Hoërskool Rustenburg after their 31-run victory over Potchefstroom Gimnasium, which booked them a place in the Switch Schools SA20 Central Region final on Sunday against St Andrew’s School. Photo: Provided.
Hoërskool Rustenburg underlined just how unpredictable the T20 format can be in the semi-final round of the Switch Schools SA20 Central Region playoffs on Saturday.
Relive all the Switch Schools SA20 action on SuperSport Schools – (www.superpsportschools.com)
Rusties pulled off a major upset on the Ibbies Oval, at North-West University, defeating the only unbeaten side in the competition, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, by 31 runs.
In Phase One of the competition, Rustenburg lost to Gimmies in the North West final, so Saturday’s win represented redemption of the highest order for last year’s North West champions.
Rustenburg’s bowling attack proved decisive. Thian Labuschagne, the leading wicket-taker countrywide in Phase Two of the tournament, added two more scalps to his tally, including that of the dangerous Christivan Coetzer with the second ball of the innings.
His remarkable tournament figures now read 11 wickets for 87 runs from four matches, with an exceptional strike rate of 8.4 balls per wicket and an economy rate of just 5.6 runs per over in the four matches he has played since Friday morning.
While Callie Fryer shares second place on the wicket-taking chart with eight dismissals, it was his contribution with the bat that made a greater impact in the semi-final showdown. He top-scored with a crucial 53 from only 42 balls, striking four fours and two sixes in the highest individual score for Hoërskool Rustenburg in their 151/3.
Augie Behrens and Hendri Kemp, meanwhile, supported Thian Labuschagne well and exerted further pressure by claiming a combined four wickets for 48 runs. Behrens was the most economical of the trio, nabbing 2/19.
Lukas Kotze (27) and Henré Cronjé (21) briefly revived Gimmies‘ hopes of a successful chase, but a couple of run outs halted their momentum, and Potchefstroom Gimnasium was restricted to 120 all out in 16.3 overs, well short of the victory target of 152.
In the other semi-final, on the NWU Main Oval, the Central Region’s defending champions, St Andrew’s School, booked their place in Sunday’s final with minimal fuss. Saints swept aside Hoërskool Trio, cantering to a convincing eight-wicket victory after dismissing the Kroonstad side for just 57.
Nikhil Sukraj, who, like Callie Fryer, boasts eight wickets from four matches, led the attack with figures of 3/19 and was ably supported by Schalk van Rensburg (2/11) and Erhard Barends (2/22).
What made the Bloemfontein side’s bowling performance particularly impressive was their discipline: across the 12 overs they bowled, not a single extra was conceded – a reflection of a championship-quality attack and a well-drilled unit.
On Sunday, Rusties will take a second shot at Saints after they lost by a big margin of 95 runs to the Bloemfontein boys on the first day. This time, though, a place in the national final of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two competition will be on the line.
Trio 57 (Dylan Young 24; Nikhil Sukraj 3/19, Schalk van Rensburg 2/11, Erhard Barends 2/22); St Andrew’s School 58/2 (Dean Katzin 30*; Zothile Zwane 2/15). St Andrew’s School won by eight wickets.
An impressive victory on Saturday morning for the North West Switch Schools SA20Volume Two champions, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, has set up a mouth-watering rematch with their provincial runners-up, Hoërskool Rustenburg, in one of Saturday afternoon’s semi-finals in Potchefstroom.
Relive all the Switch Schools SA20action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
Their six-wicket triumph over the Central Region’s defending champions, St Andrew’s School, saw Gimmiesadvance to the knock-out stage as the only unbeaten side in the tournament.
Opening batsman, Christivan Coetzer, chose the perfect moment to rediscover his best form. His match-defining 67 at the top of the order, which featured a telling late acceleration, came from just 45 deliveries and included five towering sixes and two fours.
He was well supported by Lukas Kotze, who contributed a fifty on day one. Kotze continued his fine run of form with a composed 31 as Gimmies completed a successful run chase off the first ball of the 20th over. For Saints, FG Botha came good, with his 49 from 42 balls playing a pivotal role in lifting the Bloemfontein side to a competitive total.
Rustenburg dominated their game against Hoërskool Kalahari. Tristan van der Linde led the way with the bat, recording his first half-century of the weekend, but it was a devastating spell from Callie Fryer that truly decided the contest. After contributing a valuable 33 with the bat, he ripped through the Kalahari top order, claiming 4/4 in a sensational three-over burst.
From the opposite end, Thian Labuschagne provided excellent support, capturing 3/18, and, between them, the pair shared seven wickets for only 28 runs in the opening eight overs, which effectively ensured a successful defence of their 140-run total. In the end, Rusties cruised to a 53-run victory.
Saints will meet Hoërskool Trio in Saturday afternoon’s second semi-final after the Kroonstad outfit outplayed St Patrick’s Christian Brothers College by seven wickets at the JB Marks Oval on Saturday morning.
Anthonie Pelser was the standout performer. He produced a devastating spell that wrecked the Kimberley side’s innings. After making an early breakthrough, he struck three times in a single over and finished with an exceptional 4/8 from his four overs, as St Patrick’s was skittled for just 62.
