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The opening day of the 2024 Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament began with a bang as the defending champions, Michaelhouse, produced a hugely impressive performance to overwhelm Westville, while Northwood stole the show with a convincing win over the hosts, Maritzburg College.

Westville has played some very good basketball since the end of 2023. They’ve recorded wins over Northwood and DHS, among others. They finished third at the American International School of Johannesburg Basketball Tournament in late January. Most recently, they edged out Kearsney College 53-52. On Thursday, though, they had no answers for Michaelhouse.

Michaelhouse was sharp. Westville was not. And ‘House made them pay, over and over.

They defended well, forcing turnovers regularly, and then they finished well, too. At one point, three times in succession, a Michaelhouse shooter was fouled, yet still managed to make a bucket, and then tack on points from the free throw line.

The boys from Balgowan made good use of their size advantage, but it was the energy and intensity that they brought to the game that brought them a one-sided 79-33 win.

On the opposite court in the Alan Paton Hall, St Charles College comfortably handled Clifton College, running out 73-47 victors in a result that didn’t really do justice to the effort put forth by the Durban school.

The big clash of the day was the Pool D opener between Maritzburg College and Northwood. Both teams demonstrated some exceptional skills, but the Knights, particularly in the first half, finished with assurance, especially from close range. They also knocked down a number of three-pointers to further boost their score.

Maritzburg College pushed hard, but there were two big differences in the game: firstly, Northwood finished better and, secondly, the Knights got the better of the battle on the boards, benefitting especially from their excellence on offensive rebounds.

Lusanda Hlongwane was a beast on the boards, but also sure with his shot, while Chadley Hargreaves sank some beauties under heavy pressure during the contest.

In the end, there were 12 points in it, with Northwood claiming a 79-67 win, but it was an emphatic victory. Be that as it may, College and Northwood could meet for the title on Sunday. A loss is not the end of a team’s chances. Just last year, Michaelhouse finished behind Kearsney College in their pool and then went all the way to the title.

Speaking of Kearsney, they opened their challenge with a five-point win over Hilton College, taking it 52-27.

The three Western Cape schools playing in the A Division were given rude welcomes, with ESCA dumping SACS 64-41, St John’s College outplaying Rondebosch Boys’ High 59-44, and the Soweto Basketball Academy overrunning Bishops 60-29.

The opening day’s remaining game was a tight affair, with St David’s Marist Inanda edging out Durban High School (DHS) by just three points, 53-50.

Only two B Division matches were played, with Maritzburg College B sneaking a 56-53 win over St Benedict’s School, while Wynberg Boys’ High grabbed a win for the Western Cape, scoring a runaway 62-28 victory over Alexandra High.

RESULTS

Pool A
Michaelhouse 79-33 Westville
St David’s Marist Inanda 53-50 Durban High School

Pool B
St Charles College 73-47 Clifton College
Rondebosch Boys’ High 44-59 St John’s College

Pool C
Kearsney College 52-47 Hilton College
Soweto Basketball Academy 60-29 Bishops Diocesan College

Pool D
Maritzburg College 67-79 Northwood
SACS 41-64 ESCA

B Division

Pool A
St Benedict’s School 53-56 Maritzburg College B

Pool B
Alexandra High School 28-62 Wynberg Boys’ High

Joe MacRobert’s marvellous century led St John’s College to a comfortable victory over Hoërskool Noordheuwel in a Johnny Waite T20 clash on Thurdsday.

The opening batsman put the Norries to the sword, scoring 106 runs from just 56 deliveries. MacRobert’s innings included 11 boundaries, with five of them landing on the other side of the boundary.

He combined well with his opening partner, the reliable, Nkosana Sibiya, for an assertive 50-run opening partnership. Sibiya contributed 24 of the 53 runs before Sage Pretorius (1/38) manufactured a much-needed breakthrough.

After that, MacRobert floored the accelerator. Combining with Thomas Ievers (24), the pair piled on 105 runs in just 8.2 overs, scoring at nearly 13 runs to the over.

A mini collapse, initiated by the pick of the Noordheuwel bowlers, Marius Penning, pulled it back somewhat for the side from Krugersdorp. On a day that undoubtedly belonged to the St John’s batsmen, Penning returned 2/25 from his four-over spell.

