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First Innings

After two days of action and two outstanding centuries, Grey College and Grey High were forced to settle for a draw on the Johan Volsteedt Oval, in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Their match, which included two innings for both sides and a maximum of 70 overs per innings, began on Friday morning with Grey College batting first after the coin flip fell in their favour.

The hosts advanced at a decent clip to tally 307/7 after 70 overs. Opener Christian Kind was the cornerstone of their innings, stroking 12 fours in his 159-ball stay, which ended when he was bowled by Nathan Trytsman, but only after he successful reached his 100-run milestone.

Trytsman was the pick of the Grey High bowlers, collecting 3/29 in nine overs, while Matthew Marshbank removed two top-order batsmen in his 2/63 from 11 overs.

River Scott and Juan Maree provided the home side with their most substantial stand, partnering for 110 runs for the fifth wicket. While Scott contributed 30, Maree took charge, hammering 10 fours and seven sixes in an exciting knock of 123 off 129 deliveries.

With opener Cullen Marais in good knick, Grey High made a sound start to their reply. He cracked eight fours in a 75-ball stay that brought him 37 runs before he was trapped LBW by River Scott. He was treated with respect by the Gqerberha batsmen, recording five maidens in his 2/47 from 11 overs.

Daniel Hattingh, meanwhile, sent down eight overs and got rid of two top-order batsmen while giving up 37 runs.

Grey High’s fourth and fifth batsmen, Logan Goddard-Ford and Nathan Trytsman, delivered solid innings, with Goddard-Ford striking six fours in his 39 and Trytsman hitting nine in his 52.

However, it was Anfred Jansen, batting at seven, who stole the spotlight. Much like Grey College’s Juan Maree, he also smashed 17 boundaries in an unbeaten century, although he hit even more sixes, with 10 in total and seven fours. In just 68 balls, he raced to 106 runs.

After 70 overs, Grey High had posted 303/7, leaving them only four runs behind Grey College, but there was not much time left in the game.

Second Innings

The hosts’ second innings lasted only 26.4 overs before the contest came to an end. Once again, though, opener Christian Kind produced a good innings. He dispatched five balls to the boundary and another four over it in his 70 off 66 balls.

He and his opening partner, Peter le Roux, combined for a 112-run opening stand, with Le Roux ending the match unbeaten on 49 off 90 deliveries.

Logan Groch was the only bowler to claim a wicket, finishing with 1/23 from 4.4 overs.

In the end, the contest petered out into a tame draw, which was highlighted by some fine batting from both sides.

Summarised Scorecard

First Innings

Grey College 310/7 dec. (Juan Maree 123*, Christian Kind 100, River Scott 30; Nathan Trytsman 3/29, Matthew Marshbank 2/63); Grey High 302/7 dec. (Anfred Jansen 106*, Nathan Trytsman 52, Logan Goddard-Ford 39, Cullen Marais 37, Extras 26; Daniel Hattingh 2/37, River Scott 2/47).

Second Innings

Grey College 123/1 dec. (Christian Kind 70, Peter le Roux 49*). Match Drawn.

Sohail Seonath carved an imperious 172 to power St David’s Marist Inanda to a 113-run win over St Benedict’s College when they crossed swords in a 50-over match on the La Valla Oval at St David’s on Saturday.

Roberto Mariano, the St David’s captain, won the toss and elected to bat first. His side responded with an impressive 314/6 in their 50 overs. St Benedict’s struggled to find a foothold in the match and were bowled out for 201 after 48.5 overs.

Seonath hit 22 fours and four sixes in his match-winning 172 from 153 balls. Last weekend, the opener was St David’s highest scorer against Affies, contributing 102 from 133.

He was one half of the home side’s highest partnership, 158 runs for the second wicket, with Jonah Gruskin, who provided the foil to Seonath’s attacking stroke play, scoring a steady 98 from 131 deliveries.

Their partnership took the game beyond St Benedict’s reach. Even though the rest of St David’s batsmen failed to reach double figures, that didn’t matter as the duo had done all the work.

Mariano made up for his single-digit score at the top of the order by performing excellently with the ball, with the St David’s skipper capturing 4/27 in 8.5 overs. Miles Pegg and Christopher Emslie added their support by bagging a brace each, and Kairav Koobair and Maru Challies chipped in with a wicket apiece.