Summarised scorecards
St Andrew’s School 140/7 (FG Botha 49, Reuben van Aarde 28; Ruhann Steenkamp 2/21, Damian Kruger 2/24); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 142/4 (Christivan Coetzer 67, Lukas Kotze 31; Ryle Beckmann 2/25). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by six wickets.
Hoërskool Rustenburg 140/4 (Tristan van der Linde 50, Carl Fryer 33, Andries Fryer 22; Shane Corner 1/7); Kalahari 87/10 (Kopano Mosienyane 36; Carl Fryer 4/4, Thian Labuschagne 3/18). Hoërskool Rustenburg won by 53 runs.
St Patrick’s Brothers College 62/10 (Omphile Magwaca 17; Anthonie Pelser 4/8, Jayden Jones 2/0); Trio 66/3 (Dylan Young 26*, Pedri Wilken 24*; Daniel Feder 2/21). Trio won by seven wickets.
Semi Finals
Potchefstroom Gimnasium vs Hoërskool Rustenburg – Ibbies Oval
St Andrew’s School vs Hoërskool Trio – NWU Oval
Jason Rowles scored 98 for South Africa against Afghanistan in their opening match of the ICC u19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in Windhoek, but Afghanistan took the win.
A composed 98 off 93 deliveries from Jason Rowles was in vain as the South Africa u19 Men‘s team was bowled out for 238 in a 28-run loss to Afghanistan in their opening match of the ICC u19 Men’s Cricket World Cup at the HP Oval in Windhoek on Friday.
Chasing 267 for victory, Rowles anchored the South African innings, holding it together as wickets fell around him.
CornéBotha, Daniel Bosman, and Lethabo Phahlamohlaka provided late resistance with contributions in the twenties, but the victory target ultimately proved beyond reach.
Earlier, South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first. Afghanistan posted a competitive 266/8 from their 50 overs, built around solid knocks from Faisal Khan (81) and Khalid Ahmadzai (74).
The pair shared a crucial 152-run partnership before Uzairullah Niazai added an unbeaten 51, giving Afghanistan a healthy total to defend.
Botha and Bayanda Majola were the pick of the South African attack, with both claiming three wickets.
Reflecting on his innings, Rowles said the early stages of the run chase required patience and discipline.
“It was quite tough up front, especially after losing a couple of early wickets, but I knew I had to stick in because the wicket got better as the innings went on. I felt I played the spin well and had clear boundary options, but, unfortunately, I couldn’t take the team over the line, which is disappointing.
“We’ve learned a lot from this game, and one big positive is that we showed fight throughout. We’re prepared for the next match and won’t let this loss affect us. We know what we’re capable of in the bigger picture.”
South Africa u19 Squad: ICC u19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026
Muhammad Bulbulia (Captain-KZN Inland), JJ Basson (Lions), Daniel Bosman (Western Province), Corne Botha (Lions), Paul James (Western Province), Enathi Khitshini (SWD), Michael Kruiskamp (Western Province), Adnaan Lagadien (Western Province), Bayanda Majola (Dolphins), Armaan Manack (Lions), Bandile Mbatha (Dolphins), Lethabo Phahlamohlaka (Titans), Jason Rowles (Lions), Ntandoyenkosi Soni (Eastern Province), Jorich van Schalkwyk (Titans).
SA u19 Men Fixtures: ICC u19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 (15 January – 6 February)
(All matches start at 09:30)
Friday, 16 January – Afghanistan v South Africa, HP Oval, Windhoek – Afghanistan won by 28 runs.
Monday, 19 January – South Africa v Tanzania, HP Oval, Windhoek
Thursday, 22 January – West Indies v South Africa, HP Oval, Windhoek
Tuesday, 3 February – First semi-final, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Wednesday, 4 February – Second semi-final, Harare Sports Club, Harare
St Andrew’s College made light work of the challenges brought by Alice RPC and Mqanduli Village. Photo: St Andrew’s on Facebook.
St Andrew’s College and Selborne College overpowered their opposition on day one of the Eastern Cape leg of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Phase Two matches on Friday.
Both sides finished the day at the summit of their respective pools. St Andrew’s leads Pool A, where they’re up against Alice RPC and Mqanduli Village, while Selborne is top of Pool B, facing Grey High and Nomandi.
St Andrew’s College
St Andrew’s dispatched Mqanduli and Alice with relative ease in two rain-interrupted matches at the Bohemians Oval. Their first port of call was an eight-wicket win over Mqanduli in a 12-over per side match.
Rhys Wiblin, the St Andrew’s College captain, won the toss and elected to bowl first. His attack responded well to their skipper’s show of faith and restricted Mqanduli to 47/6, before the College batsmen raced to 48/2 in seven overs.
Wiblin top-scored with an unbeaten 25 from 20 balls, and he received support from Thomas Lake, who tallied 12 from 15 balls. Akhumzi Ntleki was a shining light for Mqanduli, with an unbeaten 15 from 25 balls, while the rest of their batsmen perished for single-figure scores.
