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Left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka burst onto the junior cricket scene last year when he stepped into the limelight at the u19 Cricket World Cup. His coaches and teammates will, however, tell you that his talent has long been evident, and his success comes as no surprise to those who have seen him grow as a player over the years.

After being called up to the u19 squad in grade 10, he has since become a key cog in the leadership group of the team. He has also enjoyed success in the professional environment as part of the SA A squad, the SA Emerging team, and now, the Paarl Royals, who have signed the exciting young talent from St Stithians for next season’s SA 20 competition.

“Next year is going to be challenging, but it’s going to be extremely fun”, Kwena said about the forthcoming season. “It’s a privilege and an honour to be a part of groups like the SA Emerging and Paarl Royal squads.

“Once you step into a professional environment you can feel the difference. The mindset is different, the coaches are different, and the playing level is higher. It definitely teaches you how to deal with things like pressure.”

But pressure does not seem to bother Kwena much. Having proved himself on some big stages already, he said he relishes the challenge.

“Personally, I felt that when I got into that high-pressure environment, I actually learned to enjoy the pressure quite a bit.”

One such example came at the u19 World Cup, where he not only witnessed Dewald Brevis’s masterful batting, but also had the opportunity to prove his mettle against Sri Lanka. He recalled: “It just felt like an opportunity to show the world what I’ve got, and being able to make the most of it was a really special feeling.”

In that match, despite South Africa going down, the young talent from St Stithians made a lasting impression. He’s one of the few left-arm quicks in the country able to sustain a constant, challenging probing attack.

Kwena’s cricketing talent was recognised even before he reached primary school. He recalled: “We had a mini-cricket tournament, and I remember the coaches telling my parents that they would need to buy me some cricket equipment because I would be playing for the A team the next year, alongside the third graders.”

His early development was shaped by his brother, Tetelo, who played a significant role in igniting his passion for cricket. “I started playing cricket as soon as I could walk,” Kwena said, remembering the countless hours he spent playing garden cricket, with a mini-bat and a tennis ball, with his older brother.

Older by six years, and a talented sportsman in his own right, Tetelo plies his trade at the Imperial Lions as an all-rounder. He’s also a left-arm bowler, but he doesn’t possess the pace of his younger sibling.

Kwena gives credit to his family for being a dependable support system along each step of his cricket journey. “I have a very strong support system in my parents and my brother, and a few coaches who I remain close to, who I have trusted with my cricket career completely along the way.”

Born and bred in Johannesburg, he also calls Limpopo home, as both his parents hail from the region. He joined St Stithians in grade eight and found himself in the first team by the end of grade nine.

Kwena acknowledges the profound impact the school and its cricket department have had on him. “I think they have shaped me in a number of ways to become a better person. There’s a lot that you learn on the cricket field, and a lot that you learn in a classroom that’s not necessarily even school-related.”

With another full season at St Stithians awaiting him next year, in addition to national and club commitments, Kwena remains focused on the present. “Our focus for the season is definitely on winning the Johnny Waite [T20 Knockout Tournament], and my personal goal for the team would be to go unbeaten for the rest of the season.”

As for the future, he is keeping his options open. “I’m not currently committed to anywhere after matric, but there are a few conversations going on. I think I would probably like to stay in Joburg, but my main focus right now is school and passing matric.”

Kwena isn’t just a cricket enthusiast; he’s a versatile athlete. He’s added provincial colours in tennis and hockey, to go along with his cricketing achievements.

He enjoys tennis, hockey and golf as a means to unwind when he’s not dealing with the demands of cricket. He’s also passionate about music and reading. “A coffee in one hand, a book in the other, it’s amazing,” he said.

His cricketing hero, he revealed, is the great South African fast bowler, Dale Steyn. He said he admires Steyn’s bowling style, and he has sought to incorporate some of Steyn’s characteristics into his own game. He fondly recalls watching Steyn charging in to bowl.

“Seeing the things he could do with the ball, seeing his aggression, watching the fiery way he played the game, was really exciting as a youngster. There are definitely a few characteristics of his that I have tried to develop in my own game,” Kwena concluded.