Set a daunting 192 runs to win, Norries got off to a wobbly start, losing their first two wickets in the powerplay. Dian Taljaard led their recovery, top scoring with 28 runs. Middle-order batsmen Dylan Potgieter (24) and Pieter Bezuidenhout (26*) offered up some resistance, too. It wasn’t enough, though.

An economical bowling performance by the St John’s bowlers, well led by Alec Loveland, kept the Noordheuwel batsmen subdued. He bowled magnificently, picking up 1/18. David Ireland, with 1/22, lent good support as the home team strode to a 45-run victory.

Summarised scorecard: 

St Johns College 191/5 (Joe MacRobert 106, Nkosana Sibiya 24, Thomas Ievers 24; Marius Penning 2/25); Noordheuwel 146/5 (Dian Taljaard 28, Pieter Bezuidenhout 26*, Dylan Potgieter 24, Duan van Aswegen 22; Alec Loveland 1/18). St Johns College won by 45 runs.

 

Middelburg kan uitsien na ‘n liplekkerstryd wanneer die twee plaaslike skole, Hoërskool Middelburg en Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg, in die laaste ronde van die Finsbury-reeks met mekaar kragte meet.

Dit is altyd ‘n reuse naweek wanneer die twee skole op enige gebied meeding, en die gunstelinge in hierdie naweek se stryd, Hoërskool Middelburg, sal oorgehaal wees om die reeks met slegs ‘n enkele nederlaag af te sluit.

In teenstelling daarmee sal HTS Middelburg sy reeks met ‘n sege wil afsluit, na ‘n nederlaag met vyf paaltjies teen Hoërskool Merensky in die vorige ronde.

Die Middies se krag lê in hul sterk kolflys. Shuan Taljaard, die span se voorste kolwer, het in sy laaste twee wedstryde gesamentlik 119 op sy kerfstok geplaas, en Zubair Desai sal op die gholf van selvertroue, na sy beurt van 53 lopies verlede naweek, wil ry.

Eduan Strydom sal die Middies-boulaanval lei, nadat hy ses paaltjies in sy laaste twee verskynings geneem het.

Vir die Rooies sal kaptein, Toy Engelbrecht, van die massiewe geleentheid wil gebruik maak, nadat hy regdeur die reeks, met die bal en kolf, die toon aangegee het, om met ‘n groot vertoning af te sluit.

Ethan Dreyer is die gevaarman met die bal in hand, terwyl die bestendige WJ Enslin ook ‘n groot gevaar vir die Middie-kolwers inhou.

Arman Kotze sal oudergewoonte die anker in die Rooies se kolflys wees, nadat hy oor die laaste twee wedstryde goeie momentum opgebou het. Die voorslagkolwer sal hoop om sy span, met nóg ‘n spogvertoning met die kolf, oor die wenstreep te kry.

Merensky reis vir die tweede agtereenvolgende week Mpumalanga toe wanneer hulle Saterdag teen ‘n omgekrapte Uplands College te staan kom. Die Plasies sal hoop dat hul snelbouler, Topher Elphinstone, sy vertoning teen HTS Middelburg verlede naweek kan herhaal. Die Tzaneeners hou ook asem op om te hoor of hul vooraanstaande bouler, Luka Heinlein, sy terugkeer, na ‘n maagspierbesering, kan maak.

Met die kolf sal die paaltjiewagter/kolwer, JP Botha, weer op sy stukke wees. Botha is uiters gevaarlik wanneer hy eers by die kolfkampie gevestig raak. Die bestendige Rinaldo Bornman sal ook sy plek in die middelorde opneem om die Plasies se kolflys verder te versterk.

Die gewonde Uplands College sal nietemin ‘n handvol wees. ‘n Oorwinning Saterdag sal die span van Mpumalanga uit die stryd vir die houtlepel en promosie-relegasie hou.

Die span se keurbouler, Kai Naylor, was in die laaste twee kragmetings in ‘n verwoestende bui en het agt paaltjies oor die vorige twee rondes ingepalm.

Die veelsydige Leam van Zyl sal ook op die Tzaneeners wag na sy bestendige vertonings deur die reeks, en sal die nuwe bal vir sy span opneem, terwyl hy die kolflys in die middelorde behoort te versterk.

Jack Robson sou ook taamlike selfvertroue uit sy vyftigtal teen Hoërskool Dinamika geneem het. Die voorslagkolwer sal mik om die Plasies se boulaanval voortdurend onder druk te plaas.

