Not even a sharp three-wicket burst from Jayden Roux could prevent Michaelhouse from comfortably overhauling an unexceptional modest Hilton total. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton College hosted Michaelhouse on the Hart-Davis Oval on Saturday, where the visitors found the venue to be hospitable, cruising to a convincing five-wicket victory after a tepid batting effort from Hilton.
The toss went the home side’s way. However, as has all too often happened in 2025, they failed to get going and lost wickets in clumps as they clawed their way to a modest 105 all out.
To be frank, Hilton was likely rather relieved to make it to three figures after they stumbled out of the gate and were reduced to a creaky 24/6 in the early going.
Michaelhouse’s opening bowlers, Thandanani Zuma and Rendani Nonge, put the skids under the hosts’ top order, with Ben Hockly the only one of the top six to make it into double figures, although his 12 from 22 balls wasn’t that much to write home about.
Nonge inflicted the majority of the damage, knocking over 4/29 in 6.4 overs, while Zuma chipped in with a tidy 2/21 from eight.
Ben Heuer kept up the pressure, claiming 1/14 in seven, and Liam O’Dwyer, the sixth man brought into the attack, made his mark by snaring 2/13 in 4.1.
Hilton’s lower order offered some resistance, with David Hill, batting at nine, clubbing two fours and two sixes in the innings’ top score of 32 from 34 balls.
Robert Burman, batting unusually low down the order, at seven, chipped in with 18, and Luke Wilson, matched that score, patiently spending 64 balls out in the middle, which was by some margin the longest stay of any of the home team’s batsmen.
When Michaelhouse batted, Jayden Roux did his best to wreck their reply, removing the top three in the order – William Russon, Henry Love, and Graydon Leslie – to reduce the visitors to 21/3. Then, when Sechaba Gude dismissed Hayden Hewlett for 10, ‘House had stumbled to 27/4 and it was game on.
Nicholas Baker and Ben Heuer, though, wrestled control of the contest away from Hilton, adding 55 for the fourth wicket before Baker was caught off the bowling of David Hill for 41 from 38 balls, which had included four fours.
On 82/5, Michaelhouse was within sight of victory and Heuer duly steered them to the win, finishing with 40 not out from just 32 deliveries. His knock included four fours and two sixes.
Roux finished with 3/31 from six overs, while David Hill snapped up 1/0 in one over of leg spin, and Sechaba Gude returned 1/15 from six.
Hilton, though, had simply not scored enough runs and Michaelhouse strolled to victory in the 21st over.
Scores
Hilton College 105/10 (David Hill 32; Rendani Nonge 4/29, Liam O’Dwyer 2/13, Thandanani Zuma 2/21); Michaelhouse 107/5 (Nicholas Baker 41, Ben Heuer 40*; Jayden Roux 3/31).
Joubert played an outstanding innings to steer Helpmekaar to victory over Queen’s. Photo: Supplied.
Zuan Joubert led HelpmekaarKollege to a deserved four-wicket win over Queens High School with a zesty half-century when the sides locked horns in a Lions Schools Cricket League 50-over match at the University of Johannesburg on Saturday.
In Krugersdorp, Corné Botha delivered an outstanding spell of bowling to lay the foundation for Hoërskool Noordheuwel to also claim a four-wicket win over their arch-rivals, HoërskoolMonument.
Joubert took control of Helpmekaar’s innings, stroking 10 fours and a single six on his way to a brisk 57-ball 69. His innings created a solid platform for his team’s successful chase of the 215-run target set them by Queens.
After winning the toss, Queens elected to bat first and tallied 214 all out in 40.2 overs.
Ruben Bredenkamp performed well with the ball, capturing four wickets for 50 runs to help prevent Queens from batting out their 50 overs. He received good support from John Butner, who removed two batsmen, while Stefan Trumpelman, Dominic Tait, Rudolph Odendaal, and their hero with the bat, Joubert, took a wicket each.
Opening batsman Dimpho Sefoli (77) did his best to stem the tide for Queens but he lacked support, with wickets tumbling around him. His 68-ball knock turned out to be the only bright light in the Queens’ innings.
When Joubert arrived at the crease, with the total on 48, Helpmekaar had lost two wickets for four runs in the space of 13 balls. They needed him to consolidate and rebuild the innings. However, the right-hander had barely settled in when Helpmekaar lost a third wicket.
Joubert, though, kept his wits about him and combined with Heinrich Minnaar for a productive 101-run fourth-wicket partnership that tilted the contest firmly Helpmekaar’s way.
When Joubert was dismissed, Helpmekaar was only 47 runs away from the target, and Minnaar took over the lead role in the chase, working his way to 50 off 66 balls. That effort helped them into a position of almost certain victory, and Helpies duly claimed a hard-fought win when they reached 217/6.
In the battle for bragging rights in Krugersdorp, Noordheuwel, playing in front of their home crowd, won the toss and elected to bowl first.
That proved to be a good call as Corné Botha blew away Monument’s top order with an outstanding opening spell. His captain, Dian Taljaard, tasked him to bowl six overs up front, and that’s all he needed to bring the Monnas‘ innings to its knees.
Botha combined with JJBasson in the powerplay overs, and the pair ensured that Monument was off kilter after they lost three early wickets.
His second delivery brought Botha his first wicket and he made it two wickets in an over three balls later. Basson, who kept things quiet in his first five overs, gave little away and was eventually rewarded with a wicket of his own.
The pair had Monument on shaky ground on 42/3 after the powerplay. Skipper Taljaard, then, gave Basson a rest after the first 10 overs but he kept Botha on for an extra over. It was a masterstroke. Botha bagged two wickets in two balls to leave Monument wobbling on 47/5 after 11.5 overs.
Johan Zeedijk, the only Monument batsman to reach 20 runs, provided some lower-order resistance. However, his stay at the crease was tentative, and he was sent packing by Basson. Monument added a single run after Zeedijk’s dismissal as they slid to 98 all out after 31.3 overs.
