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In combat sports, the saying goes that “champions reveal themselves in the championship rounds” and this axiom feels appropriate when viewing the state of the u19 division of the Gauteng Development League.

After 23 weeks of action, during which Mamelodi Sundowns and, then, Kaizer Chiefs dominated at the top of the standings for extended periods, Highlands Park has leapfrogged their big-name title contenders to take over at the top of the log.

Early in the season, the defending champions struggled, but they’ve worked their way into form and are playing their best football when it matters most – during the championship rounds.

“The Lions of the North” thrashed a struggling Wits Junior side 5-0 at Balfour Park on the weekend to vault into first place for a first time this season.

Chiefs also won, beating coach Tumelo Ndaba‘s SuperSport United outfit in a high-scoring, high-intensity match-up at Naturena Village.

Despite Chiefs’ 4-2 victory over the Tshwane-based unit, they still slid one spot, finishing matchday 23 one point in arrears of Highlands Park.

Sundowns have endured a difficult spell, which has included defeats against Sevens Academy and SuperSport United. They tackled the School of Excellence at Clapham High School, intent on righting their ship.

Naledi Kgobe netted for the Brazilians in the first half and Inga Chawula struck in the second stanza, but the game was not completed. It came to a sudden stop when the School of Excellence walked off the field, citing grievances with the match officials. Just how the matter will be resolved remains to be seen,

In other results, Tuks beat Joburg City 2-1 away from home, Jomo Cosmos and TS Galaxy drew 2-2, while Sevens Academy beat Kathorus Hyper Academy 1-0.

NWU Vaal FC ran out 3-0 winners over Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School, Remember Elite Sport Academy recorded a 2-1 win over Panorama, and Randburg AFC and  East Rand Athletic Club settled for a goalless draw.

RESULTS

Highlands Park vs Wits Junior (5-0)
Joburg City vs TUKS (1-2)
Jomo Cosmos vs TS Galaxy (2-2)
Kaizer Chiefs vs SuperSport United (4-2)
Kathorus Hyper Academy vs Sevens Academy (0-1)
NWU Vaal FC vs Rosina Sedibane Modiba SS (3-0)
Panorama FC vs Remember Elite Sports Academy (1-2)
Randburg AFC vs East Rand Athletic Club (0-0)
Mamelodi Sundowns vs School of Exccellence (Match did not finish)

Dale College is known for its famous rugby programme, which has, over the years, produced, among others, Springboks’ Keegan Daniel, Gcobani Bobo, and recently, Aphelele Fassi.

It’s a programme that attracts plenty of talent from the Border region. And while rugby is the headline grabber, Dale’s hockey programme is on the up, having made impressive strides in 2024.

After a difficult 2023, the Dale 1st XI showed grit, passion, and a deep desire to win in 2024. While the results didn’t always go their way, the effort was never lacking.

There was a new look to the school’s coaching ranks at the beginning of the season. Junior Mqingwana assumed the role of head coach, assisted by  Nazo Mlakalaka and Mvume Mqingwana, with Sibulele Zingitwa doing duty as the team’s manager.

There was plenty of work to be done after a nightmarish 2023 campaign during which Dale was uncompetitive, which led to concerns about the future of the school’s hockey programme.

That made the goal for the year a simple one: to create an element of competitiveness within the team and to get hockey enthusiasts around the province talking about Dale College once again.

There were positive signs from the start of the season, with Dale producing some strong and promising results at the Tony Godding Festival in East London. There, Mqingwana and his troops remained undefeated, beating Voortrekker Bethlehem 4-0, Westering High 2-0, and Linden 5-0, before playing to a 1-1 draw with Curro Waterstone.

If Dale was serious about rebuilding their hockey programme, they would have to test themselves against some of the country’s leading teams, and that challenge awaited them at the Founders Festival at Kearsney College.

The record shows that the Eastern Cape side went down to Kearsney, Rondebosch Boys’ High, Affies, and Parktown before battling their way to a 1-1 draw with Northwood. Despite those defeats, the fight was there, a spirit to keep pressing and working, no matter the score. Over the course of the season, Mqingwana’s boys would have to tap into that well to stay the course.

Back home, in Qonce, Dale produced mixed results during the Eastern Cape season. There was a big loss to Grey High School, who powered to a 9-0 victory away from home, but the fire still burned inside for Dale, and their never-say-die attitude was rewarded in their very next outing against their old foes, Queen’s College. Despite playing away from home, Dale hung a 3-2 defeat on Queen’s at their rivals’ reunion in Komani.

The weeks that followed produced some tougher sledding for Mqingwana and his men. They were subjected to a heavy defeat by Selborne College and a series of narrow losses followed, against St Andrew’s College, Cambridge High, Stirling, and Hudson Park.

In each of those contests, the Qonce crew was not far off of achieving a win, but a few lapses of concentration and a lack of accuracy in front of goal proved costly. They were, however, competitive, which was a far cry from the tribulations of the previous season.

