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After four days of intense competition, Kearsney College dethroned Hilton College as the overall champions of the KZN Top 10 Water Polo Tournament, which is contested at u14, u15, and 1st team level.

The boys from Botha’s Hill won the 1st team title with a thrilling 8-7 victory over Hilton College in the final, played in the Chad le Clos Pool at Westville Boys’ High on Sunday.

They found themselves down by two goals in the early going, but staged a furious fightback, catching out Hilton with a couple of breakaways, to draw level and then take the lead.

There was little in it throughout, but Kearsney claimed the win, which must have been a bitter pill for Hilton to swallow. The team from the KZN Midlands had won the overall title for three years in succession, but they hadn’t won the 1st team title in that time, and Kearsney ensured the wait extended another year for Hilton.

For Blake Kruger, after a school record 176 caps, it was a fitting end to his career representing the Kearsney 1st team.

Clifton, the top KZN finishers at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, were some way off their best, and a penalty shootout loss to Westville, plus a shock defeat to Durban High School (DHS) in Pool A put them on the back foot as they chased a semi-final place. When Kearsney beat them 5-3 in a playoff contest, Clifton had missed out on the top four.

Clifton, however, enjoyed success in the age group competitions, winning both the u14 and u15 titles.

They faced Kearsney in the u14 final, having beaten the same opposition 11-8 in their first game of the tournament on Thursday. On Sunday, Clifton delivered an impressively emphatic performance to take the title.

They came out firing. Everything they did worked, on both ends of the pool, and before Kearsney knew what had hit them they trailed 0-7. With such a big lead, Clifton was able to empty their bench, but they, nonetheless, extended their lead slightly, cantering to a 13-5 victory.

In the u15 final, Clifton again faced a team they had lost to in pool play. This time their opponent was Hilton College. It had ended 5-6 when the teams met earlier in the tournament. Once again, though, Clifton seized the initiative from the first whistle.

Hilton battled manfully to get back into the contest, but the Durban school pulled away late to run out comfortable 9-5 winners.

In the overall competition, Kearsney finished top of the pile, with 29 points, just one clear of Clifton and Hilton, who tied for second.

FIRST TEAM COMPETITION

Pool A
Clifton, Westville, Maritzburg College, Glenwood, DHS

Pool B
Kearsney, Hilton, Co-Ed, Northwood, Michaelhouse

Thursday, 10 October

Co-Ed 1-9 Northwood
Glenwood 3-11 DHS
Clifton (7) 4-4 (8) Westville
Kearsney 6-5 Northwood

Friday, 11 October

Clifton 9-3 Maritzburg College
Westville (9) 5-5 (10) DHS
Maritzburg College 6-5 Glenwood
Kearsney 7-9 Hilton
Clifton 4-7 DHS
Hilton 12-0 Co-Ed

Saturday, 12 October

Kearsney 11-4 Michaelhouse
Hilton 6-5 Northwood
Westville 12-6 Maritzburg College
Clifton 14-2 Glenwood
Co-Ed 3-7 Michaelhouse
Maritzburg College 5-10 DHS
Westville 9-4 Glenwood
Northwood 4-6 Michaelhouse
Kearsney 16-4 Co-Ed
Hilton 9-4 Michaelhouse

Semi-finals Playoffs

Michaelhouse (4) 3-3 (7) DHS
Clifton 3-5 Kearsney

Bottom Playoffs

Northwood 7-4 Glenwood
Maritzburg College 9-0 Co-Ed

Semi-finals

DHS 6-8 Hilton
Westville 5-7 Kearsney

Sunday, 13 October

Final Positions

Co-Ed 2-15 Glenwood (9th/10th)
Northwood 10-2 Maritzburg College (7th/8th)
Clifton 10-4 Michaelhouse (5th/6th)
DHS 6-9 Westville (3rd/4th)
Kearsney 8-7 Hilton (1st/2nd)

U15 COMPETITION

Pool A
Kearsney, Westville, Maritzburg College, Glenwood, Michaelhouse

Pool B
Clifton, Hilton, Co-Ed, Northwood, DHS

Thursday, 10 October

Clifton 24-1 Co-Ed
Northwood 13-6 DHS
Kearsney 6-4 Westville
Co-Ed 2-11 Northwood

Friday, 11 October

Kearsney 18-1 Maritzburg College
Westville 15-1 Glenwood
Clifton 15-0 DHS
Westville 13-1 Maritzburg College

Saturday, 12 October

Clifton 5-6 Hilton
Maritzburg College 8-3 Glenwood
Hilton 17-1 Co-Ed
Westville 6-3 Michaelhouse
Kearsney 15-4 Glenwood
Hilton 12-1 DHS
Maritzburg College 6-5 Michaelhouse
Clifton 8-2 Northwood
Co-Ed 3-8 DHS
Glenwood 4-3 Michaelhouse
Hilton 11-2 Northwood
Kearsney 14-2 Michaelhouse

Semi-finals Playoffs

Northwood 4-5 Westville
Maritzburg College 3-13 Hilton

Bottom Playoffs

DHS 4-0 Michaelhouse
Glenwood 4-3 Co-Ed

Semi-finals

Kearsney 6-10 Hilton
Clifton 5-2 Westville

Sunday, 13 October

Final Placings

Michaelhouse 9-0 Co-Ed (9th/10th)
DHS 6-2 Glenwood (7th/8th)
Maritzburg College 3-11 Northwood (5th/6th)
Kearsney 10-5 Westville (3rd/4th)
Hilton 5-9 Clifton (1st/2nd)

U14 COMPETITION

Pool A
Clifton, Kearsney, Michaelhouse, Co-Ed, DHS

Pool B
Northwood, Hilton, Maritzburg College, Westville, Glenwood

Thursday, 10 October

Co-Ed 8-7 DHS
Westville 16-1 Glenwood
Clifton 11-8 Kearsney

Friday, 11 October

Maritzburg College 4-11 Westville
Kearsney 11-6 DHS
Northwood 10-2 Glenwood
Kearsney 13-5 Co-Ed
Hilton 20-0 Maritzburg College
Clifton 18-4 DHS
Hilton 10-0 Glenwood

