 deliveries, he contributed 85 of the 113 runs required for victory as Monnas moved into the last eight after spending just less than 14 overs at the crease.

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: 

Hans Moore 314/9 (Warren Minnaar 84, Adrian Watson 74, Tihan Eloff 41, Jaco Smit 37, Keanan Shaw 34; Xander Anley 3/49, Tristan Ashwin 3/68); Dr Malan 176/10 (Dewald Erasmus 62, Colby Retief 38, Juanro Roos 23; Adam Kruger 2/9, Adrian Watson 2/21, Henré Everleigh 2/24, Warren Minnaar 2/26). Hans Moore won by 138 runs.

Bochum HUB 84/10 (Kamagelo Morema 29; Marnu Cronje 4/19, Tommie Botha 4/12, Jonathan Eybers 2/16); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 86/2 (Righardt Joubert 33, Marnu Cronje 29; Masilo Moremi 1/24). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by eight wickets.

Hoërskool Pietersburg 127/10 (Philip Weterman 38, Michael Nel 34; Eduan van der Merwe 3/16, Dian Liebenberg 2/15, Diaan van der Merwe 2/41); Potchefstroom Volkskool 128/4 (Louis van Wyk 51, Attie Liebenberg 28, Kobus Pienaar 20; Nicholaas Oerlemans 2/23). Potchefstroom Volksool won by six wickets.

Transvalia 112/10 (Mjee Roets 35; Andre van Niekerk 6/18, Joshua McCoy 2/49); Monument 115/3 (Nicholas van der Colff 85; Roets 2/48). Monument won by seven Wickets.

 

 

Hoërskool Waterkloof and Hoërskool Garsfontein sent a strong message to their opponents in their respective first clashes of the Noordvaal Gunn & Moore competition by securing convincing victories.

On Saturday, Waterkloof thumped Hoërskool Centurion by a whopping 224 runs, while Garsfontein outplayed Hoërskool Kempton Park on Monday, claiming a comfortable eight-wicket victory.

The Klofies won the toss and elected to bat first, with the goal of setting Centurion a mammoth total to chase.

Wian Ruthven got the home side off to a flyer. He found his rhythm from ball one, and it sounded like gunshots as his bat made clean contact with the ball, bludgeoning it to all parts of the ground. The opening batsman wasted no time, rocketing to an eye-catching 115 from only 89 deliveries. His innings included 13 boundaries, consisting of nine fours and four sixes. This meant that 60 of his 115 runs came from boundaries alone.

His captain, Beukes van den Berg, continued his wonderful form from earlier in the week, falling just 10 runs short of a well-deserved century. Van den Berg also hit his straps from the start, with his 90 coming from only 75 deliveries, including nine fours and three sixes, for a strike rate of 120.

Further impactful contributions from the hard-hitting Marcus Bakker (64, 50b) and Alexander Volschenk (56, 38b) helped the Klofies reach an intimidating 385 all out.

Logan Fourie was the pick of the Centurion bowlers, removing four batsmen, but he was on the expensive side of things, finishing with figures of 4/71.

Facing a daunting run chase, Centurion were unable to mount a challenge. Losing wickets at regular intervals, the visitors soon found themselves in dire straits at 87/7. That’s when Charl Prinsloo stepped up and stunted the Centurion attack, making a well-constructed 69 from 66 deliveries.

This, however, was the only highlight from the Centurion innings as Jacques van der Merwe (2/7) and co. ensured that the Klofies advanced to the semi-finals after bundling out their opposition for a disappointing 141.

The Garsfontein Ysbere also produced a superb all-round team performance in their clash with Kempton Park, who mustered only 92 all out, batting first.

Nayleo Sana was the pick of the bowlers for the team from the Jacaranda City, claiming an impressive 4/21. He was well backed up by Stefan van Staden (2/11) and Deon van Huysteen (2/13) as the bowling outfit from the Garsies took charge.

Chasing a small target for victory, Mohammed Islam laid down the law with a quickfire 51 from just 26 deliveries to set his team up for a comfortable win.

Reuben van Zyl’s contribution of 25 proved to be the final nail in the coffin as Garsfontein’s Ysbere cruised to a straightforward eight-wicket victory to book their spot in the final four.

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: 

Waterkloof 385/10 (Wian Ruthven 115, Beukes van den Berg 90, Marcus Bakker 64, Alexander Volschenk 56, Riley Miller 25; Logan Fourie 4/71, Elgun Boecker 2/55); Hoërskool Centurion 141/10 (Charl Prinsloo 69; Jacques van Niekerk 2/7, Divan Beukes 2/23, Wian Ruthven 2/25). Waterkloof won by 244 runs.