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In a remarkable display of leadership and skill, Queen’s College‘s first team captain, Ryan Denston, steered his side to a resounding victory over Cambridge High School on the weekend.

Denston’s performance was nothing short of exceptional, as he scalped eight batsmen, executed a crucial catch, and conceded a mere 15 runs, to help secure a memorable win for his team.

Denston’s bowling form bodes well for the exciting young talent as he prepares to take part in the final SA u19 selection camp this weekend. If he can maintain this level of performance, it will be hard for the SA selectors to ignore him.

On Saturday, Cambridge won the toss and elected to take to the middle first, hoping for a solid innings to put pressure on their Border rivals.

While their openers did their job well, surviving the initial Queen’s College bowling attack for the first 14 overs, Denston helped with the first dismissal, catching Alizwa Cekiso off a delivery by his teammate, Kholosa Klaas.

Following Klaas’s over, Denston took up the charge himself, striking down his first victim with the second delivery of his very first over.

Aqhama Mdlulwa showed some intent for Cambridge, hitting the only two sixes of the match, and Caleb Shaup defended well, but Denston’s accuracy meant his side ended the Cambridge innings nearly 20 overs shy of their allotment, leaving Queen’s needing only 97 runs for victory.

Shaup then fought spiritedly for Cambridge, capturing a wicket in the first over of the Queen’s reply, before also dismissing Lukan Hyke, Queen’s College’s top scorer, for 31.

Beaneo Maytham and Akho Ngesi did well to see out the game, though, taking their team to the 97 required in only 17 overs.

The Queenstown boys will seek to continue their momentum this coming weekend when they face Selborne in their final fixture of the year.

Summarised scorecard:

Cambridge High School 96 (Extras 26, Sange Sakuda 25; Ryan Denston 8/15); Queen’s College 97/2 (Lukan Hyke 31, Beaneo Maytham 24*, Akho Ngesi 21*; Caleb Shaup 2/23). Queen’s College won by eight wickets.

With the schools’ basketball season in full swing, Cape Town was the venue for an action-filled second edition of the Wynberg Basketball Festival from 13-15 October, where South African College High School (SACS) and Rondebosch stole the spotlight, with the hosts just behind them.

Joining Wynberg Boys’ High for the event were, among others, Constantia Waldorf, Bishops, Westerford, Harold Cressy, the International School of Cape Town, and Michael Oak Waldorf School.

Commenting, after the completion of a successful three days of competition, organiser Chris Merrington said: “The Wynberg Basketball Festival took great pleasure in presenting its second annual Basketball Festival this year for under-16 and under-19 teams. Matches played out in true festival spirit, with great competition and excellent performances from all sides.”

Merrington applauded the team that helped him organise the event, too, and said Wynberg is committed to growing the game of basketball, with the festival set to evolve and develop a full tournament structure in future.

He also congratulated Rondebosch (below) for winning the under-16 competition, and SACS for being crowned champions in the under-19 division.

SACS were tested in their first game against the hosts, with Wynberg knocking on the door until late in the fourth quarter, before succumbing by four points, 35-31.

The champions were, meanwhile, especially impressive in their clash with the American International School of Cape Town, running away to a 43-18 victory. They also outplayed the eventual runners-up, Rondebosch, 40-18 on Saturday.

As the tournament progressed, it became clear that they were the team to beat. Rondebosch had to settle for second, while Wynberg took third place.

In a reversal of the top two in the under-19 section, Bosch did a fine job of winning a series of tight games to capture the under-16 honours, while SACS were relegated to second place. The hosts, Wynberg, were, once again, third.

Clifton College were crowned the champions of the KZN Top 10 Water Polo Tournament on Sunday afternoon following a hard-fought 8-5 win over Hilton College in the final, played at the Clifton Aquatic Centre.

The two schools had established themselves as the class of the field with their clinical play during the course of the three-day event, with both finishing unbeaten in the group stages.

Kearsney put up a big fight against Hilton in their semi-final, with the boys from the Midlands winning an absorbing contest 10-9, while Clifton withstood a typically tenacious challenge from Northwood with greater assurance, claiming an 8-3 victory.