Saturday, 12 October

Michaelhouse 8-3 DHS
Northwood 9-10 Hilton
Clifton 19-0 Co-Ed
Northwood 10-2 Maritzburg College
Kearsney 10-6 Michaelhouse
Hilton 504 Westville
Maritzburg College 1-8 Glenwood
Clifton 19-6 Michaelhouse
Northwood (1) 2-2 (0) Westville
Michaelhouse Co-Ed

Semi-finals Playoffs

Kearsney 9-5 Westville
Northwood 10-4 Michaelhouse

Bottom Playoffs

DHS (1) 7-7 (2) Glenwood
Maritzburg College 5-11 Co-Ed

Semi-finals

Clifton 12-2 Northwood
Hilton 9-10 Kearsney

Sunday, 13 October

Final Placings

DHS 7-2 Maritzburg College (9th/10th)
Glenwood 3-4 Co-Ed (7th/8th)
Michaelhouse 3-5 Westville (5th/6th)
Northwood 3-7 Hilton (3rd/4th)
Clifton 13-5 Kearsney (1st/2nd)

STANDINGS

U14

Clifton
Kearsney
Hilton
Northwood
Westville
Michaelhouse
Co-Ed
Glenwood
DHS
Maritzburg College

u15

Clifton
Hilton
Kearsney
Westville
Northwood
Maritzburg College
DHS
Glenwood
Michaelhouse
Co-Ed

1st Team

Kearsney
Hilton
Westville
DHS
Clifton
Michaelhouse
Northwood
Maritzburg College
Glenwood
Co-Ed

Overall

Kearsney 29
Clifton 28
Hilton 28
Westville 21
Northwood 17
DHS 13
Michaelhouse 12
Maritzburg College 9
Glenwood 8
Co-Ed 6

There was a run feast on the AH Smith Oval on Saturday, where Kearsney College hosted Hilton College in a 50-over clash.

The visitors, after winning the toss, opted to bat first and, after a rickety start, piled on the runs.

Ben Hockly, who recently represented SA u19 Emerging in Zimbabwe, entertained in a brief stay, with his eight balls producing 15 runs, including two fours and a six, and Simon Steyn did his bit, making 28, but it was Charles Swart and Jayden Roux who scored the bulk of the visitors’ runs.

Swart, who struck a century against Paul Roos Gimnasium during the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Week, added another one, grafting hard for 103 runs from 129 balls, with 15 fours and a six, while Roux narrowly missed out on a ton, making 90 from 97, with eight fours and two sixes.

Although Swart and Roux shared a partnership of 109, Kearsney did a good job of keeping the duo in check, with those runs coming off of 160 deliveries.

Ben Erasmus and Roux combined for 73 runs for the fifth wicket, with Erasmus hitting 22 off 20, and, in the end, Hilton posted a healthy 272/6.

Ryan Browning led the Kearsney bowling attack, knocking over 3/32 in seven, while Ross Coetzee, although he went wicketless, bowled economically to put Hilton under pressure, conceding only 35 runs from his 10 overs.

The home side started slowly in response and lost the hard-hitting Jack O’Donovan for five just before the fifth over. Keegan de Jager and Cameron Veenstra took the total to 49 before De Jager was caught and bowled by Jayden Roux for 21. That brought Ross Coetzee out to the middle to join Veenstra. They were the dangermen.

Undaunted by a stiff target, Veenstra and Coetzee went after the Hilton bowling. They spent 197 balls together and tallied 210 runs. When Coetzee was out, with seven overs remaining, he had made 111 from 106 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes, in his 100th match for the Kearsney 1st XI. The total was 259 and the job was almost done.

Hilton managed another wicket, with Matthew De Oliveira departing cheaply, but Murray Weyer struck two fours in an unbeaten 10, and Veenstra finished on 104 not out, from 111 balls, with 16 fours, as Kearsney charged to an impressive six-wicket win with four-and-a-half overs to spare.

Benoit Rey provided a spot of sunshine for the Hilton attack, picking up 2/42 in eight, but it was Kearsney’s day behind the centuries of Coetzee and Veenstra.

At the Riverside Sports Club, Glenwood elected to bat first against Clifton. It was an innings that promised more than it delivered.

Five batsmen made at least 20, but none advanced beyond the 36 scored by opening batsman Karabo Ntsieng. Their highest partnership was 45, between Ntsieng and Krian Jugoo for the second wicket, but all six of the Clifton bowlers picked up wickets.

Opening bowler Callum Watson led the way, capturing 3/46, while fellow seamer Gabriel Vermeulen knocked over 2/38. Captain and left-arm spinner, Shahzaad Perumal, snared 2/33 as Glenwood was bowled out in 48.2 overs for 217.

SA u19 paceman Ntando Soni, batting at seven, contributed 31 from 38 deliveries, while the aforementioned Krian Jugoo made 27, and Sibonelo Phewa, the number nine batsman, weighed in with a useful 23.

Clifton made a poor start to their run chase, falling to 27/3 in the early going, which included the wicket of the in-form Tim Saulez. They appeared to be in trouble as Glenwood bowled well up front. But Shahzaad Perumal produced a captain’s knock to turn the tide and he was well supported by Zach Williamson.

Together they stole the impetus away from Glenwood, with Perumal going on to a superb 102 not out, while Williamson’s valuable contribution was 59 runs. Lawson Dinsdale joined forces with Perumal to see Clifton to an impressive six-wicket victory, finishing unbeaten on 31.

Summarised scorecards

Hilton College 272/6 (Charles Swart 103, Jayden Roux 90, Simon Steyn 28, Ross Browning 3/32); Kearsney College 273/4 (Ross Coetzee 111, Cameron Veenstra 104*, Keegan de Jager 21, Benoit Rey 2/42)

Kearsney College won by six wickets.