Noordheuwel chose an aggressive approach in their pursuit of the modest 99 runs required for victory, and they barrelled along to get there in about half the number of overs that Monument used to score 98.
In just 15.5 overs, Nories reached 101/6 to claim a solid victory. Wander Roolvink led the run chase with a 44-ball 36, while Ethan Smith played a valuable innings, too, weighing in with 31 from 29 balls.
Scorecards
Queens High School 214/10 (Dimpho Sefoli 77, Bokamoso Makhaphela 35; Ruben Bredenkamp 4/50, John Butner 2/33). Helpmekaar Kollege 217/6 (Zuan Joubert 69, Heinrich Minnaar 50; Junior Makabe 2/19, Karabo Lekalakala 2/25). Helpmekaar won by four wickets.
Monument 98/10 (Johan Zeedijk 20, Logan Weetman 18; Corné Botha 4/18, Gomolemo Sibi 3/15). Noordheuwel 101/6 (Wander Roolvink 36, Ethan Smith 31; Rieghardt Prinsloo 3/17, Tristan Mecuur 2/6). Noordheuwel won by four wickets.
The Elite Sporting and Cultural Academy (ESCA) Wanderers made a big impression on the opening day of the 20th annual St Peter’s College Sport and Cultural Festival’s basketball tournament, roaring to three dominant wins, while Herschel Girls School exhibited a miserly defence, conceding only one point in two matches on Friday.
They’re top of Pool A after scoring three commanding wins. They thumped Norkem Park High 40-12 before hammering Enjabulweni High 48-6. Then, in their final game of the day, they cruised to a 45-15 win over Redhill School. No doubt, ESCA has set their sights on another title.
Redhill bounced back from their heavy loss to ESCA with a 30-15 victory over Enjabulweni High. They also cruised to a comfortable 32-12 win over Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Boksburg.
St David’s Marist Inanda is also in Pool A and is another team to be reckoned with. They recorded a 26-8 victory over Norkem Park High and followed that with a 36-16 win against CBC Boksburg.
CBC also suffered a narrow 24-27 defeat to Norkem Park High.
Pool B
In Pool B, Parktown Boys’ High ran up three victories in a clean start to their campaign, beating Crawford International – Sandton 38-23, then following that with a 39-13 victory over Penryn College, and a 23-14 win over Saheti School.
St John’s College played twice and scored two wins. They downed Dainfern College 32-23 in their first game before easing to a 38-8 win over Penryn.
Crawford edged out Saheti School 29-27, but Saheti picked up a 20-11 win over Dainfern. Dainfern, in turn, sneaked a 23-22 victory over Penryn.
Pool C
In Pool C, Curro Helderwyk positioned itself as a leading contender after starting the festival with a couple of clear-cut victories, handing Marist Brothers a 41-14 loss before rolling to a 35-10 win over Reddam House Helderfontein.
Southdowns College won 31-15 against St Dunstan’s College, but they tasted defeat in their second outing, going down to a tight 21-23 loss against Reddam Helderfontein.
Marist Brothers, after their loss to Curro Helderwyk, made a strong comeback with a 37-6 win over Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Mount Edmund.
CBC Mount Edmund lost by almost the same score against St Dunstan’s College, who won 36-7.
Pool D
In Pool D, Clapham High, recognised for its outstanding football programme and its strong connections with Mamelodi Sundowns, demonstrated excellence on the basketball court, too, on Friday. They outplayed Crawford International Lonehill, winning 45-17, before seeing off Blue Hills College 48-22.
The hosts, St Peter’s College, claimed two hard-fought wins, beating Blue Hills 23-15 before picking up a narrow 22-19 win against African Leadership Academy.
Pecanwood College also edged out African Leadership Academy, recording a 20-18 win, while Crawford beat Pecanwood 33-22.
Girls’ Competition
Pool A
In Pool A of the girls’ competition, St Mary’s Waverley and Enjabulweni High emerged as strong contenders after excelling in their first two matches.
St Mary’s kicked off their challenge with a decisive 47-6 victory over Blue Hills College. It was far tighter in their second match, but they secured a 19-15 win over Norkem Park High.
In a low-scoring game, Enjabulweni High held on for a 13-9 win over Reddam Helderfontein. Again, there weren’t many points scored in their second outing, but they, nonetheless, cruised to a 17-2 win over the St Peter’s College Invitational Team.
After suffering a loss in their first match, Norkem Park got themselves onto the winning track with a 15-4 victory over the St Peter’s College Invitational Team, while Reddam Helderfontein celebrated their first win of the festival, beating Blue Hills College 16-9.
Pool B
In Pool B, the competition for first place in the group is fierce, with Herschel Girls School, St John’s DSG, and Southdowns College all achieving victories in their opening matches.
Herschel romped to the most lop-sided victory of the day, blanking Jeppe High School for Girls 51-0. Following that huge win, the Cape Town school continued their dominance, powering to a 29-1 win over Dainfern College.
St John’s DSG had to scramble to pick up a close 12-10 victory over Crawford International – Sandton, but they had things their own way against Jeppe, easing their way to a 41-0 win.
Southdowns College also won twice, coming out on the right end of two low-scoring affairs – the first a 14-8 victory over Dainfern and the second a closely contested 15-14 win against Crawford.
Pool C
The hosts, St Peter’s College, and Hilton’s St Anne’s Diocesan College lead Pool C after Friday’s matches.
St Peter’s powered their way to a comfortable 26-3 win over Saheti School. That was a disappointing result for Saheti, who recently won The King’s Linbro Basketball Tournament. For the hosts, the victory was a statement, and they followed it up with a 27-13 win over CBC Mount Edmund.
St Anne’s also defeated Saheti, winning 26-7, before beating St Dunstan’sCollege 19-13.
