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Hilton College claimed a nail-biting six-run win over Westville Boys’ High on the Hart-Davis Oval in Hilton on Saturday after successfully defending a modest total of 140/9.

The match was played over 40 overs and it, most definitely, favoured the bowlers, with no batsmen making it beyond the twenties.

After the toss fell their way, Hilton opted to bat first, but they made a miserable start and soon found themselves knee deep in the mud, listing on 23/4. The going was slow.

Kyle McGough got rid of Barack Munawa for four before Alex Pitman followed him back to the pavilion, caught by Tristin Delvin off left-armer Lwandile Bulose for a laboured six from 29.

Hilton suffered a further blow when Ben Wilson was run out for eight from 29, and Ben Erasmus lasted only three balls before being caught off Ashton Kidgell‘s bowling.

Ben Hockly and Cameron Hargroves halted the Westville onslaught by adding 43 for the fifth wicket before Hockly was caught off paceman Dayalan Boyce for 22 from 28. He hadn’t reached the boundary once.

Hargroves achieved that feat three times, however, but he was out only three runs after Hockly for 25 from 47, stumped by Aidan Baudach off the bowling of left-arm spinner, Ewan du Toit. With his exit, Hilton, once again, was in trouble, teetering on 69/6.

Matters looked even bleaker when Luke Wilson became Du Toit’s second victim, which left the home side in danger of missing out on reaching a hundred, on 80/7.

James Peattie and Luke Campbell, however, took them to 105, partnering for 25 runs, before Peattie was bowled by Boyce for 21.

Campbell went on to score 24 from 33, with three fours, which helped to lift Hilton College to 140/9 after the completion of their 40 overs. It was a crucial contribution.

Du Toit snagged 2/16 from his six overs, while Boyce shone with 2/18 from eight. His fellow new ball bowler, Kyle McGough, returned 2/30 from eight, while Lwandile Bulose kept Hilton in check with a tidy four overs, which brought him 1/13.

When Westville batted, Sechaba Gude – the hero of Hilton’s Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two semi-final win over Michaelhouse on Thursday – got rid of Aarin Rasmussen in the first over.

Ewan du Toit and Kyle McGough then combined for a 30-run second wicket partnership before McGough fell to a combination of Benoit Rey‘s catching and Sechaba Gude’s bowling for 19 from 20, with three fours.

Du Toit and Seth Simpson partnered for 34 runs for the third wicket, taking the total to 65, before Du Toit’s watchful knock came to an end when he was caught off by Alex Pitman off the bowling of Benoit Rey for 16.

Simpson didn’t last much longer, becoming the fourth man out when the total had reached 71 runs. He had struck three fours in his 21 from 25 balls. Soon, Westville’s run chase caught a wobble when Misbah Nair was trapped in front by Rey for four. The visitors were on 79/5.

Their sixth wicket went down just before the century came up when Tristin Delvin was caught by Gude off the bowling of Luke Campbell for a patient 14 from 34 deliveries. It was the first blow in a series struck by the spinner, which would prove to be match-winning.

Dayalan Boyce, then, became Luke Campbell’s second victim, out for three, which left Westville on 107/7 and the match finely balanced.

Liam de Villiers, though, battled away, keeping Hilton at bay while accumulating runs, but, tragically for Westville, he was run out for 23 from 39 balls, having hit two fours, with only 14 runs required for victory.

Campbell ensured Westville didn’t make it, dismissing Aidan Baudach LBW for eight before picking up the last wicket when he had Ashton Kidgell caught by Ben Erasmus for two. Westville was all out for 134.

Campbell was the difference between the teams, nabbing 4/19 in 6.4 overs after posting Hilton’s second highest score of 24.

He enjoyed good support from his fellow spinner, Benoit Rey, who captured 2/26 from eight, while Sechaba Gude knocked back 2/28 in six.

Summarised scorecard

Hilton College 140/9 (Cameron Hargroves 25, Luke Campbell 24, Ben Hockly 22, James Peattie 21; Ewan du Toit 2/16, Dayalan Boyce 2/18, Kyle McGough 2/30); Westville Boys’ High 134/10 (Liam de Villiers 23, Extras 23, Seth Simpson 21; Luke Campbell 4/19, Benoit Rey 2/26, Sechaba Gude 2/28). Hilton College won by six runs.

On Saturday morning, Bishops Diocesan College hosted Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High and SACS for the final three matches of the Western Province Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two competition.