Glenwood 217/10 (Karabo Ntsieng 37, Ntando Soni 31, Krian Jugoo 27, Sibonelo Phewa 23, Callum Watson 3/46, Shahzaad Perumal 2/33, Gabriel Vermeulen 2/38); Clifton College 218/4 (Shahzaad Perumal 102*, Zach Williamson 59, Lawson Dinsdale 31*, Ntando Soni 2/34)

Clifton won by six wickets.

St Charles College welcomed their neighbours Maritzburg College to the St Charles Oval on Saturday, but it wasn’t a particularly warm welcome as Saints dined out on the College bowling after winning the toss.

Every batsman, barring one who was not out at the end, reached double figures and three of them made fifties.

Thando Zama led the way with 60, which included six fours, while Brendon Sunguro, who has enjoyed an outstanding all-round season, contributed 54 from 64, despite striking only one four and one six. Opening batsman Cian Fortmann found the boundary seven times in his 53 from 62 balls.

Another useful contribution from Connor Riley, of 32, and 20 from Rico Honiball, helped Saints post a solid 273/6 on a big field. Ryan McKean picked up two wickets for College, finishing with 2/42 from eight overs, while Daniel Nadasan stemmed the flow of runs, snaring 1/26 in eight.

Maritzburg College made 189 all out in reply, but their scorecard made for some grim reading. Just four players made it into double figures. However, only captain Chad Mason made it beyond the teens. Without him, the Red, Black, and White wouldn’t have made 100. Thankfully for them, Mason continued his outstanding form, making 102 from 115 balls, with 12 fours and a six. But there was little support for him.

Sungoro laid waste to the College batting, snapping up 4/17 in six, while Connor Vogt sparkled with 3/30 from eight as Saints romped to a big 84-run win.

In Balgowan, Durban High School (DHS) continued to add to their impressive list of results with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Michaelhouse.

The home side batted first after winning the toss, but they were hamstrung by a failure to put any significant partnerships together. The best they mustered was 32 between Murray Hall-Jones and Ethan Muir for the fourth wicket and that wasn’t going to cut it against the committed batting of DHS.

Muir was ‘House’s top scorer with 35, which featured four fours, while Hall-Jones, with 21, was their next best.

Opening bowler Taine Havemann did a fine job, removing the top three in the Michaelhouse batting order, on his way to figures of 3/32 from 10. Dhilan Naraidu, who took the new ball with Havemann, turned the screws on the hosts, claiming a miserly 1/18 in 10.

SA u19 Emerging paceman Bayanda Majola was the seventh bowler used by School and he knocked over 2/16 in five to hasten Michaelhouse’s demise. They were restricted to only 164/9 from their 50 overs.

DHS lost a couple of wickets early on in their innings, but that brought captain Semal Pillay and Josh van Biljon together and they maturely wrestled control of the contest from Michaelhouse.

They delivered a partnership of 109 from 118 balls before Van Biljon was caught by Graydon Leslie off the bowling of Radhesh Jhilmeet for 55 from 68, which included nine fours. When he departed, the total was 145 and DHS needed only 20 more runs to win.

Pillay and Ethan Cooper, then, saw the Horseflies over the line, with Pillay finishing on 52 not out from 71 balls, with four fours, and Cooper unbeaten on nine.

The reliable and economical opening bowler Ross Moller claimed 2/18 in eight, but the ‘House attack didn’t have enough to defend and DHS won with a whopping 17.5 overs to spare.

Summarised scorecards

St Charles College 273/6 (Thando Zama 60, Brendon Sunguro 54, Cian Fortmann 53, Connor Riley 31, Ryan McKean 2/42); Maritzburg College 189/10 (Chad Mason 102, Brendon Sunguro 4/17, Connor Vogt 3/30)

St Charles College won by 84 runs.

Michaelhouse 164/9 (Ethan Muir 35, Murray Hall-Jones 21, Jared Havemann 3/32, Bayanda Majola 2/16); Durban High School 165/3 (Josh van Biljon 55, Semal Pillay 52*, Ross Moller 2/18)

DHS won by seven wickets.

The South African boys’ and girls’ u15 teams were both crowned the champions of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) African Schools Football Championship (ASFC) | Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) qualifiers in Walvis Bay, Namibia on Sunday.

After winning the titles in 2022 and 2023, it was a milestone third championship title for the South Africans in succession.

The South African boys’ team was pushed to its limits by a very determined Zambia in the final. The Zambians had arrived late for the tournament and missed their opening game against Lesotho, but they made a remarkable comeback by winning their other pool matches to secure a place against South Africa in the title decider.

In a must-win match on Saturday, Zambia produced a superb performance to beat Malawi 3-0. Then, in the semi-finals, on Sunday, they continued their winning ways with a 1-0 win over Eswatini.

In the gold medal clash against South Africa, the Zambians struck first, but South Africa levelled to send the contest to a penalty shootout. There, the South Africans clinched the title by a 4-2 margin from the spot. With the win, they also qualified for the continental finals of the Caf African Schools Football Championship (ASFC).

There was further success for South Africa in the girls’ final, with the Rainbow Nation claiming a 3-1 win over Malawi. That victory maintained a 100 percent record in the competition for both the South African boys’ and girls’ teams over the past three years. Earlier this year, the South African girls’ team was also crowned the continental champion of the Caf African Schools Football Championship in Zanzibar.

At next year’s Caf African Schools Football Championship, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region will be represented by South Africa’s boys’ and girls’ teams and the Malawian girls’ side.

South Africa’s Leonay Kock was prolific in front of goal, scoring 11 times in only five matches, which earned her the Player of the Tournament Award. Her tally included a brace in the final.

Another South African, Mia Heneke, won the Golden Glove Award for the best goalkeeper, while the Malawi girls’ team took home the Fair Play Award.

The South African boys’ team won the Fair Play Award, while Zambia’s Tenani Simfukwe was named the Player of the Tournament, and Malawi’s Okester Kanyenda claimed the Golden Boot after scoring four goals. William Zulu, of Zambia, received the Golden Glove.