Despite those setbacks, Dale ended their season trending in the right direction again, scoring a 5-3 win against Merrifield College, which they followed with a comfortable 3-0 defeat of Graeme College.

Then, in their final match of the season, Dale hosted Queen’s in the Pink Day derby and secured a hard-fought 1-0 win to end the year by completing the double over their great rivals.

“The whole season was about getting the boys to believe in the structures that we’ve put in place,” Mqingwana told SuperSport Schools Plus as he reflected on the his team’s 2024 campaign.

“We had to get them back into the mindset of winning games and I feel that we’ve achieved that. We’re winning the big games now. It’s just the small games that we need to target.

“I feel we were unlucky against Kingswood, Cambridge, Stirling, and Hudson; those matches are probably our only unticked boxes this season.”

In 2025, Dale will welcome back the majority of their 1st XI. Mqingwana believes the group will be ready to take the next step.

“Next year, we’ll have a similar team, and most of the players have had experience from this season,” he said.

“It’s going to be challenging at times, but it should be a good season where we continue to build, and pick up from where we left off.”

Dale College in 2024

Tony Godding Festival

Dale 4-0 Bethlehem Voortrekker
Dale 5-0 Linden
Dale 2-0 Westering
Dale 1-1 Curro Waterstone

Founders Festival

Dale 0-5 Kearsney
Dale 0-2 Rondebosch Boys’ High
Dale 1-2 Affies
Dale 0-6 Parktown Boys’ High
Dale 1-1 Northwood

Season

Dale 0-9 Grey High
Dale 3-2 Queen’s College
Dale 1-10 Selborne College
Dale 1-2 St Andrew’s College
Dale 0-3 Cambridge High
Dale 2-3 Stirling High
Dale 1-3 Hudson Park
Dale 0-7 Selborne College
Dale 0-1 Kingswood College
Dale 5-3 Merrifield College
Dale 3-0 Graeme College
Dale 1-0 Queen’s College

The Nashua Sevens, played at Maritzburg College on Saturday, brought a close to the KZN sevens season in the festive atmosphere of College’s Family Day.

The senior age group in most sevens tournaments is u17, but the Nashua Sevens presented the participating schools with an opportunity to give their u18 players a last run out.

Credit to schools like Westville Boys’ High and Durban High School (DHS), the dominant forces in KZN Sevens this season. They both opted to replace their successful u17 lineups completely, choosing to view the Nashua Sevens as a last hurrah for their u18 players rather than focussing only on winning. Neither was short of quality, but Sevens’ practice was a little lacking.

St Charles College, too, brought back their u18 players. Together, they enjoyed a superb Sevens season in 2023 and from the start of the action on Goldstone’s there was an air of confidence about them, and they gelled superbly. Blessed with pace, good ball skills, and an excellent understanding of one another, Saints went all the way to the title.

They beat Glenwood in the final, scoring a convincing 38-14 victory, but it was another strong showing from the Green Machine. They’ve reached at least the semi-final of every event they’ve played in this season.

The Durban boys notched one of the most consequential victories of the round-robin, beating Westville 24-21, to keep their record clean. Saints, meanwhile, went down to DHS, but Michaelhouse did the Pietermaritzburg school a big favour by edging out DHS 19-17, which kept the Horseflies out of the title decider.

While Glenwood’s u18s just missed out on the title, their u15 side claimed the honours.

They met Maritzburg College in the last round-robin match for both sides and scored a narrow 19-15 win. Soon after, those teams met again in the final.

The contest was more open the second time around, but the outcome was the same. Glenwood utilised a clever, strength-sapping tactical kicking game, which favoured their speed, to turn their opposition around, and to create try-scoring chances, which helped them to a 31-26 victory.

U18 RESULTS

Maritzburg College 12-19 Glenwood
Westville 38-7 Hilton College
Michaelhouse 12-35 St Charles
DHS 29-17 College 7s
Glenwood 31-14 Hilton College
Maritzburg College 5-26 Westville
Michaelhouse 19-17 DHS
St Charles 68-5 College 7s
Maritzburg College 29-19 Hilton College
Glenwood 24-21 Westville
Michaelhouse 26-21 College 7s
St Charles 10-33 DHS

Final

St Charles 38-14

U15 RESULTS

Maritzburg College 38-19 Michaelhouse
Glenwood 29-21 College 7s
Maritzburg College 31-12 College 7s
Glenwood 31-22 Michaelhouse
Maritzburg College 15-19 Glenwood
Michaelhouse 38-17 College 7s

Final

Glenwood 31-26 Maritzburg College

SA20 and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are proud to announce the launch of Schools SA20, designed to discover and nurture cricket talent among both girls and boys across South Africa.

This exciting national competition will run from September 2024 to March 2025, with schools from all 16 cricket provinces competing for the coveted title of Schools SA20 champions. Over 370 boys’ school teams and more than 200 girls’ school teams will participate with over 1000 matches being played.