Bishops Diocesan College vs SACS (20-over) (Semi-Final One)

Playing on the Frank Reid Oval, Bishops won the toss and opted to bat first in their semi-final against SACS.

They delivered a strong batting display, which they backed up with a sound effort in the field to claim a hard-fought victory despite some impressive batting from the SACS’ top order.

When Bishops batted, Saeed Conrad caused them problems, capturing 4/35 from four overs. The hosts, though, scored at a healthy 8.3 runs per over to post 166/6 from their 20 overs.

Openers Alex Vintcent and Ibraheem Taliep put up a confident 38-run opening stand, with Vintcent knocking a rapid 25 runs off 17 balls, which included walloping three fours and a six. At the other end, Taliep rotated the strike effectively, striking a four and a six in his contribution of 23 off 21.

In at four, Thaafier Japtha’s unbeaten 38 off 36 included four fours and kept the run rate flowing at the end of the innings.

With Litha Kraai leading the way, the SACS run pursuit began well. He and Aqeel Waggie posted 57 runs for the first wicket. Kraai did most of the heavy lifting – with Waggie’s contribution being only 10 runs – and slammed seven fours and three sixes in an entertaining 55 off 37 deliveries.

SACS appeared to be on course for a victory, but Bishops’ captain Alex Vintcent, with 3/24 from his four overs, played a major role in halting their charge, with the visitors slipping from 118/3 to 140/8.

Michael Kruiskamp weighed in with 2/23 from four to help limit SACS to 145/8, which left Bishops the winners by 21 runs. They were through to the final.

Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High (20-over) (Semi-Final Two)

Wynberg won the toss on Bishops’ Oaks Oval and chose to field first in their semi-final against Rondebosch. That proved to be a good call as the Wynberg bowlers limited ‘Bosch to a low total. They followed that up with some excellent batting to win by seven wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Rondebosch opener Tyler Heyns cracked three fours and a six in scoring 26 runs off 17 balls, but his effort was the best that his side could muster.

Schalk Fourie was the only other ‘Bosch batsman to exit the teens, producing a steady 23 off 26. Otherwise, the Wynberg bowlers had the batsmen right where they wanted them. They limited run scoring and picked up wickets along the way.

Esihle Maziyane snared 2/13 in four overs, while Joshua Prince took 2/18 and Niyaaz Allie collected 2/22, also in four.

After 20 overs, Rondebosch had racked up a modest 117/8.

Qaeed Shaik, then, led Wynberg’s run chase, smashing four fours and two sixes in a vital contribution of 37 off 30 at the top of the order.

The third man to visit the crease, Matthew Mills, thrashed five fours along the ground in his unbeaten 36 off 39 and shared in a 58-run second-wicket stand with Shaik, the highest partnership of the match.

The next man in, Joshua Prince bashed three fours in his 29 off 30 as Wynberg won after 18.2 overs when they reached 118/3.

Raa’id Davids and Eli Aufrichtig were the only ‘Bosch bowlers to take wickets, claiming 1/15 and 1/18 respectively.

Bishops Diocesan College vs Wynberg Boys’ High (Final)

In the title decider, Wynberg won the toss and chose to field first against Bishops in front of a good crowd at the Frank Reid Oval. It took grit and determination in both innings for the home team to pull off a tight win over the talented Wynberg outfit.

Bishops’ skipper, Alex Vintcent, showed what playing each ball on its merit meant by facing 21 dot-balls, but still accumulating 38 runs off 40 balls, with four fours and a six.

In at three and seven respectively, Cameron Macbeth and Litha Mbiko contributed 28 each. Mbiko provided a valuable infusion at the end of the innings, blasting two fours and two maximums in his 18-ball stay, while Macbeth punched four fours in his 27-ball innings.

Leg-spinner Nicholas Stafford was spectacular across his three overs, snaring 4/11, which helped to limit Bishops to 138/8 after their 20 overs.

Wynberg’s run pursuit began well, with Fawaaz Hendricks and Qaeed Shaik mustering a 47-run opening stand before disaster struck, with Hendricks being run out for 18 from 16 balls. Shaik, meanwhile, tallied 26 off 21, with both batsmen hitting two fours.

Coming in at five, captain Michail Tarentaal stood tall in the middle overs, bashing six fours in his 48 off 37.

The Bishops’ bowlers stuck to their task, however, and kept the Wynberg run rate down to help swing the match in the hosts’ favour after Wynberg had reached 102/4 with five overs to go. They needed to score at just under eight runs per over to win.