The favoured teams at the Vides Water Polo Tournament, being hosted by Selborne College in East London, got off to a perfect start on Thursday, asserting themselves in the pool and collecting maximum points.

Clifton College, Paul Roos, St Andrew’s College, Reddam House Constantia, and Selborne were a cut above the rest, although the boys from Makhanda were pushed hard.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Clifton kicked matters off with an emphatic 23-7 win over Gqeberha’s Pearson High School.

Makhanda’s St Andrew’s College found St Alban’s College to be a tough test in the Clarendon High Swimming Pool. There was little in it, but St Andrew’s eventually sneaked a 6-5 win.

Reddam House came into the event off the back of an 8-14 loss to Paul Roos in round four of the SACS Nite Series the previous day. They, however, looked like a different side, and dominated every facet of their game against Woodridge College, netting 17 goals, while conceding only six.

Paul Roos, on the other hand, made light work of Grey High, scoring 15 times, while the boys from Gqeberha replied with nine goals of their own.

The final match of the day at the Selborne College pool was a clash between the hosts and Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys High.

Wynberg started the brighter when they opened the scoring early in the first quarter through Aden de Costa.

Selborne launched several attacks on the Wynberg defence, but Christian Foxx remained resolute in the cage, keeping his side in the battle.

Then, coach Storm Siebert‘s side came out firing in the second chukka, netting twice through Armand van Rooyen and Mitchell Holl.

De Costa scored two more goals for Wynberg, to snag a hattrick, but his goals were cancelled out in the final two chukkas when Van Rooeyn scored his second before Liam Hansen made his presence felt with a hattrick.

Selborne put the nail in the coffin when Daniel Breetzke got his name onto the scoresheet to seal an 8-4 win for the hosts.

In other matches at the Clarendon Pool, St David’s Marist Inanda defeated the Grey High 2^nd team 16-2, while Grey College saw off Stirling High, taking a 12-5 win.

Day two’s action begins with a clash between Grey High and Selborne Collegians at 08:00 at the main pool.

The Grey High 2^nd team will face Clifton College at the Clarendon Pool.

Results: Day 1

@Selborne College

Clifton College 23-7 Pearson High School
Selborne Collegians 9-6 Glenwood House
Paul Roos 15-9 Grey High
Selborne College 8-4 Wynberg Boys High

@ Clarendon High School

St David’s Marist Inanda 16-2 Grey High 2^nd
St Andrew’s College 6-5 St Albans
Reddam House Constantia 17-6 Woodridge College
Grey College 12-5 Stirling High School

Day 2, Friday, 16 February 2024 @ Selborne College

08:00 – Grey High vs Selborne Collegians (10); 08:50 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Woodridge College (12); 09:40 – Reddam House Constantia vs Selborne College (14); 10:30 – Grey College vs St Andrew’s College (16); 11:20 – Paul Roos vs Selborne Collegians (18); 12:10 – Clifton College vs St David’s (20); 13:00 – St Alban’s College vs Grey College (22); 13:50 – St Andrew’s College vs Stirling High (24); 14:40 – BREAK; 15:30 – Pool A 3^rd vs Pool B 4^th (25); 16:20 – Pool A 1^st vs Pool B 2^nd (29); 17:10 – Pool B 1^st vs Pool A 2^nd (30); 18:00 – Pool C 1^st vs Pool D 2^nd (31); 18:50 – Pool D 1^st vs Pool C 2^nd (32).

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Grey High 2^nd vs Clifton College (9); 08:50 – Glenwood House vs Paul Roos (11); 09:40 – Pearson High vs St David’s (13); 10:30 – St Alban’s College vs Stirling High (15); 11:20 – Grey High vs Glenwood House (17); 12:10 – Grey High 2^nd vs Pearson High (19); 13:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs Wynberg Boys’ High (21); 13:50 – Woodridge College vs Selborne College (23); 14:40 – BREAK; 15:30 – Pool B 3^rd vs Pool A 4^th (26); 16:20 – Pool C 3^rd vs Pool D 4^th (27); 17:10 – Pool D 3^rd vs Pool C 4^th (28).

