Struwig joined Reuben van Zyl and captain Xander Venter, the side’s other centurions, to achieve the rare feat in Schoolboy cricket.
Van Zyl played a pivotal role in the Ysbere’s comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Pretoria Boys High School, scoring a second century in as many league games, in the Titans Platinum A-League, having celebrated his 100th cap with another ton in the previous outing.
Van Zyl’s unbeaten 109 runs, off just 101 deliveries, appeared effortless and included 15 fours and a six. It set the platform for a fluent chase of the 179 runs needed for victory, while the other two centurions were instrumental in limiting the opposition to such a fairly low total.
Venter was the mainstay with the ball, picking up 2/15 in the 6.3 overs he bowled, while Struwig, not far behind, got two wickets for only 20 runs in his six overs. Venter would go on to contribute with bat in hand too, making 27 not out, with Charl van Staden chipping in with 32 runs.
At the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool oval, Vihan Pretorius, Nico Loggerenberg, and Zian Labuschagne dismantled Prestige College as Affies strolled to a whopping 10-wicket victory. Conceding a combined 45 runs only, the trio was responsible for all 10 wickets as the visitors stumbled to 76 all out.
Pretorius took charge with his return of 4/15 in nine overs, while Labuschagne, opening the bowling alongside Pretorius, snapped up 3/19, and Loggenberg concluded with 3/11 in nine overs. With all the hard work done, Affies’ opening pair, JP Botha and Dylan Stander, obliged to each score at more than a run a ball and chase down the target in the ninth over.
Botha struck eight boundaries for his unbeaten 39, while Stander smashed four fours and two sixes during his contribution of 35 not out, setting a dangerous tone for the rest of the league.
Summarised scorecards:
Pretoria Boys High School 178 (Tinashe Mbingo 57, Louis Kruyshaar 36, Jayden Knott-Craig 22; Xander Venter 2/15, Echard Struwig 2/20, Zizwe Khumalo 2/30); Garsfontein 180/2 (Reuben van Zyl 109*, Charl van Staden 32, Xander Venter 27*; Justin-Luke Basteo 1/22). Garsfontein won by eight wickets.
Prestige College 76 (Mohau Mahlangu 20; Vihan Pretorius 4/15, Nico Loggenberg 3/11, Zian Labuschagne 3/19); Affies 78/0 (JP Botha 39*, Dylan 35*). Affies won by 10 wickets.
DHS scored their second 10-wicket win in three matches in the Eston One Insurance T20 Night League when they beat the Tuskers Hub XI. Photo: Durban High School on Facebook.
Durban High School‘s (DHS) dominating run in the Eston One Insurance T20 Night League continued on Monday evening, with School charging to a 10-wicket win over the Tuskers Hub u19 XI at the Beaumont Eston Farmers Club.
DHS won the toss and chose to bowl first, but it took a while for the Blue Typhoonto make a breakthrough. It came at the start of the eighth over, when Josh Morley bowled Joshua Kaltwasser for the innings’ top score of 23 from 22 balls, which included three fours.
Unfortunately for the Hub XI, they quickly lost two more wickets, including Kaltwasser’s opening partner, Siphosethu Ngcobo, who weighed in with 19 runs.
Morley laid waste to the Tuskers’ top order batting, dismissing four of the top five. The Hub side, however, benefitted from 17 extras and an unbeaten 16 from AphiweNzama, but they were restricted to a moderate 96/9 from their 20 overs.
Morley led the DHS attack, capturing 4/18 from his four overs. No other bowler took more than one wicket, but they kept the run scoring rate down, especially Ethan Cooper, who surrendered a miserly seven runs from his four overs, while also claiming the key wicket of Ngcobo.
After a short rain delay, the victory target was adjusted to 88 runs from 18 overs. DHS required barely a third of those, rocketing to victory off the first ball of the seventh over.
Ethan Cooper followed up his fine bowling performance by bludgeoning an unbeaten 49 off 18 balls, smashing two sixes and eight fours, while Ismaeel Omar made 35 off 19, including seven fours.
Tuskers Hub XI 96/9 (Joshua Kaltwasser 23, Siphosethu Ngcobo 19, Josh Morley 4/18, Ethan Cooper 1/7); Durban High School 89/0 after 6.1 overs (Ethan Cooper 49*, Ismaeel Omar 35*).
Durban Girls’ College excelled in their home pool and convincingly powered their way to the KZN Top 10 title. Photo: Brad Morgan.