Alex Vintcent, with 2/20 in three overs, played a major role in slowing down the visitors’ run rate.

The next five overs brought Bishops four wickets, which meant that not only were those deliveries dot-balls, but they also meant that new batsmen had to try to come in and score runs immediately.

Michael Kruiskamp and Matthew Schultz undermined their efforts. Kruiskamp returned 1/24 in four, while Schultz dialled up the pressure, knocking over 1/13 in four.

In the end, Wynberg came up eight runs short, finishing on 130/8.

Summarised Scorecards

Bishops Diocesan College 166/6 (Thaafier Japtha 38*, Alex Vintcent 25, Ibraheem Taliep 23, Michael Kruiskamp 23; Saeed Conrad 4/35); SACS 145/8 (Litha Kraai 55, Jordan Berry 25, Ulrich Roth 23; Alex Vintcent 3/24, Michael Kruiskamp 2/23). Bishops won by 21 runs.

Rondebosch Boys’ High 117/8 (Tyler Heyns 26, Schalk Fourie 23; Esihle Mazinyane 2/13, Joshua Prince 2/18, Niyaaz Allie 2/22); Wynberg Boys’ High 118/3 (Qaeed Shaik 37, Matthew Mills 36*, Joshua Prince 29). Wynberg Boys’ High won by seven wickets.

Bishops Diocesan College 138/8 (Alex Vintcent 38, Litha Mbiko 28*, Cameron Macbeth 28; Nicholas Stafford 4/11); Wynberg Boys’ High 130/8 (Michail Tarentaal 48, Qaeed Shaik 26; Alex Vintcent 2/20). Bishops won by eight runs.

Connor Holder scored a brilliant half-century to set St Andrew’s College up for a 37-run win over Pearson in their Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two contest at Pearson on Saturday afternoon.

The victory earned St Andrew’s a berth in the final of the Eastern Province leg of the nationwide tournament against Grey High.

Rhys Wiblin, the St Andrew’s captain, won the toss and elected to bat first. His team turned that decision into a good one by racing to 175/6 in their 20 overs. Then, they restricted Pearson to 138/9 in reply.

Pearson must have thought they were in business when they dismissed Thomas Lake in the third over of the contest, with the St Andrew’s opener mustering only two runs in a 21-run opening stand with Wiblin.

What the home side had not counted on was the impact of Lake’s dismissal, which resulted in St Andrew’s College’s most in-form players joining forces. Wiblin and Holder entered the contest high in confidence, thanks to their unbeaten 63-run second-wicket partnership in a victory over Nico Malan earlier in the day.

Nico Malan’s total of 99 all out in 16.3 overs didn’t present St Andrew’s with a difficult challenge. They chased it down with ease, winning by nine wickets in 12.3 overs, with Holder finishing unbeaten on 38, while Wiblin was on 39 not out.

Against Pearson, they picked up from where they left off and constructed a match-winning 114-run second-wicket partnership off 71 balls. Holder was the aggressor, registering a strike rate of 146, while Wiblin rolled along at 129.7.

Holder’s outstanding 69 came off only 47 balls and included seven fours and three sixes. Wiblin, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on a half-century. He was dismissed for 48 off 37 after striking six fours and a six.

Ben Scharges, who replaced Wiblin, provided the St Andrew’s innings with a late a flourish and ended with an unbeaten 22 off 15.

Jean Schultz was the best of the Pearson bowlers, picking up 2/21.

Pearson’s run chase began solidly, with a sound opening stand of 65 off 57 balls between Ruan Coetzee and Cale Price. However, a double strike from Thomas Bussiahn in the 10th over, which got rid of both batsmen within the space of three balls, set Pearson on the back foot.

Jean Schultz and Callum Armstrong fought back for Pearson, advancing the total by 46 runs from 35 balls before St Andrew’s grabbed three wickets in five balls.

Callum Taggart emulated Bussiahn and delivered a double blow, dismissing Schultz and Armstrong with the fourth and sixth deliveries of the 16th over, before Oli Whitaker accounted for Jude Septoo in the next over.

Taggart, who was the bowler in the contest, claimed his third wicket in the 18th over, on his way to 3/31 from his three overs.

Thomas Bussiahn and Oli Whitaker both claimed two wickets apiece, with Whitaker snapping up 2/19 from four and Bussiahn returning 2/23 from his four.