Day 3, Saturday, 17 February 2024 @ Selborne College

08:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 31 (35); 08:50 – Loser 30 vs Loser 32 (36); 09:40 – Winner 29 vs Winner 31 (39); 10:30 – Winner 30 vs Winner 32 (40); 11:20 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34 (41); 12:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34 (42); 13:00 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38 (43); 13:50 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38 (44); 14:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36 (45); 15:30 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36 (46); 16:20 – Loser 39 vs Loser 40 (47); 17:10 – FINAL.

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Loser 25 vs Loser 27 (33); 08:50 – Loser 26 vs Loser 28 (34); 09:40 – Winner 25 vs Winner 27 (37)- Plate semi-final; 10:30 – Winner 26 vs Winner 28 (38)- Plate semi-final.

Hoërskool Rustenburg is daarop uit om sy Finsbury-reeks op ‘n wennoot af te sluit wanneer hulle met Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom in Rustenburg kragte meet.

Die Rusties het tot dusver ‘n bevredigende reeks geniet, en slegs teen die twee skole van Pretoria, Hoërskool Waterkloof en Hoërskool Menlopark, vasgeval.

Logan Rossouw, die span van Noordwes se voorste kolwer, sal sy belowende spelpeil wil voortsit teen ‘n sterk Volkie-boulaanval. Rossouw se pragbeurt van 59 in die vorige ronde, teen Hoërskool Centurion, het ‘n beduidende aandeel in sy span se oorwinning van vyf lopies gehad.

Sy ekonomiese boulwerk, soos regdeur die reeks bewys, behoort ook krities te wees indien die Rusties hoop om met ‘n oorwinning af te sluit.

Benewens Rossouw, sal Volkies ook vir Callie Fryer moet ligloop. Die alsydige speler is lekker op dreef en die laaste wedstryd van die reeks behoort reuse motivering, om ‘n betekenisvolle bydrae te lewer, te bied. In die bouldepartement, sal Zandre Diedericks die Volkies se toporde met mening toets.

Potch Volkies, ook goed op dreef, se momentum is ietwat gebreek deur ‘n nederlaag teen Waterkloof in die vorige ronde. Devan Obelholzer is die gevaarman met die bal in die hand en spog met ‘n halfdosyn paaltjies oor die laaste twee rondes.

Berno de Klerk, die Potchefstromers se beste kolwer in die vorige ronde, sal  Diedericks en kie onder kwaai druk wil plaas, en ook hoop dat Diaan van der Merwe sy teleurstelling van verlede naweek agter hom kan sit.

Van der Merwe moet mik om weer sy vertoning van 112 teen Hoërskool Centurion te herhaal. Die kaptein, Louis van Wyk, kan ook nie misgekyk word nie en sal van voor, met die kolf en bal, wil lei.

Hoërskool Centurion het ‘n taamlike taak op hande wanneer hulle vir Hoërskool Menlopark tuis verwelkom. Die Woeries sal Menlopark se keurkolwer, Dian van Zyl, vroeg wil terugstuur pawiljoen toe, maar Van Zyl spog met 164 lopies in sy laaste twee beurte en dit blyk of daar geen keer aan sy indrukwekkende spelpeil is nie.

Ewald Meyer sal ook weer onder die lopies wil maai nadat hy hope selfvertroue in sy beurt teen Hoërskool Nelspruit in die vorige ronde gebou het. Die Pretorianers se bybreekbouler, Gerhard van Zyl, behoort ook deurgaans ‘n bedreiging vir die Woeries in te hou.

Charl Prinsloo, die Woeries se kaptein, het regdeur die reeks van voor gelei, met sowel bal as kolf, en sal die reeks op ‘n hoë noot wil afsluit, terwyl Judah Phillips sy bestendige vorm met die kolf sal wil voortsit.

Wat boulwerk betref, sal Morné Prinsloo die Menlo-kolwers op hulle tone hou en ook hoop dat Rehan Lues weer sy ritme vind. Lues het tot dusver ‘n ietwat stil reeks beleef en sal oorgehaal wees om met ‘n laaste goeie vertoning vorendag te kom.

Hoërskool Nelspruit en Hoërskool Waterkloof het verlede naweek reeds hulle reeks afgesluit. Die Klofies sal egter steeds in aksie wees wanneer hulle met St Alban’s College swaarde kruis.

South Africa will, once again, miss out on the World Cup experience after the u17 women’s national team “Abantwana‘ bowed out of the 2024 u17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, with Ethiopia progressing at their expense to the next qualifying round.