From the opening game of the KZN Top 10 Girls’ Water Polo Tournament, on Friday, at Durban Girls’ College (DGC), it was crystal clear, the team to beat was the host, DGC. Even their second stringers, DGC 2, were clearly one of the better sides in action.
St Anne’s Diocesan College wasn’t in action on Friday, but they soon made their case as the leading challengers to DGC when they took to the water on Saturday.
The hosts cruised through their group assignments, with a 7-1 win over Thomas More College being their closest victory. St Anne’s, meanwhile, never allowed a team to get closer than seven points to them, and they dominated DGC 2, winning 13-3.
DGC 2, however, finished second in the group, thanks to a tight 7-6 win over Reddam House Umhlanga on Friday.
They went on to face Thomas More College in the third and fourth place playoff, with DGC 2 triumphing 5-1.
In the title game, DGC took charge and dictated play, powering their way to a 10-4 victory over St Anne’s.
Commenting on his team’s success, DGC coach Peter Lavett told SuperSport Schools Plus: “It was great to start off with a tournament win. I’m very proud of the girls. We have prepared well, and we managed to play according to our game plan
“We wanted to start this part of the year with a solid tournament, getting basics right and making sure all players know their role in the team. We have big goals for this part of the season, and we achieved the first goal by winning the KZN Top 10.”
St Anne’s dominated their group games, but they were well beaten in the KZN Top 10 final by DGC. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Levett said he was pleased with his players’ ability to win in more than one way. He explained: “We were able to practice moves and different tactics through the pool stage and I am very proud of the girls that we kept our composure and focus through games where we won by more than 15 goals.
“Hannah Weinert, in goal, had a great tournament,” he added. “But the real standouts were the matrics who have a tough exam period but still performed at a top level.”
A challenging list of top tournaments lies ahead for DGC, including the DGC u16 tournament this week. Then, the first team will compete in the Reddam House Constantia and St Anne’s tournaments.
“The goal is to play for medals at all three events,” Lavett said.
RESULTS
Friday, 29 August
Westville Girls’ High 0-22 DGC Thomas More College 7-4 St Mary’s DSG Maris Stella 8-10 Reddam House Umhlanga St John’s 0-20 Danville DGC 2 7-6 Reddam House Umhlanga St Mary’s DSG 11-3 Westville Girls’ High Danville (5) 4-4 (7) Thomas More College Maris Stella 9-2 Our Lady of Fatima
Saturday, 30 August
DGC 2 10-5 Maris Stella Curro Hillcrest 3-5 Our Lady of Fatima DGC 15-0 St Mary’s DSG Thomas More College 18-0 St John’s Westville Girls’ High 2-6 Danville Our Lady of Fatima 3-20 St Anne’s Curro Hillcrest 2-13 DGC 2 St John’s 0-22 DGC Reddam House Umhlanga 3-10 St Anne’s DGC 2 15-0 Our Lady of Fatima Danville 0-13 DGC St Mary’s DSG 16-0 St John’s St Anne’s 15-5 Curro Hillcrest Westville Girls’ High 1-13 Thomas More College Danville 4-5 St Mary’s DSG Reddam House Umhlanga 9-4 Curro Hillcrest St Anne’s 14-2 Maris Stella DGC 7-1 Thomas More College Our Lady of Fatima 3-12 Reddam House Umhlanga St Anne’s 13-3 DGC 2 Curro Hillcrest 1-8 Maris Stella St John’s 2-10 Westville Girls’ High
Westville Boys’ High celebrates lifting the DHS Sevens u17 title. Beaten in the final by DHS in 2024, they turned the tables on DHS in 2025. Photo: Supplied.
In 2024, Durban High School did the double at the DHS Sevens, with both their u17 and u15 teams raising trophies in the High School Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota event. They repeated as the u15 champions on Saturday on Van Heerden’s Field, in Durban, but Westville Boys’ High dethroned DHS in the u17 competition.
Unbeaten in the 15-man game in 2025, which included a season-defining 33-28 win over DHS, Westville showed they have plenty of talent and skill remaining in their u17 ranks by dominating the competition.
In Pool D, they tallied 105 points and conceded just five in wins over Glenwood 2 and KZN Noord Natal.
In the quarterfinals, they were made to work harder in a 29-7 win over DHS 2, but Westville rose to the challenge of an athletic and dangerous Northwood team in the semi-finals and raced away to a decisive 31-7 victory.
Up against DHS in the final, after School had shunted aside Glenwood 21-0, Westville lifted their game once more to score an emphatic 24-5 victory.