CBC Mount Edmund, after their opening loss, trounced Trinityhouse Glenvista 26-2, while St Dunstan’s also beat Trinityhouse, winning 20-11.
Pool D
Redhill School caught the eye in group D with two wins on Friday. They enjoyed a smooth ride against Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) – Makhanda, winning 32-8, and then defeated Marist Brothers 17-7.
St Cyprian’s School also enjoyed a fantastic Friday, with two 11-5 wins, downing African Leadership Academy and Dominican Convent – Harare.
The Zimbabwean side claimed a tight 9-7 win over DSG, while Marist Brothers also went from defeat to victory, beating African Leadership Academy 10-4.
RESULTS
Boys’ Competition
Pool A
St David’s 39-16 CBC Boksburg
Redhill School 30-15 Enjabulweni High School
Redhill School 32-12 CBC Boksburg
ESCA Wanderers 40-12 Norkem Park
St David’s 26-8 Norkem Park
ESCA Wanderers 48-6 Enjabulweni High
Norkem Park 27-24 CBC Boksburg
ESCA Wanderers 45-15 Redhill School
Pool B
St John’s College 32-23 Dainfern College
Crawford International – Sandton 29-27 Saheti
Parktown Boys’ High 38-23 Crawford International – Sandton
Parktown Boys’ High 39-13 Pernyn College
Saheti 20-11 Dainfern College
St John’s College 38-8 Penryn College
Parktown Boys’ High 23-14 Saheti
Dainfern College 23-22 Penryn College
Pool C
St Dunstan’s College 36-7 CBC Mount Edmund
Reddam Helderfontein 23-21 Southdowns College
Marist Brothers 37-6 CBC Mount Edmund
Curro Helderwyk 41-14 Marist Brothers
Curro Helderwyk 35-10 Reddam Helderfontein
Southdowns College 31-15 St Dunstan’s College
Pool D
Pecanwood College 20-18 African Leadership Academy
St Peter’s College 23-15 Blue Hills College
Clapham High 45-17 Crawford International Lonehill
St Peter’s College 22-19 African Leadership Academy
Crawford International Lonehill 33-20 Pecanwood College
Clapham High 48-22 Blue Hills College
Girls’ Competition
Pool A
St Mary’s Waverley 47-6 Blue Hills College
Enjabulweni High School 13-9 Reddam Helderfontein
Enjabulweni High School 17-2 St Peter’s College Invitational
Norkem Park 15-4 St Peter’s College Invitational
Reddam Helderfontein 16-9 Blue Hills College
St Mary’s Waverley 19-15 Norkem Park
Pool B
St John’s DSG 12-10 Crawford International – Sandton
Southdowns College 14-8 Dainfern College
Herschel Girls School 51-0 Jeppe
Southdowns College 15-14 Crawford International – Sandton
St John’s DSG 41-0 Jeppe
Herschel Girls School 29-1 Dainfern College
Pool C
CBC Mount Edmund 26-2 Trinityhouse
St Peter’s College 26-3 Saheti
St Anne’s Diocesan College 19-13 St Dunstan’s College
St Peter’s College 27-13 CBC Mount Edmund
St Anne’s Diocesan College 26-17 Saheti
St Dunstan’s College 20-11 Trinityhouse
Pool D
St Cyprian’s School 11-5 Dominican Convent Harare
Redhill School 32-8 DSG Makhanda
St Cyprian’s School 11-5 African Leadership Academy
Marist Brothers 10-4 African Leadership Academy
Redhill School 17-7 Marist Brothers
Dominican Convent Harare 9-7 DSG Makhanda
The hosts, St Peter’s College, saw both their boys’ and girls’ football teams win one and draw one on the opening day of the 20th annual St Peter’s College Sport and Cultura Festival. Photo: St Peter’s College on Facebook.
Friday’s opening day of the St Peter’s College Football Festival, part of the 20th annualSt Peter’s College Sport and Cultural Festival, was a hive of activity and excitement as a busy schedule kicked off.
In Pool A, Clapham High, fresh off of claiming the Gauteng Kay Motsepe Championship title last weekend, set their sights on more silverware.
They got off to a good start, overrunning Penryn College 7-0, which they followed with a 3-0 defeat of Southdowns College.
Beaulieu College faces Clapham in the final group match on Saturday, and it will be for first place in Pool A after Beaulieu beat Penryn 3-0 and Southdowns 2-1.
Pool B
St John’s College, contesting Pool B, have been relishing their football in recent weeks, which included beating King Edward VII School (KES). They added another two wins to their record on Friday, edging out Crawford International Lonehill 1-0, followed by a more convincing 3-0 win over Enjabulweni High School.
After going down to St John’s, Enjabulweni High made a tick in the victory column, holding off Stanford Lake College 1-0. Crawford Lonehill and Stanford Lake shared a 1-1 draw.
Pool C
In Pool C, Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge and St Benedict’s College confirmed their places in the knockout rounds of the festival, with both sides picking up two wins on Friday. They’ll duel on Saturday for first place in the group.
On Friday, Trinityhouse beat HeronBridge College 4-1 and claimed further points from a bye. Bennies won 2-0 against HeronBridge and also bagged points from a bye.
Pool D
In Pool D, Uplands College cruised to the top of the table, thanks to a 4-1 win over Pinnacle College Rynfield and a 4-0 victory over Polokwane’s Mitchell House.
St Dunstan’s College picked up a 2-0 win over Pinnacle College Rynfield.
Pool E
Parktown Boys’ High, recognised as one of the strongest teams in Gauteng, headed to the top of Pool E after two hard-fought wins, beating Steyn City 2-0 before scoring a tight 1-0 victory over Eswatini’s Waterford Kamhlaba.
The Swazi school rebounded with a 4-1 win against Polokwane Preparatory School and College (PEPPS), while Steyn City beat the same opposition 2-0.