Hoërskool Kempton Park 92/10 (Floors Mynhardt 24; Nayleo Sana 4/21, Stefan van Staden 2/11, Deon van Huysteen 2/13); Garsfontein 97/2 (Mohammed Aslam 51*, Reuben van Zyl 25; Marko van Voorst 1/19). Garsfontein won by eight wickets. 

Newly appointed first team hockey coach at Jeppe High School for Boys, Siya Sityana says he is relishing the opportunity of leading one of the most competitive hockey schools in the country come the 2024 hockey season.

Sityana joined the prestigious school earlier this year from Durban High School (DHS) and takes over the reins from Gilbert De Villiers, who has made the move to Jeppe’s Johannesburg rivals, St John’s College.

The charismatic, young, and energetic commercial subject teacher enters his new role with a wealth of experience, having competed at the highest level before proving himself a suitable candidate for the lead role at Jeppe.

In his short stint at school, Sityana coached the u16B team and claimed the Team of the Year accolade at Jeppe’s Hockey Awards. He also led the u16A side to victory in the u16 Top 8 tournament.

A further indication of the high regard in which he is held came when the former South African Schools player was tasked with the responsibility of coaching the u16 Southern Gauteng side at this year’s South African Hockey Schools IPT in Bloemfontein.

“Being appointed as the first team hockey coach at a school like Jeppe Boys High is a great privilege,” Sityana told SuperSport Schools in an exclusive interview.

“It comes with great responsibility but I’m very excited for the challenge.

“The difference between the two Provinces, KZN and Gauteng, is that schools there [in KZN] play with more structure, whereas this side it’s all about letting the boys play and express themselves.”

Sityana’s love affair with hockey began at a very tender age.

Hailing from King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape, the former Dale College pupil gradually climbed the playing ranks at school and provincial level before hanging up his stick to take his seat on the coach’s bench, dishing out instructions to players.

“I started playing hockey at Dale Junior when I was 12,” he reminisced, with a grin on his face.

“I used to run away from rugby practices, and that led me to hockey. I fell in love with the sport as the years passed, and that saw me go through the Dale Junior ranks.

“I played in the u13A team before playing u14s, and then making my debut for the first team at 15 years old, and that’s when I saw that hockey was for me.”

In 2013, Sityana represented the Amathole u18 team at the IPT in Cape Town. After the tournament concluded, he was named in the South African Schools side.

After matric, he attended the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN) in Pietermaritzburg. Apart from representing UKZN on the field, he also took on the task of coaching a team at Maritzburg College. As the saying goes, the rest is history.

“Being the head coach [at Jeppe] does come with a lot of pressure, even though I have the experience of coaching in different schools and assisting at Wits University,” Sityana said.

“I have experienced coaches in my corner, people that I learn from, so that makes me really feel at ease.

“I learn a lot from people, even players that are currently playing at a higher level, and I always take what’s positive and accept criticism.

“I think the experience I’ve gained, and the good people around me at Jeppe, will help me and the team going forward, and it will make things easier for us,” he added.

Jeppe’s 2023 hockey season was highlighted by an entertaining brand of hockey. The Gauteng side overran opposition week in and week out by employing a challenging, attacking approach while remaining resolute in defence.

Sityana says he is hoping for more of the same when the season kicks off next year.

“The goal for next season is to make sure we keep improving,” said Sityana.

“I don’t think it will be an easy season, but if we have a good pre-season, the results will just fall into place.

“As our motto says, ‘There’s nothing too difficult for the brave’, and we will try by all means to live up to that.”

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.

Northwood first team hockey coach Justin Collins has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading a promising group of u17 players at the Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia from the 18^th to the 26^th of November this year.

Organised by Malaysia’s National Hockey Development Program, and first held in 2022, the Mirnawan Cup is an international youth hockey tournament.

This year, the event, apart from Malaysia and South Africa, will also include England, Australia, Japan and India, with each fielding boys’ and girls’ teams.

Promising talent to represent South Africa

The South African boys’ team selected for the tournament has brought players from far and wide together, with the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape all represented in the national boys’ side.

Hilton College, Durban High School (DHS), Paul Roos, Wynberg Boys High and Bishops all have two players in the squad, while the provincial breakdown reveals seven players from Western Province, three each from KZN and KZN Inland, two from Boland, and one each from Southern Gauteng, Northerns and Amathole.

The selections include Tre’ Gilbert, from Selborne College, and Litha Kraai, who had a season to remember for SACS on the turf, and who is being tipped to wear the captain’s armband.

Jeppe, one of South Africa’s most reliable factories for SA Schools’ players, will have Joshua Renders representing the black and white.

The South African team will arrive in Malaysia on the 18^th of November, along with the other nations. They’ll in action the following day, a Sunday, with the action continuing through until Wednesday, which will be a rest day. The final will take place on Saturday, 26 November.