Glenwood beat Michaelhouse in the Cup quarterfinals after’ House, who had twice come from behind to win their Pool A matches, was unable to execute the feat for a third time. Photo: Brad Morgan.
DHS hadn’t enjoyed an entirely smooth run to the title game. They ran in two tries against Michaelhouse in a Pool A clash before ‘House reversed the momentum of the contest to grab a 24-21 win.
After a further win over Northwood 2, Michaelhouse topped Pool A, but they were stopped by Glenwood in the quarterfinals, with the Green Machinerunning out 22-12 winners.
Glenwood had finished only second in Pool B, which was won by Maritzburg College. The Red, Black, and Whitetrounced Glenwood 36-7, but were made to battle to a 12-7 win over Westville 2. Glenwood subsequently beat Westville 2 24-12.
Northwood, the winner of the Glenwood Sevens a fortnight earlier, was the class of Pool D, overrunning Ferrum 55-5 and DHS 2 45-5.
Northwood, the winner of the Glenwood Sevens, played some sparkling rugby, but they were well beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual DHS Sevens champion, Westville Boys’ High. Photo: Brad Morgan.
College’s progress was halted by DHS in the quarterfinals, with the Blue Typhoon blowing away the Pietermaritzburg side 42-0, while Northwood’s untroubled advance continued with a 45-0 win over KZN Noord Natal. They came unstuck against Westville in the semi-finals, however.
Northwood 2 downed Glenwood 2 24-12 to claim the Shield, Newcastle’s Ferrum made their trip to Durban count by lifting the Bowl after a tight 17-14 win over Westville 2, while DHS 2 got the better of Michaelhouse in the Plate final, winning 28-19.
Michaelhouse 19-12 Maritzburg College KZN Noord Natal 7-24 DHS 2
Cup Semifinals
Glenwood 0-21 DHS Westville 31-7 Northwood
Shield Final
Northwood 2 24-12 Glenwood 2
Bowl Final
Westville 2 14-17 Ferrum
Plate Final
Michaelhouse 19-28 DHS 2
Cup Final
Westville 24-5 DHS
U15 Competition
Two weeks ago, at the Glenwood Sevens, the DHS u15 team ripped through their opposition, scoring 238 points while conceding only 22 in five matches. On their way to another title, they picked up another five wins at home without giving up a point until the final.
In Pool C, DHS beat Ferrum 47-0 and Sarel Cilliers 38-0. Then, in the quarterfinals, they downed Maritzburg College 2 29-0. They were made to work hard by Westville in the semi-finals, but the Horsefliestriumphed 14-0.
At last, in the final, their defence was breeched, but DHS beat Maritzburg College 29-19 to claim the title. They had beaten College 33-12 in the final of the Glenwood Sevens two weeks earlier.
Pionier, the winner of the Pionier Sevens, made a big statement in Pool A when they outplayed Northwood 29-0 on their way to topping the pool. Their journey was, however, ended by Maritzburg College in the quarterfinals.
College had lost 19-24 to Glenwood in their Pool B clash, but College beat DHS 2 10-5, and DHS 2 handed Glenwood a 29-21 loss. The margins were slim, with each of the three Pool B teams picking up two points for a win. DHS 2, though, finished in first place with a positive points’ difference of three, Maritzburg College scored 29 and gave up 29, and Glenwood ended on minus-three.
Westville cruised through Pool D, dumping Maritzburg College 2 43-7 and Northwood 2 40-5. They also beat SarelCilliers 31-5 in the quarterfinals before being stopped by DHS in the final four.
Glenwood charged to the Bowl title, outplaying Ferrum 47-5, while DHS 2 clawed their way to a 21-14 win over Sarel Cilliers to claim the Plate.
The weekend’s Gauteng Development League (GDL) action delivered many goals, but the log leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns, were held to a goalless draw by TS Galaxy, at Alex Stadium, on Sunday.
It was a big match for ‘Downs, who are in the thick of the title race alongside Highlands Park, Randburg AFC, Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA), and SuperSport United.
He discussed the importance of fighting for every point in the GDL and emphasised that there are no gimmes in the league. TS Galaxy, he said, was a formidable team. He was right on the money as the sides settled for a share of the spoils and one point each.
RESA, another of the title contenders, was held to a 2-2 draw by East Rand Athletic Club on Saturday. SuperSport United, meanwhile, decisively defeated bottom of the table Elspark United Academy 5-0 at Curro Sagewood.