Pool F
In Pool F, St David’s Marist Inanda kicked off their campaign with a 6-1 win over Sisekelo High. They were stretched by Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Boksburg in their second game but fought their way to a 1-0 victory.
King’s College, meanwhile, won 4-1 win against Sisekelo High and settled for a 1-1 draw with CBC Boksburg.
Pool G
Norkem Park High set the standard in Pool G, scoring two comfortable victories. They opened with a 3-0 win over Woodlands International College and then brushed aside St Andrew’s College, winning 4-1.
The Makhanda school claimed a 1-0 win over St Alban’s College, who also went down 0-2 against Woodlands International College.
Pool H
In Pool H, the hosts, St Peter’s, picked up a win and a draw. They started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against African Leadership Academy and followed that with a 3-0 win over Dainfern College.
Saheti School won 2-0 against Dainfern College to close a busy day of back-and-forth competition.
Girls’ Competition
Pool A
In Pool A of the girls’ competition, Waterstone College made a sparkling start. They kicked off the festival with a 7-2 victory over African Leadership Academy and charged to a 5-0 win over HeronBridge College in their second outing.
Waterford Kamhlaba also won twice, beating HeronBridge College 4-1 and African Leadership Academy 5-2.
Pool B
In Pool B, Norkem Park High won by the odd goal in seven against Krugersdorp High, snatching a 4-3 win. They scored a clear-cut 3-0 win over Jeppe High School for Girls later in the day.
Jeppe rebounded from that defeat with 2-0 win against PEPPS, while Krugersdorp High also beat PEPPS, recording a 4-0 victory.
Stanford Lake reversed their fortunes against Woodlands International College, charging to an 8-0 win, while Saheti handed Woodlands a 7-0 loss.
Pool D
Clapham High, the front runners in the Gauteng Schools Champions League, made a massive statement in Pool D, overpowering Roedean School 12-0 before repeating that one-sided score in a second victory over St John’s Diocesan School for Girls (DSG).
St John’s DSG was on the winning side against Dominican Convent- Harare, coming away with a 2-0 win, while Roedean matched that score in their defeat of Dominican Convent.
Pool E
The Beaulieu College’s girls’ team matched the strong start made by their boys’ side by picking up two wins on Friday. They enjoyed a smooth 7-0 win over Southdowns College before being made to sweat for a 2-1 win over Edenvale High.
Southdowns College settled for a 2-2 draw against Brescia House School in their other outing, while Brescia and Edenvale High delivered a high-octane, thrilling 5-5 draw when they met.
Pool F
Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge set the standard in Pool F with a 7-1 win over Enjabulweni High. They also received points for a bye.
St Cyprian’s School was every bit as dominant in their 6-0 win over Enjabulweni High and added further points from their bye.
Pool G
Matters were rather quiet in Pool G, with only two matches being played.
Crawford International Lonehill secured a 2-1 win over Sisekelo High, while Pinnacle College Rynfield and Penryn College played to a 1-1 draw.
Pool H
In Pool H, St Peter’s College, like their boys’ side, picked up a win and a draw on the opening day. They started with a 2-0 victory over Kingsmead College before being held to a 1-1 draw by Dainfern College.
Uplands College handed Dainfern College a 2-0 defeat.
Results Boys’ Competition
Pool A
Beaulieu College 2-1 Southdowns College
Clapham High 7-0 Penryn College
Beaulieu College 3-0 Penryn College
Clapham High 3-0 Southdowns College
Pool B
St John’s College 1-0 Crawford International Lonehill
Crawford International College 1-1 Stanford Lake
St John’s College 3-0 Enjabulweni High School
Enjabulweni High School 1-0 Stanford Lake
Pool C
Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge Bye
St Benedict’s College 2-0 HeronBridge College
St Benedict’s College Bye
Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge 4-1 HeronBridge College
Pool D
Uplands College 4-1 Pinnacle College Rynfield
Uplands College 4-0 Mitchell House
St Dunstan’s College 2-0 Pinnacle College Rynfield
Pool E
Parktown Boys’ High 2-0 Steyn City
Parktown Boys’ High 1-0 Waterford Kamhlaba
Steyn City 2-0 PEPPS
Waterford Kamhlaba 4-1 PEPPS
Pool F
St David’s 6-1 Sisekelo High School
The King’s College 4-1 Sisekelo High School
St David’s 1-0 CBC Boksburg
Pool G
St Andrew’s College 1-0 St Alban’s College
Norkem Park High 3-0 Woodlands International College
Norkem Park High 4-1 St Andrew’s College
Woodlands International College 2-0 St Alban’s College
Pool H
St Peter’s College 1-1 African Leadership Academy
Saheti 2-0 Dainfern College
St Peter’s College 3-0 Dainfern College
Results Girls’ Competition
Pool A
Waterstone College 7-2 African Leadership Academy
Waterford Kamhlaba 4-1 HeronBridge College
Waterford Kamhlaba 5-2 African Leadership Academy
Waterstone College 5-0 HeronBridge College
Pool B
Jeppe 2-0 PEPPS
Norkem Park 4-3 Krugersdorp High
Norkem Park 3-0 Jeppe
Krugersdorp High 4-0 PEPPS
Pool C
Saheti 7-0 Woodlands International College
St Anne’s Diocesan College 5-0 Saheti
Stanford Lake 8-0 Woodlands International College
St Anne’s Diocesan College 4-1 Stanford Lake
Pool D
Clapham High 12-0 Roedean School
St John’s DSG 2-0 Dominican Convent Harare
Roedean 2-0 Dominican Convent
Clapham High 12-0 St John’s DSG
Pool E
Beaulieu College 7-0 South Downs College
Brescia House School 5-5 Edenvale High
Beaulieu College 2-1 Edenvale High School
Southdowns College 2-2 Brescia House School
Pool F
Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge 7-1 Enjabulweni High School
Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge Bye
St Cyprian’s School 6-0 Enjabulweni High School
St Cyprian’s Bye
Pool G
Crawford International Lonehill 2-1 Sisekelo High School
Pinnacle College Rynfield 1-1 Penryn College
Pool H
Uplands College 2-0 Dainfern College
St Peter’s College 2-0 Kingsmead
St Peter’s College 1-1 Dainfern College
James Manning, Alastair Carle, and Cameron Oosthuizen were outstanding with the bat and ball as they led St John’s College (Harare),Falcon College, and Peterhouse to victories on the first day of the St John’s Rams T20 Tournament, on Friday.