SA20 and CSA have shattered the glass ceiling with the launch of the dedicated girls’ competition, reflecting a commitment to advancing women’s cricket in South Africa. The girls’ competition will also be a key part of the Proteas’ U19 Girls team’s preparation for the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup in Malaysia in 2025.

The competition will be conducted in three phases:

• Phase 1: Provincial Competitions (September-November 2024)
• Phase 2: Regional Playoffs (January-February 2025)
• Phase 3: National Finals (March 13-15, 2025)

Schools SA20 is an extension of SA20’s mission to continue to provide opportunities for young cricketers in South Africa, building on the success of the Rookie draft system the League introduced for players in SA20 Season 2.

Graeme Smith, SA20 League Commissioner, stated: “Schools SA20 is more than just a competition; it has the potential to significantly contribute to our cricketing future. There are a number of current Proteas Men and Women who made their mark at a schools level; I can’t wait to see the next generation entertaining and showcasing their skills on this global stage and no doubt the next teenage cricket sensation will announce themselves to the world out of this competition.

“SA20 is also committed to working with CSA to invest in building the base of women’s players and developing the women’s game in South Africa,” he continued. “Our sponsorship of the U19 Girls’ Camps, combined with CSA’s and the government’s initiatives to professionalise the women’s game, will play a major role in growing the base of players for future Proteas Women’s success.”

Future Proteas Men and Women stars such as Kagiso Rabada, Laura Wolvaardt, Lizaad Williams, Sinalo Jafta, Patrick Kruger, Lara Goodall, Nqaba Peter and Nadine de Klerk to name just a few, all began their cricketing journeys at school level before progressing to higher honours and will no doubt serve as inspiration for the young cricketers set to represent their schools in the Schools SA20 competition.

Cricket South Africa CEO Pholetsi Moseki, who attended the launch event at Wanderers Stadium, expressed his excitement about the introduction of such an important competition for the development of cricket in South Africa:

“Schools SA20 is a platform to positively impact the future of cricket in South Africa. By bringing together the best young talent from all 16 Members across the country and providing them with the opportunity to shine on a national stage, Schools SA20 is set to play a crucial role in the growth of the sport. For many of these young athletes, this competition will serve as a stepping stone towards professional cricket, with the potential to unearth the next generation of SA20 and Proteas Men and Women stars.”

Schools SA20 will be showcased on a global platform thanks to a partnership with SuperSport Schools, with over 200 matches set to be live-streamed and broadcast across various media platforms.

Jason Rowles, Dakalo Leketa, and Llewellyn Sutherland claimed the top individual honours when the St David’s Fasken Time Cricket Festival came to an end on Sunday. The trio was adjudged to be the player, bowler, and batsman of the festival, respectively.

Rowles was imperious with the bat, amassing 311 runs at an average of 77.75 across four innings while scoring a century and two half-centuries. The St David’s Marist Inanda star also excelled with the ball, bagging 15 wickets in 58 overs.

Leketa spun his way to three five-wicket hauls in four innings. He captured 23 wickets for 217 runs, including 7/28 in the second innings of St Andrew’s School‘s win over King Edward VII (KES).

Like Rowles, Maritzburg College opener Sutherland registered two fifties and a century, finishing the festival with 263 runs at an average of 65.75.

The trio embodied the values the festival seeks to impart to young cricketers, demonstrating consistency and application, which was what the conditions demanded.

“There have been instances where teams have been bowled out for nothing and players have not understood how to be patient and still want to play some one-day shots. So, I think there’s been a lot of lessons learned,” Dave Nosworthy, the St David’s Director of Cricket, said.

“Time cricket is a format that teaches guys to be able to bat for longer periods and bowlers to bowl into second and third spells, to know what it really feels like after four days of cricket.

“It is a practice in patience. Bowlers have time to work a batter, build some pressure, and wait for that bad stroke. Fielders spend time on their feet, a lot more than they are used to,” Nosworthy added.

The Fasken Time Cricket Festival fills a void in the school cricket calendar that was left after Cricket South Africa scrapped  u19 three-day contests due to budget constraints. It has been running for eight years and, with 14 teams participating, the 2024 event was the biggest one yet.

“It’s grown massively over the years, and this year we’ve had the most schools attend. There’s been a lot of demand over the years, and we’ve tried to keep it as small and as tight as possible. Obviously, fields play a role, as well,” Nosworthy explained.

The 2024 participants were Bishops Diocesan College, Clifton College, Jeppe High School for Boys, King Edward VII School, the Lions Invitation XI, Maritzburg College, Hoërskool Nelspruit, Hoërskool Noordheuwel, St Andrew’s School, St Charles College, St David’s Marist Inanda, St John’s College, St Stithians College and Hoërskool Waterkloof.