The team:

Nicholas Holmes (Maritzburg College), Joshua Renders (Jeppe Boys High), Grant Bridgeford (Hilton College), Dayle Gertson (Wynberg), Tre’ Gilbert (Selborne College), Robert Veldtman (Bishops), Lethabo Bogacwi (Durban High School), Jarred Kitto (Hilton College), Litha Kraai (SACS), James Grieve (Bishops), Lumi Matwele (Durban High School, in feature photo), Matthew Mendes de Oliveira (Kearsney College), Ruard Booysen (Pretoria Boys High), Ethan Lee (Wynberg Boys High), Reuben Sendzul (Paul Roos), Joshua Smit (Paul Roos), Reece Theunis (SACS), Joshua Mettler (Bishops).

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 eyes will be on St Stithians College from Thursday when the school hosts its prestigious annual Saints Water Polo Invitational. The action continues through until Sunday, when the finals take place.

The tournament, which promises to be one of the most competitive of the season, will see 40 teams, boys and girls, duelling for the honours.

It’s the 29th edition of the event, and it will see the Saints’ senior teams testing themselves against leading sides from throughout South Africa, and even beyond its borders.

The girls’ side is drawn in Group D alongside Zimbabwe’s Chisipite Senior School, Collegiate Girls High from Gqeberha, Diocesan School, and Kingsmead College.

Collegiate and DSG, from Makhanda, are the favourites to top the pool, after impressive showings by both at the Clarendon Stayers Tournament.

The St Stithians’ boys’ team, on the other hand, should expect to progress from their group. They’re one of the seeded sides and face a Grey College team that has struggled in recent tournaments. St Andrew’s College, though, should pose a stiff challenge after showing that they’re capable of mixing it up with the best in both the Clifton and SACS tournaments. Jeppe and Reddam House Constantia are the two underdogs in the group.

SACS aiming for a third title

The inclusion of the South African College High School (SACS) team in the event might be intimidating to some because SACS has excelled in recent months against the best teams in South Africa.

At the end of September, they won the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, defeating their rivals, Paul Roos, 7-6 in the final.

A week later, SACS hosted their inaugural Hussar Grill Water Polo tournament, which welcomed a rich collection of the country’s top water polo-playing schools, including, among others, Rondebosch Boys High, Northwood, Grey College, Hilton College, Clifton College, St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College and Selborne College.

On their road to the final, SACS were beaten 4-2 by Clifton – the only loss they suffered across the two tournaments – and they drew 1-1 with Bishops, but they won the remainder of their games, including victories against St Stithians, Grey High School, Kearsney College, Jeppe, Wynberg, St Alban’s, Grey College, St David’s, and Paul Roos in the final, which they won 6-3.

One of the Cape Town side’s strengths is its ability to get out of the blocks quickly. They’ve showcased a proactive mindset, especially in key matches, to chase the first goal aggressively, and then to quickly build upon that foundation. With a solid defence, it’s a tough ask for the opposition to come back from there.

SACS open their campaign with a tough outing against familiar opposition when they take on Bishops. They next face Pretoria Boys High, before tackling Michaelhouse on day two. They finish their group assignments against King Edward VII on Friday at 16:10.

While SACS will carry the tag of “favourites”, they will be wary of the challenge posed by a number of schools in the other groups.

Clifton, who won the KZN Top 10 Tournament, and finished third in the both the Clifton and SACS events, will also have something to prove in Johannesburg. They carry a strong tradition of excellence into the tournament,

Rondebosch and Bishops, both from Cape Town, will also have designs on the title, while the two sides from the Eastern Cape, St Andrew’s College and Grey High School, will surely embrace the “underdogs” tag.

The boys’ section has an early 07:00 start, with King Edward VII fronting up to Michaelhouse, followed by Rondebosch Boys against St Benedict’s and Clifton versus St Alban’s College.

 Country’s best female schools in action

The girls’ section of the tournament will also see some of the country’s finest talent on display, with many of the participants having proved through the course of the season that they’re among the best in South Africa.

Durban Girls College, Collegiate, St Mary’s Waverley, Clarendon High School for Girls, and Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) are expected to lead the charge for the top places.

Gqeberha’s Collegiate recently proved their class at the Clarendon Stayers, where they were beaten by the hosts in the final, going down to a last-second goal.

The action promises to be exhilarating, with the groups evenly matched.

Group A should generate some heat, especially when Durban Girls College, Pearson High School, and St Mary’s meet. Reddam House Helderfontein and St Dominic’s Catholic will also want to get in on the action.

Clarendon High School is, without a doubt, expected to dominate group B. They’re up against Reddam House Bedfordview, Reddam House Constantia, St Anne’s, and St Peter’s College. The East London school’s extensive experience of tournament play should stand them in good stead.