Later in the day, Connor Holder struck an unbeaten 91 from only 62 balls to set St Andrew’s up for a 15-run win over Alice. His half-century drove St Andrew’s to 133/4 in 18 overs. Alice was on 38/2 in reply when the rain stopped the match. That left them below Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score.
Holder looked as if he was batting on a different surface because none of the batsmen on either side were able to record a strike rate of 100 or more. St Andrew’s College’s Ben Scharges, who scored the second-most runs in the match, managed 20 from 29 balls, while Alice’s Ambesa Linda was unbeaten on 18 from 22.
Selborne College
Cian O’Neil took centre stage as Selborne cantered to a six-wicket win over Grey High in a key showdown before thrashing Nomandi by 215 runs. Both matches were played at the Old Grey Sports Club.
When the toss went Selborne’s way, they bowled first in an 11-over per side contest. That was a good call. They limited the hosts to 68/4 before rocketing to 75/4 in 8.5 overs. O’Neil smashed 21 on only seven balls, while Thomas Lyon anchored the innings with an unbeaten 19 from 18 balls.
Later in the day, O’Neil retired out, after scoring a brisk 28-ball 62, to set Selborne up for a total of 243/7 against Nomandi. Avethandwa Manyongo and Matthew Hendry also had fun with the bat at Nomandi’s expense. Manyongo faced 23 balls for his unbeaten 45, while Hendry scored 43 from the same number of deliveries.
Nomandi’s run chase ended before it began. Thobela Sibonda scored a laboured 10 runs from 22 balls as they crumbled for only 28 from 13.1 overs. Aphelele Ruze, who scored five from 13 balls, was the second-highest scorer, but no other batsman made it to three runs.
O’Neil led the Selborne bowling attack with 3/5 in three overs. Afika Xuba snapped up 2/10, while Reid Drake, Titus Sweetnam, and Matthew Hendry took a wicket each.
Summarised Scorecards
St Andrew’s College 133/4 (Connor Holder 91*, Ben Scharges 20; Nonophelo Gidane 2/28, Y Makholiswa 1/27). Alice RPC 38/2 (Ambesa Linda 18*, Lithabo Gantsho 8; Oliver Whitaker 1/4, Thomas Bussiahn 0/15). St Andrew’s College won by 15 runs (DLS).
Mqanduli Village 26/10 (Sibahle Bango 7, Sinakekele Sele 5; Obakhe Memani 3/1, Logan Groch 3/2, Usman Niazi 3/2). Grey High 27/0 (Cullen Marais 13*, James Upton 9*). Grey High won by 10 wickets.
Mqanduli Village 47/6 (Akhumzi Ntleki 15*, Sibahle Bango 7; Oliver Whitaker 2/14, James Badenhorst 1/5). St Andrew’s College 48/2 (Rhys Wiblin 25*, Thomas Lake 12). St Andrew’s College won by eight wickets.
Grey High 68/4 (Cullen Marais 27*, Connor Parry 25; Rosh Els 2/8, Lwando Gwaza 1/18). Selborne College 75/4 (Cian O’Neil 21, Thomas Lyon 19*; Anfred Jansen 2/12, Obakhe Memani 1/13). Selborne College won by six wickets.
Alice RPC 84/3 (Awonke Ngini 37, Lithabo Gantsho 20; Thobela Sibonda 2/19, Khulani Pikiso 1/13). Nomandi 23/10 (Lizalise Rhadebe 5, Wanda Tenjwa 5; Nonophelo Gidane 3/1, Unakho Njalisa 2/2, Alungile Soga 2/3). Alice RPC won by 61 runs.
Hilton College captain Robert Burman let his bat do the talking as he led his side to the KZN regional title in the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two competition. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton College produced an outstanding performance in the field to set themselves up for a win over Westville Boys’ High in the boys’ final of the KZN region’s Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two competition on the Pietermaritzburg Oval on Friday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, Hilton rested their frontline strike bowlers, Sechaba Gude and Sange Qangule, for their clash against St Charles College in a rematch of the Tusker’s final; Hilton had already qualified for the final, while St Charles was out of the running.
Playing at home, though, Saints produced a strong all-round performance to cruise to a nine-wicket win with 3.4 overs to spare. It wasn’t that Hilton didn’t try hard. They did, but they played within themselves in preparation for the title game.
Northwood, the defending KZN champions, meanwhile, engaged in a tightly contested clash with Westville for a place in Friday’s final. There was little to separate them on this occasion on Goldstone’s, at Maritzburg College, but the Griffins just held off the Knights, winning by a nail-biter by a mere two runs to secure their place in the main match.
The toss in the title game went Westville skipper Kyle McGough‘s way, and he elected to bat first, something which Hilton captain Robert Burman had been hoping to do. “We weren’t too unhappy to lose the toss,” he admitted to SuperSport Schools Plus. “There had been a few low scores on this field, so we didn’t mind bowling first.”
That decision worked out very well for Hilton, who quickly put the skids under Westville’s batting effort, led by the fresh fast bowling duo of Gude and Qangule. Just six overs into their innings, Westville found themselves five wickets down, battling to keep their heads above water, on 24/5.
