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The National Co-Ed Water Polo Tournament came to an exciting conclusion at Pearson High School in Gqeberha on Sunday, with Reddam House Bedfordview (girls) and Woodridge College (boys) emerging as the champions after four tough days of all-out water polo action.

The tournament, which featured 36 teams from across the country, showcased the growing standard of schools’ water polo and delivered plenty of action, from narrow shootout wins to high-scoring thrillers.

In the girls’ category, Reddam Bedfordview completed a flawless campaign by defeating Kingswood College 10–7 in an exciting final.

Anastasia Hambakis, who represented South Africa at the World Aquatics Women’s U18 Water Polo Championships in 2024, powered her side to victory, scoring four goals, while Aimme Hattingh and Caitlin Scrimgeour netted three each. Kingswood replied through Megan Fletcher and Casey Williamson, who each scored twice, while Caitlin Steymann, Megan Sheard, and Kate Wilson struck once each.

Reddam’s dynamic forward line shone as they claimed a hard-fought win over a strong Kingswood side that refused to back down until the final whistle.

In the battle for the bronze medals, Pearson High edged out St Peter’s College 5–3, which delighted the home supporters. Hudson Park ended their campaign on a high note, too, beating Beaulieu College 7–4 to finish fifth.

In the boys’ division, Woodridge College produce a stunning display to claim the championship in emphatic style, with an 11-2 hammering of Pearson.

Christian Chandler netted four goals, while Carter Rosser and Oliver Martin both registered two each, with further strikes from Gian Moolman, Sam Barnes, and Daniel Henning aiding Woodridge’s winning effort. Rolan Swanevelder scored both goals for the hosts.

Pearson had dominated the tournament from the start, finishing the group stage unbeaten and with a positive goal difference of 37, which was 10 more than the 27 achieved by Woodridge, but they were well beaten in the final.

In the bronze medal playoff, Glenwood House overcame St Peter’s College 12–7 in an exciting contest filled with end-to-end action.

Steyn City School held on for a narrow 5-4 win over Reddam Bedfordview to finish fifth, while Stirling High School snatched a 6–5 win over their East London rivals, Hudson Park, to take seventh place.

RESULTS

Girls

17/18: Alex 1-10 NNMU/VC Invitational
15/16: Rand Park 3-7 Curro Hillcrest
13/14: Steyn City 5-8 Merrifield
11/12: Westerford 4-10 Woodridge
9/10: Crawford 3-7 Glenwood House
7/8: Stirling 1-5 Thomas More
5/6: Hudson Park 7-4 Beaulieu
3/4:  Pearson 5-3 St Peter’s
1/2: Reddam Bedfordview 10-7 Kingswood

Boys

17/18: Invitational 7-3 Co-ed Invitational
15/16: Alex Road 3-7 Rand Park
13/14: Thomas More 6-7 Reddam Helderfontein
11/12: Curro Hillcrest 2-7 Westerford
9/10: Merrifield 6-8 Kingswood
7/8: Hudson Park 5-6 Stirling
5/6: Reddam Bedfordview 4-5 Steyn City
3/4: St Peter’s 7-12 Glenwood House
1/2: Pearson 2-11 Woodridge

Bishops Diocesan College vs Dale College (one innings, one day, unlimited overs)

On Sunday, Bishops won the toss on their Frank Reid Oval and decided it was better to bat first. After rattling up a healthy 303 all out, they ran through the Dale College batting to walk away with a one-sided 246-run win.

James Robb-Quinlan, batting third for Bishops, got the runs flowing, tallying 126 off 93 balls, which included a resounding 20 fours and two sixes.

At the tail, Raa’id Arendse also entertained the crowd, cracking six fours in his 38 off 33.

There were a few other solid scores from the home team, which frustrated the Qonce school’s bowlers. Although, Khwezi Mtshakazi looked dangerous, picking up 3/54 in nine overs.

Many matches have seen tails wagging and it was no different when number nine batsmen Bamanye Ntonjane smashed three fours and a six in a quickfire 29 off 27 for Dale, but they struggled.

The Bishops’ bowlers produced a cohesive hunting effort and ran through the visitors’ batting, dismissing them for only 57.

Opening the bowling, Luke de Klerk took 3/6 in six overs, while Michael Kruiskamp secured 2/3 from six.

Julian Pilkington spun his way to 2/33, also from six, and Daniel Perold hastened the end of the contest, picking up 3/13 in five overs.

SACS vs Union High (one innings, one day, unlimited overs) 

Up against Union High, SACS won the toss and decided to bat first on their De Villiers Oval. It proved to be a comfortable day for the home side who charged to a massive 171-run win.

Aqeel Waggie, batting third in their line-up, delivered a standout innings, scoring 84 runs off 69 balls, which included a six and an astounding 15 fours – 66 runs from boundaries.

Alex Hodgkinson was a tough nut to crack. He arrived at the crease after the sixth wicket went down and proceeded to lay into the Union bowling, striking nine four and a six in his unbeaten 74 off 72.