Among the other participating schools are Zimbabwe’s Chisipite Senior School and Crawford International College Lonehill. Kingswood College will also fly the flag for Makhanda at St Stithians, while Rand Park High and Kingsmead College are part of a strong Gauteng contingent of challengers.

The action gets underway with Hilton’s St Anne’s Diocesan School facing Reddam House Bedfordview. In the Olympic South Pool, Durban Girls College take on Pearson High School, before the Olympic North Pool plays hosts to a clash between Crawford Lonehill and Herschel Girls School.

The fixtures start from 07:50.

The groups are:

Girls:

Group A: Durban Girls College, Pearson High School, Reddam House Helderfontein, St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls, St Mary’s Waverley.

Group B: Clarendon High School for Girls, Reddam House Bedfordview, Reddam House Constantia, St Anne’s Diocesan, St Peter’s College.

Group C: Crawford Lonehill, Herschel Girls School, Kingswood College, Rand Park High, Roedean School.

Group D: Chisipite Senior School, Collegiate Girls High School, Diocesan School for Girls, Kingsmead College, St Stithians Girl’s College.

 

Boys:

Group A: Clifton College, Reddam House Helderfontein, St Alban’s College, St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College.

Group B: Afrikaans Hoer Seunskool (Affies), Grey High School, Hilton College, Rondebosch Boys High, St Benedict’s College.

Group C: Diocesan College (Bishops), King Edward VII, Michaelhouse, Pretoria Boys High, South African College Schools (SACS).

Group D: Grey College, Jeppe Boys High, Reddam House Constantia, St Andrew’s College, St Stithians Boys College.

Fixtures:

Day 1: Girls

Main Pool:

07:50- St Anne’s Diocesan College vs Reddam House Bedfordview; 10:20- St Dominic’s Catholic vs St Mary’s Waverley; 11:10- St Stithians vs Collegiate; 12:50- St Peter’s College vs Reddam House Bedfordview; 15:20- Kingswood College vs Herschel Girls; 17:00- Roedean vs Rand Park High; 17:50-St Stithians College vs Chisipite Senior School.

Olympic South Pool:

07:50- Durban Girls College vs Pearson High School; 08:40- DSG vs Kingsmead College; 10:20- Clarendon High School vs Reddam House Constantia; 12:50- Rand Park High School vs Crawford Lonehill; 14:30- St Mary’s Waverley vs Durban Girls College; 15:20- Collegiate vs DSG; 17:00- Reddam House Constantia vs St Peter’s College.

Olympic North Pool: 

08:40- Crawford Lonehill vs Herschel Girls School; 10:20- Roedean School vs Kingswood College; 12:00- Pearson High School vs Reddam House Helderfontein; 12:50- Kingsmead College vs Chisipite Senior School; 14:30- St Annes Diocesan vs Clarendon High School; 17:00- St Dominic’s Catholic vs Reddam House Helderfontein.

Day 2:

Main Pool:

07:50- Clarendon High School vs St Peter’s College; 10:20- St Dominic’s Catholic vs Pearson High School; 11:10- St Stithians vs Kingsmead College; 12:00- Durban Girls College vs Reddam House Helderfontein; 12:50- St Anne’s Diocesan vs St Peter’s College; 17:00- Herschel Girls vs Roedean School; 17:50- St Stithians College vs DSG.

Olympic South Pool:

07:50- St Mary’s Waverley vs Reddam House Helderfontein; 08:40- Collegiate vs Chisipite Senior School; 10:20- Reddam House Constantia vs Reddam House Bedfordview; 12:50- Herschel Girls School vs Rand Park High; 14:30- St Mary’s Waverley vs Pearson High School; 15:20- Collegiate vs Kingsmead College; 1700- St Anne’s Diocesan vs Reddam House Constantia.

Olympic North Pool: 

08:40- Kingswood College vs Rand Park High School; 10:20- Roedean School vs Crawford Lonehill; 12:50- DSG vs Chisipite Senior School; 14:30- Clarendon High School vs Reddam House Bedfordview; 15:20- Kingswood College vs Crawford Lonehill; 17:00- Durban Girls College vs St Dominic’s Catholic School.

Boys:

Day 1:

Main Pool:

07:00- King Edward VII vs Michaelhouse; 08:40- St John’s College vs St David’s Marist Inanda; 09:30- St Stithians vs Jeppe Boys High; 12:00- Michaelhouse vs Pretoria Boys High; 13:40- St David’s Marist Inanda vs Clifton College; 14:30- St Andrew’s vs Jeppe Boys High; 16:10- St Stithians Boys vs Grey College.

Olympic South Pool:

07:00- Rondebosch Boys High vs St Benedict’s College; 09:30- SACS vs Bishops; 11:10- St Alban’s vs Reddam House Helderfontein; 12:00- Reddam House Constantia vs Grey College; 13:40- Rondebosch Boys High vs Grey High; 16:10- SACS vs Pretoria Boys High.