They couldn’t put a partnership together, and a pivot to the spin of Benoit Rey paid immediate dividends for Hilton College as he captured two wickets in his first over to leave the Griffins in a spin on 47/8 after 11.5 overs.
At last, though, Westville found a response of sorts, with Jamie Hasselbach and Ewan du Toit adding 20 for the ninth wicket before Hasselbach was bowled by Qangule for 17, the highest score of the innings.
Du Toit went on to finish on 16 not out, but a run out of Michael Hopkins, after a direct hit from close range from Gude, was a further tough blow for the Dolphins’ champs, who were all out for 73 in 18 overs.
Both Benoit Rey and Luke Wilson claimed 2/11 in three overs, while Gude returned 2/15 from four, and Qangule 2/17 from three.
That winning feeling! Hilton College hoists the Switch KZN Schools SA20 Volume Two winner’s trophy. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton’s bowlers had done a fine job. Now, though, their batsmen needed to come through. They did. They didn’t need to score many runs.
An opening partnership of 39 in seven overs got Hilton more than halfway to the victory target before Barack Munawa was caught by Jamie Hasselbach while driving on the up off Misbah Nair. He had hit four fours in his 22 from 25 balls, which turned out to be the highest individual score of the game.
The captain, Robert Burman, followed Munawa back to the pavilion in the ninth over for 16, with the total on 52.
Westville realised they were going to lose, but they embraced the situation, showing one another strong support while playing the game with a smile and staying loose, and that fun-filled approach brought them success, with paceman Michael Hopkins to the fore.
He dismissed three batsmen within the space of six runs, but Ben Wilson, batting third in the order, was still there, and, when the fifth wicket went down, Hilton was on 72/5, only two runs shy of victory. With the field up to prevent singles, Wilson went over the top, hitting a four, to seal the win for his side. He was unbeaten on 19 from 20 balls.
Michael Hopkins, who took the new ball, bowled a fantastic second spell for Westville and was rewarded with the game’s best bowling figures of 3/12 from four overs. Misbah Nair utilised changes of pace effectively to capture 2/22 from four. But the day belonged to Hilton College.
Reflecting on his team and how they have started the year, Hilton skipper, Robert Burman, said: “While our batters haven’t been at their best, our bowlers have been so good.” Hilton’s top-order batting, though, has started the season with far greater consistency than the side showed in 2025.
“The top three – Barack, Ben, and I – have been good and consistent. That has worked well for us,” he said with a smile.
Burman also credited Greg Miller, Hilton’s Director of Rugby, for doing an outstanding job of working on the players’ mental approach to the game. “We’ve learnt a lot from him,” he said, “and mentally, we are tougher than we were last year.”
The skipper played a big role in his team’s four wins over the two days of the Switch Schools SA20 regional final, with a half-century and a splendid century on Friday. “You’re always waiting for that next big score. Last year, I struggled with the bat, but Mr Miller has helped me to improve my game so much from the mental side of things,” Burman said.
“Valuing your wicket is so important,” he added. “In the first game of the SA20 (a 33-run win over Northwood), it was a tricky wicket, and I struggled, thinking I had to hit a boundary, but if you just keep on batting and value your wicket, you manage to score runs.”
Sweetwaters Hub vs Chatsworth Hub – KZN Girls’ final
In the girls’ final, Shreya Subbiah, played a starring role for the Chatsworth Hub with both bat and ball, leading them to an emphatic 10-wicket win over the Sweetwaters Hub.
The local side, Sweetwaters, batted first and received a good innings from Kirsten Kaltwasser at the top of the order. She scored 29 from 31 balls, striking four fours, before she became one of five Subbiah victims.
Unfortunately, for Kaltwasser, only Lego Motsepa, besides her, reached double figures, and she just made it, being dismissed for 10 exactly. Between them, the rest of the batters contributed only three runs, with six players losing their wickets without scoring. But 12 extras helped.
Subbiah, the fifth bowler used, tore through the Sweetwaters’ batting, knocking over 5/4 in 3.2 overs. Aadya Mohun excelled, too, snagging 3/16 from four and, after 15.4 overs, the Sweetwaters Hub was all out for only 55.
It took Chatsworth’s opening batting pair, Subbiah and Sinothando Matamela, nine overs to seal the win.
Subbiah finished with an unbeaten 27 from 21 balls, with four fours, while Matamela hit the only six of the match and also added two fours in her 23 not out from 19 deliveries.
Summarised scorecards
Boys’ final
Westville Boys’ High 73/10 (Jamie Hasselbach 17; Luke Wilson 2/11, Benoit Rey 2/11, Sechaba Gude 2/15, Sange Qangule 2/17); Hilton College 76/5 (Barack Munawa 22; Michael Hopkins 3/12, Misbah Nair 2/22).
Hilton College won by five wickets.