Then, in the last round of playoff games, Glenwood won 9-2 against the KZN Invitation team, Michaelhouse held off a furious Maritzburg College comeback to take seventh by a narrow 7-6 margin, and Westville Boys’ High had their sights dialled in as they ran out 17-7 winners against DHS to finish fifth.

Kearsney College appeared to be on cruise control for a comfortable win in the third and fourth playoff, having powered into a 5-1 lead over Northwood. But the Knights showed great character and kept pounding away at the Kearsney defence. They brought it back to 4-5, but eventually had to settle for a close 5-6 loss.

In the final, Clifton got away to the kind of start they would have wanted, quickly putting two goals into the back of the net, but Hilton returned the favour by levelling at 2-2. It was, however, as close as they got all game, as Clifton kept edging ahead.

The teams had recently met for third place in both the Clifton Water Polo Tournament and the Hussar Grill SACS Tournament, with Clifton winning 9-5 in the former and 4-2 in the latter. Once again, they held the edge over their opposition, this time by a three-goal margin.

“It shows the hard work the boys have put in. The first two days wasn’t what we wanted, but the boys came together and today we played very good polo and did what we had been working at the entire year. I think, in the pool, it definitely showed,” Clifton captain Mitchell Slade said after the final.

It was a challenging contest, he added, as Clifton and Hilton have played one another five or six times this year, which meant they knew each other very well.

However, playing at a venue the Clifton boys call “The Fortress” was something that he treasured and will always treasure, Slade said: “It is such an experience. I don’t feel this atmosphere anywhere else in South Africa, even though I have been to multiple national tournaments around the country. Playing here is amazing. I love the atmosphere at the pool. I wouldn’t choose to play anywhere else.”

Coach Paul Martin was delighted by his side’s success, and especially happy with their teamwork. “To be honest, there are no game winners in this team. I don’t have any superstars. Clifton has had teams in the past where there have been two or three guys that could win you a game. This has been a completely different group. It has been a team that has pulled together.

“When someone has made a mistake, or someone has done something wrong, others have come covered for them.

“This is one of the best, if not the best holistic team, that Clifton has had in a long time.”

FINAL STANDINGS

9th/10th: Glenwood High 9-2 KZN Invitation
7th/8th: Michaelhouse 7-6 Maritzburg College
5th/6th: Westville Boys’ High 17-7 DHS
3rd/4th: Kearsney College 6-5 Northwood School
1st/2nd: Clifton College 8-5 Hilton College

Olefa Padi shone with the ball to guide his side, Potchefstroom Volkskool, to a comprehensive victory over Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool on Sunday in the Westvaal North-South T20 Tournament. He was outstanding, capturing 4 for 17 from his four-over spell to set Volkies on the path to victory.

Berno de Klerk played a vital role, too, sending three batsmen back to the pavilion, as he returned figures of 3 for 30.

Volkies, batting first, started well, thanks to De Klerk, who powered his way to an impressive 50 from just 28 deliveries.

However, it was Kobus Pienaar who stole the show. He swung the bat freely and often, sending the ball to all parts of the ground as he amassed a blistering 63 from just 31 balls. His innings, which boasted a healthy scoring rate of 203, included four fours and a staggering five sixes.

Heinrich Muller led the way for the Affies’ bowlers, signing off his North-South campaign with the impressive figures of 2/23 from his four overs.

Chasing 190 for victory, the usually consistent Affies’ batsmen couldn’t get into gear. They clawed their way to 67/6 before the reliable Janco Purchase launched a counter-attack, blasting 48 from just 24 balls.

Unfortunately for the Pretoria boys, not even 35 from Divan de Villiers was able to give their innings a much-needed boost, and they slumped to a meagre 126 all out, which left Potch Volkies the convincing winners by 63 runs.

Rondebosch came out firing in their last game, thumping a strong Grey College side by 66 runs. Batting first, Bosch’s Noah Heath made good use of the friendly surface, delivering an exquisitely played innings of 89 from only 53 deliveries.

Captain Jordan Neill, the scorer of two centuries earlier in the tournament, chipped in with 28, to help his side to a respectable 182/5.

The exertions of the past few days appeared to catch up with the Grey College batsmen, with lapses of concentration causing them to lose wickets at regular intervals. Raeeq Daniels was the pick of the Bosch bowling, claiming 2/26 in his four overs.