The teams played on seven fields at three schools: the Temba Bavuma, La Valla, Gier, and Le Rosey ovals at St David’s, the Wayne Joubert and Dlamini ovals at St Stithians, and the Mitchell Oval at St John’s.

“Fasken has been superb as a sponsor in their support of young cricketers and leaders,” Nosworthy said.

The players also drew inspiration from the words of Temba Bavuma, a St David’s old boy and the captain of the South African Test cricket team.

He addressed the players at the festival’s opening breakfast where he shared his experiences in Test cricket and how the longer form of the game offered in the Fasken Time Cricket Festival, helped him to develop his game and use it as a launch pad for his professional career. Time cricket played an integral role in the development of players of Bavuma’s generation and others who donned the green and gold before him, including the likes of Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith.

“St. Davids is proud to be hosting this type of festival, one of only a few in the country,” Nosworthy said. “There aren’t many events that really focus on the longer version. Next year, we’ll probably get another seven or eight more schools asking to attend. There is a demand, and we need to try and facilitate it.”

Most of the inquiries about the expansion of the festival that Nosworthy and his team have fielded have come from former cricketers who have taken on roles at cricket-playing schools. They benefitted from longer formats in their youth and they recognise its value, not only in red-ball cricket but also as a means to help players develop a sound technique for white-ball cricket.

“They want this type of format because they know its importance in the growth and development of the players,” Nosworthy said.

The South African u17 Men’s National Team, Amajimbos, will kick off their campaign at the Fifa Talent Scheme (TDS) Tournament against Algeria on Tuesday at Stade Municipal de Bingerville in Côte d’Ivoire.

It will be the first meeting of the junior men’s national teams, and it promises to be an exciting and educational north versus south clash.

Speaking to www.safa.net, Amajimbos’ Head Coach Vela Khumalo said on the eve of the match that he was looking forward to the clash, and to see how far his players have progressed since their recent friendly matches against Lesotho.

“It is always a learning process to play against  North African sides, and we want to see what Algeria will bring to us, and how best we will deal with that,” he said.

“It will be more exciting for me to see if our players have taken feedback from our last camp a few weeks ago and rectified the things we have spoken about during match analysis sessions.

“We are also looking forward to trying out new combinations as we continue to build this team.”

The match between South Africa and Algeria kicks off at 16:30 local time.

The hosts, Paarl Gimnasium, surged to the u17 title at the Marius Schoeman Sevens on Saturday, while their neighbours and rivals, Paarl Boys’ High, won the u15 Division.

The event, the largest of its kind in the world, brought together many of the biggest names in South African schoolboys’ rugby, but not even Grey College, Affies, and Garsfontein, among others, were able to stop Gim from marching to the u17 honours.

Grey College received a rude Western Cape welcome when SACS toppled them 15-12 in their very first outing. Then, they were bounced from the Cup competition in the round of 16, when Paarl Gim handed the Bloem boys a 24-19 defeat. On reflection, that was a good result for Grey.

In the quarterfinals, it was slightly closer in a big Paarl showdown, with Gim edging out Boys’ High 24-21. The semi-finals and final, though, were one-way traffic, with Gim beating Paul Roos 33-10 to book their place in the final. Then, they destroyed Boland Landbou 48-0 to claim the silverware.

Affies made it to the Cup semi-finals, where Boland Landbou claimed a 31-26 win. Grey, meanwhile, fell 7-19 to Oakdale in the Plate final, and Garsfontein won the Bowl, beating HTS Drostdy 40-26 in the final.

U15 Competition

Matters appeared to be routine in the u15 competition, but that changed in the Cup quarterfinals.

In another Paarl Gim vs Paarl Boys’ High clash, Boys’ High scraped a 7-5 victory. Gim Blitzies, who were unbeaten in their pool, which included a win over Boland Landbou, had beaten Strand in the round of 16, but they, too, were stopped in the last eight. SACS dominated their pool and they comfortably dealt with Gim Blitzies, scoring a 33-12 win.

Then, Paul Roos, who scored 174 points and conceded only seven in three pool matches before earning a hard-fought 19-5 win over a never-say-die Hugenote outfit in the round of 16, was upset by HTS Drostdy, with the Donkeys triumphing 19-12. They were joined in the semi-finals by Outeniqua, who downed Stellenberg 12-5.

Given their earlier exploits, it was a touch surprising that SACS was well beaten by Paarl Boys’ High in the semis, with the local boys cruising to a 38-7 victory. HTS Drostdy, meanwhile, continued on their winning ways, scoring a hard-fought 22-17 win over Outeniqua.

With the Cup on the line, they gave Paarl Boys’ High a tough time, but Paarl came away with a 24-17 victory and the title.