Olympic North:

07:00- Clifton vs St Alban’s College; 07:50- St Andrew’s vs Reddam House Constantia; 09:30- Hilton College vs Grey High; 11:10- Affies vs St Benedict’s College; 13:40- Bishops vs King Edward VII; 15:20- St John’s College vs Reddam House Helderfontein; 16:10- Hilton vs Affies.

Day 2:

Main Pool:

07:00- Bishops vs Pretoria Boys High; 08:40- St John’s College vs St Alban’s College; 09:30- St Stithians vs Reddam House Constantia; 13:40- St David’s Marist Inanda vs St Alban’s College; 14:30- Jeppe Boys High vs Reddam House Constantia; 15:20- Clifton College vs St John’s College; 16:10- St Stithians College vs St Andrew’s College.

Olympic South Pool:

07:00- Grey High vs Affies; 09:30- Michaelhouse vs SACS; 11:10- Reddam House Helderfontein vs Clifton College; 12:00- St Andrew’s vs Grey College; 13:40- Grey High vs St Benedict’s; 16:10- SACS vs King Edward VII.

Olympic North Pool:

07:00- St David’s Marist Inanda vs Reddam House Helderfontein; 07:50- Grey College vs Jeppe Boys High; 09:30- St Benedict’s vs Hilton College; 11:10- Rondebosch Boys vs Affies; 12:00- King Edward VII vs Pretoria Boys High; 13:40- Bishops vs Michaelhouse; 16:10- Hilton vs Rondebosch.

After a poor batting performance against the previous weekend, when they were bowled out for well less than 100, Hilton College was looking for a far better showing from their talented batting line-up on Saturday at Northwood. They got it and went on to record a convincing 62-run victory.

The Knights’ Reece-Edwards Field is big, and one has to work for one’s runs on a well-considered surface, which usually offers something to both the batsmen and the bowlers. Therefore, Hilton’s 255 for 7 in their 50 overs should be considered in that context. It was a fine effort.

While the visitors lost Charles Swart early, his fellow opener Ben Hockly settled in for the long haul and played the anchor role. His determined effort brought him exactly 100, scored off of 129 balls, with 13 fours and one maximum. When he was the third man out, he had helped steer Hilton to 196.

Ivan Lockem provided valuable support, scoring 67 at close to a run a ball, with three fours and a six.

The Knights used eight bowlers, and it was the last man introduced into the attack, Kyle White, who made the greatest impact. He picked up 3 for 19 in four overs, including the wickets of Hilton’s two highest scorers.

A poor start in pursuit of a tough victory target doomed Northwood. Neither opener made it into double-figures and, while Mo Karodia and Evan Fouche tried to steady the innings, they fell for 14 and 21 respectively, as the home team stumbled to 58 for 4.

White, again, came to the rescue. In at six, he grafted for a well-played 68 from 97 balls, which included five fours and a six. Unfortunately for him, there wasn’t enough from the rest of the batsmen to enable Northwood to challenge Hilton’s 255. Fouche’s 21 was the next best.

Lively Ross Boast did the damage up front, sending two batsmen packing for a return of 2 for 18 from eight. Liyema Nela snared 3/28 from six overs, while leg-spinner Nic Chantler, almost always good for a few wickets, picked up 2/42.

After 43.5 overs, Northwood were all out for 193.

Anyone who has paid close attention to Michaelhouse cricket over the past season would not be at all surprised to learn that Murray Baker was at the forefront of their 92-run victory over Clifton on Saturday.

Baker was far and away his team’s top scorer, making 88, with five fours and two sixes, which was 59 more than the second highest scorer, Nathan Hoatson, managed.

House posted 215 for 7 in 45 overs, with Jayden Roux doing a good job of undermining their batting effort. He captured 2 for 27 in 7.1 overs, removing two of Michaelhouse’s first three batsmen, while Shiraz Perumal claimed 2 for 53 in nine.

Tim Saulez led Clifton’s reply, making 37. Jayden Roux added 24 to his strong effort with the ball, while Camdeon Riley struck a quick 24 from 22, and Shahzaad Perumal contributed 20 at the top of the order. The problem for Clifton was that there was little else to offer, with six batsmen making six runs or less.

Ethan Muir was the destroyer-in-chief, knocking over 4 for 29 in in 7.1 overs, while Nathan Hoatson snapped up 3 for 31 in nine as Clifton were bowled out for 123, just inside of 40 overs.

The topsy-turvy nature of cricket was evident in Glenwood‘s showdown with Westville Boys’ High. The previous weekend, they had comprehensively outplayed Hilton, rolling through the visitors’ batting with ease. This time around, it was Glenwood who were on the wrong end of that kind of treatment.