Under pressure, only Henru de Wet appeared to have answers to the Cape Town team’s attack. He made a well-played 22, but all around him the Grey innings crumbled as the Bloem boys stumbled to 116 all out.

Summarised scorecards:

Potchefstroom Volkskool 189/6 (Kobus Pienaar 63, Berno de Klerk 50, Attie Liebenberg 24, Ludwich Schuld 20; Heinrich Muller 2/23, Nicolai Bester 2/28); Affies 126/10 (Janco Purchase 48, Divan de Villiers 35; Olefa Padi 4/17, Berno de Klerk 3/30). Potchefstroom Volkskool won by 63 runs.

Rondebosch 182/5 (Noah Heath 89, Jordan Neill 28; Darion Rabie 2/33); Grey College 116/10 (Henru de Wet 22; Raeeq Daniels 2/26). Rondebosch won by 66 runs.

Other Results:

St Andrew’s School 157/8 (Naude Botha 29, Jordan van der Berg 27, Connor Nel 26, Schalk Liebenberg 23; Blake Simpson 2/18); Westville Boys’ High 158/4 (James Kruger 73, Aryan Gopalan 44; Liebenberg 1/21). Westville won by six wickets.

Selborne College 204/7 (Jacques van der Merwe 104, Tre Gilbert 41, Ethan Currin 22; Dawico Kruger 3/13, DW van Rooyen 2/47); Hoërskool Nelspruit 112/10 (Vaughn van Zyl 38, Dawico Kruger 20; Qina Nuka 3/19, Ethan Currin 3/33). Selborne College won by 92 runs.

Hard work paid off for Durban High School on Saturday, as they saw off the visiting Maritzburg College by four wickets, thanks to Josh van Biljon‘s stellar unbeaten innings of 64.

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Having won the toss, Maritzburg took to the crease first and established a sturdy foundation for their innings.

Openers Caleb Thomas and Liam Armstrong were the linchpins, with Thomas reaching the half-century mark and Armstrong, who showed unwavering determination to quell the early assault from Durban High’s bowling attack, adding 20 from 59 deliveries.

Having finally toppled the opening pair, though, the DHS bowlers were clinical in working their way through the rest of the College lineup to dismiss the visitors for 156 in 44 overs.

Bhavesh Naicker and Krien Jughoo were outstanding for the home side, combining to take six wickets for the loss of only 41 runs.

Knowing they had a low total to chase, the DHS opening duo of Ismaeel Omar and Ethan Cooper patiently established a solid platform for their team.

It was, however, Van Biljon, who proved to be the difference. Despite Chad Mason excelling for Maritzburg with the fine bowling figures of 4/32, Van Biljon stubbornly resisted the College attack to lead the Horseflies to a statement victory over their big rivals.

On Dixon’s, Kyle Bryan led the Glenwood bowling charge as they knocked over Hilton College for just 81, which was exactly halfway to their victory target total. His contribution was key to the Green Machine’s success, as he sent the last three Hilton batsmen packing at a cost of only 12 runs.

In a game where runs were hard to come by, Glenwood’s joint-top scorers, Cameron Laing and Sbonelo Phewa, with 26 each, made all the difference for their side.

Despite an inspired innings by Camdeon Riley, who compiled a fantastic, unbeaten 94 against their formidable opponents, Clifton did not have enough in the tank to overtake the 227/9 posted by St Charles College in their match at the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday.

Riley resolutely resisted, but off-spinner Brendon Sunguro caused havoc among the rest of the batting lineup, snapping up five Clifton wickets for 44.

Half-centuries by the Zimbabwean international Sunguro and Cian Fortmann had propelled the team from Pietermaritzburg to a defendable total on a big outfield, but Riley’s 94 not out from 95 deliveries was undoubtedly the batting performance of the day.

Summarised scorecards:

Maritzburg College 156 (Caleb Thomas 53, Bryn Brokensha 21, Liam Armstrong 20, Extras 20; Bhavesh Naicker 3/15, Krien Jughoo 3/26, Ethan Cooper 2/29); Durban High School 157/6 (Josh van Biljon 64*, Extras 32, Bhavesh Naicker 20; Chad Mason 4/32). Durban High School won by four wickets.