Yaseen Kazi was the most profitable of the Union bowlers, claiming 5/84 from 16.2 overs, while Trystan Hulleman also delivered results, nabbing 4/59 in 13 overs as SACS was bowled out for 297.

That big score was a mountain too high for Union to climb. Their batsmen faltered and SACS picked them off one by one.

Yaseen Kazi and Yonela Wana scored 12 each as the visitors limped to 55/7. But Vincent Clarke, who came in at nine, fought until the end. He walloped six fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 52 off 37. But his was Union’s final revolt.

The SACS bowlers had their way. Ronan Meintjies was once again incredible with the ball, taking 3/6 in six overs, while Nicholas Oscroft chipped in with 2/23 and Benjamin Blackburn returned 2/42, which left the Graaff-Reinet locals all out for 126.

SCORES

Bishops 303/10 (James Robb-Quinlan 126, Raaid Arendse 38, Michael Kruiskamp 29, Samuel Stavely-Alexander 27, Alexander Vintcent 27; Bamanye Ntonjane 3/54); Dale College 57/10 (Sonwabise Dyani 29; Luke de Klerk 3/6, Daniel Perold 3/13, Michael Kruiskamp 2/3, Julian Pilkington 2/33).

Bishops won by 246 runs. 

SACS 297/10 (Aqeel Waggie 84, Alex Hodgkinson 74*, Abhay Kalan 44, Matthew Hill 27, Luke Whitehead 20, Extras 20; Yaseen Kazi 5/84, Trystan Hulleman 4/59); Union High 126/10 (Vincent Clarke 52*; Ronan Meintjies 3/6, Nicholas Oscroft 2/23, Benjamin Blackburn 2/42).

SACS won by 171 runs.

Paarl Boys’ High vs Pretoria Boys’ High (50-over)

Having won the toss in Howick, Pretoria Boys High elected to bat first in their day two Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week match against Paarl Boys’ High.

The Boland boys showed their intent from the get-go, however, and bowled superbly to set up a moderate run chase, which led to a four-wicket win.

Captain Tim Gordon, batting third in the order for Pretoria Boys High, led their challenge, scoring 60 runs off 55 deliveries, which included six fours and two sixes.

In the middle order, Dylan Kruger, Louis Kruyshaar and Justin Luke Basdeo all scored 17 runs.

Aden Batt was phenomenal with the ball for Boishaai, capturing 5/27 in 10 overs.

Gideon du Toit and Keanu February also helped to snuff out the Pretoria team’s batting lineup, taking two wickets each as the Gauteng locals were dismissed for 143.

In at number four for Paarl Boys’ High, Pieter Gildenhuis took it upon himself to chase down the Pretoria total, scoring an unbeaten 65 off 111, hammering nine fours and a six along the way.

Du Toit, after his useful bowling contribution, also produced a notable contribution with the bat, knocking 38 off 66.

Basdeo was the only Pretoria Boys High bowler to truly fire. He delivered fantastic figures of 4/20 from eight overs. But Boishaai won after 38 overs when they reached 144/6.

Jeppe High School for Boys vs Paarl Gimnasium (50-over)

Jeppe won the toss and chose to have a field first against Paarl Gimnasium at Michaelhouse, but victory went the way of Paarl Gim by a big 124-run margin.

When Charles King made his way to the crease, Gimmies were shaky on 41/3. He steadied matters, batting diligently to score six fours and two sixes in his 78 runs off 92 balls. De Waal Vivier, a key player at the end of the Gimmies middle order, weighed in with a valuable 56 off 58, cracking four fours and a six.

Meanwhile, Keegan Cockburn was lethal in his 9.3 overs, capturing 6/35, and left-arm spinner Sipho Potsane delivered a venomous 3/26 from his 10 overs.

Jeppe was, however, let down by conceding 34 extras, and that helped the Paarl locals to reach 243 all out from 47.3 overs.

In Jeppe’s reply, Ryan Young continued his excellent form, making the largest contribution. He scored 35 off 48 balls, stroking six fours, while Vegas Scott chipped in with 20, but the Kensington boys were well off the pace.

Zayd Abrahams led Gimmies’ bowling assault, claiming 3/16 in his five-over spell. Louis Koen took 2/24, and Beon Swanepoel, his fellow new ball bowler, picked up 2/32 in 10 overs as Jeppe was bowled out for 119.

SCORES

Pretoria Boys’ High 143/10 (Timothy Gordon 60; Aden Batt 5/27, Keanu February 2/14, Gideon du Toit 2/24); Paarl Boys’ High 144/6 (Pieter Gildenhuys 65*, Gideon du Toit 38; Justin Luke Basdeo 4/20).

Paarl Boys’ High won by four wickets.

Paarl Gimnasium 243/10 (Charles King 78, De Waal Vivier 56, Extras 34, Derrick Groenewald 20; Keegan Cockburn 6/35, Sipho Potsane 3/26); Jeppe 119/10 (Ryan Young 37, Vegas Scott 22; Zayd Abrahams 3/16, Louis Koen 2/24, Beon Swanepoel 2/32).

Paarl Gimnasium won by 124 runs.