They managed only 78 all out against the Griffins, with just three players making it into double figures, led by Ciaran Roundtree‘s 24. Sean McGough sent four players packing, while Roxton Payne and Dayalan Boyce chipped in with two sticks each.

Nicandro Kistna then made 36 at the top of the order, providing the kind of foundation Westville needed in their reply. An unbeaten 29 from Kaeden McAllister then saw the Griffins over the line for the loss of only two wickets.

At Saint Charles, the weather had the final say as Saints and Maritzburg College shared a draw. The Red, Black, and White, batted first and posted a fighting 214 for 9, led by Chad Mason, who struck 84, a full 60 runs more than Liam Armstrong, who was College’s second-highest scorer.

Rowen Rajah shone for Saints, capturing 3 for 26 in seven overs, while Marcell Wellmann did a fine job of supporting the paceman, taking 3 for 38 in eight.

Cian Fortmann (feature photo), with 60 from 94, including five fours and six, and Sam Brown, with 31 from 39, with six fours, gave Saint Charles a terrific start to their run chase, combining for 57 for the first wicket.

Connor Riley contributed 21, but a late flurry of wickets, which saw Saints slide from 118 for 3 to 146 for 8, left them facing an uphill climb.

Chad Mason was on song for College with the ball, snaring 3 for 12 with his spin, to put the hosts under pressure. Oliver da Costa was also among the wickets, picking up 2 for 26 as the home side clawed their way to 146 for 8 when bad light and rain forced the players from the field.

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:

Hilton College 255/7 (Ben Hockly 100, Ivan Lockem 67, Kyle White 3/19); Northwood 193/10 (Kyle White 68, Liyema Nela 3/28, Nic Chantler 2/42)

Hilton College won by 62 runs

Michaelhouse 215/7 (Murray Baker 88, Nathan Hoatson 29, Jayden Roux 2/27, Shiraz Perumal 2/53); Clifton 123/10 (Tim Saulez 37, Camdeon Riley 23, Jayden Roux 24, Ethan Muir 4/29, Nathan Hoatson 3/31)

Michaelhouse won by 92 runs

Maritzburg College 214/9 (Chad Mason 84, Liam Armstrong 24, Sphimandla Dzanibe 23*, Rowen Rajah 3/26, Marcell Wellmann 3/38); St Charles College 146 for 8 (Cian Fortmann 60, Sam Brown 31, Chad Mason 3/12, Oliver da Costa 2/26)

Match abandoned due to bad light and rain

Glenwood 78/10 (Ciaran Roundtree 24, Sean McGough 4/20, Roxton Payne 2/2, Dayalan Boyce 2/20); Westville 79/2 (Nicandro Kistna 36, Kaeden McAllister 29*)

Westville won by 8 wickets

Kearsney College showed they are going to be a team to be reckoned with heading into 2024 after winning the Northwood Stayers Water Polo Tournament on the weekend.

During 2023, they had proved themselves to be one of the leading teams in KZN and, indeed, in South Africa. Now, with only two players matriculating, their cupboard is well stocked for future success.

While the stayers’ teams of Hilton College and Michaelhouse did battle on Saturday in Balgowan, where Hilton claimed a 14-10 victory, Northwood hosted Kearsney, Clifton College, DHS, Glenwood, Maritzburg College, Westville Boys’ High and Reddam House Helderfontein in an event that exposed the talent that will battle for the 1st team honours over the course of the next year.

Clifton had recently confirmed their status as KZN’s number one in 2023 by winning the KZN Top 10 Water Polo Tournament the previous weekend.

They had also been the top performing KZN school in the Clifton and Hussar Grill SACS tournaments. In Cape Town, they handed the hosts, SACS, the champions of both, their only loss. However, following their KZN Top 10 title-winning exploits, they said goodbye to a fair number of very experienced performers.

Still, with coach Paul Martin at the helm, Clifton is always in the running. They showed they meant business on Friday by brushing aside Reddam House 19-0. On Saturday, though, Westville scored a narrow 6-5 win over Clifton. It became clear that the Griffins, Clifton and Kearsney were the teams to beat.

Kearsney recorded a 7-1 win over Reddam House, but that was after only one quarter as lightning caused the game to be called off. Then, they further demonstrated their potential with a comfortable 13-6 win over the hosts, Northwood, who emerged as the fourth best team of the event. There was a suggestion, too, that there is better to come from the Knights after they beat Westville 8-5 on Sunday.

In a key contest on the final day, Kearsney battled Clifton for a place in the final. It was a tremendous tussle, with fortunes swaying one way and then the other. Neither team would buckle. It ended 8-8, so the contest went to a penalty shootout. It went the way of Kearsney, and they were into the title game.

Westville Boys’ High pushed their neighbours all the way in the title-decider, but when the final whistle sounded the scoreboard read Kearsney 8-6 Westville.

It was the first time in their history that Kearsney they had won the tournament.