Treasure Dube was the shining light for St Benedict’s with a well-played 72 from 88 balls. Shae Pollard (24*), Matthew Hickman (24), and Tom McArthur (23) made decent contributions, but those couldn’t match the big innings of Sohail Seonath and Jonah Gruskin.

St John’s vs St Alban’s

Jared Gilmour and Herman Basson shared eight wickets between them to help St John’s College secure a 51-run win over St Alban’s College on Mitchell Field, in Houghton, on Saturday.

The hosts, who won the toss and opted to bat first, put up 214 all out in 48.3 overs. Gilmour and Basson then formed a formidable tag team to help the Blues restrict St Alban’s to 163/9 in reply.

Gilmour delivered  St John’s a much-needed breakthrough when he dismissed Rea Makoka (22) in the 14th over. The opener had looked comfortable and was rebuilding the St Alban’s innings with Thomas Hall (39), after Zaid Mohaniarr‘s dismissal earlier.

Maintaining disciplined lines and lengths, the Grade 10 paceman accounted for four of the visitors’ top five batsmen. He finished the match with 4/28 from 10 overs.

Basson then took over and spun his way through the next four wickets, causing a St Alban’s collapse. He returned 4/21 in eight overs. Ethan Robinson, the other wicket-taker for the Blues, claimed 1/20 from seven overs.

Ethan Nel was the best of the St Alban’s batsmen, scoring a patient 41 from 71 balls. Thomas Hall almost matched him, with his 39, but only Rea Mokoka and Kyle Earl (13) also exited single figures.

Earlier in the day, Ethan Robinson led the scoring for St John’s with a brisk 39-ball 43. Captain Nkosana Sibiya added a vital 42 from 44 deliveries, while Darshik Lutchman (38) and Joshua Hall (33) contributed a combined 71 runs.

The St John’s win was the third of three victories by Johannesburg teams over Pretoria sides on Saturday. Jeppe and King Edward VII registered wins over Waterkloof and Pretoria Boys High, respectively.

Summarised Scorecards

St David’s Marist Inanda 314/6 (Sohail Seonath 172, Jonah Gruskin 98; Treasure Dube 3/13, Shae Pollard 1/70). St Benedict’s College 201/10 (Treasure Dube 72, Shae Pollard 24*; Roberto Mariano 4/27, Christopher Emslie 2/22) St David’s won by 113 runs.

St John’s College 214/10 (Ethan Robinson 43, Nkosana Sibiya 42; Christopher von La Chevallerie 3/23, Tristan Naidoo 2/35). St Alban’s College 163/9 (Ethan Nel 48, Thomas Hall 39; Herman Basson 4/21, Jared Gilmour 4/28). St John’s won by 51 runs.

Jan-Willem Pienaar, of Die Hoërskool Menlopark, struck an unbeaten century to guide the Parkies to a win over Hoërskool Rustenburg in a Finsbury League A Section clash in Pretoria on Saturday.

After suffering a surprise setback against Potchefstroom Volkskool last weekend, Menlo’s 154-run triumph put their bid for a place in the final back on track.

It appears increasingly likely that Hoërskool Waterkloof will be in the title game. They’re on course to top the competition’s group stage.

Pienaar’s unbeaten 111 laid the foundation for the home side to post a total of 252/6 from their 50 overs. He made his way to the middle after the fall of the first wicket and proceeded to hold down an end, patiently turning the 143 deliveries he faced into a match-defining innings.

He shared an 80-run opening partnership with André Kruyshaar, who was eventually dismissed for a well-crafted 52. Pienaar continued to marshal the innings, receiving further support from Monré Koekemoer, who contributed a valuable 20.

Thian Labuschagne was the standout bowler for Rusties, returning 2/45 from his 10 overs. The Menlopark bowlers, however, exploited the conditions far more effectively, and the visitors were dismissed for a modest 98.

Wihan Spanneberg led the charge, knocking over an impressive 4/14, while Jovan Hartman got rid of three batsmen for just 26 runs.