Summarised Scorecard

St Andrew’s College 175/6 (Connor Holder 69, Rhys Wiblin 48, Ben Scharges 22*; Jean Schults 2/21, Jayden Ward 1/27, Callum Armstrong 1/29). Pearson High 138/9 (Ruan Coetzee 30, Cale Price 29, Jean Schultz 27; Callum Taggart 3/31, Oli Whitaker 2/19, Thomas Bussiahn 2/23). St Andrew’s won by 37 runs.

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote and captain Riley Norton both lauded the fighting spirit of the SA U19 Academy team, who beat Ireland in their last tour match in Cork on Friday evening.

The team’s character was truly tested in their final tour match in Ireland, where they played in freezing cold, wet, and windy conditions marked by sweeping rain.

Despite the atrocious weather, the SA U19s demonstrated remarkable grit and executed a strong, forward-dominated performance to secure an impressive 32-22 victory, finishing the tour on a massive high.

After the game, Foote praised the resilience of fighting character of the touring squad, who delivered an assured performance in very difficult winter northern hemisphere conditions.

“That was just a brave performance from our young men, I thought they showed tremendous character in seriously harsh conditions,” said Foote.

“Their attitude all week, since we left France, has been nothing short of excellent. We simply accepted the weather and focused on what we could control.”

The Junior Bok head coach, who made wholesale rotational changes to the side that went down to France the previous week, was especially pleased with the role of the team leadership in the build-up to the game and during the match.

“Our leadership was outstanding,” he said. “Led by Riley Norton and Esethu Mnebelele, and Vusi Moyo really stood up nicely in the backs, while another leader, ‘Rambo’ Kubheka, made a huge impact off the bench.

“Our senior players inducted the new guys brilliantly, and honestly, spending time with this group has been special.”

Foote once more emphasised the importance of the European tour in the overall preparations of the South African Under-20 programme: “We’re very grateful to France and Ireland for making these matches possible, and of course to Dave Wessels and the SA Rugby administration back home for getting this done.

“This block is hugely important for our journey as a new group – touring two countries and playing in these challenging conditions is exactly what we needed.

“Our pack once more stood up, and the backs are really starting to find cohesion. We came here looking for those connections, and we saw them on Friday evening. The boys have bonded well, and we’ll all watch the Springboks (against Italy) play today as a team exercise, before heading home on Sunday after what’s been a very good tour experience.

“I’m excited and looking forward to working with this group and staff. The growth they’ve shown since we first started three weeks ago in Stellenbosch has been exceptional,” added the Junior Bok coach.

Part of the team shuffle for the Irish game saw Norton moved from his usual lock position to blindside flanker, and the Junior Bok captain led from the front in a dominant pack, also stealing crucial lineout possession from the Irish to pile on the pressure.

The SA forwards scored three tries, while they were also awarded a penalty try in the second half when Ireland illegally stopped the goal-bound lineout maul.

“That was probably the toughest match I’ve ever played, weather-wise,” said Norton.

“The wind and rain were relentless, but we knew we had to embrace those conditions. We spoke all week about showing that typical South African strength and determination.

“Our forwards were unbelievable, that maul was unstoppable, we won the physical battle, and we were brave in defence – all of which were key to securing the win.”

Norton said the French result sharpened their focus and increased their determination: “Against Ireland, there was a different energy and absolute commitment to the physical breakdown. We learned to confront the pressure head-on, and to bounce back like that truly shows the heart of this team.

“This tour has been huge for our growth as a new group. This victory against a very good Ireland side, in that kind of weather and in front of their passionate home crowd, gives us massive belief. We’re pleased we could turn things around and are returning home knowing we’ve put down a very good marker.”

The SA U19s fly home on Sunday evening from Dublin and will arrive early Monday morning in Johannesburg, from where the squad members will travel to their home destinations.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

A superb opening stand from Michaelhouse captain Ethan Muir and William Russon set the visitors up for a four-wicket win over St Charles College in a limited overs match in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday.

The result went ‘House‘s way but not the toss, and Saints elected to bat first after Muir called incorrectly.

They lost a couple of early wickets, but Christiaan Prinsloo, as he has done a number of times this season, settled in and held up an end to get the home side on track. Together, he and Ryan Clarke advanced the total by 89 runs for the third wicket from only 83 balls.

Their partnership ended when Clarke was caught by Muir off the bowling of Rex Wardlaw for 47. He’d taken only 35 balls to score his runs and had struck six fours. When he departed, St Charles was on 123/3.