Dr Danny Jordaan, the President of the South African Football Association (Safa), who is in Congo-Brazzaville with Bafana Bafana, ahead of South Africa’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday, said the continued success of the two u15 teams is central to the future of the country’s women’s and men’s football.

“It was pleasing, and it was a wonderful outcome of the schools’ competition,” Jordaan enthused. “Schools remain the basic basis of all of our teams. We start there, in the schools.

“After Caf, together with [its] President Dr Patrice Motsepe, launched the Caf African Schools’ competition, South Africa went on to win annual tournaments. We are now, again, the defending champions as we go to this competition.

“In Zanzibar, we defeated Morocco in the final and our boys lost in the semifinals, but they qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Now, both teams are again Cosafa champions and have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for schools. It is a wonderful achievement for the country, and it is confirmation that, when we started Revision 2020, we had to consolidate schools.

“The problem in the past was that we did not have a unified school structure because you have the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the Department of Basic Education, and then Safa.

Fortunately, that has now been resolved and the three parties are working well together, and we have an agreement. The result of that is the success from Namibia where the girls’ team cleaned every single team. The boys also won every match.”

Jordaan said plans are underway to ensure that the junior national teams remain active, playing international opposition regularly, and working with a greater proximity to Bafana Bafana.

After beating Grey College for a second time in the tournament in the final, Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) was crowned the new champion of the Westvaal North/South Tournament on Sunday.

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

The local side put in a massive shift with the ball on a difficult Camp Discovery wicket to restrict the Bloemfontein boys to 129/6 from their 20 overs.

Zian Labuschagne was the Affies’ spearhead, leading from the front and returning figures of 2/34, as he and Xavier de Wet (1/29) struck early to heap pressure on Grey.

With his side wobbling on 34/3, Daniel Hattingh stayed calm and kept his head to deliver a crucial knock of 55 for the Free Staters, which included three sixes and two fours.

Adem Nieuwoudt weighed in with 21, while Dale Williams looked good until a brilliant piece of fielding from Ruben Groenewald sent him back to the pavilion for 20.

Needing 130 to claim the title, Affies found themselves in early trouble, losing their captain and leading run-scorer, Divan de Villiers, in the third over. This, however, created an opportunity for Jorich van Schalkwyk‘s class and experience to shine through. Together with Ruben Groenewald, he steadied the ship superbly in a 74-run partnership.

The Affies’ and Titans’ u18 opening batsman scored four half-centuries during the tournament, which included a vital and patient 58 from 46 deliveries in the final. Groenewald advanced at a quicker run rate, tallying 44 from 28 balls.

Henru de Wet shone with the ball for Grey College, claiming 2/26, but Affies secured the title in the 17th over.

Westville Boys’ High capped off a strong showing throughout the tournament by chasing down 188 to comfortably beat St Stithians by five wickets. Sean McCough was the KwaZulu-Natal side’s standout, excelling with both bat and ball.

He snapped up 3/26 to put the brakes on the Saints’ effort on a batsmen-friendly wicket at the CBC Oval. Then, he followed up with the Griffin’s top score of 58. Seth Simpson was again among the runs, contributing a valuable 37, while Roxton Payne finished with 37 not out when Westville scored the winning runs.

The classy Liam Modenda was the Johannesburgers’ shining light. He top-scored with a well-played 50 from 31 balls but didn’t quite get the support he needed from the rest of the St Stithians’ batsmen to put Westville under sufficient pressure in their run chase.

Wynberg Boys’ High edged out Potchefstroom Volkskool, capping off their tournament with a win in a super-over. Chasing 172, thanks to a great effort by Volkies’ in-form Berno de Klerk, the Wynberg batsmen, led by Beni Hansen‘s 45,  toiled hard.

An unbeaten 28 from Shadley Allie almost got the Captonians home, but an economical spell from the leg-break bowler, Olefa Padi, stemmed the flow of runs, and matters ended all square after 40 overs.

Paul James let loose in the super-over, scoring 18 runs off the six balls, which proved to be a bridge too far for the Volkies.

Kieran Bouwers batted SACS to a solid six-wicket victory over Jeppe High School for Boys, making an entertaining 64 to lay the foundation for a successful chase of 144 runs.

Earlier, good bowling from Litha Kraai, who bagged an impressive 4/27, and Abhay Kalan, with 3/23, ensured the required victory target would be attainable.

Summarised scorecards

Grey College 129/6 (Daniel Hattingh 55, Adem Nieuwoudt 21, Dale Williams 20; Zian Labuschagne 2/34); Affies 130/3 (Jorich van Schalkwyk 58*, Ruben Groenewald 44; Hendru de Wet 2/26). Affies won by seven wickets.

St Stithians 187/8 (Liam Mudenda 50, Ombesa Matsha 32, Aidan van der Westhuizen 25; Sean McGough 3/26, Kyle McGough 2/22, Roxton Payne 2/40); Westville Boys’ High 191/5 (Sean McGough 58, Seth Simpson 37, Roxton Payne 37*, Nicandro Kistna 31*; Tasheen Hanslo 1/24). Westville Boys’ High won by five wickets.

Potchefstroom Volkskool 171/4 (Berno de Klerk 61, Louis van Wyk 25, Diaan van der Merwe 21; Paul James 1/15); Wynberg Boys’ High 171/7 (Benjamin Hansen 45, Shadley Allie 28*, Moosa Gabriels 25; Olefa Padi 1/12). Wynberg Boys’ High won in the super-over.

Jeppe High School for Boys 143/9 (Ryan Young 32, Aiden Reyneke 22; Litha Kraai 4/27, Abhay Kalan 3/23, Hamish Anderson 2/26); SACS 146/4 (Kieran Bouwers 64, Hamish Anderson 28, Reeza Salie 26; Luke Kent-Brown 1/20). SACS won by six wickets.

Even with a bunch of tired bodies after four tough days of cricket, the last day of the Westvaal North/South Tournament still provided a twist in the tale with some energetic and entertaining cricket.

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

The third-place playoff, between Grey High School and Hoërskool Menlopark, produced a “you had to see it to believe it” contest.