In Centurion, Hoërskool Eldoraigne claimed the first victory of their 2026 Finsbury League campaign, powering their way to a comprehensive 144-run win over Potchefstroom Volkskool. It was a splendid response to a disappointing performance against Hoërskool Kempton Park last weekend.

The experienced Vince Lotz led the way and fell agonisingly short of a century. Opening the innings, he faced 85 balls and turned those into 98 runs.

He was well supported by Jean du Randt, who made a telling 69, while Benyael Morkel added a brisk 42 at better than a run a ball, as Eldos reached 288/9.

Despite the hosts’ dominance with the bat, Andries Venter produced an outstanding effort for the visitors, completing his 10 overs with figures of 5/47,  a commendable performance in a losing cause.

When Volkies batted, Matthew Sampson and the Eldoraigne bowling unit took control, but only after Juan van Niekerk raised his bat for a well-made 50.

Sampson was the chief destroyer, capturing 4/27 from six overs, while Morkel followed up his strong batting performance by snaring 3/28 from his left-arm off-spin. Rowan McLaren added a return of 2/24 as Volkskool was dismissed for 144.

Summarised scorecard

Menlopark 252/6 (Jan-Willem Pienaar 111*, André Kruyshaar 52, Monré Koekemoer 20; Thian Labuschagne 2/45); Hoërskool Rustenburg 98/10 (Rejean van de Venter 19; Wihan Spanneberg 4/14, Jovan Hartman 3/26). Menlopark won by 154 runs. 

Eldoraigne 288/9 (Vince Lotz 98, Jean du Randt 69, Rowan McLaren 42; Ruan Steyn 22; Andries Venter 5/47); Potchefstroom Volkskool 144/10 (Juan van Niekerk 50, Schalk Pienaar 32; Matthew Sampson 4/27, Benyael Morkel 3/28, Rowan McLaren 2/24). Eldoraigne won by 144 runs. 

Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool‘s (Affies) Daniel Murray struck a scintillating century to lay the foundation for a commanding victory over Hoërskool Noordheuwel in Pretoria on Saturday.

Batting at five, his favoured position, Murray accelerated with purpose as he propelled the home side towards a total of 295, with the final wicket falling on the penultimate ball of their innings.

His 125 came off only 106 deliveries and included seven sixes and five fours. When he wasn’t hitting boundaries, Murray was rotating the strike, which underlined the maturity of his knock.

While the wicketkeeper-batsman played the leading role, he enjoyed good support from the rest of the Affies’ batsmen. Christian Linde contributed a well-constructed 44. He’s been a consistent performer in the Affies 1st XI for the past two years, despite being only in Grade 10 this year.

At the top of the order, AJ Morkel set the tone by weighing in with a promising 32 before being dismissed by the Nories‘ most effective bowler on the day, Hanru Begemann, who claimed 2/26 from his seven overs.

Malan de Jager, though, went one wicket better, returning 3/45, which included the final wicket in the Affies’ innings.

Noordheuwel’s best all-round performer, though, was Juwan Lamont. He nabbed 2/46 before adding a fighting 72 with the bat. Unfortunately for Noordheuwel, he found support for his fine innings to be sparse, though.

Heinrich Smith, with 42, was the only other significant contributor, as Affies’ opening bowling pair of Armin Snyman and Zian Labuschagne seized control of he contest.

Snyman led the charge with an impressive 4/27, while Labuschagne chipped in with 2/18, for a combined return of 6/45, which played a pivotal role in the visitors being dismissed for 159.

Summarised scorecard 

Affies 295 (Daniel Murray 125, Christian Linde 44, AJ Morkel 32, Dylan Stander 20, Paul Bester 20, Dawie Barnard 20; Malan de Jager 3/45, Hanru Begemann 2/26, Juwan Lamont 2/46); Noordheuwel 159 (Juwan Lamont 72, Heinrich Smith 42; Armin Snyman 4/27, Zian Labuschagne 2/18). Affies won by 136 runs. 

In the past 15 years, Westville Boys’ High had been beaten only once in the Nestor Pierides Memorial Gala. That happened in 2022, when St Benedict’s College stopped the Westville train.

On Friday night, in the Chad le Clos Pool, at Westville, Bennies appeared to be on their way to a second win until a heartbreaking twist in the tail for the boys from Bedfordview.