Glenwood 161 (Cameron Laing 26, Sbonelo Phewa 26, Extras 24, Kyle Bryan 22; Matipa Denenga 2/18, Matthew Stewart 2/21, Ethan van Heerden 2/26, Brett Cutting 2/36); Hilton College 81 (Ross Boast 20; Kyle Bryan 3/12, Sbonelo Phewa 2/16, D Naraidu 2/20). Glenwood won by 80 runs.

St Charles’ College 227/9 (Brendon Sunguro 62, Cian Fortmann 50, Ntandoyenkosi Zuma 35, Daksesh Rajah 25*; Huzaifah Badat 2/23, Tim Saulez 2/33, Shiraz Perumal 2/45); Clifton College 161 (Camdeon Riley 94*, Extras 34; Brendon Sunguro 5/44, Jehan Adonis 2/32). St Charles College won by 66 runs.

 

Waterkloof made history by becoming the first team to win two Westvaal North-South T20 Tournaments, and they did it with titles in successive years. The Pretoria boys achieved the feat after defeating their fellow city dwellers, Menlopark, in the 2023 Final on Sunday.

At a windy Camp Discovery, the Klofies had an opportunity to wield the willow first. Divan Behrens, who was on song from his team’s very first outing, continued his good form in the title-decider.

He set the tone with an important 40 from just 26 deliveries and, together with Wian Ruthven (34, 19b), the pair led a recovery after the loss of an early wicket.

Riley Miller also got in on the act with a vital 30, while Franco Cronje weighed in with 28. Their cameos helped Klofies to a respectable and very defendable 162/10, with their last wicket going down off the last ball of the innings.

Tiaan Serfontein, who spearheaded the Menlo attack, shone with the ball, returning the impressive figures of 4/31 from his four overs.

In reply, the fearsome Steve Stolk got Menlo off to the kind of start they needed. He was ruthless on anything off-length, smashing an aggressive 39 from only 19 balls.

The turning point, however, came from the bowling of Jacques van Niekerk. His miserly spell of 2/18 in four overs drastically swung the momentum back in favour of the Klofies and heaped pressure on the opposition’s batsmen.

Franco Cronje, after his important 28 with the bat, showcased his all-round game by picking up 3/56 with the ball.

Wian van Deventer resisted boldly, striking a superb 51 not out from just 27 deliveries. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t quite enough to get his team over the line, with the Klofie bowlers holding the powerful Menlopark batting line-up to only 151/9 to claim a historic 11-run victory.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius and St Stithians finished their campaign strongly with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Grey High. The left-hander rounded off his tournament with a second century in as many days, racing to 109 not out from a mere 50 deliveries.

His opening partner, Liam Mudenda, also enjoyed good form with the bat throughout the event and added a good-looking 34 at the top of the order.

The Saints’ mainstay with the ball, Kwena Maphaka, put Grey High on the back foot, with two wickets up front, which played a vital role in restricting the side from Gqeberha to 156 for 7 from their 20 overs. The left-arm paceman finished with 2/37 in his final spell of the tournament.

For Grey High, Corbi van Heerden (46, 31b) put up his hand with the bat. He exhibited some wonderful stroke-play to come up just four runs shy of what would have been a richly deserved half-century.

Kian Cambier chipped in with an impressive 36 from 27 balls and, lower down the order, Xander Elkington contributed a much needed 34, to privode some late impetus to the Grey batting effort.

However, with Pretorius and Mudenda in imperious form, the Grey bowlers were unable to prevent St Stithians from cruise to a convincing victory.

Summarised scorecards

Waterkloof 162/10 (Divan Behrens 40, Wian Ruthven 34, Riley Miller 30, Franco Cronje 28; Tiaan Serfontein 4/31, Steve Stolk 2/27, Matt van der Westhuizen 2/31); Menlopark 151/9 (Wian van Deventer 51, Steve Stolk 39; Franco cronje 3/56, Jacques van Niekerk 2/18, Hernus Marais 2/18). Waterkloof won by 11 runs.