The side from Qheberha, against the odds, chased down a mammoth target of 233 set by the Parkies in less than 18 overs to claim a memorable six-wicket victory.

Menlo’s “Super Steve” Stolk became the third batsman, alongside Affies’ Divan de Villiers and Centurion’s Charl Prinsloo, to score two centuries in the tournament. In typical Stolk fashion, the SA u19 opening batsmen blasted 13 sixes and six fours, facing only 37 deliveries to make 117.

A further contribution of 54* from Marcus De Agular saw Menlopark to a healthy 232/7 from their 20 overs. They would have been confident they had scored enough runs to defend.

However, the Grey High batsmen took a leaf out of Stolk’s book as nearly all of them batted at a strike rate of 200. The experienced Kian Cambier got the chase underway in style. He faced only 39 deliveries but bludgeoned eight sixes and six fours in an innings of 92 before he was sent packing by Ewald Meyer, who took 2/60.

Tristan Grundling (41) and Teun Kloppenberg (38*) partnered for a further 79 runs, and Dylan Garrod delivered the final blow, rocketing along at almost four runs a ball and smashing six sixes in his 42, which helped take Grey High to victory with 15 balls to spare.

Waterkloof put the disappointments of their day three results behind them as they rebounded with an obliteration of Hoërskool Centurion behind a superb performance from Marcus Bakker.

The Waterkloof captain led the way with the bat, smashing 73 off only 33 balls. He was well supported by Waterkloof’s most recent International, Alexander Volschenk (Namibia), who added 59, while Rico van der Walt made 49, as the Klofies posted a whopping 248/6.

Bakker, then, showed why he is so highly regarded with the ball, destroying Centurion’s reply by snaring 5/18 in his four overs. Only the Woeries’ stalwart, Charl Prinsloo, made it past 20 as Centurion crumbled to 100 all out and suffered a massive 148-run defeat.

David Simon and Joshua Neill scored half-centuries for Rondebosch Boys’ High, who capped off their campaign with a five-wicket win over Northwood. Simon accumulated a classy 64 from just 27 balls while Neill was unbeaten on 50 when ‘Bosch sealed victory.

Northwood’s Nqobani Mokoena demonstrated his all-round chops, top-scoring for the Knights with 79, while Mason Storm was the Durban side’s top performer with the ball, picking up 2/29.

Nikhil Sukraj and Cullen Kakora bowled Bloemfontein’s St Andrew’s School to a 28-run victory over Paarl Boys’ High to avenge an earlier loss to the same opposition after a super-over.

A collective batting effort, led by Andrew Sobiech‘s 41, lifted the Bloemfontein boys to a strong 200/8 from their 20 overs. Sukraj, then, put his side on the front foot, snapping up 3/27, while Kakora also struck three times.

The damage done to the Booishaai batting lineup proved to be irreversible. Dian van der Westhuizen looked good for his 48, but Saints removed their Boland opposition for 172.

Summarised scorecards

Menlopark 232/7 (Steve Stolk 117, Marcus De Agular 54*, Pierre de Villiers 24; Tristin Grundling 2/35, Nathan Howell 2/37); Grey High School 233/4 (Kian Cambier 92, Dylan Garrod 42, Tristan Grundling 41, Teun Kloppenburg 38; Ewald Meyer 2/60). Grey High School won by six wickets.

Waterkloof 248/6 (Marcus Bakker 73, Alexander Volschenk 59, Rico van der Walt 49, Franco Cronje 22*; Rehan Lues 2/26, Morné Prinsloo 2/35); Hoërskool Centurion 100/10 (Charl Prinsloo 30; Marcus Bakker 5/18). Waterkloof won by 148 runs.

Northwood 180/8 (Nqobani Mokoena 79, Kyle White 37, Jamie Wimble 24; Tim Short 3/29, Hlumelo Mgweba 2/38); Rondebosch Boys’ High 182/5 (David Simon 64, Joshua Neill 50*; Mason Storm 2/29). Rondebosch Boys’ High won by five wickets.

St Andrew’s School 200/8 (Andrew Sobiech 41, Naudé Botha 33, Heidre Serfontein 32, Dakalo Leketa 29, Leon Athanasiou 21; Pieter Gildenhuys 2/25, Christiaan Wege 2/35); Paarl Boys High 172/10 (Dian van der Westhuizen 48, Marco Cato 35, Christiaan Wege 34; Nikhil Sukraj 3/27, Cullen Kakora 3/28, Dakalo Leketa 2/38). St Andrew’s School won by 28 runs.

After a disappointing week for Potchefstroom Volkskool, their batsman finally came to light on the third day of the Westvaal North/South Tournament as they chased down 202 in only 17.4 overs to beat Jeppe High School for Boys.

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

Berno de Klerk smashed an unbeaten 75 to lead Volkskool to a marvellous seven-wicket victory on Saturday, the penultimate day of the event.

Chasing a daunting 202, after the entire Jeppe top order chipped in with valuable contributions – led by the in-form Ryan Young‘s 39, backed up by Aiden Reyneke‘s 37 not out and Jeremiah Marshall’s important 36 – De Klerk knew he and the rest of Potchefstroom batsmen had it all to do.

Batting at three, he took it to the Jeppe bowlers, smashing six sixes and five fours in an entertaining 35-ball stay.

He, however, needed help to reach a target that exceeded 200, and he got it from opening batsman Diaan van der Merwe. The opener played an important supporting role in an 80-run partnership, scoring 59 from 44 deliveries.

Louis van Wyk contributed a valuable 22, too, as Volkies reached the required target with only three wickets down.

Wynberg Boys’ High also claimed victory with a successful run chase against their southern suburbs rivals, SACS, to win by five wickets. Moosa Gabriels, the somewhat unlikely standout for Wynberg, considering that Beni Hansen and Paul James are also in the Wynberg side, was again the main contributor.

With Wynberg pursuing 161 for victory, the middle-order batsman covered most of the hard yards, notching up a second consecutive half-century. He smashed five sixes and two fours from just 23 balls as he charged his way to 53. Hansen lent a helping hand, making 33, while Paul James weighed in with 27.