Round-robin games
Westville Boys’ High 142/9 (Kyle McGough 46, Misbah Nair 21; Luc Boyall 2/27, Thabiso Mtambo 2/31); Northwood 140/7 (Thomas Oosthuizen 33, Luc Boyall 27, David de Bruyn 27; Misbah Nair 3/22). Westville Boys’ High won by two runs.
Hilton College 113/6 (Ben Wilson 38*; Relebogile Mokoena 3/14); St Charles College 115/1 (Matthew Weightman 39*, Thandolwethu Zama 38, Keegan Vermaak 22; Daniel Christie 1/18). St Charles College won by nine wickets.
Reuben van Aarde in action during the Switch Schools SA20 2025 in Potchefstroom. Van Aarde is again a pivotal piece of the Saints’ batting order. Photo: Supplied.
Potchefstroom Gimnasium and the defending Central Region champions, St Andrew’s School, made early statements of intent on Friday in Potchefstroom, ending the day as the only unbeaten sides while laying down strong markers as potential finalists in the Switch Schools SA20 Phase 2 event.
Relive all the Switch Schools SA20 action live on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
Gimmiesand Saintshead into the final round-robin matches on Saturday morning with perfect records after back-to-back victories on the opening day.
They meet on the Ibbies Oval at 09:00 in a contest that could prove to be a dress rehearsal before a rematch of the sides in the final.
On the North-West University Oval, Gimmies handed St Patrick’s Christian Brothers College their second defeat of the day. A composed 45 from Ulrich Botha at the top of the order, followed by an unbeaten 56 from Lukas Kotze off just 32 balls, laid the platform for the hosts to post a competitive 165/5 in their 20 overs.
With the ball, Tlhoni Thabatha’s probing line and length proved decisive as he claimed three wickets, which helped to restrict the Kimberley school to 86/8. Kieran Abrahams was the lone bright spark for St Patrick’s, finishing unbeaten on 34 from 39 deliveries in a valiant rearguard effort.
Saints, meanwhile, had to weather a stern examination from Hoërskool Rustenburg’s Thian Labuschagne and their fast bowling spearhead Callie Fryer at the JB Marks Oval.
Fryer, already named as a non-travelling reserve for the SA u19 World Cup squad, strengthened his credentials with a new-ball spell of 3/27, which left the Bloemfontein side in a challenging position on 53/3 after seven overs. Labuschagne then bettered that return by snaring 4/26.
A resilient lower-order batting effort, however, turned the tide. Heindré Serfontein contributed a vital 37 from only 28 balls, supported by 20 from opener, Jonathan Hickley, while 24 extras also boosted the Saints’ total, which finished on 176/9.
Their bowlers then delivered the most clinical collective display of the day. Bohlokwa Leheta was outstanding, returning 3/6 from four overs at a miserly economy rate of 1.5, while FG Botha added 2/31 as the Rustieswere restricted to 81/9 in response.
Hoërskool Kalahari’sJanco Noeth claimed the spotlight with the highest individual score of the day in a four-wicket victory over Hoërskool Trio, of Kroonstad. His explosive 63 came from just 27 deliveries and included four sixes and six fours.
Noeth and Myburgh de Klerk (33) also combined for a match-winning 83-run partnership for the fourth wicket, a result that could prove crucial with one round remaining before the semi-finals, with everything still to play for in the short format.
Summarised scorecards
Potchefstroom Gimnasium 165/5 (Lukas Kotze 56, Ulrich Botha 45, Christivan Coetzer 24; Otlwile Diphokoja 2/47); St Patrick’s Christian Brothers College 86/8 (Kieran Abrahams 34*; Tlhoni Tabatha 3/12). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by 79 runs.
St Andrew’s School 176/9 (Heindré Serfontein 37, Extras 24, Johnathan Hickley 20; Thian Labuschagne 4/26, Carl Fryer 3/27); Hoërskool Rustenburg 81/9 (Andries Fryer 27; Bohlokwa 3/6, FG Botha 2/31). St Andrew’s School won by 95 runs.
Trio 148/7 (Zothile Zwane 32, Robbie van der Vyver 22*, Dylan Young 22, Myburgh Jacobs 20, Extras 20; Carl Thole 2/15, Kabelo Pitsoyakgosi 2/16); Kalahari 149/6 (Janco Noeth 63, Myburgh de Klerk 33; Pedri Wilken 3/25). Kalahari won by four wickets.
Nikhil Sukraj, of St Andrew’s School, in action during Phase 3 of the Switch Schools SA20 in March 2025. Photo: Switch Schools SA20 on Facebook.
The defending Central Region champions in the Switch Schools SA20, St Andrew’s School, and their chief rivals for the weekend’s playoffs, Hoërskool Rustenburg and Potchefstroom Gimnasium, all made winning starts on Friday morning in Potchefstroom.
Relive all the Switch Schools SA20 action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
At the JB Marks Oval, Nikhil Sukraj‘s leg spin proved decisive for St Andrew’s against Hoërskool Kalahari.
After Saintshad posted 142/6, the side from Kuruman was bundled out for just 68 in reply, with Sukraj’s four overs costing a mere 15 runs while yielding four wickets.