U17 RESULTS

Pool A

Garsfontein 26-0 Porterville
Parel Vallei 14-20 Stellenberg
Garsfontein 19-24 Stellenberg
Parel Vallei 28-10 Porterville
Garsfontein 10-17 Parel Vallei
Porterville 17-19 Stellenberg

Pool B

Affies 17-12 Milnerton
Stellenbosch 7-7 Curro Langebaan
Affies 48-7 Curro Langebaan
Stellenbosch 7-40 Milnerton
Milnerton 60-7 Curro Langebaan
Affies 36-0 Stellenbosch

Pool C

Boland Landbou 31-5 Charlie Hofmeyr
Boland Landbou 26-7 Outeniqua
Bredasdorp 12-12 Charlie Hofmeyr
Boland Landbou 50-0 Bredasdorp

Pool D

Oakdale 34-7 St Andrew’s College
Forward Foundation 14-12 Hermanus
Oakdale 31-7 Hermanus
Forward Foundation 31-24 St Andrew’s College
St Andrew’s College 24-7 Hermanus
Oakdale 33-19 Forward Foundation

Pool E

Paarl Gim 63-0 Bellville
Swartland 17-10 Melkbosstrand
Paarl Gim 60-0 Melkbosstrand
Swartland 28-5 Bellville
Paarl Gim 48-7 Swartland
Bellville 10-17 Melkbosstrand

Pool F

Grey College 12-15 SACS
Bosmansdam 12-48 HTS Drostdy
Grey College 36-15 HTS Drostdy
Bosmansdam 0-50 SACS
SACS 17-5 HTS Drostdy
Grey College 36-7 Bosmansdam

Pool G

Paarl Boys’ High 48-19 Worcester Gim
Connect NTK 12-20 Strand
Paarl Boys’ High 19-7 Strand
Connect NTK 5-22 Worcester Gim
Worcester Gim Strand
Paarl Boys’ High 41-7 Connect NTK

Pool H

Paul Roos 15-14 Durbanville
Paul Roos 43-0 Amdec Blitz
Hugenote 19-19 Durbanville
Durbanville 26-5 Amdec Blitz
Hugenote 17-15 Amdec Blitz
Paul Roos 45-0 Hugenote

Round of 16

Garsfontein 58-5 Curro Langebaan
Stellenbosch 19-21 Porterville
Charlie Hofmeyr 36-0 Hermanus
St Andrew’s College 29-5 Bredasdorp
Melkbosstrand 33-14 Bosmansdam
HTS Drostdy 38-0 Bellville
Worcester Gim 38-0 Amdec Blitz
Hugenote 26-24 Connect NTK
Stellenberg 17-27 Milnerton
Affies 28-14 Parel Vallei
Boland Landbou 41-10 Forward Foundation
Oakdale 14-22 Outeniqua
Paarl Gim 24-19 Grey College
SACS 31-5 Swartland
Paarl Boys’ High 22-19
Paul Roos 26-5 Strand

Quarterfinals

Shield

Curro Langebaan 10-22 Hermanus
Stellebosch 10-29 Bredasdorp
Bosmansdam 31-28 Amdec Blitz
Bellville 21-24 Connect NTK

Bowl

Garsfontein 33-24 Charlie Hofmeyr
Porterville 0-41 St Andrew’s College
Melkbosstrand 17-10 Worcester Gim
HTS Drostdy 31-7 Hugenote

Plate

Stellenberg 24-19 Forward Foundation
Parel Vallei 5-31 Oakdale
Grey College 36-14 Durbanville
Swartland 20-22 Strand

Cup

Milnerton 19-38 Boland Landbou
Affies 34-27 Outeniqua
Paarl Gim 24-21 Paarl Boys’ High
SACS 7-33 Paul Roos

Semi-finals

Shield

Hermanus 7-21 Bredasdorp
Bosmansdam 10-40 Connect NTK

Bowl

Garsfontein 38-7 St Andrew’s
Melkbosstrand 0-55 HTS Drostdy

Plate

Stellenberg 24-26 Oakdale
Grey College 33-14 Strand

Cup

Boland Landbou 31-26 Affies
Paarl Gim 33-10 Paul Roos

Finals

Shield

Bredasdorp 19-36 Connect NTK

Bowl

Garsfontein 40-26 HTS Drostdy

Plate

Oakdale 19-7 Grey College

Cup

Paarl Gim 48-0 Boland Landbou

U15 RESULTS

Pool A

Paarl Boys’ High 55-0 Milnerton
Bosmansdam 0-36 Strand
Paarl Boys’ High 29-7 Strand
Bosmansdam 0-31 Milnerton
Paarl Boys’ High 64-7 Bosmansdam
Milnerton 10-22 Strand

Pool B

Boland Landbou 56-7 Stellenbosch
Gim Blitzies 17-14 Forward Foundation
Boland Landbou 36-28 Forward Foundation
Gim Blitzies 45-7 Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch 12-45 Forward Foundation
Boland Landbou 12-24 Gim Blitzies