Maritzburg College and King Edward VII (KES) unleashed the full might of their batting lineups to record comprehensive victories over St John’s College and St Charles College in their Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week matches on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Durban High School (DHS) and St Stithians College claimed nail-biting wins over St David’s Marist Inanda and Clifton College.

After Maritzburg College welcomed St John’s onto Goldstone’s, the pleasantries stopped following the coin clip. Given the call, College captain Daniel Nadasan elected to bat first.

The Red, Black, and White, then, put up 245 all out in 49 overs before bundling St John’s out for 204 in 44.5 to claim a 41-run triumph.

The hosts stumbled out of the blocks, but Akhil Bharath (52) corrected the hosts’ radar and set them on course with a well-played half-century, while Daniel Nadasan (30), and Luka Puddu (39) added a vital combined 69 runs.

Things took a turn for the worse for St John’s when the Player of the Match, Joseph Currie, arrived at the crease at the start of the 35th over. The number seven batsman unfurled his full range of shots, delivering a blistering 34-ball 61 that featured seven fours and a pair of sixes. He was particularly severe on Ethan Robinson, bludgeoning 22 runs off him in the 42nd over.

When they took to the crease, St John’s struggled to get their run chase going. It was only when Connor van der Walt (50) came in eighth in the order that one of their batsmen recorded a significant score.

KES arrived at St Charles College, in Pietermaritzburg, keen to build on their victory over Kearsney College on Saturday, and they did so with panache. Batting first, KES put 317/3 on the board before restricting Saints to 273/9 in their 50 overs to register a 44-run win.

Tiago Dias (51) and Urav Mukhija (85) created a concrete platform for KES with a 98-run opening stand that set the Johannesburg school on the right course.

Matthew Bromley added impetus to their innings with a 51-ball 50 before Troy Gordon and Steele Grooteman carted the St Charles’ bowlers all over the park. Gordon blasted a swift, unbeaten 29-ball 61, while Grooteman was not out on 48 from 28 deliveries.

Grooteman, who collected the Player of the Match award, was not done yet. He delivered the full quota of 10 overs and bagged three wickets for 42 runs. Connor Simpson put up a good fight with a 79-ball 87. However, his strong effort wasn’t enough to save the game for St Charles.

At Collegians, captain Bayanda Majola and the rest of the DHS bowling attack were well backed by their fielders when they met St David’s.

The Horseflies lost the toss and were asked to bowl first. Kamogelo Phiri (82) and Jason Rowles‘s (68) scored half-centuries to take St David’s to 270/9 in 50 overs, but a run out of Rowles, one of two pulled off by DHS, proved to be pivotal to the outcome of the contest.

Joshua van Biljon (82) and Taine Havemann (79) took control of the chase and shared a 126-run third-wicket partnership that gave School a shot at victory. A rapid 27 off 18 from Majola, then, took them to within reach of the St David’s score and DHS kept their cool to slide over the line off the last ball to claim a two-wicket win.

St Stithians crossed swords with Clifton at the MP Oval and sneaked a tight one-wicket win. Coach Lazarus Mokoena’s charges won the toss, elected to bowl first, and unleashed Nqaba Matunda on their opposition. The pacer wreaked havoc, knocking over 5/31 in 10 overs as Saints bowled Clifton out for 147 in 39.4 overs.

The Johannesburg side’s reply was anything but smooth, however. They lost their first wicket in the third over, which brought Thomas Collins to the crease, and he steadied the ship with a well-paced 52 off 73 balls. Tahseen Hanslo supported him before Shiraz Perumal ripped through the Saints’ middle order to give Clifton a chance.

St Stithians was in trouble on 97/8, but, unfortunately for Clifton, Tendai Kadyamadare stopped the collapse, steering the Gauteng side to 150/9 and a one-wicket triumph. He finished unbeaten on 33 off 43 balls.

Scorecards

Maritzburg College 245/10 (Joe Currie 61, Akhil Bharath 52, Luka Puddu 39, Daniel Nadasan 30; Ethan Robinson 3/38, David Ireland 3/45); St John’s College 204/10 (Connor van der Walt 50, Herman Basson 36, Michael Stubbs 30, Lwazi Khupe 26; Sam Hughes 3/37, Nathan Pembridge 2/61). Maritzburg College won by 41 runs.

KES 317/3 (Urav Mukhija 85, Troy Gordon 61*, Tiago Dias 51, Matthew Bromley 50; Jayden Saville 2/48, Keegan Vermaak 1/50). St Charles 273/9 (Connor Simpson 87, Relebogile Mokoena 39*; Steele Grooteman 3/42, Connor Kuijers 2/38). KES won by 44 runs.

St David’s 270/9 (Kamogelo Phiri 82, Jason Rowles 68; Ethan Cooper 2/48, Bayanda Majola 1/37). DHS 271/8 (Joshua van Biljon 82, Taine Havemann 79; Jared Stern 3/43, Morteza Manack 2/43). DHS won by two wickets.

Clifton 147/10 (Lawson Dinsdale 34, Hayden Drieselmann 22; Nqaba Matunda  5/31, Zaakir Hanslo 2/31). St Stithians 150/9 (Thomas Collins 52, Tendai Kadyamadare 33*; Shiraz Perumal 5/32, Blake Johnson 2/25). St Stithians won by one wicket.