SACS’ standout with the bat throughout the tournament, Reeza Salie, was his side’s mainstay for the umpteenth time, top scoring with 28 as he and the rest of the batting line-up struggled for rhythm, falling about 30 runs short of a competitive total.

Northwood‘s Pride Buthelezi, produced a brilliant spell as the Durban boys rolled Paarl Boys’ High for 108 to win by 29 runs. The Knights defended only 137, which owed a lot to a gutsy 41 from Kyle White, with Buthelezi’s return of 3/17 in 3.4 overs playing a key role in their win.

Booishaai’s Ulrich Drotschie was equally impressive as he, too, made good use of the conditions, which appeared to favour the bowlers. He delivered a superb four-over spell to pick up 4/16. Unfortunately for Drotschie, Paarl’s batsmen didn’t provide the support his excellent bowling performance deserved.

Tim Short and Noah Heath did the damage as Rondebosch Boys’ High thumped St Andrew’s School by nine wickets. When ‘Bosch bowled first, Short ripped the heart out of the Saints’ batting lineup, capturing 4/18 in his four overs.

Heath then struck an unbeaten 49 from 34 deliveries as the Capetonians passed Saints’ sub-standard score of 97 in the 12th over for an early finish on day three.

Summarised scorecards 

Jeppe High School for Boys 201/4 (Ryan Young 39, Aiden Reyneke 37*, Jeremiah Marshall 36, Keegan Caixeiro 27; Diaan van der Merwe 1/28); Potchefstroom Volkskool 202/3 (Berno de Klerk 75*, Diaan van der Merwe 59, Louis van Wyk 22; Munib Ayob 1/20). Potchefstroom Volkskool won by seven wickets.

SACS 160/9 (Reeza Salie 28, Ulrich Roth 23, Hamish Anderson 21; Shadley Allie 2/20, Joshua Prince 2/36, Luke Kleinsmith 2/39); Wynberg Boys’ High 161/5 (Moosa Gabriels 53, Benjamin Hansen 33, Paul James 27; Hamish Anderson 1/17). Wynberg Boys’ High won by five wickets.

Northwood 137/10 (Kyle White 41, De Bruyn David 22, Ross McGlashan 21; Ulrich Drotschie 4/16, Pieter Gildenhuys 2/18, Gideon du Toit 2/38); Paarl Boys’ High 108/10 (Johan Wege 27, Ulrich Drotschie 22; Pride Buthelezi 3/17, Kyle White 2/6, Ben Cilliers 2/20). Northwood won by 29 runs.

St Andrew’s School 97 (Reuben van Aarde 15; Tim Short 4/18); Rondebosch Boys’ High 100/1 (Noah Heath 49*, Daniel Bosman 25, Daniel Cooke 20*; JC Young 1/16). Rondebosch Boys’ High won by nine wickets.

It is fitting that two traditional rivals, Grey College and Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies), will face one other in the final of the Westvaal North/South Tournament at Camp Discovery on Sunday.

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The Bloemfontein side bagged another comprehensive and seemingly easy victory in the semi-finals. After their spinners did the trick in a quarterfinal win over Hoërskool Waterkloof, their pace attack got the better of Grey High School in the semi-finals.

Opening bowler Otto Krause showed his class and skill by dismissing three batsmen and conceding only 13 runs, or 3.3 per over, in his four overs. That kind of economy is not something one sees every day, especially from a paceman.

His fellow seam bowler, Kamo Mokoena, lent good support, snapping up 2/15 in three overs. Their tight bowling put Grey High under heavy pressure from the get-go, and only two batsmen made it past 20.

Teun Kloppenburg batted well but struggled to score at a run a ball in his 37, while Marco Giaconi was made to work hard for his 22 as Grey High crept past 100, eventually finishing on 106/8 from their 20 overs.

The Bloemfontein boys were also made to graft for their runs as Camp Discovery seemed to become more difficult by the over. Christian Kind and captain, Ruben Maree, judged their innings superbly, however. They needed to score at less than a run a ball, so they set about occupying the crease and waiting for loose balls to score, rather than trying to manufacture shots.

Kind led the way with a well-played 32, while Maree, fittingly, hit the winning runs. He finished with an unbeaten 24 as Grey College secured a convincing victory in the 14th over.

Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) made light work of their opposition, Hoërskool Menlopark, in the other semi-final, which was played at the Sinoville Oval. Affies’ skipper Divan de Villiers , who blasted 126 in a win over St Stithians in the morning, continued his good form, weighing in with 68 from only 39 balls.

Affies, however, weren’t able to dictate matters as much as they did in their morning game, and Menlopark’s spinners did a good job. Arnu Breedt, though, struck a quickfire 46 to see Affies to 192/6.

Gerhard Engelbrecht picked up 2/35 for Menlo, while his younger counterpart, Murray Hofmeyr,  added another two victims to his already impressive tally for the weekend.

The Affies’ bowlers, then, struck early to dismantle the dangerous Parkie top order. SF Vermeulen excelled, capturing three wickets, while all-rounder Ruben Groenwald piled on the pressure with another two.

Jorich van Schalkwyk, with three wickets in one over, sealed the deal for Affies and a place in the final.

When they met Grey College earlier in the tournament, Affies claimed a convincing 45-run win.

St Stithians College‘s Liam Mudenda came to life in their clash with Hoërskool Centurion. The opening batsman rocketed to 91 off only 39 deliveries, smashing eight fours and seven sixes. Thomas Rew added a valuable unbeaten 65 and, with contributions of 48 from both Richard Seletswane and Ombesa Matsha, Saints posted a mammoth 259/3.

Thomas Collins capped off a great performance for the Johannesburg school, ripping the heart out of the Woerie batting line-up by knocking over 6/14 in only 2.4 overs, the best return of the tournament thus far, as Centurion was knocked over for 129.

Seth Simpson was the hero in another Westville Boys’ High victory as they snatched a five-run victory over Hoërskool Waterkloof, as the defending champions were subjected to a second defeat of the day. Simpson looked top-class in his 58. Kaeden McAllister also threw his weight around, scoring one run less.