Pool C

Paarl Gim 33-0 Paarl Barbarians
Hermanus 10-15 Porterville
Paarl Gim 40-7 Porterville
Hermanus 5-12 Paarl Barbarians
Paarl Barbarians 12-14 Porterville
Paarl Gim 58-5 Hermanus

Pool D

Oakdale 0-26 SACS
Curro Langebaan 0-36 Worcester Gim
Oakdale 17-10 Worcester Gim
Curro Langebaan 5-50 SACS
SACS 45-0 Worcester Gim
Oakdale 47-0 Curro Langebaan

Pool E

Stellenberg 33-5 Brackenfell
Parel Vallei 5-24 Swartland
Stellenberg 30-12 Swartland
Parel Vallei 12-42 Brackenfell
Stellenberg 52-0 Parel Vallei
Brackenfell 28-5 Swartland

Pool F

HTS Drostdy 7-5 Durbanville
Connect NTK 44-7 Vooruitsig
HTS Drostdy 48-7 Vooruitsig
Connect NTK 7-14 Durbanville
Durbanville 48-7 Vooruitsig
HTS Drostdy 31-0 Connect NTK

Pool G

Outeniqua 57-5 Charlie Hofmeyr
Hugenote 36-10 Bredasdorp
Outeniqua 74-0 Bredasdorp
Hugenote 24-7 Charlie Hofmeyr
Charlie Hofmeyr 38-12 Bredasdorp
Outeniqua 22-5 Hugenote

Pool H

Paul Roos 34-7 Bellville
Melkbosstrand 36-5 Paulus Joubert
Paul Roos 91-0 Paulus Joubert
Melkbosstrand 24-31 Bellville
Bellville 45-0 Paulus Joubert
Paul Roos 49-0 Melkbosstrand

Round of 16

Milnerton 17-12 Stellenbosch
Forward Foundation 27-0 Bosmansdam
Paarl Barbarians 27-7 Curro Langebaan
Worcester Gim 14-21 Hermanus
Swartland 34-7 Vooruitsig
Connect NTK 36-14 Parel Vallei
Charlie Hofmeyr 31-0 Paulus Joubert
Melkbosstrand 26-14 Bredasdorp
Paarl Boys’ High 24-7 Boland Landbou
Gim Blitzies 22-5 Strand
Paarl Gim 33-0 Oakdale
SACS 26-12 Porterville
Stellenberg 22-5 Durbanville
HTS Drostdy 45-19 Brackenfell
Outeniqua 22-19 Bellville
Paul Roos 19-5 Hugenote

Quarterfinals

Shield

Stellenbosch 33-12 Curro Langebaan
Bosmansdam 0-45 Worcester Gim
Vooruitsig 17-7 Paulus Joubert
Parel Vallei 27-15 Bredasdorp

Bowl

Milnerton 19-24 Paarl Barbarians
Forward Foundation 38-0 Hermanus
Swartland 14-12 Charlie Hofmeyr
Connect NTK 19-5 Melkbosstrand

Plate

Boland Landbou 62-7 Okadale
Strand 19-12 Porterville
Durbanville 22-12 Bellville
Brackenfell 12-24 Hugenote

Cup

Paarl Boys’ High 7-5 Paarl Gim
Gim Blitzies 12-33 SACS
Stellenberg 5-12 Outeniqua
HTS Drostdy 19-12 Paul Roos

Semi-finals

Shield

Stellenbosch 5-25 Worcester Gim
Vooruitsig 22-5 Parel Vallei

Bowl

Paarl Barbarians 12-19 Forward Foundation
Swartland 7-30 Connect NTK

Plate

Boland Landbou 27-12 Strand
Durbanville 14-26 Hugenote

Cup

Paarl Boys’ High 38-7 SACS
Outeniqua 17-22 HTS Drostdy

Finals

Shield

Worcester Gim 19-7 Vooruitsig

Bowl

Foward Foundation 7-29 Connect NTK

Plate

Boland Landbou 17-10 Hugenote

Cup

Paarl Boys’ High 24-17 HTS Drostdy

Cricket South Africa has taken the first step in their 2026 U19 Cricket World Cup preparations by announcing a 15-member Emerging u19 squad to tour Zimbabwe from 15 to 30 September. The team will face the Zimbabwe u19 side while on tour.

The squad was selected from the top-performing players in the country at present. Gauteng’s Lions and Titans have four players in the side, KZN Inland has two, while their Coastal neighbours have three representatives. Western Province matches Gauteng with four players, while the Free State and North West have one player each.

“I am excited for this tour. We don’t normally have a lot of time to work with the u19 side. This time around, we have selected a team that we are going to work with over the next 18 months,” Malibongwe Maketa, the side’s coach shared.

However, he was quick to point out that while the squad features the top-performing players at the moment, it might look different in a year-and-a-half’s time.

“These guys have the advantage that they are now working with the high-performance team at CSA, but this doesn’t mean that they should rest on their laurels. Any player in this side can be overtaken by any player along the way,” he explained.