Grey High 156/7 (Corby van Heerden 46, Kian Cambier 36; Kwena Maphaka 2/37); St Stithians 163/2 (Lhuan-dre Pretorius 109*, Liam Mudenda 34; Xander Elkington 1/30). St Stithians won by eight wickets.

Other Results

SACS 167/7 (Oliver Whitehead 57, Hamish Anderson 47; Logan Fouri 2/21, Charl Prinsloo 2/32, Wouter Kielblock 2/36) Hoërskool Centurion 169/9 (Morne Prinsloo 44, Judah Phillips 28*, Pieter Naude 26, Divan van Tonder 25, Jayden Meyer 25; Fayyaad Adams 3/22). Hoërskool Centurion won by one wicket.

Wynberg Boys’ High 235/5 (Xavier Garvs 117, Ben Hansen 78; Pieter Geldenhuys 2/28, Christiaan Bourbon Leftley 2/57); Paarl Boys High 178/5 (Borboun Leftley 50, Johan Wege 46, JJ van der Sandt 38, Gideon du Toit 20; Naas Beets 2/24, Divan Linde 2/25). Wynberg Boys’ High won by 57 runs.

A hat-trick of goals by Liam Hansen, to go along with goals from Connor Maree, and Thomas Caswell secured an impressive, hard-fought (5-2) victory for Selborne College against St Andrews College in the inaugural Woodridge Stayers Water Polo tournament at Woodridge on Sunday.

Selborne, who attended the SACS Water Polo tournament late last month were looking to improve their overall performance having finished outside the top five in Cape Town.

The East London side was seeded in Pool B, alongside Pearson High School, Stirling High School, and Somerset College.

The visitors were expected to win their pool convincingly and they did, thumping all of their opposition to make their route to the final smooth.

In their three pool matches, Storm Siebert’s side scored a mammoth 51 goals while only conceding one goal.

These came from a (16-1) whopping of Pearson High School, (21-0) demolition of Somerset College, and a (14-0) breeze past Stirling High School.

In the play-offs, they put 18 goals past Woodridge before thumping Glenwood House (19-8) to set themselves clear of a final against St Andrews College, who had to go to penalties to win their semi-final (9-8) against Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys.

The final was nothing short of competitive as Selborne dominated proceedings from the get-go.

The side recorded eight goal attempts, converting five, while St Andrews converted two of their five attempts.

Selborne also recorded a high number of blocks and steals, eight compared to St Andrews’ six. They also managed to score two goals in the first two chukkas, controlling the game until the fourth quarter when St Andrews registered their goals.

Reacting after the match, head coach, Storm Siebert said he was delighted with his side’s performance considering it was a young group of players.

“The boys played really well, I think our route to the final was a bit simpler than some of the other teams but when we needed to step up, the boys definitely did, and the results showed.”

The Stayers tournament has been designed to give players staying at school the following year an opportunity to test their skills in first-team colours.

Siebert says it’s extremely important that the young players get an opportunity to get some experience under their belts ahead of next year.

“There are no Matriculants in this team, it’s a stayers tournament for all the players staying next year.”

“It’s vitally important – just to get the boys together, playing and gelling together for next year, it’s very important to us – and will help in the fixtures against St Andrews and Grey that we still need to play.”

In other matches on the final day, Wynberg thrashed Glenwood House (11-0) before a spirited fight by Gqeberha’s Pearson High saw them clinch a (5-2) win against Merrifield.

Scorers:

Selborne College 5: Liam Hansen (x3) Connor Maree, Thomas Caswell. St Andrews 2: Coel Trollip, Nick Franklin.

Results:

Day 1:

Glenwood House 16, Saheti 4; Selborne College 16, Pearson 1; Striling 9, Somerset College 5; Woodridge College 8, Hudson Park 5; Grey High School 19, Grey 2nds 1; Alexander Road 2, Kingswood College 20; Wynberg Boys’ High 16, Invitational 3; St Andrew’s College 16, Merrifield 4; Grey High School 19, Alexander Road 1; Grey 2nds 9, Kingswood College 9; Invitational 2, Merrifield 9; St Andrew’s College 6, Wynberg Boys’ High 6; Hudson Park 10, Saheti 11; Woodridge College 9, Glenwood House 11; Pearson 4, Stirling 4; Somerset College 0, Selborne College 21.