It was a dominant outing from SuperSport, who opened their account through Orifha Maubelo off an assist from Thokozani Mabena. Maubelo struck again to make it 2-0. This time, he was assisted by Tlotliso Makgai, who was again involved and set up Tshiamo Selemela for SuperSport’s third.
The exceptional Makgai made it a hat-trick of assists by aiding David Stober to score a fourth goal, and Stober made it a brace to complete the scoring, with Mpho Nteu laying on the scoring chance.
Coach Skhosiphi Mgobhozi’s team from Randburg AFC picked up a 2-0 victory over the University of Pretoria (Tuks), with Jason Oliver and Onaishe Nyasvimbo netting to tighten up the intensifying GDL title race.
The reigning champions, Highlands Park, had a hectic schedule, playing on both Saturday and Sunday, but they demonstrated their championship pedigree by emerging from that challenge with full points.
On Saturday, the Lions of the North edged out Joburg City 1-0, with Daniel Waisman scoring the match-winner. Then, on Sunday, they returned to the field and scored a 3-0 win over Tuks, who went down for the second time on the weekend.
In other matches, Jomo Cosmos played to a 1-1 draw to take points off of high-flying Kathorus Hyper Academy, who have been on an impressive winning streak. Sabelo Makhanya scored the only goal for EzeNkosi, while Ayabonga Dlamini found the back of the net for Kathorus.
In a thriller, Rockefvs and Panorama FC, went end-to-end in an entertaining 3-3 draw.
The School of Excellence, which has seemingly lost its edge in recent seasons, bagged a heartening win. Last week, they had suffered a heavy 1-4 defeat against Kaizer Chiefs. On Saturday, though, they walked away with a 3-1 victory over Wits Junior.
To their credit, Wits bounced back on Sunday with a resounding 3-0 victory over Joburg City, who suffered back-to-back defeats on the weekend.
Chiefs, meanwhile, picked up three points after a 4-2 win over Seven’s Academy.
RESULTS
Saturday, 30 August
Kathorus Hyper Academy 1-1 Jomo Cosmos
Rockefvs 3-3 Panorama FC
RESA 2-2 East Rand Athletic Club
Randburg AFC 2-0 Tuks
School of Excellence 3-1 Wits
Highlands Park 1-0 Joburg City
Kaizer Chiefs 4-2 Seven’s Academy
SuperSport United 5-0 Elspark United
Sunday, 31 August
Wits 3-0 Joburg City
Highlands Park 3-0 Tuks
Mamelodi Sundowns 0-0 TS Galaxy
After three days of captivating football at the St Andrew’s College Football Cup, in Makhanda, Bishops Diocesan College lifted the trophy after defeating Curro Wilgeheuwel in a penalty shootout in the final.
Both teams performed impressively in the group phase, played on Friday and Saturday, to finish atop their groups and secure their places in the title game.
It was a tight contest, finishing goalless, but when it went down to a shootout, Bishops excelled from the spot, scoring a decisive 3-0 win.
The Cape Town school enjoyed a superb showing at the tournament, picking up six wins and one draw from their seven matches. Only the St Andrew’s College B Team, who snared a 1-1 draw, stopped Bishops from attaining a perfect record.
Finishing as the runner-up was an outstanding but disappointing outcome for Curro Wilgeheuwel, of Roodepoort, after they showcased some dazzling and dominant football in Makhanda, which was highlighted by an astonishing 15-0 victory over Kingswood College.
When they needed it most, unfortunately for Curro Wilgeheuwel, their shooting deserted them as they missed three critical penalties, while the sharp shooters from Bishops converted their opportunities.
It marked the second time this season that Curro Wilgeheuwel had come up short in a title game. At the end of June, at the Waterstone College Super Cup, they fell 1-2 to Curro Thatchfield.
In the u15 section of the St Andrew’s College Football Cup, Jeppe High School for Boys scored a 2-1 victory over Bishops in a fiercely contested and entertaining final.
After the tournament concluded, St Andrew’s College utilised its social media platform to express heartfelt thanks to every school that participated in the event. They emphasised that the tournament would not have been as impactful without the commitment, enthusiasm, and competitive spirit demonstrated by all players, coaches, and supporters.
Team of the Tournament
HlumaniNtontela – St Andrew’s College KeagileMashile – St Benedict’s College Ashton Wyatt – Bishops Diocesan College Josh Rolfe – Bishops Diocesan College Phathu Mulaudzi – St Benedict’s College Sid Fishlock – St Andrew’s College Rondo – Victoria Park High LunikoKepe – Joza Youth Hub Luvo – Mrwetyana Secondary School BoagoSello – Trinity House Glenvista Tiago Kahn – Curro Wilgeheweul
Enzokuhle Mweli from AISJ recently represented South Africa at Basketball Without Borders and won the Three-Point Contest at the camp. Photo: NBA Africa.
The Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa Camp 2025, which was held in Rwanda, recently concluded at the BK Arena in Kigali, with 60 boys and girls participating in the camp.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) selected 60 boys and girls of high school age from 21 different countries in Africa to participate in the 21st BWB Africa camp, which took place from 23 to 26 August. This marked the inaugural occasion for the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach programme to be conducted in East Africa, following past editions held in Angola, Egypt, Senegal and South Africa.
Among the participants, three South Africans took part, including Siyabonga Mashaba from ESCA School Wanderers, who was selected as one of the top young and emerging athletes to represent the country at the BWB camp. Within the schools’ basketball scene, Mashaba is recognised as one of the elite young basketball players in South Africa and previously represented the nation at the Giants of Africa Festival, which took place from July to August in Rwanda.
The other two young athletes representing South Africa at the BWB camp were Enzokuhle Mweli and Liamisha Aboo.
Aboo, from Redhill School, was honoured with the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, while Mweli, from the American International School in Johannesburg (AISJ), won the Three-Point Contest. The last South African to win the contest in the girls’ division was Suzy Whall in 2023 in Johannesburg. Additionally, Mweli was named in the camp’s boys’ All-Star Team that same year.
After the camp, Mweli told NBA Africa Media that the BWB camp was highly educational, productive and extremely exciting for him, as he had the opportunity to learn from both players and coaches who have extensive experience in the sport.
“Some of the learnings that I gained from the camp were that it takes more than what you do on the court to become a pro, but rather what you do off the court, how you treat others, how you pay attention to little details. These are some of the small things done off the court that translate to what you achieve on the court,” Mweli told NBA Africa.
Liamisha Aboo, a student from Redhill School, was among the basketball athletes who represented South Africa at the Basketball Without Borders Camp, where she received the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award for Girls. Photo: NBA Africa
He believes that he has improved not only as a player on the court but also off the court, by making new friends from different countries and learning how to play with various individuals. He has also learned how to adjust himself emotionally.
The campers had the honour of being mentored by Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, 1996/97 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Kerry Kittles, 2005/06 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Marvin Williams, Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee, Indiana Pacers Assistant Coach Lloyd Pierce, and Minnesota Timberwolves Assistant Coach Micah Nori.
Utah Jazz Vice President of Global Scouting Luca Desta (Ethiopia), Toronto Raptors Director of Global Scouting & International Affairs Patrick Engelbrecht (South Africa), President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches Patrick Hunt (Australia), and Philadelphia 76ers Vice President of Player Personnel Prosper Karangwa (Rwanda) acted as directors for the BWB Africa camp.
Additionally, Raptors Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Jonathan Lee and LA Clippers Director of Medical Services and Head Athletic Trainer Jasen Powell contributed as the Camp’s Sports Performance Coaches.
The players and coaches led the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions.
During the camp, both players and coaches engaged in social responsibility initiatives, which included a wheelchair basketball clinic in partnership with the Rwandan Basketball Federation (FERWABA) and a clinic for 100 elderly women in collaboration with the international sport-for-development organisation Shooting Touch on Sunday, 24 August. Additionally, a coaching clinic and the Her Time to Play leadership workshop were conducted for the female campers on Monday, 25 August.
BWB Africa 2025 received support from Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002.
Over the years, BWB has made an impact through its groundwork and continues to do so. Since 2001, BWB has reached over 4,600 participants from 144 countries and territories, with 142 former campers being drafted into the NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) or signed as free agents.
Since the inaugural BWB Africa camp in 2003, 14 former campers have been selected to play in the NBA and WNBA, including Joel Embiid, the 2023 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player from the Philadelphia 76ers (Cameroon, BWB Africa 2011); Pascal Siakam, the 2019 NBA champion from the Indiana Pacers (Cameroon, BWB Africa 2012); and Khaman Maluach, the 2025 No. 10 overall pick from the Phoenix Suns (South Sudan with ties to Uganda, BWB Africa 2023).
Additionally, 72 former BWB Africa campers have appeared on the rosters of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) during the league’s first five seasons.
Concluding the month of August, Refilwe Ladies FC stunned one of the league’s leading contenders and, indeed, a dominant force, SAFA Academy.