The KZN side’s bowlers provided the necessary support, keeping it nice and tight. Wian Ruthven looked dangerous while making 45, but Kyle McGough and Roxton Payne kept their nerve, picked up two wickets apiece, and helped their team to a tense victory.

Summarised scorecards

Grey High School 106/8 (Teun Kloppenburg 37, Marco Giaconi 22; Otto Crause 3/13, Kamo Mokoena 2/15) ; Grey College 110/5 (Christian Kind 32, Ruben Maree 24*, Adem Nieuwoudt 20; Likona Gcora 2/15). Grey College won by five wickets.

Affies 192/6 (Divan de Villiers 68, Arnu Breedt 46*, Jorich van Schalkwyk 22; Gerhardt Engelbrecht 2/35, Murray Hofmeyr 2/38); Menlopark 119/10 (Matt van der Westhuizen 35, Wian van Deventer 31, Steve Stolk 23; Jorich van Schalkwyk 3/8, SF Vermeulen 3/25, Ruben Groenewald 2/20). Affies won by 73 runs.

St Stithians 259/3 (Liam Mudenda 91, Thomas Rew 65*, Ombesa Matsha 48, Richard Seletswane 48; Wouter Kielblock 1/31); Hoërskool Centurion 129/10 (Rehan Lues 42; Thomas Collin 6/14, Aidan van der Westhuizen 2/18). St Stithians College won by 130 runs.

Westville Boys’ High 193/8 (Seth Simpson 58, Kaeden McAllister 57, Kyle McGough 33; Riley Miller 2/15, Franco Cronje 2/17); Waterkloof 184/6 (Wian Ruthven 45, Divan Behrens 39, Riley Miller 39, Marcus Bakker 28; Kyle McGough 2/6, Roxton Payne 2/32). Westville Boys’ High won by nine runs.

A new champion will be crowned at the Westvaal North/South Tournament after Grey College‘s spin attack dethroned the defending champions, Hoërskool Waterkloof, at Camp Discovery on Saturday.

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Having only scored 139/7 in their 20 overs, mostly thanks to a wonderful captain’s knock of 68 from 55 balls by the left-handed Ruben Maree, Grey faced a tough challenge against a dangerous batting lineup. However, the Bloemfontein boys had an ace up their sleeve. In fact, they had three aces.

After Waterkloof captain, Marcus Bakker climbed into the first over he faced, scoring 18 runs from those six balls, Maree turned to his magicians.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Darion Rabie made a crucial breakthrough when he got rid of Bakker in his first over. He also kept the Klofies’ batsman pegged down, finishing his four overs with an economical return of 2/13. Henru de Wet came on from the other end and tightened the screws, removing the dangerous Wian Ruthven and contributing another two wickets to finish with 2/23.

The Waterkloof applecart was, however, completely derailed after the first over bowled by 16-year-old leg spinner, Daniel Hattingh. He almost sealed the deal for Grey by snaring three wickets, two of which he owed to the spectacular fielding of Dale Williams, while conceding only a single.

Staring down the barrel at 92/9, Waterkloof youngster Rico van der Walt gave it everything he had. In an audacious attempt to rescue the game for the Pretoria side, he smashed four sixes and one four in an innings of 39. The collapse of the middle order, unfortunately for the defending champions, was too much to overcome and the last Waterkloof wicket fell with the total on a disappointing 112.

Grey Hgh School, from Gqeberha, produced an impressive performance to beat Westville Boys’ High by 40 runs in their quarterfinal. Kian Cambier led the way with a dominating batting performance at the top of the order.

In only 43 balls, Cambier smashed seven sixes and five fours as he raced to 92. His opening partner, Marco Giaconi, lent good support, making 36.

Westville’s opening pair, paceman Dayalan Boyce (2/28) and left-arm spinner Roxton Payne (2/22) brought their side back into the contest, but a much-needed 45 from 27 by Xander Elkington helped Grey High to a respectable 195/6.

Westville got off to a good start, thanks to Seth Simpson‘s 60 from only 28 deliveries, but the Grey bowlers kept their cool. Cambier did his bit again, snapping up 2/18, while Ben Ristow picked up 2/21 in three.

Unfortunately for the side from KwaZulu-Natal, who were unbeaten in the tournament until the quarterfinals, the rest of the batting lineup was unable to replicate Simpson’s heroics and they mustered only 155 all out, falling 41 runs short of their required target.

SACS picked up a well-deserved victory in their Western Cape clash against Paarl Boys’ High. A 79-run opening stand, led by most of Luke Whitehead‘s innings of 63, and a contribution of 46 from his partner Reeza Salie, set the tone for a seven-wicket win. It put them on the front foot and allowed Hamish Anderson to play within himself to score a decisive 39 not out.

Litha Kraai was the pick of the SACS bowlers, with 3/34, but only after suffering at the hands of Booishaai’s Johan Wege. The Paarl opening batsman batted wonderfully for his 86, smashing six fours and five sixes in 57 balls.

Shreshth Kumar‘s leg breaks and Ryan Young‘s purple patch with the bat helped Jeppe High School for Boys to a comfortable five-wicket win over St Andrew’s School.

Kumar captured 3/28 as the Bloemfontein side was restricted to only 131 all out. Young then settled Jeppe’s nerves after an early scare, top-scoring and hitting a second consecutive fifty for the Johannesburg school.

Summarised scorecards

Grey College 139/7 (Ruben Maree 68, Dale Williams 30; Marno Pienaar 2/26, Marcus Bakker 2/28); Waterkloof 112/10 (Rico van der Walt 39, Marcus Bakker 28; Daniel Hattingh 4/21, Darion Rabie 2/13, Henru de Wet 2/23). Grey College won by 27 runs.

Grey High School 195/6 (Kian Cambier 92, Xander Elkington 45*, Marco Giaconi 36; Roxton Payne 2/22, Dayalan Boyce 2/28); Westville Boys’ High 155/10 (Seth Simpson 60, Tristin Delvin 30, Sean McGough 24; Kian Cambier 2/18, Benjamin Ristow 2/21, Likhona Gcora 2/30). Grey High School won by 40 runs.