Day 2:

Woodridge 16, Saheti 4; Glenwood House 14, Hudson Park 3; Selborne 14, Stirling 0; Pearson 9, Somerset College 2; Grey High 16, Kingswood 1; Grey 2nds 12, Alex Road 5; St Andrews 17, Woodridge Invitational 0; Wynberg 20, Merrifield 0.

Play-offs:

Woodridge 11, Grey 2nds 5; Kingswood 15, Saheti 4; Stirling 10, Merrifield 3; St Andrews 20, Pearson 0; Glenwood House 9, Stirling 3; Selborne 18, Woodridge 4; Grey High 7, St Andrews 8; Wynberg 17, Kingswood 1; Merrifield 5, Hudson 2; Grey 2nds 10, Somerset College 3; Saheti 7, Woodridge Invitational 3; Pearson 15, Alex Road 3.

Day 3:

Selborne College 19, Glenwood House 8; St Andrews 9, Wynberg 8; Merrifield 0, Grey 2nds 0; Pearson 14, Saheti 2; Woodridge 8, Stirling 7; Grey High 12, Kingswood 3; Somerset College 9, Hudson 5; Woodridge Invitational 9, Alex Road 3; Kingswood 8, Stirling 7; Hudson 9, Alex Road 4; Grey High 17, Woodridge 4; Wynberg 11, Glenwood House 0; Pearson 5, Merrifield 2; Selborne 5, St Andrews 2.

Under-15 final

Enthusiasts and supporters alike filled the ground at Mzimhople in Orlando, Soweto, on Sunday for an eagerly awaited under-15 final of the Linda Mntambo Soccer Tournament, with the Hammanskraal Sports Academy facing Khukza for the title.

Hammanskraal had surged into the gold medal game with a convincing 3-0 win over Sir P United in the semi-finals, while Khukza had sent Daveyton All Stars, the defending champions, out of the tournament with a 2-1 victory.

As the match got underway, Hammanskraal settled quickly. Showing good composure when on the ball, they dominated possession. Khukza, who looked to attack through their skilful and pacey wingers, tried to counter Hammanskraal’s possession-based approach by man-marking with high intensity.

Hammanskraal returned the favour by playing a high pressing game, with their backline hovering around the halfway line. Forcing Khukza onto the defensive, the Sports Academy launched a series of attacks which had the opposition’s backline scrambling throughout the first half.

Khukza had their moments, with their flair entertaining the crowd, but the tactically disciplined and well organised approach of Hammanskraal was dictating play and it almost brought them a goal just before half-time. They had the ball in the back of the net, but an offside call denied them the lead.

It was a busy opening stanza for the Khukza goalkeeper. In contrast, Hammanskraal’s net-minder appeared to be on vacation at the opposite end of the field.

After the break, Hammanskraal picked up where they had left off, neutralising any threats posed by Khukza.

Finally, they made the breakthrough, with Junior Numayo giving them the all-important lead. Having hit the front, it didn’t take long for Hammanskraal to double their advantage through Nhlayisi Nthite.

That’s how it stayed as Hammanskraal Sports Academy claimed the title of champions of under-15 section of the fourth edition of the Linda Mntambo Soccer Foundation Tournament by two goals to nil.

Inaugural Ladies Tournament: Linda Mntambo Foundation Soccer Games  

Meanwhile, the Diepkloof Ladies team was crowned the champions of the inaugural girls’ competition following a 1-0 win over Mighty Ladies in the final.

Diepkloof midfielder Gontse Makhothi, nicknamed Xavi after the Barcelona legend, pulled the strings in the engine room for the winners, which allowed them to control the tempo of the contest. She was well supported by Nompumelelo Ntsele, who shone on both ends of the field.

It was an evenly contested clash, with both teams playing attacking football and seeking to close down the other’s offensive forays on the flanks. Both goalkeepers were put to the test.

After the game, an elated Linda Mntambo said he would like to see the tournament reaching even greater heights and becoming a national event during the school holidays.