On home soil, Abantwana failed to overturn Ethiopia’s 3-0 aggregate advantage from the first leg.

Goals from Manayush Tesfaye and a brace from Hiddat Kassu in Addis Ababa on 4 February put Ethiopia in the driving seat ahead of the second leg clash on 10 February at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.  With that massive advantage, they could tailor-make their approach to ensure they would advance.

Heading into the second leg qualifier, Abantwana had a mountain to climb, even with the home-ground advantage.

Ethiopia had a good game plan lined up and they kept matters tight to prevent Abantwana scoring. After a 0-0 draw, they were on to the next round, and South Africa’s wait for their next opportunity to qualify for the u17 showpiece, which takes place in 2026, had begun.

After the game, the stand-in coach for Abantwana, Nthabeleng Modiko, told Safa.net that her charges had given it their all, but they had failed to convert the chances they created.

“I must admit we played much better today, as we penetrated Ethiopia, but we failed to score, and that’s the only way to win a match.

“Our defence was very solid, and this was a great display of football,” she added.

The qualifying setback comes after the South African u20 Women’s National Team, “Basetsana” crashed out in qualifying for the 2024 Fifa u20 Women’s World Cup, going down to Burundi in October on the away goals rule.

They had the advantage of playing both the first leg and the second leg at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, but they failed to make that advantage count.

The first leg ended in a 0-0 draw, while, after an intense game, the second match ended level at 2-all.

Fans were disappointed with those results, and they shared their frustrations on social media, raising concerns about the progress of South Africa’s national development teams.

The Vaal might not be as famous as Soweto, Dobsonville, or any of the other areas of Gauteng that are known for producing the country’s top footballing talents. However, on the ground, the Vaal is respected in the football space.

With the products of the region ranging from former Bafana Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena to the stylish Thabo Rakgale, the Vaal has regularly contributed some of the best players in South Africa to the professional ranks.

However, without a team participating in the country’s top-flight, the DStv Premiership, the Vaal hasn’t received the wider recognition that it deserves.

That’s where the 39-year-old Tebello Kheswa comes into the picture.

Kheswa is a household name in the Vaal region, respected for his coaching credentials, his deep love of football and, most importantly, for pushing to put the Vaal area on the map.

One of his most commendable achievements was guiding the North-West University (NWU) Vaal Development Academy to promotion to the Gauteng Development League (GDL) – a league widely regarded as the best academy league on the African continent – at the end of the 2023 season.

Kheswa and his team spent only one season in the Gauteng Development Promotional League (GDPL) before earning promotion to the top level, thus pulling off a very rare feat.

“It was a very emotional day, not only for me but also for the academy boys, for the institution and for all the coaches,” Kheswa told SuperSport Schools in an exclusive interview when discussing that promotion.

“It was our first time playing in the GDPL which means we got promoted in our first season playing in the promotional league. Even today, we are still celebrating that achievement because we never thought that, in our first GDPL season, we would make it to the GDL.”

The NWU Academy began in 2017 and brought together the Vaal’s most talented youngsters, turning them into a formidable outfit.

By 2023, the team was competing in the Engen Knockout Competition, taking on some of the best teams in the country, including TS Galaxy, which also competes in the Gauteng Development League.

Kheswa looks back on NWU Vaal’s maiden Engen Knockout campaign with fond memories. It marked the coming of age of his team.

During the tournament, NWU Vaal reached the round of sixteen where TS Galaxy brought their adventure to an end. By the time Kheswa’s youngsters went head-to-head with the big teams again, during last season’s GDL Youth Cup, they had tightened up their game plans.

They went on to cause a string of big upsets that got the football community talking, recording wins over SuperSport United, The School of Excellence and the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns, to earn themselves the “giant slayers” tag.

“We started playing the big teams in May or June, when we played in the Engen Knockout. That’s the tournament that helped us have an idea of what is required from us when we play these big teams.

“We got the taste and got to gauge ourselves in terms of how far we are from the best teams in the country. That’s where it started.

“Then, when we went to play in the GDL Youth Cup last year, we were a lot more comfortable. That’s why we went and beat SuperSport United, the School of Excellence and Mamelodi Sundowns to reach the final,” Kheswa said.