Rondebosch Boys’ High was the only team that maintained an unbeaten record on day two of the SACS Water Polo Tournament in Cape Town.

As a result, the side led by coach Jared-Wingate Pearse finished Sunday atop Pool A, with seven victories in eight matches and 15 points to their name.

In a similar vein to the opening day, the tournament, being played at the SACS Aquatic Centre, delivered some entertaining water polo, which included some of the top players redeeming themselves after a lacklustre start.

The action concludes on Monday with the final scheduled for 14:00, while teams meet in playoff matches in the lead-up to the title game.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The breakdown

Pool A

By reaching the final day with an unbeaten record, Rondebosch is guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals. Following them in the Pool A standings after Sunday’s matches were St Stithians College, St John’s College, and St Andrew’s College.

The Gauteng duo of Saints and St John’s made some positive strides on day two after underwhelming performances on Saturday.

St John’s lost 2-5 against Hilton College early in the day but bounced back to beat St Benedict’s College 7-1, Northwood 6-4, and Wynberg Boys’ High 3-2.

Saints, meanwhile, were narrowly beaten by ‘Bosch, going down 2-3. They quickly shrugged off that defeat, however, and downed St Andrew’s 2-1 before edging out Grey High 4-3 and thumping Bennies 9-1.

St Andrew’s College completes the top four, but Hilton is hot on their heels with eight points after their eight matches.

The boys from Makhanda will need to beat Jeppe High School for Boys to secure their quarterfinals’ spot. Only three points separate them from Wynberg, who are in eighth position, so anything could happen on Monday.

Grey High and Bennies are out of the running and will be playing for pride when they take on Northwood and Hilton, respectively.

Pool B

The defending champions, Bishops, along with SACS and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), have dominated proceedings in Pool B.

The three Western Cape sides had a blast on Saturday and continued to shine on Sunday.

After SACS suffered their first defeat, a 1-2 loss to Selborne College, they bounced back to beat Clifton College 4-2, St David’s Marist Inanda 4-3, and PRG 8-4.

Bishops picked up four wins. Their biggest was 15-0 over Parktown Boys’ High.

While PRG tasted defeat for the first time against the hosts, they rallied to score wins over Grey College, St Alban’s, and Selborne.

St David’s completes the top four, but Selborne is right behind them, trailing by just three points.

The East London side will need to beat Grey College by a large margin, while PRG faces a daunting challenge from St David’s. They’ll need to beat the Johannesburg side to sneak into the quarterfinals.

Monday’s games kick off with the Pool B clash between Selborne and Grey College.

RESULTS

Day 2

Pool A

Hilton 5-2 St John’s College
St Stithians 2-3 Rondebosch
St Benedict’s 0-5 Northwood
St Andrew’s College 0-5 Wynberg
Jeppe 2-5 Grey High
Hilton 5-6 Rondebosch
St Andrew’s College 1-2 St Stithians
Jeppe 5-6 Northwood
St John’s 7-1 St Benedict’s
Wynberg 4-5 Grey High
Hilton 2-3 St Andrew’s
St John’s 6-4 Northwood
Rondebosch 6-3 St Benedict’s
Jeppe 7-4 Wynberg
St Andrew’s 4-1 Grey High
Hilton 4-4 Northwood
St Stithians 9-1 St Benedict’s
Rondebosch 6-2 Jeppe
St Johns 3-2 Wynberg
St Stithians 4-3 Grey High

Pool B

St Alban’s 3-5 Paul Roos
SACS 1-2 Selborne College
St David’s Marist 6-2 Pretoria Boys High
Grey College 5-0 Parktown
Bishops 6-5 Clifton
St David’s 12-0 Parktown
Selborne College 2-2 St Alban’s
Grey College 1-6 Paul Roos
SACS 4-2 Clifton
St David’s 3-6 Bishops
Pretoria Boys High 10-0 Parktown
Selborne 1-2 Paul Roos
SACS 4-3 St David’s
Clifton 5-5 St Alban’s
Pretoria Boys High 7-2 Grey College
Bishops 15-0 Parktown
SACS 8-4 Paul Roos
Clifton 7-2 Grey College
Selborne 5-2 Pretoria Boys High
Bishops 8-1 St Alban’s

FIXTURES

Day 3 – Monday, 6 October 

06:50 – Hilton vs St Benedict’s
07:10 – Grey High vs Northwood
07:30 – Selborne College vs Grey College
07:50 – Pretoria Boys vs St Alban’s
08:10 – St Andrew’s College vs Jeppe
08:30 – St Stithians vs St John’s College
08:50 – St David’s Marist vs Paul Roos
09:10 – Clifton vs Parktown
09:30 – Rondebosch vs Wynberg
09:50 – SACS vs Bishops
10:40 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool B (Quarterfinal 1)
11:00 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B (Quarterfinal 2)
11:20 – 1st Pool A vs 4th Pool B (Quarterfinal 3)
11:40 – 4th Pool A vs 1st Pool B (Quarterfinal 4)
12:30 – Semifinal 1
13:00 – Semifinal 2
14:00 – Bronze medal playoff
14:00 – Final

St. Andrew’s School vs Selborne College (one innings, one day, unlimited overs)

Playing on Rondebosch’s Meadow A Oval, Selborne College won the toss and chose to field first against Bloemfontein’s St Andrew’s School.