Prinsloo and André Bosman tacked on another 38 runs for the fourth wicket before Bosman fell for 14, a victim of Rendani Nonge who, four runs later, added the wicket of Connor Simpson.

Prinsloo was, eventually, the seventh man to lose his wicket, caught by William Russon off the bowling of Rex Wardlaw for 87 from 142 balls, 15 of which he dispatched to the boundary. His dismissal left Saints on 182/7. Unfortunately for the hosts, it was also the start of a collapse.

They added only two more runs while losing three more wickets, with Muir snagging 2/3 in 1.2 overs to bring the St Charles innings to an end.

Wardlaw, though, led the Michaelhouse attack, knocking over 3/30 in seven overs, while Nonge finished with a tidy 2/22 in seven, and his fellow new ball bowler, Thandanani Zuma, claimed 2/35 in 10.

Saints appeared to have produced a decent enough total, but Muir and Russon ate into it with a committed opening partnership.

They spent 176 balls together and put on 146 for the first wicket before, at last, their stand was halted when Keegan Vermaak bowled Russon for 52 from 89 deliveries, which included seven fours.

Ben Heuer didn’t last long, caught by Ryan Clarke off the bowling of Vermaak for two, and only one run later Muir’s fine innings ended.

He was bowled by Rowen Rajah for 76. He had faced 93 balls and hit 11 fours. He had, also, done his job.

As ‘House closed in on victory, Rex Wardlaw exited for four, which left the total on 162/4 after 36 overs.

Four overs later, they sealed a six-wicket victory, with Hayden Hewlett unbeaten on 22 and Cody Sander on four. St Charles had conceded 29 extras and 23 of those were wides. That had hurt their chances.

Keegan Vermaak was the pick of the home side’s bowlers, snaring 3/42 in nine overs, while fast bowler Rowen Rajah kept the Michaelhouse batsmen on their toes, capturing 1/29 from his 10 overs.

Summarised scorecard

St Charles College 184/10 (Christiaan Prinsloo 84, Ryan Clarke 47; Rex Wardlaw 3/30, Ethan Muir 2/3, Rendani Nonge 2/22, Thandanani Zuma 2/35); Michaelhouse 188/4 (Ethan Muir 76, William Russon 52, Hayden Hewlett 22*; Keegan Vermaak 3/42). Michaelhouse won by six wickets.

The South African u17 national team, Amajimbos, is set to face Japan on Saturday in the round of 32 of the u17 FIFA World Cup at the Aspire Zone in Qatar.

At the end of the group stage of the competition, South Africa finished second in Group A, behind Italy, while Japan topped Group B.

Amajimbos began their Group A schedule with a 3-1 win over Bolivia in their opening match, followed by a 1-1 draw with Qatar, and a 1-3 defeat to Italy.

Japan, on the other hand, finished top of their group, which also featured Portugal, Morocco, and New Caledonia, with a record of two wins and one draw.

The Amajimbos, who last participated in the u17 Fifa World Cup in 2015, in Chile, face a tough task when they take on the Japanese, who were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by New Caledonia, the minnows in their pool. But they beat the big guns, Morocco and Portugal, 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.

South Africa is one of the nine African teams that qualified for the round of 32. The only African country to miss out was Côte d’Ivoire, who finished last in Group F after losing against Switzerland, South Korea, and Mexico.

Tunisia, Senegal, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Morocco, Zambia, and Mali will be in action on Friday and Saturday, chasing a place in the last 16.

In 2015, under the guidance of coach Molefi Ntseki, South Africa exited after the group stage of the competition. Back then, the World Cup finals field was 24 teams. In 2025, that number has doubled.

Nonetheless, the 2025 team, under coach Vela Khumalo, appears to be better equipped to challenge on the World Cup stage. With their win over Bolivia, they achieved a first ever World Cup finals victory and then advanced to the next round.

On Saturday, at 15:30 SA local time, Khumalo’s squad will have an opportunity to improve upon that achievement and create even more history when they tackle Japan.

Michaelhouse was stunned by Sechaba Gude on the Hart-Davis Oval, at Hilton, on Thursday, with the paceman dismissing two of their top three cheaply before grabbing the last three wickets of the ‘House innings to set Hilton College up for an emphatic eight-wicket victory in their Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two KZN Inland semi-final showdown.

If the Hart-Davis Oval has revealed anything this year, it’s that results have leaned towards the teams batting second, with those that choose to bat first often struggling to post big totals.