A disciplined bowling display from Wilrich Mostert (2/25) helped to restrict the Bloemfontein outfit to a moderate total after Saints had appeared set for something bigger following a 95-run opening stand between Johnathan Hickley and Dean Katzin.
Hickley registered the first half-century of the playoff weekend, striking a vital 58 off only 40 deliveries, and Katzin, the national u17 squash champion, weighed in with 39 from 35 before Sukraj took centre stage with the ball to dismantle the Kalahari line-up.
On the neighbouring fields at North-West University, both Hoërskool Rustenburg and Potchefstroom Gimnasium won comfortably.
The Rustiesaccounted for St Patrick’s Christian Brothers College on the Ibbies Oval, while the Gimmiesbrushed aside Hoërskool Trio on the main NWU Oval, with both sides recording five-wicket victories in low-scoring encounters. Rustenburg was set a target of just 81, while the Potch Gim required only 83. Spin, once again, played a central role in those matches.
For Rustenburg, Hendri Kemp was outstanding, returning figures of 3/12 from his four overs, while Thian Labuschagne shone with 2/13. For the Gimmies, opening bowler Damian Kruger, ironically a seam bowler, produced the best figures of the opening round, claiming 4/11 in his four overs. He was ably backed up by Ruhann Steenkamp (2/22) and Tlhoni Thabatha (2/26).
While all three fancied sides emerged victorious, the batting units of the North West schools will be keen to regroup after unconvincing run chases, which featured a series of soft dismissals, turning routine pursuits into uncomfortable exercises.
Summarised scorecards
St Andrew’s School 142/6 (Johnathan Hickley 58, Dean Katzin 39; Wilrigh Mostert 2/25); Kalahari 68/10 (Shane Corner 25; Nikhil Sukraj 4/15, Erhard Barends 2/15). St Andrew’s School won by 74 runs.
St Patrick’s Christian Brothers College 80 (Kieran Adams 29, Extras 25; Hendri Kemp 3/12, Thian Labuschagne 2/13); Hoërskool Rustenburg 81/5 (Tristan van der Linde 28; Gildo Masum 2/8, Otlwile Diphokoja 2/24). Hoërskool Rustenburg won by five wickets.
Trio 82/10 (Iwan du Plessis 25; Damian Kruger 4/11, Ruhann Steenkamp 2/22, Tlhoni Thabatha 2/26); Potchefstroom Gimnasium 86/5 (Bennet Keet 20*, Henré Cronje 18*; Zothile Zwane 2/19, Pedri Wilken 2/26). Potchefstroom Gimnasium won by five wickets.
Jeppe put together an unbeaten clinical campaign in Phase Two of the Switch Schools SA20 tournament. Photo: Jeppe on Facebook.
Ryan Young scored a sublime 47 off only 31 balls to set Jeppe up for a 27-run win over King Edward VII (KES) in their Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two Phase Two clash on the La Valla Oval at St David’s Marist Inanda on Friday.
“Really happy for the boys. They deserve it. Let’s see where we can go in Phase Three, but I’m just happy the boys are doing us proud at Jeppe,” Casey Arnold, the Jeppe coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus after the victory, which qualified the Kensington school for the national finals.
Casey’s charges shrugged off challenges from KES, Hoërskool Nelspruit, and Middelburg Hoërskool in the preliminary rounds of Phase Two and completed their campaign on a high note with a second win over KES in two days in the regional final, which brought together the top two qualifiers from Central Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
In the title decider, the toss went Young’s way, and the Jeppe captain chose to bat first. He, then, led his side to 137/7 before his bowlers and fielders turned in a solid all-round performance to bowl out KES for 110 from 18.5 overs.
Young might have second-guessed his decision to bat first when Jeppe lost Vegas Scott with only one run on the board. Aiden Reyneke (17) and Phemelo Sekopane (24) stabilised matters with a 43-run second-wicket partnership, however. Zizi Mkhize came in at number four, but his stay in the middle was brief and produced just five runs.
His exit, though, created room for Young, who took over in the middle and took control of the innings. He struck five fours and a single six in his crucial knock, and he was also part of a 70-run fifth-wicket partnership with Lincoln Casais (27), which took the match away from KES.
Tyler Cloete dismissed three of Jeppe’s top run-scorers, getting rid of Young, Sekopane, and Reyneke, on his way to a superb return of 4/13 from four overs. Despite Cloete’s excellent spell, Jeppe mustered a challenging total.
In reply, Luke Clark was quick out of the blocks for KES, racing to 45 from only 30 deliveries to get the boys in red off to a solid start with his opening partner, Tiago Dias, who made 21, and combined with Clark for a 64-run stand in just over nine overs.
Unfortunately, for KES, the rest of their batting line-up was unable to make use of that strong platform. Seven of the next nine batsmen fell for single-digit scores, and the two that made it to double figures managed only 10 and 11 apiece.
Reza Ayob led the charge for Jeppe with the ball, knocking over 3/18 in three overs. He received superb support from Sekopane, who shut down the KES run scoring and picked up 2/9 in his four overs. Mkhize, meanwhile, nabbed 2/24 from three overs.