RESULTS

Friday

Kearsney 19-3 Glenwood
Northwood 7-4 Maritzburg
Westville 14-8 DHS
Clifton 19-0 Reddam Helderfontein
Kearsney 16-1 Maritzburg
Northwood 7-3 Glenwood

Saturday

Kearsney 7-1 Reddam Helderfontein
DHS 8-12 Northwood
Clifton 15-6 Maritzburg
Westville 15-2 Glenwood
Clifton 5-6 Westville
DHS 14-6 Reddam Helderfontein
Northwood 6-13 Kearsney
Maritzburg 12 (1)-(0) 12 Glenwood
Clifton 13-6 DHS
Westville 11-2 Reddam Helderfontein

Sunday

Glenwood 3-8 DHS
Reddam 7 (1)-(2) 7 Maritzburg
Westville 5-8 Northwood
Kearsney 8 (1)-(0) 8 Clifton
DHS 10 (2)-(1) 10 Maritzburg
Northwood 4-6 Clifton
Westville 6-8 Kearsney

Since 2000, Kearsney College has produced, among others, Springboks’ Robert du Preez, Daniel du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez and Etienne Fynn, England internationals’ Brad Barritt and Matt Stevens, and Scotland international, Dylan Richardson.

Their Director of Sport is former Springbok, Waylon Murray. And, on Tuesday, they announced another former Springbok, Keegan Daniel, as the school’s new Director of Rugby.

Chatting with SuperSport Schools on Tuesday, the former Sharks, Kubota Spears and Bok flanker said he told the school’s Board, at his interview for the position, that if all they wanted to see were victories, he was not their man. “I certainly don’t believe in that. I think that mentality is not going to serve you well in life, regardless of whether you play sports or are you going into business.”

Daniel’s view is becoming an ever-increasing norm. The best coaches and leaders are focussing on the process, not the results. There is plenty of evidence, though, that a commitment to the right process usually leads to good results. And the boys are better served and better prepared for their futures, both on and off of the sports field.

It’s not as if Kearsney College would give its Director of Rugby a directive that includes a must-win clause, not that victories are unimportant, either.

There are other extremely important factors: Kearsney has a rich academic history and was the leading IEB school in KZN last year. It boasts a world-class arts and culture programme, which includes the Kearsney Choir, which has won 15 gold and seven silver medals at the World Choir Games and has been named the world champion on four occasions. There is only so much time one can devote to each aspect when a balanced holistic education is the goal.

“These are school kids and they’ve got a lot on their plates, and it certainly isn’t a professional environment where it’s win-at-all-costs and rugby is the only thing,” Daniel said.

Kearsney is a relatively small school compared to many others and the coaches and directors of the different sports need to be aware of the demands placed on the boys, many of whom participate in multiple sports.

Very few, if any, would go on to become professional sportsmen after their school days, Daniel said, so the goal is more rounded: “Hopefully, they will achieve some success on the field, but they will also be successful off the field, in terms of their academics and their culture and that sort of thing.

“We are going to focus on creating well-conditioned athletes. So, we certainly don’t want to create rugby players. That is not going to be our mandate. Our mandate is to create well-conditioned athletes, bearing in mind that we are coaching people. They are not robots. They are not professional athletes.”

Daniel pulled on the famous black and white jersey of the Sharks from 2006 to 2018. During that time, he played with many outstanding players, and under some exceptional captains and coaches.

Interestingly, the very first coach that comes to his mind as having made a big impact on him is Grant Bashford, who was recently appointed the Director of Sport at Clifton. Bashford, Daniel said, was hugely influential. “He has known me since I was 18 years old, and we coached together at Northwood.

“A lot of my philosophies and outlooks, I’ve learnt from Bash. He’s been a great mentor of mine, and I am hopefully going to try to emulate a bit of what I’ve taken from him and learned. Obviously, you put a bit of your own personal touch on it.

“At the end of the day, I think the decision-making process has to be about what’s for the betterment of Kearsney College, and what’s in the best interest of the people themselves. That’s what I loved about learning from Bash. You’ve got to put away your ego and your own personal agenda and make decisions based on those two factors.”

Daniel was a member of the Sharks during a period when the franchise had many strong leaders, from whom he also learned valuable lessons. “During that period, from 2006 to 2011, there were a lot of seasoned campaigners,” he said. “Certainly, guys within the set-up, like John Smit, Johann Muller and Stephan Terblanche, were all leaders in the team, and a guy like Jacques Botes. He was really underrated, but he was a leader within the team.”

Daniel, who was appointed captain of the Sharks in 2012, said Smit, the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning captain, now a good friend, was a fine role model: “I learned a lot from him in terms of engaging with people and how to handle the pressure of the media and leadership and all that kind of stuff.”