“More than anything, we do not want this to end. We are creating a legacy so that we can also have something tangible for the next generation.  With sponsors coming in to support us, we are positive that we can create something bigger than us,”, he said.

The Linda Mntambo Foundation, its past and its future

Mntambo founded the tournament during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 at a time when the South African economy was under severe strain, with many people losing their jobs. Recalling the impact of the pandemic, he said: “I have always been the one to offer my hand. In 2020, I realized that through a foundation I could reach a much bigger scale and I could reach out to other establishments and stakeholders to assist our communities.”

The former Jomo Cosmos and Orlando Pirates midfielder continued: “I was raised by iKasi, and now it’s time to give back and not forget who I am and where I come. I did not want to wait until I retire in order to start giving back to the youth. Hence the Linda Mntambo Foundation Soccer games was established,” he said.

Concluding, Mntambo said the football games served a purpose beyond the field of play: “The beauty of the tournament is that we are giving a platform to the young people to showcase their talent, to [also] raise awareness against alcohol abuse, drug abuse and gender-based violence.

“We are taking an opportunity to take our kids off the streets and try by all means to give them something meaningful.”

Individual Awards

Players of the tournament – Junior Nyumayo
Match of the match – Molebogeng Maluka
Defender of tournament – Tshepiso Rakau
Goalkeeper of the tournament – Tiesetso Motshengwa

KIMBERLEY. – The annual Absa Wildeklawer-tournament will have some international flavour for the 2024-edition of South Africa’s premier schools rugby festival.

Two school teams from New Zealand and England respectively will also be in action in an even bigger Absa Wildeklawer in 2024, with the English team yet to be announced. The New Zealand school will be St John’s College from Hamilton.

The festival of rugby will also be bigger than ever before with some new faces that will make their debut in 2024, while a few former participants will also return to showcase their prowess.

Noordheuwel of Krugersdorp and Nico Malan of Humansdorp will be making their debuts at next year’s event, while Waterkloof and Marlow Landbou will make their return to the annual festival.

The tournament will be hosted once again by Hoërskool Diamantveld from 1 to 4 May in Kimberley.

The main match on the final day will be one of the highlights of the tournament as Grey College and Garsfontein will face each other. Paarl Gimnasium and Helpmekaar will lock horns in the main curtain raiser to the main match.

Paul Roos will face Monument of Krugersdorp in their first match in Kimberley, while Affies will take on Paarl Boys’ High in their first clash on the Wednesday. The tournament will start with the hosts, Diamantveld, taking on the Wolramme from Marlow Landbou.

The main match on the Thursday will be between Grey College and Maritzburg College. This clash would also generate some interest as these two schools have traditionally faced each other in interschools on an annual basis.

Boishaai will take on Durban High School in their second clash in the City of Diamonds.

The Fixtures:

Wednesday, 1 May 2024

16:00 – Diamantveld vs Marlow Landbou
19:00 – Affies vs Paarl Boys’ High

Thursday, 2 May 2024

A-field

08:00 – Noordheuwel vs Glenwood
09:30 – Outeniqua vs Waterkloof
11:00 – Oakdale Landbou vs Durban High School
12:30 –  Paarl Gimnasium vs EG Jansen
14:00 – Boland Landbou vs Helpmekaar
15:30 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Monument
17:00 – Garsfontein vs Stellenberg
18:30 – Grey College vs Maritzburg College

B-field

13:50 – HTS Drostdy vs Welkom Gimnasium
15:10 – Framesby vs St John’s College (Hamilton)
16:30 – Nico Malan vs Europe School

Saturday, 4 May 2024

A-field

08:00 – Stellenberg vs EG Jansen
09:30 – Oakdale Landbou vs  Affies
11:00 – Outeniqua vs Europe School
12:30 – Boland Landbou vs Monument
14:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Durban High School
15:30 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Maritzburg College
17:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Helpmekaar
18:30 – Grey College vs Garsfontein

B-field

11:20 – Waterkloof vs Marlow Landbou
12:40 – Noordheuwel vs Nico Malan
13:50 – Framesby vs Welkom Gimnasium
15:00 – Glenwood vs HTS Drostdy
16:10 – Diamantveld vs St John’s College (Hamilton)