Saints posted 274/7 in their 50 overs before going on to claim a big 149-run victory.

Opener Andrew Sobiech continued his good form from Saturday’s match against SACS. He anchored the St Andrew’s innings, scoring 94 runs off 115 balls, 12 of which he sent to the boundary.

His fellow opener, Naudé Botha, struck 47 off 63, walloping seven fours and a six, while FG Botha delivered a more contained performance, weighing in with 33 off 35.

Samuel Jacobsen was the pick of the Selborne bowlers, claiming 3/17 in six overs. Matthew Hendry was also tough to play, collecting 3/47 from 10. The East London outfit assisted St Andrew’s by conceding 22 extras, however.

When Selborne batted, Joshua Wilkie, in at four, punched seven fours along the ground in his 42 off 54 balls. But Selborne was unable to challenge the Saints’ total. That had a lot to do with Andrew Sobiech, who followed up his outstanding innings by snagging 5/26 off 8.1 overs.

Opening bowler Cullen Kakora set the Bloem boys on their way to victory dismissing top order batsman, Joel Hattingh and Cian O’Neil, for ducks. He finished with 2/26 from six. FG Botha lent a useful helping hand, snaring 2/34 in seven overs.

Rondebosch Boys’ High vs St. Andrew’s College (two-innings, one-day, unlimited overs)

St. Andrew’s College won the toss on Rondebosch’s Cricket A Oval and elected to field first against the home side. That came back to bite them as they struggled to contain ‘Bosch‘s batsmen, which left the Makhanda side to hold out for a draw.

Opener Eli Aufrichtig led the way for Rondebosch from the first ball of the innings. Playing with admirable focus, he faced 195 balls, slapping eight of them for four, while scoring an unbeaten 100 runs.

His fellow opener Daniel Cooke narrowly missed out on triple figures, scoring a more attacking 93 off 99, which included 12 fours and three sixes.

With a wonderful platform having been laid for them, Noah Heath contributed 47 off 45 and Daniel Bosman added 40 off 52 as ‘Bosch declared on 289/3.

While they were made to toil, the St Andrew’s College bowlers maintained their discipline, conceding only two wides and two no balls in 64.5 overs.

William Beamish opened the innings for the Makhanda school, and he did a fine job, facing 106 balls, 11 of which he sent to the boundary, in his innings of 63.

None of his companions really got going and, at the end of the day’s play, St Andrew’s was on 122/5.

James Kirsten snapped up 3/24 in 12 overs, but St Andrew’s limited their batting errors and secured a draw.

SCORES

St Andrew’s School 274/7 (Andrew Sobiech 94, Naudé Botha 47, FG Botha 33, Jonathan Hickley 25, Dean Katzin 25*, Extras 22; Samuel Jacobsen 3/17, Matthew Hendry 3/47); Selborne College 125/10 (Joshua Wilkie 42; Andrew Sobiech 5/26, Cullen Kakora 2/26, FG Botha 2/34).

St. Andrew’s School won by 149 runs.

Rondebosch Boys’ High 289/3 decl. (Eli Aufrichtig 100*, Daniel Cooke 93, Noah Heath 47, Daniel Bosman 40); St Andrew’s College 122/5 (William Beamish 63; James Kirsten 3/24).

Match drawn.

Connor Parry produced an exceptional all-round performance to help Grey High record a 60-run win over Queen’s College in their Cape Schools Cricket Festival declaration match on Wynberg Boys’ High’s Silverhurst A Field on Sunday.

In another fixture played at Wynberg, Corbin Tidbury and Andrew Muir scored masterful centuries when Graeme College locked horns with Wynberg Boys’ High on the Jacques Kallis Oval.

Morgan Hayes, the Queen’s College captain, won the toss and invited Grey High to bowl first. The boys from Gqeberha happily accepted the challenge and put on a bowling clinic to dismiss Queen’s for only 122.

Six of the eight bowlers employed by Teun Kloppenburg, the Grey High captain, went at less than four runs an over as they placed Queen’s under heavy pressure.

Nathan Howell was the most economical, conceding a miserly 15 runs in 10 overs while also picking up two wickets. Connor Parry was the most successful, knocking over 3/12 in five overs.

Parry, though, had more to contribute. He weighed in with a 46-ball 51, creaming eight fours, in Grey High’s 268/6 declared. His effort was aided by a 71-run partnership between Charl Posthumus and James Upton before he made his way to the middle.

Parry and Posthumus shared a brief 21-run stand before he was joined by Kloppenburg, who made 57 runs. Together, the pair put up 96 runs for the third wicket to place the Gqeberha boys firmly in control.