The hosts, St John’s, beat Christian Brothers College – Bulawayo (CBC) by 33 runs, while Falcon College trounced St George’s College by nine wickets, and Peterhouse won by 36 runs against Churchill School.
After being asked to bat first, they started slowly, losing Jetas Sai Maramreddy in the third over for only six runs. However, James Manning, who took over from Maramreddy, quickly took charge.
He slashed 65 runs from 48 deliveries during a 66-minute stay, and his half-century was supported by a trio of 30s from Riley Ettlin (37), Connor Lovatt (36), and Luca Spagnuolo (34*), as St John’s powered their way to 193/5.
CBC suffered a trainwreck at the beginning of their run chase, losing four wickets for seven runs from the first 14 balls they faced.
That collapse was arrested when Joshua Armstrong (75*) joined Kelebokile Moyo (45) at the crease. Together, they cobbled a 100-run partnership that gave the visitors hope. However, when Moyo fell in the 14th over, CBC’s challenge fell away and they finished with 160/7 from their 20 overs, well shy of the St John’s total.
Alastair Carle smote an impressive, unbeaten 91 from 46 deliveries when Falcon College went up against St George’s College on Fisher Field. The opener launched six sixes and cracked 10 fours as he almost singlehandedly chased down the 128-run victory target.
After electing to bat first, St George’s ran into early trouble, losing their first wicket in the second over. Wickets fell regularly after that as they struggled to build partnerships.
St George’s opening batsman, Jayden Petersen, occupied the crease until the 11th over and top-scored with a run-a-ball 24, but no other player made it to 20 as the Harare side limped to 127/8 in 20 overs. Dmitry Fatch and Reed Merick led the charge with the ball for Falcon with two wickets apiece.
However, the star of the show was Carle, who got off the mark with a four, off the second ball he faced, and closed the innings with another four. His 91 runs accounted for 70 percent of Falcon’s runs, and his imperious knock secured a nine-wicket win for his side.
The Bulawayo side’s win left them in second place in Pool B, behind Kearsney College.
Cameron Oosthuizen, meanwhile, landed the ball in the right areas as he bowled Peterhouse to a 36-run victory over Churchill on the Honey B Field. The medium pacer delivered 17 dot balls in four overs on his way to a decisive haul of four wickets for 10 runs. He also executed two run outs to help his side dismiss Churchill for a meagre 111 in 17 overs.
Oosthuizen had sufficient runs to defend after Peterhouse posted a total of 147/8. Luke Marillier anchored their innings with a steady 39 runs from 32 deliveries at the top of the order, while Cameron Rae chipped in with a crucial 30 off 37. Panashe Fantiso‘s 13-ball 22 gave the innings a boost, as did Isaac Hildebrand‘s 15 off 14, and Ryan Moyo’s contribution of 11 runs.
With the win, Peterhouse occupies second place in Pool C behind Clifton College, who opened their account with two commanding victories.
Scorecards
St John’s 193/5 (James Manning 65, Riley Ettlin 37; Pilate Ndlovu 1/20, Presley Jere 1/31). CBC 160/7 (Joshua Armstrong 75*, Kelebokile Moyo 45; Connor Lovatt 3/22, Tawana Nyandoro 2/25). St John’s won by 33 runs.
St George’s College 127/8 (Jayden Petersen 24, Abhiraj Singh 19; Dmitry Fatch 2/17, Reed Merick 2/23) Falcon College 130/1 (Alastair Carle 91*, Callum Orford 17; Abhiraj Singh 1/18, Munyaradzi Maunze 0/12). Falcon won by nine wickets.
Peterhouse 147/8 (Luke Marillier 39, Cameron Rae 30; Zvikomborero Masango 2/19, Brandon Sam 2/22). Churchill 111/10 (Praise Dube 38, Wessly Maramwidze 15; Cameron Oostuizen 4/10, Nicholas Orphanides 2/28). Peterhouse won by 36 runs.
With 112 runs from just 49 balls, in two innings Cohen Naidoo was at the forefront of Clifton’s successes on day one of the St John’s Ram’s T20. Photo: St John’s College (Harare) on Facebook.
While the Johannesburg Invitational XI, a team made up of players from King Edward VII (KES), Jeppe High School for Boys, and St John’s College, went two for two on the opening day of the St John’s Rams T20, in Harare, the other South African participants, Clifton College and Kearsney College, also recorded dominant victories.
Clifton, especially, ran roughshod over their Zimbabwean opposition, needing only 10.4 overs to overhaul Churchill‘s 132/6 to claim an eight-wicket win, and then using just 12.3 overs to canter to a nine-wicket victory over Wise Owl.
Kearsney was also on cruise control, charging to a seven-wicket win over St George’s College, with four overs to spare, before hanging a 30-run defeat on Hellenic Academy.
Churchill vs Clifton College
Brandon Sam paced Churchill’s innings of 132/6 against Clifton, making 43 at a run a ball, with three fours and a six, while Takunda Rakabopwa flayed four fours and a six in his 32 from 38. Zvikomborero Masango added some impetus, matching Sam’s boundary output while making 31 from only 22 balls.
Caleb Naicker, on as the first change bowler, led the Clifton attack with a haul of 2/17 from three, while Blake Johnson returned 2/18 from four.