Hoërskool Diamantveld was reeds van ‘n plek in vanjaar se Motheo o. 19-T20-Superliga verseker voor hul laaste wedstryd teen Hoërskool Fichardtpark, maar dit het niks ontneem van die riller van ‘n wedstryd toe die twee trotse skole mekaar Maandag in Bloemfontein gepak het nie.

Beleef die wedstryd weer op SuperSport Schools – Registreer nou – Skakel na die wedstryd

Nathan Baird het die Diamonds se aanslag geloods met ‘n pragbeurt van 102 lopies. Met die nodige rugsteun van Simon Liversage (78) kon die besoekers hul totaal tot 212/7 opstoot.

Die Fichies se kaptein, Eben Botha, kon uiteindelik in die voorlaaste boulbeurt ontslae raak van Baird, en kort daarna het Devanté Claasens vir Liversage uitgevang.

Claasens en Liversage sal mekaar binnekort op die rugbyveld ook weer ontmoet, waneer die Fichies en Diamonds mekaar in die Wesgrow Sentrale Skolereeks pak. Albei het verlede jaar reeds sleutelrolle vir hul onderskeie eerstespanne vervul.

Botha het ook die teenaanval met die kolf gelei met ‘n skitterende kolfbeurt van 124 lopies, vanaf slegs 59 balle. Die Fichardtpark-gevaarman het die besoekers se boulers 10 keer vir sesse gemoker en deur 17 beurte gekolf, voordat Tiaan Coetzee hom uiteindelik kon uitkry danksy Liversage se veldwerk.

Liversage het later nog ‘n belangrike vangskoot geneem om van Nathan Ackerman ontslae te raak, net toe dié begin momentum opbou het.

Claasens en Marno Smit het slegs drie balle ontvang waarvan hulle moes probeer om die 11 lopies wat benodig was vir ‘n oorwinning, aan te teken. Ondanks ‘n grenshou deur Smit van die laaste bal, het Diamantveld die naelbytstryd met vyf lopies gewen om hul momentum te behou voor die halfeindrondte wat op 19 en 20 Februarie plaasvind.

Danie van der Merwe en Kaiden van Wyk het elk twee paaltjies vir die Diamonds geneem, terwyl Liversage ook ‘n paaltjie opgetel om die tuisspan te help tem.

Hoërskool Jim Fouché, wat ook reeds voor die week se bepalings hul plek in die halfeindrondte bespreek het, het Maandag hul laaste groepwedstryd teen Grey-kollege se derdespan ook gewen.

Lian Theron het drie van die Grey-kolwers laat sneuwel en ‘n vierde een uitgevang om te help om hul buurskool se derdes uit te boul vir 111.

Na ‘n positiewe aanvangsvennootskap deur Theron (58) en RG Vorster (40), kon Adrian de Necker (7*) en Arnaud Marais (7*) vir JF met gemak in die 12de beurt oor die lyn sien.

Grey-kollege se tweedespan dring ook deur na die halfeindrondte nadat hulle Woensdag vir Hoërskool Sentraal met ‘n oortuigende sege kon uitskakel.

Dale Williams het 17 grenshoue geslaan om 87 lopies aan te teken vir Grey en sy span tot 213/4 aan te help.

Muso Mokomela (37*) en Eddie Mabena (26*) het ook goed gevaar om gesamentlik 42 lopies in die laaste vier beurte by te dra.

Lohan Nortje (4/29) en kie het ligte werk van die Tralie-kolwers gemaak om ‘n bepalende oorwinning van 104 lopies te verseker.

AJ Joubert was die uitblinker vir Sentraal. Hy het eers twee Grey-kolwers se paaltjies laat kantel, voordat hy ook ‘n verbete poging aangewend om die sy span terug in die wedstryd te kry deur 34 lopies van slegs nege balle aan te teken.

Die eerste sewe Sentraalpaaltjies het vir slegs 45 lopies geval, voor Joubert  lopies kon moker met vier sesse en twee grenshoue. Dit was egter nie genoeg nie en die Grey-tweedes sal volgende week ‘n geleentheid kry om mee te ding vir ‘n plek in die eindstryd.

Hulle speel volgende Maandag teen Jim Fouché, speel terwyl St Andrew’s II en Diamantveld Woensdag sake uitspook in die ander halfeindstryd.