Summarised Scorecards
Jeppe 137/7 (Ryan Young 47, Lincoln Casais 27; Tyler Cloete 4/13, Abdullah Mohammed 2/18). KES 110/10 (Luke Clark 45, Tiago Dias 21; Reza Ayob 3/18, Phemelo Sekopane 2/9). Jeppe won by 27 runs.
Nelspruit 107/5 (Marcus Froneman 34*, Luan Siebrits 22; Keegan Hendey 1/14, Steele Grooteman 1/19). KES 113/4 (Troy Gordon 43*, Tiago Dias 28; Kesha Moore 2/24, Safwaan Miller 1/12). KES won by six wickets.
Middelburg 116/8 (Gavin Genis 27, Hendré Nel 23; Reza Ayob 2/22, Zizi Mkhize 2/25). Jeppe 119/4 (Aiden Reyneke 56*, Vegas Scott 18; Herman Potgieter 1/11, Ricardo Ras 1/18). Jeppe won by six wickets.
Deidré van Rensburg during the South Africa u19 women’s national cricket team training camp at the CSA Centre of Excellence on 3 November 2023, in Pretoria. Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images.
DURBAN: The Cricket South Africa (CSA) Youth XI suffered a 31-run defeat against Zimbabwe in the sixth and final round-robin match of the Youth T20 Tri-Series at the Chatsworth Oval, in Durban, on Friday.
Despite the loss, the CSA Youth XI progressed to the final, edging out Zimbabwe on net run rate by a narrow 0.04. They’ll take on the unbeaten South Africa u19 Women in the decider.
In Friday’s clash, Zimbabwe recovered from a tricky start to post 120/5, with Salem Museka recording an aggressive 23-ball 40. The Youth XI mustered 89 all out from 19.2 overs in response, with Museka continuing her fine day by claiming 4/15 with the ball.
The invitational side won the toss and elected to put the visitors in to bat Early on, that decision was rewarded, with Nthabiseng Nini (2/19) causing problems for Zimbabwe’s opening pair. She dismissed both Nicollette Nyika and Christina Mutasa for first-ball ducks in the first over of the match.
Zimbabwe steadied their innings through Nokutenda Makanhiwa (25) and Tadiwa Garutsa (21), who added a valuable 34-run partnership for the third wicket. The stand was broken in the sixth over when Jemma Botha (1/12) trapped Garutsa LBW, reducing the visitors to 35/3.
Lorraine Pemhiwa (8) joined Makanhiwa and helped to lift the score to 59/3 before the Youth XI struck again, with Maria van der Vyfer (1/3) and Jeze Campher (1/12) removing both batters in quick succession.
With Zimbabwe needing a strong finish, Makanaka Zinyama (17) and Museka combined for an unbeaten 58-run partnership, which guided their side to a solid 120/5 at the close of their innings.
In reply, the CSA Youth XI endured a difficult start to their run chase. After the openers, Jeze Campher (0) and Chanel Venter (0) were dismissed early by Christina Mutasa (1/13) and Buhlebenkosi Maposa (2/13) respectively, Museka stormed through the middle order, claiming four crucial wickets, to leave the Youth XI reeling on 37/6 after nine overs.
Despite resistance from Van der Vyfer (19), Ashley Sibanda (17*), and Bruzaan Goosen (15), wickets continued to fall regularly. The CSA Youth XI was eventually bowled out for 89 in 19.2 overs, handing Zimbabwe a 31-run victory.
The Tri-Series final will take place on Sunday, 18 January from 13:00 and will be broadcast live on CSA’s YouTube page.
CSA Youth XI Squad
Jemma Botha (Western Province), Jezé Campher (Garden Route Badgers), Bruzaan Goosen (Eastern Storm), Simone Lourens (Titans), Siphokuhle Masilela (Eastern Storm), Nthabiseng Nini (North West), Diara Ramlakan (Central Gauteng Lions), Puseletso Sekhute (North West), Gabriella Sequeira (Titans), Ashley Sibanda (Central Gauteng Lions), Oluhle Siyo (Western Province), Maria van der Vyfer (Boland), Deidré van Rensburg (North West), Chanel Venter (Titans)
SA u19 Women’s Youth T20 Tri-Series against Zimbabwe u19 Women and CSA Youth XI
1st T20 SA u19135/4 (Mieke van Voorst 35, Karabo Meso 29; Buhlebenkosi Maposa 1/32, Salem Maseka 1/30); Zimbabwe u19104/8 (R. Mpofu 15, Lorraine Pemhiwa 14; Miya Lalor 2/13, Ziya Mohanlall 2/18). SA u19 won by 31 runs.
2nd T20
SA u1978/6 after 10 overs ( Karabo Meso 36, Mieke van Voorst 23; Nthabiseng Nini 4/15, Jeze Campher 1/7); CSA Youth XI67/3 after 10 overs (Jemma Botha 24, Chanel Venter 18; Cayleigh Wanckel 1/17, Shelfa Mukhari 1/3). SA u19 won by 21 runs.