Hayden Drieselmann and Cohen Naidoo then propelled Clifton to a convincing victory by laying on an opening stand of 104 in only 7.3 overs.
Naidoo was the first to go, but by then he had destroyed any chance Churchill had of restricting Clifton to less than the 136 they had scored. He blasted eight sixes and five fours in a spectacular 79 from only 30 deliveries.
Drieselmann followed 15 runs later, with the total on 119, also caught and bowled by Brandon Sam. He had weighed in with 33 off 22 and hit four fours and a six.
An over-and-a-half later, Clifton had sealed a comfortable win.
Sam did well to snap up 2/8 in two, but it was an expensive outing for most of the Churchill bowlers.
St George’s College vs Kearsney College
St George’s College, meanwhile, mustered a moderate 117/9 against Kearsney, with only Tyshawn Zuze, who made 25, making it beyond the teens.
Michael Groom was the pick of the bowlers, capturing 3/3 in three overs, while Rivan Moodley claimed a tidy 2/15 in four, and Matthew Gorrie chipped in with 2/20 in four.
A hard-hitting and unbeaten 51 from 44 deliveries, with six fours and a six, from Keegan de Jager, along with 30 not out from 30 by Asher Hollister saw the Botha’s Hill boys to a convincing win.
After Kearsney had slipped 46/3 in the fifth over of their reply, the pair shared an unbroken stand of 72 from 11.1 overs to see their side home.
Wise Owl vs Clifton College
Later in the day, Tim Saulez starred with the ball, removing five batsmen for only 16 runs in four overs to undermine Wise Owl’s batting effort against Clifton. Regan Radley, with 2/9, and Blake Johnson, with 2/16, also played their part as the school from Marondera struggled to 90/10.
Had it not been for 40 from 42 by Simbarashe Mudzengerere, which was 30 more than the next highest score made, Wise Owl’s innings would have looked especially miserable.
When Clifton batted, Cohen Naidoo was again explosive, bashing 33 off 19 balls, seven of which he dispatched for four, before he departed with the total on 49 in the sixth over.
Byron Ward and captain Tim Saulez, then, smoothly steered Clifton to victory, adding a further 42 runs. Ward was undefeated on 29 from 35, while Saulez ended on 24 not out.
Hellenic Academy vs Kearsney College
Batting first, Kearsney posted 187/6 against Hellenic Academy, with Cole Young leading their charge. Remarkably, his 58 off 30 didn’t include a single four, but he did launch seven sixes.
Asher Hollister made his mark again, with 35 off 29, while captain Jason De Gryse clattered 31 off 22 at the top of the order and shared an opening stand of 43 in five overs with Aaron Blackburn, who made 21.
Jonty Wiggett, with an unbeaten 26 off 13, with three fours and a six, provided Kearsney’s innings with a timely late boost.
Kirby Madaramete picked up 2/38 in four overs, but the best economy rate that any of the Hellenic Academy bowlers managed was eight an over by opening bowler, Matthew Martell, who conceded 32 from his four overs.
The Harare school, then, tallied 157/5 in reply, with brothers, Kian and Michael Blignaut, giving them a vague hope of victory with a third-wicket partnership of 58 off 5.5 overs before Michael was caught by Keegan de Jager off Rivan Moodley for 42 from 21 balls, six of which he struck for four, and two which went for six.
Kian Blignaut fell in the 17th over for the innings’ top score of 58 off 48, with eight fours. Following his dismissal, though, Hellenic Academy was unable to accelerate their innings, and they came up well short of Kearsney’s challenging total.
Michael Groom, the bowling star of Kearsney’s win over St George’s, once again led the KZN school’s attack, snaring 3/14 in four.
SCORES
Churchill 132/6 (Brandon Sam 43, Takunda Rakabopwa 32, Zvikomborero Masango 31; Caleb Naicker 2/17, Blake Johnson 2/18); Clifton College 136/2 (Cohen Naidoo 79, Hayden Drieselmann 33; Brandon Sam 2/8).
Clifton College won by eight wickets.
St George’s College 117/9 (Tyshawn Zuze 25; Michael Groom 3/3, Rivan Moodley 2/15, Matthew Gorrie 2/20); Kearsney College 118/3 (Keegan de Jager 51*, Asher Hollister 30*).
Kearsney College won by seven wickets.
Wise Owl 90/10 (Simbarashe Mudzengerere 40; Tim Saulez 5/16, Regan Radley 2/9, Blake Johnson 2/16); Clifton College 91/1 (Cohen Naidoo 33, Byron Ward 29*, Tim Saulez 24*).
Clifton College won by nine wickets.
Kearsney College 187/6 (Cole Young 58, Asher Hollister 35, Jason De Gryse 31, Jonty Wiggett 26*, Aaron Blackburn 21; Kirby Madaramete 2/38); Hellenic Academy 157/5 (Kian Blignaut 58, Michael Blignaut 42; Michael Groom 3/14).
The Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI hit the ground running at the St John’s Rams T20 tournament in Harare. Photo: Supplied.
Troy Gordon, Lincoln Casais, and Lebone Ramedupe produced superb T20 batting and bowling performances on the Honey A Field to inspire the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI to back-to-back victories over Prince Edward and Christian Brothers College – Bulawayo (CBC), on the first day of the St John’s College (Harare) Rams T20 Tournament on Friday afternoon.
The wins catapulted the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI to the top of Group A.
Their next assignment is against the hosts, St John’s (Harare), on Saturday.
They are guaranteed a top two finish in their pool. However, a first-place finish sees them through to the Super Six stage, while a second-place finish will send them through to the Eliminator round.
The Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI, a team comprising players from St John’s College (Johannesburg), Jeppe High School for Boys, Queen’s High School, and King Edward VII (KES), pummelled Prince Edward by 128 runs in their first outing and then thrashed CBC by 55 runs later in the day.