Beknopte telkaarte

Hoërskool Diamantveld: 212/5 (Nathan Baird 102, Simon Liversage 78; Stian Kruger 2/41). Hoërskool Fichardtpark: 207/7 (Eben Botha 124, Nathan Ackerman 26; Danie van der Merwe 2/23, Kaiden van Wyk 2/39). Diamantveld wen met vyf lopies.

Grey-kollege: III 111 (Johan Joubert 35; Lian Theron 3/25). Hoërskool Jim Fouché 116/2 (Lian Theron 58, RG Vorster 40; Tamim Alam 2/16). Jim Fouché wen met agt paaltjies.

Grey-kollege II: 213/4 (Dale Williams 87, Muso Mokomela 37*, Pieter Smit 32*, Eddie Mabena 26*, Ekstras 25; AJ Joubert 2/53). Hoërskool Sentraal: 109 (AJ Joubert 34; Lohan Nortjé 4/29, Jonathan Drysdale 3/15, Jano Venter 2/12). Grey-kollege II wen met 104 lopies.

Queens High School produced a stellar team performance to secure a narrow victory over Jeppe High School for Boys in their Johnny Waite fixture on Wednesday.

Opening batsman Mzwakhe Mkhwanazi set the tone for his side, with a vital 55 runs from 45 deliveries. Mpho Nzala provided good support, with 21, but it appeared as if the Queens’ total might be a little on the light side.

The impressive Luke Cannon and Matthew Costa did most of the damage for Jeppe, with Cannon claiming 2/18 and Costa picking up 2/24.

The Queens’ bowlers, however, quickly showed Jeppe that their run chase would be anything but easy.

Right-arm seamer Komogelo Matji spearheaded the Queens’ attack, removing two batsmen at a cost of only 17 runs, while the side’s opening bowler Martin Willemse (2/19) set Queens on the path to victory by claiming two early wickets.

The dependable Kai van Aardt laid a decent platform for Jeppe, weighing in with 31 runs from 23 balls. Good bowling and fielding kept the run pursuit in check, however.

As Jeppe fell behind the required run rate, Christopher Elston (27*) and captain, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin (22), tried valiantly to make up the ground, but Queens’ disciplined efforts in the field sealed a historic six-run victory.

At home, on the John Hurry Oval, King Edward VII School (KES) made light work of St David’s Marist Inanda.

Callum Ritchie was, once again, among the runs, feasting on the opposition’s bowlers after St David’s chose to bowl first. He smashed the ball to all parts of the ground, blasting four sixes and six fours, in a 57-ball knock, which produced 87 runs.

Ritchie’s fireworks laid the groundwork for Tiaan Goosen to go after the St David’s bowling towards the end of the KES innings. Adding further insult to injury, the all-rounder clubbed five sixes in a blistering 56 not out from only 22 balls, which helped the hosts to 200/4.

Unfortunately for the St David’s batsmen, they failed to put together the meaningful partnerships that were needed to pursue a big total; KES had three of fifty-plus.

Reece Reddy was the pick of the visiting batsmen, top scoring with 31 runs from 30 balls, while Kamogelo Phiri contributed 28 and Jason Rowles 21, but that wasn’t enough.

Goosen followed up his destructive innings with a fine return of 3/18 to play a decisive role in the host’s victory.

Christian Sabela (2/24) chipped in with two wickets, as KES restricted St David’s to 134/9, leaving them the winners by 66 runs.

Helpmekaar also enjoyed a comfortable win, thumping Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge by eight wickets.

Helpies’ star, Juan Minnaar (3/14), got his team off to a flyer, sending three batsmen packing for only 14 runs. Henricus Meyer backed him up with an impressive spell of his own, closing out Trinityhouse’s innings with two wickets, costing only eight runs.

The Helpies’ batsmen, needing only 68 for victory, didn’t hang around, or maybe that should be Anrich Liebenberg didn’t hang around. He went after the Trinityhouse bowlers, blasting 56 runs from only 26 deliveries to power Helpmekaar to victory after just 37 balls of their innings.

Summarised scorecards 

Queens High School 131/6 (Mzwakhe Mkhwanazi 55, Mpho Nzala 21; Luke Cannon 2/18, Matthew Costa 2/24); Jeppe 125/8 (Kai van Aardt 31, Christopher Elston 27, Ryan Harcourt-Baldwin 22; Komogelo Matji 2/17, Martin Willemse 2/19). Queens High School won by six runs.