The selection committee picked five seamers, two spinners, two all-rounders, and six specialist batsmen. There was an emphasis on picking players with two-and-a-half skills:- batsmen who can bowl and are relatively good in the field, bowlers who can bat and can field, or batsmen who can keep wicket, and who might be able to provide a decent over or two with the ball.

“Cricket is evolving, the game is now being dominated by players with multiple skills, one primary and then a secondary skill that adds value,” Maketa said.

Three of the batsmen, Muhammed Bulbulia, Ben Hockly, and Lethabo Phahlamohlaka are all proficient with the gloves. Jason Rowles and Jorich van Schalkwyk are top-order batsmen whose bowling skills are above the level of part-timers. They will complement the team’s specialist spinners, Luke Kleinsmith and Dakalo Leketa.

“All the batters we have in the side can bat anywhere in the top four, and we are going to be flexible with them, trying them in different places. We know Adnaan (Lagadien) is a fantastic opener, but we want to equip him with the ability to bat anywhere in the top four,” Maketa explained.

Paul James and Daniel Bosman are the all-rounders in the lineup, and both can deliver 10 overs in a match if required. The pace bowling attack features JJ Basson, Dayalan Boyce, Ntando Soni, Bayanda Majola, and Rowen Rajah.

On tour, the players will be exposed to different conditions and tougher opposition than they are used to facing. The Zimbabwe u19 side is composed of players two years older than the South African contingent. They will be pushed to their limits, which will help Maketa and the rest of the coaching staff to identify the gaps in each player’s game. That will help them to further upskill the players.

“We want to equip these guys with the skills to make decisions under pressure and this is the first step in that direction. We don’t want to be coaching them during the 2026 World Cup as we did with the last cohort,” Maketa said.

This is the first time that Cricket South Africa has identified u19 players early and the high-performance coaches are confident that with more time to work with the players, there will be an increased chance of the junior Proteas claiming the world title in 2026. The tournament will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Emerging U19 Squad

JJ Basson, Dayalan Boyce, Daniel Bosman, Muhammed Bulbulia, Ben Hockly, Paul James, Luke Kleinsmith, Adnaan Lagadien, Dakalo Leketa, Bayanda Majola, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka, Rowen Rajah, Jason Rowles, Ntando Soni, Jorich van Schalkwyk.

Hoërskool Pietersburg‘s 1st XI was buzzing after they powered their way to a seven-wicket win over the defending champions, Mohodi Boys Hub, on Saturday.

It was a sweet victory for the Pieties on their home oval over the team that beat them in the 2023 Limpopo Super Eight League final.

Nicholaas Oerlemans, who was part of that league decider last year and later went on to represent the Limpopo Impala u19 side at the Khaya Majola Week, did the bulk of the damage when the Pieties bowled first.He sent three batsmen back to the pavilion while only conceding seven runs. AJ Galloway played his part, too, picking 3/13 from six overs.

Those top bowling performances were well supported by a good effort from the Pieties’ fielders, which stopped the Mohodi batsmen from getting going on a surface which is usually a good one to bat on. Only Victor Sehata, Mohodi’s opening batsman, seemed comfortable out in the middle. He made 28 as the visitors slumped to 98 all out in the 27th over.

Facing a low victory target, the Pieties’ Hanno van Zyl showed his experience with the bat. He’s been an important member of the Pietersburgers’ batting lineup over the past three years and could well find himself representing the province’s u19 team later this year. Van Zyl struck a classy 36 not out from 46 deliveries, which anchored the home side’s charge to victory in the 25th over.

The Tzaneen derby between old rivals, Hoërskool Ben Vorster and Merensky Landbou Akademie, belonged to the all-rounder Timothy Baker.

He led the way with the bat for Merensky, smashing a quickfire 77 runs from 50 balls on Ben Vorster’s Renier Reyneke Oval. His innings included nine fours and five sixes as he and Cashan Jacobsz (27*) stabilised the visitor’s innings after the Ben Vorster captain, Njabulo Maseko (2/21), and his fellow opening bowler Stian du Randt (3/27), shared five wickets between them.

Later, in the field, Baker tormented the Vossie batters. He opened the bowling with his left arm off-spin and quickly picked up three wickets in six overs while conceding only 21 runs.

His opening partner, Luka Heinlein, was, as usual, among the wickets. An impressive five-over spell brought him a return of 2/17.

The Black Caps were unable to recover from those early setbacks and they tumbled to 82 all out, leaving Merensky the handsome winner by 106 runs.

Summarised scorecards 

Mohodi Boys 98 (Victor Sehata 28, Kwena Mohloatshaba 20*; Nicholaas Oerlemans 3/7, AJ Galloway 3/13, Ignus Ferreira 2/15, Juan Rademeyer 2/26); Hoërskool Pietersburg 100/3 (Hanno van Zyl 36*, Stephan Swanepoel 21; Mahlodi Sekuba 2/25). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by seven wickets.