Refilwe FC thwarted SAFA Academy’s aspirations for the league title on Sunday by persevering for a 3-2 win in a tight confrontation, which was not only highly entertaining but arguably the highlight of the weekend’s GWDL action.
While Mamelodi Sundowns defeated SAFA Academy earlier this month during the GWDL Women’s Festival, with a narrow 1-0 victory, Refilwe FC is the only community girls’ football team in the GWDL to have seen off SAFA Academy this season. Following Sunday’s one-point victory, SuperSport Schools Plus interviewed the u.17 Refilwe FC coach, Lindiwe Malaza, aka Coach Skhulu.
“Our preparation for the game against SAFA Academy wasn’t different from our approach to other league matches – we prioritise every game,” Malaza said. “However, we recognised the significance of facing a national team, which motivated us even more.”
Refilwe FC understood that defeating SAFA Academy would represent a huge milestone, particularly given that SAFA Academy’s sole defeat was against Sundowns, who currently lead the GWDL standings.
“We studied their style, noticing they love to rotate the ball, so we focused our training on pressing and supporting each other without the ball. We had a technical advantage, having done our homework on their tactics,” Malaza explained.
“I’m not surprised by my team’s performance; these girls understand their purpose and are driven to make their mark. The goals from Thando Mndaweni, Bokang Matebesi, and Dineo Gomosotho were crucial in securing the three points against SAFA Academy.
“We are now in the top three, and while teams will come at us with intensity, we will maintain our standard.”
Refilwe FC, founded in January 2024, has rapidly risen to prominence due to the team’s dedication to promoting women’s football and providing young girls with a platform to excel in both their academic and athletic pursuits. During the 2024 GWDL season, Refilwe FC experienced their most challenging season to date; however, this year, they have surprised everyone with their performances.
Earlier in 2025, the club’s founder, Lebo Ramodike, informed SuperSport Schools Plus that there was much more to anticipate this season, as they are working towards a shared objective of achieving success and fostering growth, particularly in development across all levels.
Coach Malaza acknowledged that they have gained valuable insights from their initial season and are committed to elevating the team to the next level.
“The support from our chairman, Lebo Ramodike, is a huge motivator – he ensures the players have everything they need and puts in a tremendous effort. We are all driven to make him proud and to create an unforgettable reputation at Curro Hazeldean,” Malaza said.
Results
Sunday, 31 August:
JVW 1-0 Edenvale FC
Highlands Park 2-1 Hellenic Falcons
Kempton Park 6-1 Dinoko Rondebult
Kenneth FC 2-0 Sporting CP
Mamelodi Sundowns 7-0 Tuks
Tornado Academy Ladies 2-0 Origin FC
Panorama FC 3-0 RESA
Refilwe FC 3-2 SAFA Academy
Numerous stars put their hands up for the top awards at the Fasken Time Cricket Festival, but Jason Rowles, Steele Grooteman, and Tiago Dias beat them to the accolades. Photo: St David’s Marist Inanda on Instagram.
Jason Rowles, Steele Grooteman, and Tiago Dias collected the three most coveted awards at the just-ended Fasken Time Cricket Festival at St David’s Marist Inanda on Sunday.
Rowles, who scored two centuries and an unbeaten half-century for a total of 272 runs in three innings and picked seven wickets in 44.1 overs, took home the Player of the Festival accolade. The St David’s learner’s contributions helped the hosts to two wins in as many outings.
The King Edward VII School (KES) duo of Steele Grooteman and Tiago Dias were named the Bowler of the Festival and Batsman of the Festival, respectively. Grooteman finished the festival with a haul of 15 wickets in four matches at an average of 11 and best bowling figures in an innings of 5/35.
Dias, on the other hand, scored a century and two half-tons on his way to 292 runs in four innings. No other batter besides Dias and Rowles had scores of more than 250 runs.
Rowles scored a wonderful 100 as he helped his side to 302/9 in the first innings of their tie against the Lions Invitational XI. However, he didn’t do it alone; Hayden Campbell contributed a handy 50 runs. The Lions replied with a Matthew Barbour-powered 148. Morteza Manack (5/61) did most of the damage with a five-wicket haul.
Sensing an opportunity to deliver the killer punch, St David’s asked the Lions to follow-on. Manack was unplayable in the second innings as he took another five-wicket haul, 5/63, as St David’s restricted the Lions to 240/9. The total left St David’s with an 87-run target, which they made light work of as they romped to an eight-wicket win.