That proved to be the case once more on Thursday when Michaelhouse captain Graydon Leslie won the toss and chose to bat first. Ironically, he was the first batsman to fall, caught by Barack Munawa off Gude’s bowling for seven.

Sanqe Qangule got rid of the in-form Ben Heuer for a duck, which was a big boost for Hilton’s chances, and Gude then dismissed another in-form batsman, Rex Wardlaw, to have Michaelhouse three-down in the fourth over.

In the very next over, Luke Wilson trapped Cody Sander in front, leaving Michaelhouse punch drunk on 20/4. Matters didn’t improve much for the visitors from there.

They lost their fifth wicket, Riley Muir, run out, in the seventh over, and Wonga Mlonzi was sent packing at the start of the ninth for 17, a second victim of Luke Wilson, which reduced ‘House to 43/6.

They slid further to 55/7 when Victor North was caught by Ben Wilson off Benoit Rey for 16.

At last, though, Michaelhouse was able to put together a decent partnership, which was carried almost entirely by Nishay Sudhoowa. He struck four fours in his 34 from 31 balls before becoming another Sechaba Gude victim. Still, with Thandanani Zuma, he added 38 for the eighth wicket.

Zuma fell to the first ball of the 18th over, and Sudhoowa followed three balls later. Gude then returned for his fourth over to complete his five-for when he caught and bowled Rendani Nonge for five.

Michaelhouse was all out for 100 after 19.2 overs. Gude’s outstanding contribution was 5/7 from 3.2 overs.

Luke Wilson return 2/19 from four, and Benoit Rey bowled tidily to pick up 1/20 from his four.

With Hilton College captain Robert Burman leading the way, the home side made a rollicking start to their run chase, getting stuck into the Michaelhouse bowling early to quickly establish which team was going to win the match.

Burman and Barack Munawa shared a 67-run first wicket stand in eight overs before Munawa was bowled by Liam O’Dwyer for 28 from 26 balls, with four fours, but, by then, he had pretty much helped to seal the deal.

Ben Wilson fell cheaply, which left Hilton on 75/2 in the eleventh over, but they needed only 26 more runs to win.

Burman and Luke Wilson soon supplied them, taking 14 balls to do so, as Hilton romped to victory with 39 balls to spare. Burman was 48 not out from 36 balls, with seven fours, while Wilson finished with 11 from 10.

Nishay Sudhoowa, Michaelhouse’s best batsman on the day, also proved to be their best bowler, claiming 1/18 in four. Liam O’Dwyer finished with 1/24 in 3.3 overs.

It was, however, Hilton’s onslaught on the Michaelhouse frontline bowlers that set them up for a successful run chase. Thandanani Zuma went for 15 runs from his only over, Ben Heuer conceded 22 from three, and Rendani Nonge went for 13 from his one.

Summarised scorecard

Michaelhouse 100/10 (Nishay Sudhoowa 34; Sechaba Gude 5/7, Luke Wilson 2/19); Hilton College 101/2 (Robert Burman 48*, Barack Munawa 28). Hilton College won by eight wickets.

Western Province Boys U19 Squad

The 13-player Western Province squad to contest the Khaya Majola Week in Bloemfontein from 16-21 December is made up of players from five sides.

Bishops Diocesan College and Rondebosch Boys’ High supply four representatives each, plus one player who will not be travelling unless called upon. Wynberg Boys’ High has three representatives and a non-travelling reserve.

The Khayelitsha Hub and Gugulethu Hub have one player each in the line-up, while SACS had one player named among the non-travelling reserves.

Bishops’ opener Adnaan Lagadien retains his spot in the team. Last year, he was selected for the SA Colts’ side and earlier this year he represented SA u19 against England.

He’s played 10 innings and struck two fifties at the Khaya Majola Week, scoring 375 runs at an average of 37.5. He holds a steady strike rate of 84.08, while recording 42 fours and eight sixes in the competition.

Rondebosch top order batsman, Daniel Bosman has also kept his name on the team sheet. In eight innings at the inter-provincial week, he has scored 300 runs at an impressive average of 60. That includes two fifties, 25 fours, and seven sixes. His strike rate of 82.64 reflects his balanced batting approach.

Another southern suburbs’ batsman, Paul James, from Wynberg, has compiled 160 runs over four innings in the Western Province kit at an average of 53.33.