Paarl Boys’ High 182/6 (Johan Wege 86, JJ van der Sandt 30, Christiaan Visagie 30; Litha Kraai 3/34); SACS 183/3 (Luke Whitehead 63, Reeza Salie 46, Hamish Anderson 39*; Aden Batt 2/20). SACS won by seven wickets.

St Andrew’s School 131 (Jonathan Hickley 29, Heidre Serfontein 23, FG Botha 21; Shreshth Kumar 3/28); Jeppe High School for Boys 135/5 (Ryan Young 52, Jeremiah Marshall 28, Munib Ayob 20*; Jonathan Hickley 3/18, Cullen Kakora 2/40). Jeppe High School for Boys won by five wickets.

An interesting battle awaits between the two highest-scoring teams at the Westvaal North/South Tournament after Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) and Menlopark claimed victories to make their way into the semi-finals.

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Affies’ captain, Divan de Villiers, led from the front as he and his side smashed St Stithians College by a massive 113 runs.

De Villiers scored a second century of the week and it led Affies to an intimidating 219/3 from their 20 overs. He took only 55 balls to reach 126, hitting 21 boundaries, including 12 fours and nine sixes.

Jorich van Schalkwyk, his opening partner, was also in fine form and brought up his third half-century of the tournament, contributing 66 runs to a 181-run opening stand, which lasted 16 overs.

Then, the Pretoria side rubbed salt into the Saints’ wounds when they took to the field. St Stithians lost three wickets for only one run in the first two overs and the writing was on the wall. Zian Labuschagne, who was given a chance with the new ball, snapped up an impressive 3/11 in two overs, while SF Vermeulen bowled well to capture 3/28 in three.

A further two wickets from Van Schalkwyk put the final nail in the coffin as the Johannesburg school slumped to 106 all out.

If Hoërskool Menlopark’s opening pair continues with their destructive form it might be difficult for anyone to stop them. In their quarterfinal against Hoërskool Centurion, it was again the partnership of Steve Stolk and Willem Sevenster that saw the Parkies over the line. Stolk continued his destructive hitting, blasting a belligerent 64 from just 29 balls.

He, however, found himself in the shadow of Sevenster, who raced along, smashing an entertaining 85 runs from just 35 deliveries. Wian van Deventer, who’s also been on song, added another 33 runs to help the Parkies tally 235/9.

Amid the chaos, Woeries found a bright star in Carlo Kotze, who bowled the spell of his life. He claimed the first five-wicket haul of the tournament, sending six Menlopark batsmen back to the pavilion while conceding only 26 runs in his four overs.

Facing a tough run chase, Centurion opening batsman Jayden Potgieter went hard at the Menlopark bowling, cracking 57 from only 21 balls.

However, the off-spin of young Murray Hofmeyr and Morné Koekemoer brought a stop to their opposition’s free-scoring ways. Hofmeyr continued his fine form, snapping up 3/29 from four, while Koekemoer claimed three wickets in nine balls and gave up only five runs as Centurion was dismissed for 137.

Herman Hesse destroyed the Rondebosch Boys’ High batting lineup to secure Potchefstroom Volkskool their first victory of the tournament. He boasted a return of 5/18, to become the second bowler to pick up a five-four in the North/South, and that played a massive role in the side from the Western Cape crumbling to 127 all out.

Batting first, Eduan van der Merwe was the Volkies’ main contributor with the bat, scoring 50 on the dot, while Kobus Pienaar weighed in with a vital 34 not out as Volkskool tallied 170/7, which meant that Hesse and company had something to bowl at. Daniel Bosman was the sole standout for Rondebosch, top-scoring with an unbeaten 59.

Meanwhile, the lanky Michail Tarentaal continued his impressive form with the ball to help Wynberg to a 30-run win over Northwood. Tarentaal bagged 3/33 as the Knights were bowled out for 142 defending 172/2. Moosa Gabriels had batted confidently for 51, while Divan Linde made a quickfire 35.

Pride Buthelezi was the Durban school’s mainstay with the ball, picking up three wickets. Thomas Oosthuizen, with 35, and Ross McGlashan, with 31, resisted stubbornly, but another three wickets from Luke Kleinsmith delivered the final blow to ensure a Wynberg victory.

Summarised scorecards

Affies 219/3 (Divan de Villiers 126, Jorich van Schalkwyk 66; Nqaba Matunda 2/26); St Stithians College 106 (Ombesa Matsha 36, Liam Mudenda 21; Zian Labuschagne 3/11, SF Vermeulen 3/28, Jorich van Schalkwyk 2/31). Affies won by 113 runs.

Menlopark 235/9 (Willem Sevenster 85, Steve Stolk 64, Wian van Deventer 33; Carlo Kotze 6/26; Wouter Kielblock 2/31); Hoërskool Centurion 137 (Jayden Potgieter 56, Anton Stassen 24, Charl Prinsloo 23; Morné Koekemoer 3/5, Murray Hofmeyr 3/29). Menlopark won by 98 runs.

Potchefstroom Volkskool 170/7 (Eduan van der Merwe 50, Kobus Pienaar 34*, Louis van Wyk 20; Tim Short 3/15, Declan Gillespie 2/33); Rondebosch Boys’ High 127 (Daniel Bosman 59*; Herman Hesse 5/18, Dian Liebenberg 2/21). Potchefstroom Volkskool won by 43 runs.

Wynberg Boys’ High 172/7 (Moosa Gabriels 51, Divan Linde 35, Shadley Allie 21; Pride Buthelezi 3/27, Nqobani Mokoena 2/23, Jordan Matthews 2/33); Northwood 142 (Thomas Oosthuizen 35, Ross McGlashan 31, Kyle White 22; Michail Tarentaal 3/33, Luke Kleinsmith 3/22, Divan Linde 2/10). Wynberg Boys’ High won by 30 runs.