Batting again, Queen’s had a mountain to climb, trailing by 146 runs. By the end of the game, they were on 86/4 in their second innings. Aiden van Jaarsveld, who top-scored for Queen’s with 47 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 38.

A short distance away, Corbin Tidbury and Andrew Muir put on a show with the bat, with both recording centuries for Graeme College. Tidbury, who had to head out to the middle at the start of the third over, showed good temperament as he worked his way to 117 from 145 balls.

When his skipper, Muir, joined him, the pair shared a 131-run fifth-wicket partnership which helped to lift Graeme College to 289 all out. Muir’s contribution was a brisk 113 from 114 deliveries.

Tidbury’s stay was ended by Muhammad Ameen Schroeder, who claimed an outstanding four wickets for 35 runs in nine overs, while Damien Harris accounted for Muir. He finished with three wickets for 30 runs from 12 overs.

Wynberg had several batsmen who made starts, but they failed to kick on, with the home side’s innings progressing in fits and starts as they ambled their way to 182/9.

Eight players reached double figures, but only four made it to 20 runs, and just two of those went past the 30-run mark. Fawaaz Hendricks and Storme van Rooyen tied for the top score for the home side with 33 runs apiece.

Scorecards

Queen’s College 122/10 (Aiden van Jaarsveld 47, Rowan Miles 19; Nathan Howell 2/15, Connor Parry 3/12). Grey High 268/6 (Teun Kloppenburg 57, Connor Parry 51; Morgan Hayes 2/71, Chulumanco Geza 2/24). Queen’s College 86/4 (Aiden van Jaarsveld 38*, Ross Fitzhenry 19*; Logan Groch 2/24, Connor Parry 1/4). Grey High won by 60 runs.

Graeme College 289/10 (Corbin Tidbury 117, Andrew Muir 113; Muhammed Ameen Schroeder 4/35, Damien Harris 3/30). Wynberg 182/9 (Fawaaz Hendricks 33, Storme van Rooyen 33; Lisekho Zinyane 2/29, Luphelo Mdyesha 2/34, Corbin Tidbury 2/6). Match drawn.

Hoërskool Waterkloof, with Wian du Plessis prominent, bounced back, like Affies, from disappointment with a noteworthy victory by 149 runs over Kearsney College on the second day of the 2025 Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week.

Klofies and Kearsney met at Lynwood Cricket Club, with the former batting first after winning the toss and returning to their strength in defending a target.

A stacked top order all got starts, but no one, except AJ de Villiers, could quite get going after doing the hard yards. Even De Villiers had to apply heaps of patience facing 78 deliveries in his innings of 61. The combined contributions by those who followed boosted Klofies to a platform of 182/6 in the 31st over, not quite in trouble but not yet in total command either.

The remainder of the job was left to Darius Maritz and the Waterkloof tail. Maritz, who came in at eight, ended his 63-ball innings unbeaten with 67 runs, which included six fours and four sixes, while Ricardo Crous (36) and Jaydon Blom (27) also helped to set a total of 314/9 in the allotted 50 overs.

Kearsney’s opening bowlers, Michael Groom (3/45) and Litha Gonya (3/56), did a great job in both their first and second spells, while Rivan Moodley (3/62) did further damage in his allotted 10 overs.

Wian du Plessis then changed the narrative completely in favour of the visitors from Pretoria. In his 7.3 overs, he bowled 37 dot balls, conceded only 16 runs and emerged with a match-winning five-wicket haul. Aaron Blackburn (37) and Keegan de Jager (30), both of whom became victims of Du Plessis, were the only Kearsney batters to pass the 30-run mark.

Michaelhouse went back-to-back, defeating Paul Roos Gimnasium by five wickets in their second outing of the week. Playing at home again and bowling first definitely brought out the best in the Michaelhouse’s opening bowlers, Thandani Zuma and Rendani Nonge. Zuma was the most destructive with a memorable five-wicket haul, conceding only 36 runs in his allotted 10 overs. Nonge, a tad more expensive, picked up three scalps.

Rueben Coetzee withstood the pair’s onslaught for as long as possible for a feisty 59. Jason Raal (44) and Niel Barnard (33) also batted tenaciously but were only able to set a total of 180. It proved not enough as Michaelhouse’s opening batsman, Ethan Muir, hit his straps.

Despite early wickets falling around him, Muir went about his business as normal. His unbeaten 95 runs (99b) provided the main thrust of the chase and, with support from Ben Heuer (32), got the hosts home in the 38th over.

Seth Simpson of Westville Boys’ High played a similar innings as the side from Durban cruised to a six-wicket victory over Grey College from Bloemfontein. River Scott (64) and Aiden Dodd (50) both made half-centuries in the Grey innings, but nothing was going to stop Simpson from steering his side to victory. His unbeaten 90, along with Kyle McGough‘s 58, after he had also led the charge with the ball (3/17), delivered the knockout blow in the 46th over of a comfortable, well-paced chase.

Ethan Nel (72) and Liam Basch (47) rediscovered their best form as St Alban’s College recovered from a heavy defeat to Glenwood (142 runs) the day before to give Hudson Park a hiding by 133 runs. The pair’s 87-run partnership led the way to a total of 246, one that the side from Pretoria managed to defend with ease to dismiss Hudson Park for a mere 113.