In 50 overs across five matches, ‘Bosch bowler Timothy Short has collected 8/136 at an admirable economy rate of 2.72. He’s recorded 13 maidens and bowled only six wides in his over 300 deliveries. He’s one of the bowlers to keep an eye on.

Bishops’ paceman Waco Bassick represented SA u19 in Namibia earlier this year and he has often proved to be the sharp point of the spear when leading the attack.

Hard-hitting James Robb-Quinlan, meanwhile, led Bishops to the Schools SA20 national title, and recently completed his career at the school by winning his 100th cap.

WESTERN PROVINCE KHAYA MAJOLA SQUAD

1. Waco Bassick (Bishops)
2. Daniel Bosman (Rondebosch)
3. Daniel Cooke (Rondebosch)
4. Paul James (Wynberg)
5. Michael Kruiskamp (Bishops)
6. Adnaan Lagadien (Bishops)
7. Unathi Magaloza (Khayelitsha Hub)
8. Hlumelo Mgweba (Rondebosch)
9. Joshua Prince (Wynberg)
10. James Robb-Quinlan (Bishops)
11. Qaeed Shaik (Wynberg)
12. Timothy Short (Rondebosch)
13. Sibahle Sigabi (Gugulethu Hub)

Non-travelling players

Noah Heath (Rondebosch)
Michail Tarentaal (Wynberg)
Benjamin Blackburn (SACS)
Litha Mibiko (Bishops)

Head Coach: Qaasim Adams
Assistant Coach: Lutho Pohlongo
Manager: Ashley Fernandez

Western Province Girls U19 Squad

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) Girls U19 Week will be hosted in Potchefstroom from 15-20 December, and the Western Province side features 13 players from a remarkable 11 different teams.

Victoria Hub and Stellenberg High provide two players. All the rest have one each.

WESTERN PROVINCE GIRLS’ U19 WEEK SQUAD

1. Lindokuhle Batyi (Khayelitsha Hub)
2. Nuha Benjamin (Victoria Hub)
3. Cara Bester (Durbanville High)
4. Jemma Botha (Wynberg Girls)
5. Chloe de Roubaix (Stellenberg High)
6. Kaylin Erasmus (Stellenberg High)
7. Jae-Leigh Filander (Fairmont High)
8. Mbhali Gqumayo (Gugulethu Hub)
9. Danielleh Hugo (Curro Durbanville)
10. Erin Scrooby (Reddam Constantia)
11. Sive Silati (Langa Hub)
12. Ashline Titus (Victoria Hub)
13. Imaan van Schalkwyk (Bergvliet High)

Head Coach: Vuyani Parafini
Assistant Coach: Ezryn van Aswegen
Manager: Nita Janse van Rensburg

“Naudé achieved 111 caps for St Andrew’s School, not only because of his playing ability, but also because of the positive energy he brings to the team environment.

“He’s always welcome back at St Andrew’s and will be staying at the boarding house next year while studying – both to develop his game and to give back to the school by helping out the younger pupils.”

St Andrew’s School and 2025 Free State u19 Khaya Majola Head Coach, AJ van Wyk shared those words about Naudé Botha’s contribution to his team, and the school at large this week.

St Andrew’s has earned a reputation as a leading cricket-playing school by taking on teams from all across South Africa with success and has a strong record of producing South African Schools‘ players.

For Botha, choosing the Bloemfontein school was, however, about more than a cricket decision, although it has played a big role in his time there.

“It’s because of the opportunity, not just the opportunity to play cricket against top schools in our country, but it was an opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone and experience a bit of independence and thinking for myself,” he said of his decision to make Saints his high school.

“Being away from home is not easy but coming to St Andrew’s is definitely the best decision I have made so far. Another factor was when I came to St Andrew’s just to see what it was like and to walk around the school, I got a feeling in me that I belong here, and I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself.”

The batting all-rounder – he is also a wicketkeeper – is one of those personalities who brings out the best in those around him. He also delivers major contributions.

He was one of only two players to score a century at last year’s Khaya Majola Week and is often one of the top scorers in a match. It’s easy to see his value at the crease. However, there is more to see beneath the helmet.

When asked about the aspect of his game which he feels he needs to most work on, Botha didn’t mention any technical aspects. Instead, he addressed his mentality: “I would say just the ability to keep on going when I start well with the bat. I think there’s a lot of times when I get past fifty, and then suddenly, I lose my wicket cheaply. I think that’s cost me a lot of big scores so far. So, I think it’s best to just keep my focus for a longer period, and to simply take it ball by ball.”