“We have a good group of players. They are wonderful people, great characters, and this has made it easy for them to gel and play for each other on the field,” Bongani Ntini, the touring side’s coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
In the game against Prince Edward, Troy Gordon and Lincoln Casais plundered a combined 154 runs from only 98 deliveries. Gordon, from KES, and Casais, from Jeppe, joined forces at the start of the fifth over after Shayne Garwe struck a double blow, dismissing Tiago Dias and Bafana Mthunzi in the space of five deliveries.
Gordon and Casais consolidated over the next five overs before unfurling their power-hitting, smashing 19 runs in the 11th over. They were unstoppable thereafter. Gordon, who reached his half-century in just 35 balls, lofted seven sixes and five fours on a 53-ball innings that brought him 84 runs. He was named the Player of the Match for his performance.
Like Gordon, Casais also reached his fifty in 35 balls and ended unbeaten on 70 off 45 deliveries after the completion of 20 overs. Their efforts helped to catapult the SA Invitational XI to 193/3.
“One of the best things about this tour is that the boys play without pressure, and so they express themselves freely. It’s good to see. I constantly remind them to do the best they can because they are ambassadors of their schools,” Ntini said.
Lebone Ramedupe, Shreshth Kumar, Keegan Hendey, and Wade McQuinn took two wickets each as the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI bowlers skittled Prince Edward for only 65 runs in 15 overs. The total would have been lower if the Joburg side had not boosted their score with 11 extras through wides and no-balls.
Later in the day, like Prince Edward, CBC won the toss and opted to bowl first when they met the Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI. The CBC bowlers performed reasonably well, picking up wickets at regular intervals, but the South African side still posted a more than useful 185/6.
“We did not maintain the same batting order in both matches because we wanted to take the boys out of their comfort zones. Besides winning matches, we want the boys to learn to adapt to different situations,” Ntini said about his team’s batting effort.
Tiago Dias (36) and Joshua Hall (39) played the conditions well and mounted a 77-run second-wicket partnership off 58 deliveries to provide a springboard from which their explosive middle order could capitalise.
McQuinn strode to the middle after Dias’s departure and scored a brisk 33 off 24. Then, Bafana Mthunzi (13 off nine), Luke Clarke (13* from eight), and Casais (13 off three) maximised the remaining deliveries.
When they bowled, the Joburg outfit made better use of the conditions than CBC, dismissing the Bulawayo school for 130 runs in 17.1 overs.
Ramedupe and his new ball partner, Connor Kuijers, set the tone with two early wickets before Clarke bagged 3/23 to push CBC onto the ropes.
Joshua Armstrong (34), Lee Ellerman (29), and Rowyn Konson (28) provided resistance for the Bulawayo boys, but their efforts were futile.
Right-arm paceman Ramedupe starred with the ball, capturing 4/25 from four overs. He was well supported by Clarke’s three-wicket haul and a brace of wickets from Kuijers.
Scorecards
Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI 193/3 (Troy Gordon 84, Lincoln Casais 70*; Shane Garwe 2/25, Junaid Nyawasha 1/41). Prince Edward 65/10 (Mike Takodza 9*, Keith Mabhena 9; Shreshth Kumar 2/4, Keegan Hendey 2/7). Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI won by 128 runs.
Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI 185/6 (Joshua Hall 39, Tiago Dias 36; Rowyn Konson 3/22, Dylan Saudan 2/18). Christian Brothers College 130/10 (Joshua Armstrong 34, Lee Ellerman 29; Lebone Ramedupe 4/25, Luke Clarke 3/23). Johannesburg Schools Invitational XI won by 55 runs.
Kathorus Hyper Academy has had a challenging but rewarding season and has excelled in the second round of fixtures. They tackle SuperSport United in the u19 GDL festival on Sunday. Photo: Supplied.
Following in the footsteps of the recent success of the u13 Gauteng Development League (GDL) festival, the GDL is set to captivate its supporters with another festival, this time featuring the u19 division, on Sunday, 21 September, at Sicelo Stadium, in Midvaal.
Kathorus Hyper Academy, one of the feelgood stories of the 2025 season, kicks off the action at 9:00 against SuperSport United.
The Pretoria club, while still in the chase for the GDL title, has fallen a little off the pace in recent weeks, and they’ll be focused on reestablishing their challenge by bagging another win.
They’re up against a well-organised Kathorus team, which has ascended from the lower rungs of the standings up to a laudable seventh place, only six points behind Kaizer Chiefs, in sixth.
Chiefs, surprisingly, have not been part of the title race thus far, and Kathorus, with a game in hand, could draw even closer to the AmaKhosi with another victory. Their form in the second half of the season has been hugely impressive and a top five finish by season’s end is not out of the question.
Of course, achieving that high finish will also depend on how teams like Chiefs, Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA), and others, including Panorama FC and Jomo Cosmos, who are just behind Kathorus on goal difference, fare.
Sunday’s clash with SuperSport United will be another tough examination for Kathorus Hyper Academy, but, just as much, it will be a stern test of SuperSport’s title aspirations.
Another highlight of Saturday’s festival will be a Tshwane derby between Mamelodi Sundowns and the University of Pretoria (Tuks). Not only will three points be on the line, but bragging rights, too.
The Brazilians‘ game against Jomo Cosmos last week was postponed because many of their players were in action for Clapham High in the Kay Motsepe Gauteng ProvincialChampionships, which they won to earn the right to represent Gauteng in the Kay Motsepe National Schools Championship.
U19 Mamelodi Sundowns and Clapham High coach, Kristopher Bergman, was photographed shortly after winning the Gauteng Provincial Kay Motsepe Championship on Saturday, 13 September, last week. Photo: Football Stage on Facebook.