Summarised scorecards

Waterkloof 314/9 (Darius Maritz 67*, AJ de Villiers 61, Rico van der Walt 36, Ricardo Crous 36, Riley Miller 28, Jaydon Blom 27, Extras 22; Michael Groom 3/45, Litha Gonya 3/56, Rivan Moodley 3/62); Kearsney College 165 (Aaron Blackburn 37, Keegan de Jager 30, Cade Francis 21, Extras 20; Wian du Plessis 5/16). Waterkloof won by 149 runs. 

Paul Roos Gimnasium 180 (Rueben Coetzee 59, Jason Raal 44, Niel Barnard 33; Thandani Zuma 5/36, Rendani Nonge 3/30); Michaelhouse 181/5 (Ethan Muir 95*, Ben Heuer 32; Morné Pauw 1/30). Michaelhouse won by five wickets. 

Grey College 209 (River Scott 64, Aiden Dodd 50, Jaco Prinsloo 35; Kyle McGough 3/17, Misbah Nair 2/16); Westville Boys’ High 212/4 (Seth Simpson 90*, Kyle McGough 58, Tristin Delvin 31*; Juan Maree 2/44). Westville Boys’ High won by six wickets. 

St Alban’s College 246 (Ethan Nel 72, Liam Basch 47, Josh Melville 28, Extras 26; Iminathi Baca 4/46, Lukhanyo Hlathuka 3/35); Hudson Park 113 (Slade Bambie 30; Christopher von La Chavellerie 2/3). St Alban’s College won by 133 runs.

What a difference a day makes.

It is especially true in the cricket arena, and the  2025 Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal is a case in point.

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and Cornwall Hill College, who both ended up on the wrong side of the results on the first day, bounced back impressively on day two.

Affies, facing Hilton College at their home ground, the Hart-Davis Oval, came out on top with a 24-run victory. Batting first after winning the toss, opening batsman JP Botha, the Pretoria-based side’s main contributor on day one, was even more imposing this time around.

Affies managed 217/7 in the allotted 50 overs, with 91 of those runs coming off the bat of Botha, who produced one of his more patient innings of the season. Facing a marathon 133 deliveries, almost half the innings, Botha hit six fours and a solitary six, before Hilton stalwart Ben Hockly ran him out. Thereafter, the struggles of those who followed highlighted exactly how valuable Botha’s knock was.

Benoit Rey (2/28) and David Hill (2/33) managed to cause certain problems halfway through the Affie innings. Fortunately, wicketkeeper Daniel Murray (24) batted well towards the tail, while Adriaan Nel‘s 32 provided the final thrust to establish a defendable total.

Alex Pitman (34) gave the hosts hope at the top of the order before he was dismissed by Ruben Groenewald (2/16). Petrus Rautenbach then worked his magic with the ball, during the middle part of the Hilton innings, snapping up a match-defining 3/36 in his allotted 10 overs.

Struggling at 139/8, tailender Obakeng Motsepa raised his hand with the home side’s top score of the day. His unbeaten 37 runs gave them more than a glimmer of hope until he ran out of partners in the final over of the chase.

Cornwall Hill surprised friend and foe with an outstanding bowling performance, which saw them thump Northwood by 100 runs.

Mohale Pitso enjoyed a marvellous day. He contributed a useful 24 not out with the bat, yet it was with the ball that he really came to the fore. His 3/17 did the bulk of the damage, as Northwood could only manage a meagre 91 runs in search of the target of 192.

Khumo Kgagodi (57) and captain, Ab Rasool (40), were the main protagonists with the bat, helping the side from Pretoria to their total by the end of the allotted 50 overs. Ben Cilliers was the standout with the ball for Northwood. He completed a solid 10-over spell with figures of 3/32.

The CSA Hub Invitational XI will not, like last year, end up unbeaten at the end of the four days, after they ran into a confident Glenwood, who got their campaign off to a great start with a thumping 142-run victory over St Alban’s College the day before. They followed that up with a tightly contested two-wicket victory in which Akhil Maharaj (5/32) was the hero. Maharaj’s five-wicket haul, costing only 32 runs, derailed CSA Hub, who could only manage 151.

Olwami Zondi withstood the fightback from Enathi Kitshini (3/20) and Rivoningo Chauke (3/28) for a match-winning 46 runs, four short of a well-deserved half-century. The 26 extras that the Hub conceded and further cameos from Rehaan Jhunbathar (23) and Keian Jugoo (20) got the Green Machine over the line, but only just.

Summarised scorecards

Affies 217/7 (JP Botha 91, Adriaan Nel 32, Daniel Murray 24; Benoit Rey 2/28, David Hill 2/33); Hilton College 193 (Obakeng Motsepa 37*, Alex Pitman 34, Simon Steyn 23, Jayden Roux 21, Extras 20; Petrus Rautenbach 3/36, Ruben Groenewald 2/16, JP Botha 2/34). Affies won by 24 runs. 