King Edward VII School 200/4 (Callum Ritchie 87, Tiaan Goosen 56; Oliver Botha 1/22, Jordan Abrahams 1/37, Matthew West 1/39); St David’s Marist Inanda 134/9 (Reece Reddy 31, Kamogelo Phiri 28, Jason Rowles 21; Tiaan Goosen 3/18, Christian Sabela 2/24). King Edward VII School won by 66 runs.

Trinithyhouse Randpark Ridge 67/8 (Dylan Brown 19; Juan Minnar 3/14, Henricus Meyer 2/8); Helpmekaar 69/2 (Anrich Liebenberg 56*, Jean du Toit 1/8). Helpmekaar won by eight wickets.

Grey College is set to follow up its unbeaten 2023 season with another action-packed list of fixtures in 2024.

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Boasting the experience of eight players from last year’s unbeaten squad, it appears as if the Bloemfontein powerhouse could continue its unbeaten run this season.

Pieter van der Merwe, Dian Venter, Liam van Wyk, Danie Kruger, Heinrich Theron, Philip McLaren, Emile McGeer, Liam Santos, and Alzeadon Felix pulled on the coveted first-team jersey last year and they will be itching for the opportunity to secure their places this season.

Many exciting young talents – like Ethan Adams, Toriq Schambreel, AJ Meyer, Xander Smit, Jan-Hendrik van der Linde, Thristan Maree, Bernard Wessels, AJ Booysen, Siyabonga Kenny and Adem Nieuwoudt – who stood out at the Grant Khomo Week last year are moving up the age grades and will be knocking on the door of the 1st XV this year, thus ensuring Grey College will, as is so often the case, be the team to beat again.

Smit previously made an impression running out for Grey’s u17 sevens team at the end of last season. Together with Santos, van Wyk, Felix, and McLaren, he helped the Bloem boys secure the High Schools Sevens Series Champions title.

He comes from a proud rugby pedigree. His father, Philip Smit, earned five caps for the Springboks on their northern hemisphere tour in 1997 and also represented the SA sevens team in 1998.

As always, the proud Bloemfontein school continues to attract players from families with rich rugby histories. Heinrich Theron and Benjamin van den Berg are also following in their fathers’ footsteps by picking up the oval ball. Heinrich’s father, Louis, represented the Free State in three matches during the late eighties. Van den Berg’s father JB played centre for the Griffons and the Leopards during his career.

The Grey coaching team remains unchanged from the group that has produced so many successful squads over the last couple of years, with Jannie Geldenhuys leading proceedings. Three of his assistant coaches – Wian du Preez, Tiaan Liebenberg, and Helgard Müller represented the Springboks in their playing career, while Tewis de Bruyn played first-class rugby for the Cheetahs, Leopards, Boland and South Western Districts.

Former first-team player Inus Keyser is responsible for the team’s strength and conditioning, while their team manager is Putu Pretorius.

Last year, Grey had the added advantage of fielding a squad that had already bonded at the World Schools Festival in 2022 where they reached the final despite not fielding any boys in grade 12.

They didn’t attend the festival in 2023, but it would be ill-advised for any of their opponents to expect anything less than a finished product from Grey.

With a brand-new inter-school derby against Paarl Gimnasium awaiting them in April, as well as away games at Oakdale and Paul Roos, Grey College will need to be at their best to emulate the successes of 2023. The Grey boys, however, have long been the standard-setters and it will take a very special performance to dethrone the Free State giants.

They kick off their season at the President Steyn Sports Day on the 24 February where they will field an invitational team against Hoërskool Trio.

Last season, they beat the team from Kroonstad 38-10 in their opening fixture before going on to hand Paarl Gim their only loss of the season. They also outlasted Outeniqua in the Kwaggas’ centenary year in George, and they overpowered Affies, dishing out a record 60-19 hiding in Bloemfontein, as they stormed their way through the best teams in South Africa to be universally recognised as South Africa’s number one.

Garsfontein, who were also among the top sides in 2023, went down 9-23 to Grey at the Wildeklawer Festival, but they’ll get another shot at the Free Staters at this year’s tournament.

As always, Grey College’s season ends with the Paul Roos derby and after beating the boys from Stellenbosch last year without six of their star players, who were missing due to national duties, they will prepare for a battle on the Markötter in August when the Maroon Machine will attempt to return the favour.

The fixtures for the 2024 season

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