It was a momentous occasion for Kristopher Bergman, who achieved the milestone of delivering a first Kay Motsepe Championship trophy for Clapham in his inaugural year as coach for both Sundowns and the school, which serves as a feeder to the youth teams of Mamelodi Sundowns.
While Bergman’s team enjoyed success in the Kay Motsepe Gauteng Provincial Championship, Highlands Park took advantage of Sundowns’ absence to improve their points tally with a confident 3-0 victory at KaizerChiefs, which has left the Brazilians nine points behind the defending champions, although they have two matches in hand.
They will, however, need to turn those games in hand into points. They can’t afford to slip up, including on Sunday against Tuks.
In other u19 GDL Festival matches, RESA faces the School of Excellence, while Panorama takes on Chiefs, who will be desperate to get back to winning ways after their sobering loss at home to Highlands Park.
While the u19 festival will be in the spotlight, there will be other GDL action on the go on Saturday.
TS Galaxy and Joburg City meet at the 3rd Square Stadium, while Jomo Cosmos welcomes Rockefvs to the JC Training Grounds.
At Tsakane Stadium, East Rand Athletic Club plays host to Seven’s Academy, who scored a scintillating 4-3 victory over high-flying Randburg AFC last weekend. Wits Junior takes on Highlands Park at Marks Park.
On Sunday, Randburg and Elspark United, who aren’t part of the GDL festival, do battle at the Randburg Sports Complex.
FIXTURES
Saturday, 20 September
14:00
3rd Square Stadium TS Galaxy vs Joburg City
14:30
JC Training Grounds Jomo Cosmos vs Rockefvs
Tsakane Stadium East Rand Athletic Stadium vs Seven’s Academy
15:00
Marks Park Wits Junior vs Highlands Park
Sunday, 21 September
Sicelo Stadium (Midvaal)
09:00 – Kathorus vs SuperSport United
11:00 – RESA vs School of Excellence
13:00 – Mamelodi Sundowns vs Tuks
15:00 – Panorama FC vs Kaizer Chiefs
When Hoërskool Kempton Park and defending Easterns champions, Hoërskool Hans Moore, meet on Saturday in Kempton Park, there will be a hint of a final atmosphere in the air.
Read and follow all the 2025 Schools Cricket action live on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
The reason is that everything, more or less, comes down to the encounter between these two sides to determine who will represent the Easterns region in the Fain Noordvaal Competition, which follows the respective leagues. Both sides are still unbeaten.
There is a snag, however, in that both teams still need to catch up on matches in arrears from the previous round. Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen had prior arrangements prohibiting the scheduled fixture against the Moories, while Benoni High School still need to play against the Kempies, which could yet put a damper on Noordvaal qualification, if an upset happens.
That said, Saturday’s action between the two frontrunners of the league promises nothing less than exhilarating cricket. Exceptional batting lineups await to put each other to the test, while the bowling attacks, possessing some serious pace, could be a highlight from both sides.
Leading the fast bowling scene will be Khaya Majola opening bowler, Kristiaan du Plessis. It seemed as if Du Plessis had held back on his pace throughout the duration of the Kempies’ previous games, with what appears like a light toe injury hindering him. However, in the previous meeting between the two sides in the Finsbury League earlier this year, Du Plessis was lightning quick and had the Moorie batters at sixes and sevens.
Achieving this with the likes of Xavier Coetzee, Adrian Watson and the Shaw brothers at the crease was no mean feat and illustrated exactly what the Easterns selectors had noticed too. Danger.
The Moories, on the other hand, will be hoping that their quickie, Stephan Vermaak, will be able to charge onto the attack when he gets the opportunity. Vermaak’s back has been somewhat of a problem, but he will, without a doubt, be raring to go when he gets the green light to take the ball.
As mentioned, the Moories have their big four all in top form and batting in the top six, with Vermaak also boasting a century in recent outings. His contribution with the bat could play a major role if the back problems prohibit him from bowling.
For the Kempies, double centurion, Sheldon Kruger, and Shaun Nash hold the key in die middle order. They also have captain Marko Richter waiting in the wings, alongside wicketkeeper/batsman Stian de Villiers, who are neither shy of scoring runs when the need arises.
Another name looms, too, in the form of the experienced Wian Pieters, who will be a factor with both bat and ball, especially after he recently found form with the ball. This makes his battle with the Moories’ three-pronged spin attack an exciting one. Pieters will, in all likelihood, also open the batting and lay the necessary platform for the rest of his highly talented middle order.
u17 Edenvale FC were all smiles following a 5-0 win over Dinoko Rondebult. They’ll be aiming to build on that momentum when they travel to the University of Pretora on Sunday. Photo: Supplied.
Anticipate a lighter schedule than usual this Sunday for the Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL).
They’re playing at home, but Panorama FC will face a stern challenge from Kempton Park, who will be raring to go after a 3-0 win over the Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) last week.
Tornado Ladies Academy, who are coming off a narrow 0-1 defeat to JVW, will have a chance to bounce back when they face Hellenic Falcons at Sicelo Stadium.
Both teams dropped points last Sunday, with Hellenic Falcons suffering a 0-3 loss to SAFA Academy. Both sides will be desperate to pick up points, making their showdown one of the games to keep an eye on.
In other fixtures, the University of Pretoria (Tuks) will host Edenvale FC, while Kenneth FC will take on Dinoko Rondebult at the Esiqongweni Sports Grounds.
FIXTURES
Sunday, 21 September
11:30
Panorama Panorama FC vs Kempton Park FC
Sicelo Stadium Tornado FC vs Hellenic Falcons
University of Pretoria Football Field (Hillcrest Campus) Tuks vs Edenvale FC
Esiqongweni Sports Grounds Kenneth FC vs Dinoko Rondebult
When Hoërskool Kempton Park and defending Easterns champions, Hoërskool Hans Moore, meet on Saturday in Kempton Park, there will be a hint of a final atmosphere in the air.