He added: “There’s no real definition of leadership. I think you are moulded by the experiences that you go through in life, and you take the good and you try and implement that, and you also learn from the things that you maybe wouldn’t want to see in your leadership style, or within your organisation.

“So, just harnessing those experiences and trying to implement that consistently, I think, is key.”

Explaining how he plans to lead, Daniel said he won’t micro-manage Kearsney’s rugby coaches. He wants them to be creative. However, what he wants to do is to create more alignment between the coaches, so that they’re speaking a common rugby language.

“I equate it to being in a choir, and we’re all trying to sing our best, and we are trying to play the instruments but, unfortunately, we have different hymn sheets at the moment.”

He wants to create a philosophy that everyone believes in and buys into, so that what Kearsney is trying to achieve is not just for the benefit of one team, but for the benefit of the whole rugby programme.

Daniel has experience of coaching at Kearsney himself. This past season, he took charge of a talented under-14 line-up. Interestingly, the game he speaks about most fondly is one that his team lost, going down 14-21 to a very good DHS side, which scored an intercept try and a try through a charge-down.

The Kearsney players, though, walked off the field smiling. Daniel asked them, why? They said it was because of the performance they had delivered. It wasn’t about the result. And he loved that. It meant he was teaching them the correct way. Their values aligned with his.

And there is another thing that is vitally important, he shared, from someone who wished him well on his appointment. “They said ‘Congrats. Have fun!’

“Often, we take this thing so seriously, or our position so seriously, that we forget to wake up each day and say, ‘let’s go and have some fun’.”

Looking out over the beautiful AH Smith Oval, the home of the Kearsney College 1^st cricket team, he concluded: “It’s an incredible opportunity. It’s a fantastic school, and there are numerous fantastic schools in KZN, but these boys have chosen Kearsney for their education, and they have to make the most of their five years.

“As coaches, we can do so much. We will create accountability in our players, so that they can get the most out of their experience.”

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.

Queen’s High School‘s batsmen led the way as they secured a narrow 12-run victory over St Alban’s College on Saturday.

Sanele Tshabalala set a fine example, top scoring with a mature 59 from 80 deliveries. Thereafter, Tshepiso Sinosi (58, 53b) and Mzwakhe Mkhwanazi (56, 46b) both notched up half-centuries to continue the good work with the willow.

Further contributions from Pranay Tailor (38) and Katlego Sekopane (20, 42b) ensured a wonderful day for the Queens’ batsmen as they accumulated 294/8 in their 50 overs, just shy of the 300-run milestone.

Tim Garnett was the pick of the St Albans bowler’s, bagging figures of 3/46 in 10 overs, while Liam Basch claimed 2/53 in his spell.

The St Alban’s reply looked almost dead and buried after a poor start to their innings. They stumbled to 49/4, chasing a mammoth 295, and needed something spectacular to get themselves back into the contest. They got it!

When Liam Basch was joined in the middle by Boago Motlhabedi, the pair set about repairing the damage and pulled their side right back into the fight. They combined for an astonishing 179-run partnership, which almost saw them pull off the unimaginable.

Basch’s innings of 123 not out from 122 deliveries will most certainly live on to be one of the best played by a St Alban’s representative, while Motlhabedi contributed an impressive 83 of his own.

However, a timely wicket from Katlego Sekopane (1/56) saw St Alban’s fall agonisingly short of the massive victory target, stranded 13 runs from the win as they ran out of overs with the total on 282/5.

Meanwhile, Jeppe High School for Boys came out on top in their clash against their old foes Helpmekaar Kollege.

After mustering only 145 all out, with Anthony Stone scoring 30 from 38 balls and Juan Minnaar weighing in with 23, the Helpie Bowlers knew it was up to them to win the match.

They nearly did as Jeppe found themselves in a world of trouble after slumping to 35/5, thanks to an impressive effort by Dihan Janse van Rensburg (3/38).

However, a 75-run partnership between Seth Fabry (45, 71b) and Tiago Almeida (42, 36b) resurrected the Jeppe innings and they eventually scraped home with three wickets to spare.

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: 

Queen’s High School 294/8 (Sanele Tshabalala 59, Tshepiso Sinosi 58, Mzwakhe Mkhwanazi 56, Pranay Tailor 38, Katlego Sekopane 20; Tim Garnett 3/46, Liam Basch 2/23); St Albans 282/5 (Liam Basch 123*, Boago Motlhabedi 83; Pranay Taylor 1/21). Queens College won by 12 runs. 

Helpmekaar 147/10 (Anthony Stone 30, Juan Minnaar 23; Shreth Kumar 4/48, Tino Mutekwa 3/15, Munib Ayob 2/23); Jeppe 148/7 (Seth Fabry 45, Tiago Almeida 42; Dihan Janse van Rensburg 3/38). Jeppe won by three wickets.