Throughout the evening, they held a slight edge over Westville. When the team totals first appeared on the scoreboard, St Benedict’s had 56 points to Westville’s 54. Later, during a 15-minute interval, it read St Benedict’s 170, Westville 165. Next, the scoreboard showed St Benedict’s 225, Westville Boys’ High 221.

When Bennies fared well in the freestyle relays, the last of the event before the 5x50m ladder relay, the trophy was within their touching distance. Then, in a massive blow, after touching the wall first in the ladder relay, they were disqualified for an early start. That was all it took to change the narrative, and Westville Boys’ High sneaked past St Benedict’s to claim the title again, scoring 286 points to Bennies’ 284.

Bloemfontein’s Grey College held off Durban High School (DHS) and St David’s Marist Inanda for third spot, finishing with 225 points to the 215 of DHS and St David’s 211.

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) took sixth place, on 148 points, while Pretoria Boys High and Northwood tied for seventh, on 138 points. Clifton College followed on 123, edging out Kearsney College by one point, while Maritzburg College finished 11th, on 100, with Glenwood on 31.

The gala is scored with 12 points going to the winner of each relay, with each subsequent finisher receiving one point less. It is raced in all four strokes – freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly – plus the medley relays, and it finishes with the 5x50m ladder relay.

St Benedict’s won 13 of the 26 events, Westville took nine wins, Grey College two, and St David’s Marist Inanda two.

Those stats reveal how close Westville stayed to Bennies throughout despite the Gauteng school winning four relays more than the hosts. By the time the 5x50m ladder relay arrived, Bennies was 10 points clear, their largest advantage of the evening. But their dreams of victory were cruelly shattered in that last event

St Benedict’s smashed the open backstroke relay record, clocking 1:47.22 to take 1.81 seconds off the previous mark, which belonged to Westville’s 2019 team, and Bennies added another record in the u16 breaststroke, comfortably improving upon Grey College’s nine-year-old mark of 2:06.75 with a time of 2:05.57.

St David’s Marist Inanda set a new record in the u16 4x50m butterfly, clocking 1:46.91 to better the 1:47.07 set by Westville in 2017.

The hosts, however, claimed another record, bettering Grey College’s 2:04.15 in the open breaststroke relay, set in 2018, with a time of 2:03.97.

St Benedict’s ruled the open age group, scoring four wins to one by Westville. At u17 level, Bennies scored three wins and Grey College two. St Benedict’s won two u16 relays, St David’s won twice, and Westville claimed one win.

Westville owed much to their u15 swimmers, who dominated their age group, winning all five races, while St Benedict’s took four of five u14 races, with Westville winning the other.

The freestyle relays were the most keenly contested: St Benedict’s won two, while Westville, Grey College, and St David’s picked up a win each.

It was tight in the breaststroke, with Bennies claiming three victories and Westville two.

In the butterfly, Westville added two more wins, St Benedict’s two, and St David’s one.

Bennies won three butterfly relays and Westville two. Bennies also won three medley relays, Westville one, and Grey College one.

Final Standings

Westville Boys’ High 286
St Benedict’s College 284
Grey College 225
Durban High School 215
St David’s Marist Inanda 211
Affies 148
Pretoria Boys High 137
Northwood 137
Clifton College 123
Kearsney College 122
Maritzburg College 100
Glenwood High 31

HTS Drostdy hit the road to tackle Paarl Gimnasium in a 40-over contest on Friday afternoon. When the coin flip fell for them, the visitors went in to bat. It was, however, a difficult start for the Worcester locals.

When Ruan Nortjé arrived at the crease after the fall of the third wicket, they were wobbling on 11/3. Nortjé stayed calm and collected, weathered the storm, and stuck around for 78 balls, which brought him 48 runs.

Adriaan Krynauw, at seven, joined Nortjé when Drotsdy had fallen to 52/5. Together, they advanced the total by 52 runs for the sixth wicket, with Krynauw’s contribution being 33 runs.

Gimmies‘ bowler De Waal Vivier had rhythm to his step and knocked over 4/17 in six overs. Derrick Groenewald chipped in with 2/36 from seven.