On his mentality, coach Van Wyk spoke highly of the player’s positivity, loyalty and faith in God. He also spoke of the left-hander’s ability to perform when the challenges are at their toughest. “He’s one of those players who rises to the occasion. The better the bowler, the better he bats,” Van Wyk said.

The Saints star’ has predictably retained his spot in the Free State Khaya Majola team. He’s one of four players to achieve that feat, along with his St Andrew’s teammate, Cullen Kakora.

The Free State’s 13-player squad features six St Andrew’s players in total. Apart from Botha and Kakora, FG Botha, Nikhil Sukraj, Andrew Sobiech, and Bohlokwa Leketa were also included in the line-up. They’ll be in action in familiar conditions when the Khaya Majola Week takes place in Bloemfontein from 16 to 21 December.

But what does the future hold for Naudé Botha after school?

He shared some of his goals and dreams with SuperSport Schools Plus: “It would be to play cricket professionally. It has been a dream of mine for a long time. I remember imagining myself playing cricket professionally when I hit balls in my backyard, so that is something I want to work towards.

“As for my personal life, I want to finish my studies at the University of the Free State, where I am starting next year, and just to grow as a person, both mentally and spiritually.”

There’s a quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which goes: “Sure he that made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that capability and God-like reason to fust in us unused.”

Essentially, Hamlet is saying that God has not given us our talents randomly. Rather, he has given them to us so that we may use them. Naudé Botha has clearly understood his God-given talents. With his good nature, it’s easy to root for him to succeed in fulfilling his potential.

Continuous rain in Pretoria over recent weeks had made life difficult for the Hoërskool Zwartkop and Cornwall Hill College girls’ 1st XIs, who had been eager to battle it out in the Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two girls’ final for the Titans Union‘s title.

At last, on Thursday, they met, nine days after the rain-shortened semi-finals were completed on 4 November.

Incredibly, the Zwartkop girls, who went on to lift the trophy, didn’t lose a single wicket in either their semi-final win, or in their comprehensive victory over Cornwall Hill College in the title game.

In the Zwarries‘ semi-final, which was reduced to a nerve-wracking five overs – no chance for any errors – they thumped the Soshanguve Hub by 10 wickets; five overs are the minimum requirement for a result to be declared in a T20 match.

Captain Chanel Venter led the way in that game, smashing an unbeaten 20 to help her side chase down a target of 29 runs in only 2.5 overs.

Cornwall’s semi-final lasted longer, with both sides set to bat for 15 overs, although the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) Method was needed after rain once again halted play.

Gabriella Sequeira led the way for Cornwall, weighing in with a sublime unbeaten 62 from just 39 deliveries, which proved to be a match-winning knock in a 19-run win over the Hammanskraal Hub.

In the final, though, Cornwall Hill College had no answers to the brilliance of Thyea Gerhard, who set up Zwartkop for victory in the title decider with a magnificent spell of 4/15. Jean-Mari Engelbrecht complemented her with 3/25.

Rae Haagner provided some resistance for Cornwall, compiling an unbeaten 33, to lift her side to 96 before the final wicket fell.

Unfortunately for the home side, Chanel Venter was in a destructive mood. She took just 34 deliveries to smash an unbeaten 47, while Carmen Hugo, who had taken 2/21 in the Cornwall Hill innings, added 35 not out to complete an excellent all-round performance.

Together, they saw Zwarries across the line in the 11th over.

Summarised scorecards

Final – 13 November  

Cornwall Hill College 96 (Rae Haagner 33*; Thyea Gerhard 4/15, Jean-Mari Engelbrecht 3/25, Carmen Hugo 2/21); Zwartkop 97/0 (Chanel Venter 47*, Carmen Hugo 35*; Kailyn Beard 0/13). Zwartkop won by ten wickets. 

Semi-Final 1 – 4 November  

Shoshanguve Hub 28/3 (5) (Mohau Phasha 7; Genique Greeff 2/6); Zwartkop 34/0 (2.5) (Chanel Venter 20*; Nokubong Mpanza 0/9). Zwartkop won by ten wickets. 

Semi-Final 2 – 4 November 

Cornwall Hill College 11/2 (15) (Gabriella Sequeira 62*, Jessica Staubli 24; Batsenana Mthinuye 2/27); Hammanskraal Hub 58/3 (10.3) (Extras 20, Dimakatso Mojela 12; Kailyn Beard 1/13). Cornwall Hill College won by 19 runs (DLS).