3rd T20
SA u19 152/5 (Mieke van Voorst 56, Miya Lalor 45; Nthabiseng Nini 2/31, Bruzaan Goosen 1/33); CSA Youth XI 132/7 (Chanel Venter 45, Deidré van Rensburg 24; Cayleigh Wanckel 1/22, Miya Lalor 1/23). SA u19 won by 20 runs
4th T20 CSA Youth XI 134/7 (Jeze Campher 37, Gabriella Sequira 22, Tadiwa Garutsa 2/14, Christina Mutasa 1/24); Zimbabwe u19116/8 (Makanaka Zinyama 41, Nokutenda Makanhiwa 24; Jeze Camphor 3/15, Puseletso Sekhuthe 2/18). CSA Youth XI won by 18 runs.
5th T20
Zimbabwe u19 95/10 (Makanaka Zinyama 23, Christina Mutasa 12; Ziya Mohanlall 3/12, Melissa van der Merwe 3/12); SA u19 96/5 after 14.2 overs (Mieke van Voorst 45, Miya Lalor 16; S. Museka 3/22, Buhlebenkosi Maposa 1/11). SA u19 won by 5 wickets.
6th T20
Zimbabwe u19 120/5 (Salem Museka 40, Nokutenda Makanhiwa 25; Nthabiseng Nini 2/19); CSA Youth XI 89/10 (Maria van der Vyfer 19, Ashley Sibanda 17*; Salem Museka 4/15, Buhlebenkosi Maposa 2/13). Zimbabwe u19 won by 31 runs.
Sunday, 18 January
Youth T20 Tri-Series Final at 13:00 – SA U19 Women vs CSA Youth XI, Chatsworth Oval, Durban.
Issued by: Cricket South Africa – Corporate Communications
Matt Fenn, who represented Western Province u19A at the Inter-Provincial Tournament in December 2025, will be in action for Bishops in home waters. Photo: TeamPhotoSA
The second edition of the Bishops Diocesan CollegeWater Polo Festival will see some of the Western Cape’s best teams in action on Saturday in Cape Town.
The annual festival was launched in 2025 and is used by the participating schools as a pre-season hit-out ahead of a busy blockbuster season.
In action will be the hosts, along with their southern suburbs’ rivals, Rondebosch Boys’ High, South African College High School(SACS), and Wynberg Boys’ High.
They’ll be joined by Paul Roos Gimnasium, Paarl Boys’ High, Reddam House Constantia, and New Zealand’s Hamilton Boys’ High, whose presence has added a healthy dose of intrigue to the event.
They have a rich tradition of producing international sportsmen – including All BlacksTawera Kerr-Barlow, Josh Lord, Scott McLeod, Sevu Reece, and Black Caps‘ Mitchell Santner, BJ Watling, and Scott Styris. Rugby coach Warren Gatland is another famous alumnus, but less is known about their water polo pedigree, and they’ll be up against some of South Africa’s best on the weekend.
The format of the festival is simple: the teams will face one another in matches consisting of two chukkas of seven minutes’ duration each.
The coaches will also have the luxury of using a maximum of 14 players per match, so they’ll be able to work on combinations, build team cohesion, and give players a needed opportunity to work on their match fitness.
The winner of the festival will be determined by which team finishes the day with the best positive goal difference. The hosts came out on top last year, and they’ll be keen to make it back-to-back titles in the event.
Apart from Hamilton and Boishaai, the festival also serves as preparation for the other six sides, who will all be contesting the SACS NiteSeries, which kicks off next week, on Tuesday.
From there, SACS, Bishops, and ‘Boschwill travel to Makhanda for the prestigious St Andrew’s College Shield, which takes place from 22-25 January. Good preparation will be a vital key to their success.
Saturday’s action begins bright and early when Bishops take on Hamilton in the day’s opening match at 08:00.
FIXTURES
1st Session
08:00 – Bishops vs Hamilton; 08:20 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Paul Roos; 08:40 – SACS vs Reddam House; 09:00 – Rondebosch vs Wynberg; 09:20 – Bishops vs Paarl Boys’ High; 09:40 – Hamilton vs Paul Roos; 10:00 – SACS vs Rondebosch; 10:20 – Reddam vs Wynberg; 10:40 – Bishops vs Paul Roos; 11:00 – Hamilton vs Paarl Boys’ High; 11:20 – SACS vs Wynberg; 11:40 – Reddam vs Rondebosch.
2nd Session
12:00 – Bishops vs SACS; 12:20 – Hamilton vs Reddam House; 12:40 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Rondebosch; 13:00 – Paul Roos vs Wynberg; 13:20 – Bishops vs Reddam House; 13:40 – Hamilton vs SACS; 14:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Wynberg; 14:20 – Paul Roos vs Rondebosch; 14:40 – Bishops vs Wynberg.
3rd Session
15:00 – Bishops vs Wynberg; 15:20 – Hamilton vs Rondebosch; 15:40 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Reddam; 16:00 – Paul Roos vs SACS; 16:40 – Hamilton vs Wynberg; 17:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS; 17:20 – Paul Roos vs Reddam House; 17:40 – Bishops vs Rondebosch.