The Donkies’ batting effort lasted 39.4 overs and ended with the visitors being bowled out for 136 runs.

That wasn’t a big total, but Paarl Gim had to endure a tricky run pursuit to claim a hard-fought three-wicket win.

Franco Boonzaaier led the chase, thumping four fours in his 39 off 51 deliveries, while Christopher Hudson, at five, added a watchful but valuable 22 from 39.

Karel Hugo was the primary reason for Gim’s tough run chase. In five overs, he captured 5/34. DJ Luck, meanwhile, claimed 2/28.

Ultimately, it took Paarl Gim 30 overs to reach 138/7 and, with that, secure victory.

Summarised Scorecard

HTS Drostdy 136/10 (Ruan Nortjé 44, Adriaan Krynauw 33, Extras 20; De Waal Vivier 4/17, Derrick Groenewald 2/36); Paarl Gimnasium 138/7 (Franco Boonzaaier 39, Extras 23, Christopher Hudson 22; Karel Hugo 5/34, DJ Luck 2/28). Paarl Gimnasium won by three wickets.

Hoërskool Witteberg vs Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker

Hoërskool Witteberg must have felt very satisfied with their decision to bat first at home in their limited-overs derby showdown against Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker on Friday afternoon.

Number four batsman, Xander Fourie, was the source for that satisfaction, walloping 13 fours and three sixes in a glorious 115 runs off 117 deliveries.

He and Anru Erasmus, who contributed 35, batting third in the order, stuck together for a third-wicket partnership of 104 runs.

At times, the visitors lacked discipline, contributing  20 wides to a hefty 30 extras. Jordan Buitendag was, nonetheless, impressive, bagging 4/49 from 10 overs.

Witteberg was out with only eight balls left in their 50-over allotment, but they had posted a solid 258 runs by then.

Voortrekker’s reply was led by Paul Naudé. He made his way to the crease after the fall of the third wicket and proceeded to remain unbeaten throughout the remainder of Voortrekker’s innings, striking nine fours in his 64 not out off 77 balls.

He and Jayden Strydom, who weighed in with 31, shared a 66-run fifth-wicket partnership. It wasn’t enough to put a scare into Witteberg, however.

Six of the home team’s bowlers collected at least one wicket, with Kyle Nel and Heino Bruwer both nabbing 2/33 as Voortrekker was sent packing for 207, leaving Witteberg with a convincing 51-run win.

Hoërskool Sentraal vs Hoërskool Trio (Kroonstad)

In a 30-over match, the home side, Hoërskool Sentraal, won the toss and chose to bat first against Hoërskool Trio.

The toss didn’t go their way, but the visitors from Kroonstad made hay and kept Tralies under pressure with a committed effort in the field. Four of their bowlers picked up two wickets each, with Dylan Young snapping up 2/11 in only 2.1 overs.

WJ van Niekerk bowled two maiden overs in his 2/17 from six overs, while Zothile Zwane conceded no extras in his 2/28, and Iwan du Plessis claimed 2/33, which included the dismissal of Damian Smith. His exit, for 27 from 33 balls, helped to slow Sentraal’s momentum.

Janré Bornman top-scored for the Bloemfontein boys, smashing six sixes and two fours in his 65 from 50 deliveries, while Henco Maree prolonged the innings with his 33 at a run a ball.

After 29.1 overs at the crease, the Bloem locals had put up 173 all out.

Appropriately, a trio of batsmen led Trio’s successful run chase. Opener WJ van Niekerk led the way, lighting up the contest with a swashbuckling 83 off just 39 deliveries. His aggressive knock included five fours and eight sixes.

His fellow opener Zothile Zwane struck seven fours in an unbeaten 50 off 56, and combined with Van Niekerk for a decisive 144-run first-wicket partnership.

Henrico van der Merwe helped to hurry the visitors from Kroonstad to an emphatic nine-wicket victory by blasting three sixes and a four in a quickfire 24 off only eight balls.

Batting at an impressive 10.2 runs per over, Trio sped to victory in only 17.1 overs.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Witteberg 258/10 (Xander Fourie 115, Anru Erasmus 35, Extras 30; Jordan Buitendag 4/49, Vlag Janse van Rensburg 2/53); Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker 207/10 (Paul Naudé 64*, Jayden Strydom 31, Thys Parsons 20, Thato Nthebere 20, Rodney Turner 20; Kyle Nel 2/33, Heino Bruwer 2/33). Witteberg won by 51 runs.