Cornwall Hill College 191/8 (Khumo Kgagodi 57, Ab Rasool 40, Mohale Pitso 24*, Neoentle Makwela 20*; Ben Cilliers 3/32, Jordan Matthews 2/42); Northwood 91 (Thomas Oosthuizen 35, Jamie Wimble 29; Mohale Pitso 3/17, Kirill Broughton 2/5). Cornwall Hill College won by 100 runs. 

CSA Hub Invitational XI 151 (Tshepang Laka 39, Maathew Florence 27, Awonke Mngini 25, Ryall Julies 24*; Akhil Maharaj 5/32, Jonah Chaita 2/4); Glenwood 152/8 (Olwami Zondi 46, Extras 26; Rehaan Jhunbathur 23, Keian Jugoo 20; Enathi Kitshini 3/20, Rivoningo Chauke 3/28). Glenwood won by two wickets. 

Saturday, day three of the National Co-Ed Water Polo Tournament, produced high-intensity action in both the girls’ and boys’ divisions as teams scrambled for playoff victories.

The hosts, Pearson High, and Glenwood House won through to the final of the boys’ competition, while Kingwood College and Reddam House Bedfordview progressed to the girls’ final.

On the girls’ side, the day began with the bottom quarterfinals, where Steyn City School impressed in a dominant 10-2 win over Alexander Road. The NMMU/VC Invitational side, meanwhile, beat Curro Hillcrest 7-3.

In the main quarterfinals, the top finishers from the group stage showed their class. Reddam Bedfordview scored a confident 12-5 win over Hudson Park High, while Pearson overcame Stirling High 8-4.

The clash between St Peter’s College and Beaulieu College ended with the sides knotted at 10-10 before St Peter’s triumphed 3-2 in a penalty shootout. Kingswood College was in in fine form against Kloof’s Thomas More College, beating the KwaZulu-Natalians 9-2.

In the qualifier rounds, NMMU/VC Invitational thrashed Alex Road 15-0, Crawford Lonehill edged out Westerford High 5-3, and Glenwood House bagged a 4-2 win over Woodridge College.

Meanwhile, in the qualifier semifinals, Steyn City crushed Rand Park High 11-0, while Merrifield College narrowly beat Curro Hillcrest 6-4 to advance.

Later, in the playoff qualifiers, Hudson Park recovered from their loss to Reddam House Bedfordview, beating Stirling 6-2, and Beaulieu secured a 7-3 victory over Thomas More.

In the semi-finals, Reddam Bedfordview kept rolling, picking up a 10-5 victory over Pearson High, while Kingswood booked their place in the final after a 9-6 defeat of St Peter’s College.

Meanwhile, Pearson delivered a powerhouse performance in the boys’ quarterfinals, dismantling Hudson Park 19-4, while St Peter’s got by Reddam Bedfordview 10-5. Woodridge won a high-scoring thriller 15-9 against Stirling, and Glenwood House secured a comfortable 11-4 win over Steyn City.

In the qualifiers, the Invitational team beat the Co-ed Invitational side 7-3, Merrifield eased past Curro Hillcrest 10-2, and Kingswood handed Westerford a 7-1 defeat.

Then, in the qualifier semifinals, Thomas More dominated Alex Road 8-2, and Reddam Helderfontein proved too strong for Rand Park, winning 17-0.

In the semifinals, Woodridge stormed their way into the title game after cruising to a 16-6 win over Glenwood House, while Pearson booked their place with a 12-8 victory over St Peter’s.

RESULTS

GIRLS

Bottom Quarterfinals
Steyn City 10-2 Alex Road
Curro Hillcrest 3-7 NMMU/VC Invitational

Quarterfinals
Reddam Bedfordview 12-5 Hudson Park
Stirling 4-8 Pearson
St Peter’s (10) 3-2 (10) Beaulieu
Kingswood 9-2 Thomas More

Qualifiers
Alex Road 0-15 NMMU/VC Invitational
Westerford 3-5 Crawford Lonehill
Glenwood 4-2 Woodridge

Qualifier Semifinals
Steyn City 11-0 Rand Park
Merriefield 6-4 Curro Hillcrest

Qualifiers
Hudson Park 6-2 Stirling
Beaulieu 7-3 Thomas More

Semifinals
Reddam Bedfordview 10-5 Pearson
St Peter’s 6-9 Kingswood

BOYS

Bottom QF
Invitational 0-0 Thomas More
Reddam Helderfontein 10-5 Co-ed Invitational

Quarterfinals
Pearson 19-4 Hudson Park
Reddam Bedfordview 5-10 St Peter’s
Woodridge 15-9 Stirling
Glenwood 11-4 Steyn City

Qualifiers
Invitational 7-3 Co-ed Invitational
Curro Hillcrest 2-10 Merrifield
Westerford 1-7 Kingswood

Qualifier Semifinals
Thomas More 8-2 Alex Road
Rand Park 0-17 Reddam Helderfontein

Qualifiers
Hudson Park 4-10 Reddam Bedfordview
Stirling 3-7 Steyn City

Semifinals
Woodridge 16-6 Glenwood
Pearson 12-8 St Peter’s