Merensky 188 (Timothy Baker 77, Extras 36, Cashan Jacobsz 27*, Rinaldo Bornman 26; Stian du Randt 3/27, Njabulo Maseko 2/21, Aiden von Straate 2/31, Amaris Nortje 2/42); Ben Vorster 82 (Extras 20, Amaris Nortje 18; Timothy Baker 3/21, Luka Heinlein 2/17, Kyle Crous 2/19). Merensky won by 106 runs.

Yet another batting record has tumbled in the north of Gauteng. This time it was the turn of Affies’ and South African Schools’ top-order batsman, Jorich van Schalkwyk to rewrite the record books.

Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

The nifty right-hander showed why he’s well on his way to 1 000 runs for the season by contributing a wonderful 240 from only 152 deliveries when Affies batted first against Cornwall Hill College in their Titans League fixture at Affies on Saturday.

That was the highest individual score yet achieved by one of the school’s batsmen in a 50-over match. It was also his second double-century of the season.

Van Schalkwyk’s superb innings included a whopping 34 fours and seven sixes as he raced along at a brisk strike rate of 157.89.

He then rubbed further salt into the Cornwall wounds by spinning a web around the visitors to claim figures of three for 39 from 10 overs.

Vihan Pretorius contributed 65 runs and claimed two wickets, one of which was the prized scalp of his older brother and SA u19 opener, Lhuan-dré Pretorius. The younger Pretorius, in a match that produced an astonishing 772 runs, conceded only 33 from his seven overs.

He and captain Divan de Villiers, who smashed 66 from just 20 deliveries, played an integral part in Affies reaching a mammoth total of 454/5 from their 50 overs.

Cornwall Hill, however, wasn’t going down easily. Lhuan-dré Pretorius did some damage up front, taking only 60 balls to make 91 runs. He and his opening partner Ab Rasool combined nicely for a strong 154-run opening stand. Kian Blignaut (55) and Michael Blignaut (53) showed serious grit, too. Both made their way to well-deserved half-centuries after a middle-order collapse.

Unfortunately for the visitors, not even 318/6 was enough to get Cornwall Hill close to victory as Affies bagged an important 136-run win.

In another big Pretoria clash, Hoërskool Garsfontein’s Ysbere secured a nail-biting three-wicket victory over Pretoria Boys High. Boys High’s Tim Gordon continued his impressive batting form, top scoring with an attractive 71 runs. Johan Coetzer weighed in with  52 and Connor Hall made 37, but there were no more scores of substance.

Garsies’ Reuben van Zyl broke the backbone of their run chase with a well-played 68 while Wikus du Preez did his bit with 28 as Garsfontein overhauled Boys High’s 205 all out in the 35th over of their innings.

Prestige College produced a much improved performance but it wasn’t enough to get them past Hoërskool Menlopark. Matt van der Merwe, one of the Parkies’ top performers this season, led the way with the willow. His 85, combined with contributions of 37 from Dian van Zyl, 32 from Ewald Meyer, and 31 from Steve Stolk, helped Menlo to a healthy total of 262 all out.

Gift Motlhasedi impressed with the ball, claiming four Menlo scalps while conceding only 28 runs. Then, Lesedi Mabena made the Menlopark bowlers work hard as he top-scored with 63. Omphile Maredi rounded off a good all-round performance by adding 33 runs to the two wickets he had taken earlier in the day.

Summarised scorecards

Affies 454/5 (Jorich van Schalkwyk 240, Divan de Villiers 66, Vihan Pretorius 65, Henré Smith 33, Extras 26; Trent Hardie 2/62); Cornwall Hill College 318/6 (Lhuan-dré Pretorius 91, Ab Rasool 65, Kian Blignaut 55*, Michael Blignaut 53, Oliver Richards 21; Jorich van Schalkwyk 3/39, Vihan Pretorius 2/33). Affies won by 136 runs.

Pretoria Boys High 205/10 (Tim Gordon 71, Johan Coetzer 52, Connor Hall 37; Sebastian Bouwer 3/50, Eckard Struwig 2/11, Zandré Nel 2/16); Garsfontein 210/7 (Reuben van Zyl 68, Wikus du Preez 38, Extras 26, Richardt Joubert 21, Jared Carr 21*; Patrick Mouton 3/28, Johan Coetzer 2/50). Garsfontein won by three wickets.

Menlopark 262/10 (Matt van der Merwe 85, Dian van Zyl 37, Ewald Meyer 32, Steve Stolk 31, Extras 28, Morné Koekemoer 24; Gift Motlhasedi 4/28, Omphile Maredi 2/28, Lesedi Mabena 2/36); Prestige College 163/10 (Lesedi Mabena 63, Omphile Maredi 33, Extras 29; Pierre de Villiers 4/20, Ewald Meyer 2/23, Murray Hofmeyer 2/51). Menlopark won by 99 runs.