Hoërskool Sentraal 173/10 (Janré Bornman 65, Henco Maree 33, Damian Smith 27; Dylan Young 2/11, WJ van Niekerk 2/17, Zothile Zwane 2/28, Iwan du Plessis 2/33); Hoërskool Trio 175/1 (WJ van Niekerk 83*, Zothile Zwane 50*, Henrico van der Merwe 24*). Trio won by nine wickets.

Friday afternoon brought Hoërskool Duineveld and Hoërskool Diamantveld together for an explosive 15-over-a-side fixture. When the coin flip favoured the hosts, they chose to bat first.

Opener Hanru Rademeyer was on fire, hammering four fours and four sixes as he rocketed to 45 from only 14 balls. He was the only batsman to strike at better than a run per ball, but he went well beyond that, flying along at 3.2 per delivery.

In at three, Cobus Fourie contributed 20 runs off 20 balls in the pair’s 66-run second-wicket partnership, which came off only 28 balls. Number five batsman, Ruben Viljoen, kept the home side’s innings chugging along with 39 off 35.

Joshua Visagie and Xander O’Connell led the visitors’ bowling attack, capturing 3/16 and 3/21 respectively.

After 15 overs, the Kimberley side had posted 135/8, collecting their runs at a rate of nine per over.

Duineveld’s run chase was over almost before it began, with the Upington locals losing their top-four with just three runs on the scoreboard. Wilmar Myburgh, batting at five, slammed three fours and a six in an eletrifying 28 off only 14 deliveries to inject some life into the visitors’ innings.

Unfortunately, for Duineveld, only Niekie Smit also made it to double figures. He hit two fours in his innings of 13 off 14 balls.

Fourie Smit claimed 2/4 in a tidy two overrs, while Francois Hattingh nabbed 2/9 in two.

In the end, Duineveld came up well short of the home side’s total, restricted to 60 all out, resulting in a comfortable 75-run victory for Diamantveld.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Diamantveld 135/8 (Hanru Rademeyer 45, Ruben Viljoen 29, Extras 25, Cobus Fourie 20; Xander O’Connell 3/16, Joshua Visagie 3/21); Hoërskool Duineveld 60/10 (Wilmar Myburgh 28; Fourie Smit 2/4, Francois Hattingh 2/9). Diamantveld won by 75 runs.

“Results matter, but the way we train, prepare, and show up for each other matters more,” Morné Odendaal.

Perennial hockey powerhouse, Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje (Oranje), will head into the 2026 season eager to collect as much silverware as possible. However, their focus is on a bigger, long-term goal.

The Bloemfontein side has welcomed back Morné Odendaal after his three-year sojourn with St Anne’s Diocesan College in KwaZulu-Natal.

In his first stint with Oranje, a 10-year run, Odendaal’s teams won a phenomenal 36 out of 38 tournaments in which they competed.

In that period, Oranje was also victorious in a jaw-dropping 380 out of 400 games. That included a 127-match unbeaten run, one of the longest in the history of South African schoolgirl hockey. Converted to days, Oranje was unbeaten in more than 1000 days. Odendaal is hoping his charges can replicate that astounding run.

“This season forms part of a long-term five-year programme aimed at taking schoolgirl hockey to the next level again. We are currently in a rebuilding phase, laying strong foundations that will allow this team, and the programme, to grow sustainably, competitively, with purpose, over time,” Odendaal told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Everything that they hope to achieve as a collective hinges on establishing the right culture within the setup, Odendaal explained. He highlighted four core values that he has been working to encourage since taking over in January: discipline, accountability, fight, and belonging.

“We believe players perform best when they feel they belong. Every player is encouraged to be themselves, to feel safe, and to play with confidence. When individuals grow, the team grows,” he added.

The celebrated coach, who helped St Anne’s regularly feature among the top hockey sides in the country, said ticking off the above boxes will create a platform to develop players who are confident decision-makers and are proud to be part of a team that competes with intensity and clarity.