Dias scored an unbeaten century, 101, in the first innings and 79 not out in the second to help KES record a nine-wicket victory over Clifton College. The opener’s ton propelled KES to 205/3 in their reply to Clifton’s first innings score of 198/8. The KwaZulu-Natal side failed to cross the 200-run mark thanks to Grooteman’s outstanding 4/58.
However, Grooteman saved his best bowling performance for Clifton’s second innings as he took 5/35 as the KZN side stumbled to 169/10. That left KES with a 163-run target for victory. Dias led KES to 166/1 to complete a dominant victory.
Noordheuwel and Waterkloof were the other two sides to record wins in the second round of matches. The Norries beat Nelspruit by nine wickets, thanks to Dihan Grove’s four-wicket haul in Nelspruit’s first innings, Gomolemo Sibi’s 4/37 in Nelspruit’s second, and Corné Botha’s unbeaten 103* as well as Wander Roolvink’s 55 not out as they chased down the 156-run target Nelspruit had set for them.
Waterkloof fended off the challenge from Jeppe High School for Boys to register a seven-wicket triumph. Riyan Booysen took 4/67 as Waterkloof restricted Jeppe to 296/8 in the first innings. Wian du Plessis carted a masterful 126 as Waterkloof to a one-run lead in their reply.
Booysen was at hand again, taking 5/53 in the third innings to bundle Jeppe out for 162, and leave Waterkloof with a 161-run target to win. Rico van der Walt saw the Klofies home with an unbeaten 64. Goolam Ahmed contributed 53 runs in the chase.
St Stithians and St Andrew’s School played out a draw, as did St Charles College and St John’s College.
Summarised Scorecards:
St David’s Marist 302/9 (Jason Rowles 100, Hayden Campbell 50; Tebogo Lebuya 3/50, Kurt Loch 2/33). Lions Invitational XI 148/10 (Matthew Barbour 51, Murray Leith 21; Morteza Manack 5/61, Jason Rowles 3/31). Lions Invitational XI (follow-on) 240/10 (Sachin Sunkar 61, Murray Leith 50; Morteza Manack 5/63, Miles Pegg 3/62). St David’s Marist 90/2 (Armaan Manack 50, Sohail Seonath 29*; Josh van Rensburg 2/19). St David’s Marist won by eight wickets.
Clifton College 198/8 (Muhammed Malek 53, Hayden Drieselman Moodly 50; Steele Grooteman 4/58, Wade McQueen 2/19). King Edward VII 205/3 (Tiago Dias 101*, Troy Gordon 64; Veer Ramouthar 1/17, Caleb Naiker 1/56). Clifton Clifton College 169/10 (Matthias Samuel 38, Shiraz Perumal 28*; Steele Grooteman 5/35, Connor Kuijers 3/22). King Edward VII 166/1 (Tiago Dias 79*, Abdullah Mohammed 45; Shiraz Perumal 1/78). King Edward VII won by nine wickets.
Jeppe High School for Boys 296/8 (Lincoln Casias 54, Vegas Scott 51; Riyan Booysen 4/67, Ricards Crous 2/30). Waterkloof 297/10 (Wian du Plessis 126, Franco Schmidt 46; Zizi Mkhize 5/80, Reza Ayob 3/37). Jeppe High School for Boys 162/10 (Goolam Ahmed 35, Aiden Reyneke 27; Rivan Booysen 5/53, Wian du Plessis 3/22). Waterkloof 163/3 (Rico van der Walt 64*, AJ de Villiers 53; Goolam Ahmed 1/23, Keegan Cockburn 1/22). Waterkloof won by seven wickets.
Hoërskool Nelspruit 190/10 (Luan Siebrits 54, Gherdu van Eeden 28; Dihan Grove 4/60, Gomolemo Sibi 2/23). Noordheuwel 187/6 (Dian Taljaard 40, Corné Botha 25; Gherdu van Eeden 2/31, Duan Smal 2/31). HoërskoolNelspruit 152/10 (Janco Breyl 47*, Waldemar Graham 42; Gomolemo Sibi 4/37, JJ Basson 2/8). Noordheuwel 159/1 (Corné Botha 103*, Wander Roolvink 55*; Gherdu van Eeden 1/32). Noordheuwel won by nine wickets.
St Stithians College 243/10 (Ombesa Matsha 79, Nicholas Bayly 26; FG Botha 4/28, Bohlokwa Leketa 2/33). St Andrew’s School 299/9 (Jonathan Hickley 91, Grove du Preez 68; Zaakir Hanslo 3/62, Tajendra Naidu 2/41). St Stithians College 239/10 (Nicholas Bayly 74, Ombesa Matsha 61; FG Botha 5/71, Cullen Kakora 2/32). St Andrew’s School 163/7 (Naude Botha 80, Grove du Preez 24; Akhil Challa 3/25, Thomas Collins 2/35). Match drawn.
St Charles College 242/8 (Caleb Sharp 76*, Ryan Clarke 58; David Ireland 3/37, Alec Loveland 3/79). St John’s College 268/10 (Connor van der Walt 75, Michael Stubbs 49; Keegan Vermaak 3/54, Daksesh Rajah 2/36). St Charles College 276/6 (Christiaan Prinsloo 121, Thandolwethu Zuma 88; Tapiwa Chikwava 2/44, David Ireland 1/10). St John’s College 0/0. Match drawn.
Alec Loveland achieved a rare milestone when he became the 13th player from St John’s to reach 100 first team caps. Photo: Supplied.
Alec Loveland made St John’s College history when he became the 13th player to earn 100 caps for the school’s first team at the just-ended Fasken Time Cricket Festival at St David’s Marist Inanda.
“Playing for the first team is a huge privilege, and doing it 100 times is an even bigger honour. This is one of the best feelings that I have ever experienced,” Loveland shared after The Blues’ contest against Nelspruit.
The all-rounder marked the occasion with a haul of six wickets. He took 4/66 in the first innings and 2/38 with the ball and scored 11 runs in a single innings as he helped The Blues draw with Nelspruit.
“I am really honoured to lead the side. Mr Ntini and Mr De Villiers help me to develop as a person and as a cricketer with their advice and guidance. They also help shape my character with the tough conversations we have,” Loveland told SuperSport Schools Plus.
Loveland fell in love with cricket early. The first toys he was drawn to were a cricket bat and ball. However, it wasn’t until his Grade 5 year at St John’s Prep that he took his game to the next level. The transformation was spurred on by his change from medium pace to left-arm spin.
“I always wanted to be that pace bowler that knocks the stumps, but Mr. Mahony, my coach at the time, proposed to me that I try out spin,” Loveland explained.
He took to spin like a duck to water and earned his spot in the teams he played for as a bowler; however, he enjoyed his batting and put work into it to develop as an all-rounder. Loveland’s progress wasn’t immediate; he took a little time to find his feet.
However, once he got going, he did well enough to earn selection not just in the school teams, but also in the provincial squads and teams at every level through the junior age groups. The matric student’s hope for 2025 is to make the Gauteng Lions u19 side at the Khaya Majola Week in December.
Loveland, who admires David Miller’s approach to cricket and AB de Villiers’ 360-degree game, is less like his South African heroes and more like his Indian role model, Ravindra Jadeja.
Loveland and Bongani Ntini discussing strategy. Photo: Supplied.
“I really like Jadeja’s consistency, the way he puts batters under pressure, and how he keeps them guessing. His batting is also something I enjoy watching,” Loveland stated.
He just doesn’t spin webs around batters; he takes down opposition spinners with the bat. His ability to play the turning ball well makes him a great middle-order batter. Loveland, who came into his own as an all-rounder in the 2024-25 season, preferred positions are numbers five, six, and seven.
“My ability to rotate strike and get into fifth gear to kick on make me a great candidate for those positions,” he said.
The Blues skipper is an all-rounder in every sense. He has played first team hockey for St John’s in the last two years and is, in his words, “an all-right student,” expecting several distinctions at the end of the year.
Loveland made his first team debut in Grade 9 and bagged a wicket with his first delivery on his way to a three-wicket haul. While that was a moment to cherish because he had an immediate impact in his maiden outing, Loveland’s most memorable performance was a couple of years away.
Loveland scored a steady 38 from 43 balls and shared a match-winning 47-run third-wicket partnership with Joe MacRobert on a tricky surface and against a strong St Stithians bowling attack led by Kwena Maphaka in the 2024 Johnny Waitefinal. With the ball, Loveland took 3/16 in four overs to help his side win the trophy.
“It was a great match. Playing with great players like Joe MacRobert and Cole Francis and winning the title made everything great,” he shared.
Loveland finished the Fasken Time Cricket Festival with 101 caps and is keen to add more to his tally of appearances for St John’s.
The list of St John’s College centurions includes:
The weekend’s Gauteng Development League (GDL) action delivered many goals, but the log leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns, were held to a goalless draw by TS Galaxy, at Alex Stadium, on Sunday.