“The primary focus is to help the team establish habits that support long-term success and create an environment where improvement is expected daily,” Odendaal said.

On the field, his philosophy will be a balance between structure and freedom. He wants his charges to combine strong positional discipline with speed, intent, and an attacking mindset.

A key focus will be on decision-making; knowing when to hold and control the game, and when to go, attacking with speed.

The coach stated that one of his biggest desires is for his charges to play an attractive brand of hockey.

“Beyond the results, we want to play a style of hockey that is fun to watch. When people walk past one of our matches, we want them to feel drawn in; to stop, to ask who this team is, and to be excited by the way we play the game.

“Energy, intent, and expression are central to our identity,” Odendaal shared.

This year, Oranje will be captained by Marlene du Plessis. She leads through example, has an exceptional work rate, is accountable, and will play a key role in driving standards and culture within the group, Odendaal said.

Fortunately, for Du Plessis, she is part of a group of players who have bought into their coach’s philosophy, which will make her leadership role on the field easier.

“This is a hungry group,” the coach said. “They are eager to learn, committed to improvement, and willing to sacrifice for the team and for each other. They are also united by purpose.

“We are building something meaningful; one session, one game, and one decision at a time.”

Odendaal also took time to thank Oranje’s sponsors, Fairtree and Grays, without whom the school wouldn’t be able to achieve as much as they do on the Astro.

“We are very thankful to our sponsors. Their backing plays an important role in enabling the growth and development of our programme,” he said.

Oranje’s 2026 Team Squad

Dané Janse van Vuuren, ⁠Louise Scholtz, ⁠Kirstin Booysen, ⁠Louise Oelschig, ⁠Zené Beukes, Daniella Grobbelaar, Marlene du Plessis (C), Carli Oosthuizen, Carmen van Wyk, ⁠Marichelle Crous, Estelle Marx, ⁠Kayla du Preez, Camilyn Parkin, ⁠Ellé Cloete, ⁠Xylia Choene.

A remarkable return of 372 runs, three consecutive centuries, and seven wickets from Hoërskool Dr Malan‘s Heinrich Jansen van Rensburg in the opening three matches of the D Section of the Finsbury League has all but positioned Dokkies for a potential promotion push into the C Section.

Jansen van Rensburg, supported superbly by Ruben Muller and Francois Smith, has spearheaded a dominant campaign that has seen Dokkies rack up three bonus-point victories and the maximum possible 15 log points, a healthy seven clear of Hoërskool Ben Vorster in second place.

The log leaders will, however, be forced out of their comfort zone this weekend when they travel to Klerksdorp to face Hoërskool Wesvalia, who have seven log points following an emphatic 90-run victory over HTS Middelburg.

Awaiting Jansen van Rensburg and company will be Wessies‘ in-form Jandré Greyling, who impressed against HTS Middelburg with a composed 65 and a five-wicket haul. He’ll present one of the biggest threats to the Meyerton school’s dominant campaign.

In Heidelberg, the Black Caps of Ben Vorster will be eager to turn the tables on Heidelberg Volkskool. Last year, Volkies cruised to a 10-wicket win in Tzaneen, and Ben Vorster would love nothing more than to claim a victory in Heidelberg.

This year’s Ben Vorster side, however, appears to be better balanced than the 2025 team, with the contest between Cubs Week representative Rivoningo Chauke and the Volkies’ leading batsman Dave Pelzer shaping up as a high-quality individual battle within a fiercely competitive clash.

Meanwhile, in Tzaneen, Merensky Landbou Akademie enjoys home-ground advantage for a second consecutive week. The Plasies welcome HTS Middelburg for a clash with crucial relegation implications.

Merensky will need to quickly put last week’s narrow eight-run defeat to the Ben Vorster in the Tzaneen derby behind them if they are to keep their D Section D status alive. They’re winless thus far.

HTS Middelburg is also still chasing a first victory, and they will be equally desperate for points. A win on the road could be enough to secure their place in the D Section for next season. They’ll need it because net run rate favours Merensky.

History has shown, however, that away victories in the Finsbury League are notoriously difficult to come by. With so much on the line, Saturday’s encounter in Tzaneen won’t lack intensity or intrigue.