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Raycon Ladies FC and Diepkloof Ladies FC, the finalists in the 2022 Gauteng Women’s Soccer Tournament, met in the title-decider again this year, in a clash of the titans. In a reversal of the 2022 result, Raycon Ladies FC handed Diepkloof Ladies a 1-0 defeat on Sunday to secure the silverware.

Earlier, Raycon had beaten Electrical Ladies 3-1 in the semi-finals, while Diepkloof Ladies posted a 1-0 win over Springs Home Sweepers.

Gold medal match

In the final, Diepkloof Ladies FC enjoyed the better of the first half and controlled the tempo of the game, with their star midfielder, Gontse Makhoti, nicknamed “Xavi”, dictating play with a telling contribution on attack and defence. Her tidy ball distribution and man-marking clamped down on Raycon’s attacking threat.

However, despite being the better team in the opening stanza, Diepkloof Ladies couldn’t find a way through the Raycon defence, and after the break they found themselves on the back foot.

Raycon returned to the pitch renewed and dominated all aspects of the game. Their defence, especially, gave next to nothing away to Diepkloof’s forwards, and their midfielders did a sterling job of cutting off the ball supply to the opposition’s front-runners.

The winning goal came from a set piece, with Loretah Ncube‘s free kick leaving Diepkloof’s goalkeeper with no chance.

After going behind, Diepkloof managed to create a few opportunities, but it was Raycon’s day as they avenged their loss to the same opposition last year.

Coaches’ comments

Raycon coach Koketso Matsemela was delighted his side had secured the win and he could not contain his excitement and relief after the final whistle had sounded. He commended his players for the fight they showed throughout the tournament, and for winning against the team that had denied them glory in the 1st edition of the event.

“We are fortunate to be in this tournament. It’s been a tough year for us. We did not win anything, [but] this tournament will definitely motivate our girls preparing for the next season”, he said.

Coach Thabang Marou, known as “Ghana”, of Diepkloof Ladies, said: “First of all, I want to comment on the Gauteng Women’s Soccer Tournament. It’s a good initiative, of which we are privileged to be a part. The tournament organisers did an outstanding job.

“Coming into the tournament, we knew that we are the defending champions, and we knew very well that it was never going to be easy to defend the title. We are a new team. However, we tried our level best and the better team won today.

“Our run to the final was quite an uphill battle. We kept on winning by a narrow margin, most games by one goal, but we won’t take anything away from the champions today. They are a good team and they played very well, though it was a bitter pill to lose to a set-piece goal, but what can you say?

“We are also proud of Diepkloof Ladies. They showed character and that they are the defending champions.”

Praise for the organisers

Joseph Mkhonza, the renowned coach of Springs Home Sweepers, also gave the Gauteng Women’s Soccer Tournament his seal of approval.

His team was knocked out in the semi-finals by the defending champions, Diepkloof Ladies, and eventually lost the third-place playoff on penalties by 10-9 to Electrical Ladies, who finished in the same position as last year.

Mkhonza praised the tournament organisers for bringing together teams from different league streams, including the Gauteng Development League: Girls League. He also found it inspiring to see a team from Zimbabwe, Queen Lozikey, in the line-up.

Mkhonza said the Gauteng Women’s Soccer Tournament provides a unique platform, but he also expressed his concern over the common trend of giving almost all of the attention to men’s football in South Africa. He called on other tournament organisers to learn from the successful event.

He further called for corporate support of women’s football at tournament, development and school level, adding that there is exceptional talent to be found throughout South Africa. He, furthermore, urged top officials and national team coaches to get out and see the talent for themselves, and to show their support for women’s football.

Mkhonza said nurturing talent in all aspects of sports would contribute to creating a winning nation.

Encouraging growth

Mondli Dube and Mulalo Mbulaheni on behalf of the tournament organisers, said the tournament had experienced encouraging growth since its debut in 2022. Sponsors, such as the Hollywood Foundation and the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, had played an important role in the success of the event.

“Having 16 teams, [up by five] from the 11 teams we had the previous year, shows growth.”

Mbulaheni and Dube said they were impressed by the talent on show and would like to invite talent scouts to the 2024 event.

Dube commented: “The turnout was impressive. Spectators came in numbers and having teams like JVW showing interest and desire to win, was so inspiring to us, as well.”

Creating an opportunity for Sasol [Women’s League] teams to play regional teams helps prepare those regional sides for higher levels of competition in the future, he added.

“All in all, it was a beautiful event. We are going to back to the drawing board, and next year it’s going to be even bigger and better.”

Mbulaheni thanked Rovers Football Club for hosting the tournament, saying it went off without a hitch, and said he was encouraged by the talent and passion shown by the players.

Day Two Results 

Quarterfinals

Springs Home Sweepers	4	Nicko Taurus	0
Raycon FC	2	Future Stars	1
Diepkloof Ladies	1	JVW 2	0
Electrical Ladies	1 (3)	Rietvlei	1 (1)

Semi-finals

Raycon FC	3	Electrical Ladies	1
Diepkloof Ladies	1	Springs Home Sweepers	0

3^rd Place Playoff

Electrical Ladies

0 (10)

Springs Home Sweepers

0 (9)

Final

Raycon

1

Diepkloof Ladies

0

 

The annual St Stithians Water Polo invitational concluded at the end of October, after South African College Schools (SACS), and Herschel Girls School were crowned champions in the boys and girls section respectively.

SACS, defeated St John’s College (7-6) in the final, while a hard-fought (5-4) win for Herschel saw the Cape Town schools leave Gauteng with all the gold.

The victory, for SACS was their third consecutive triumph at the invitational, having won it last year, and in 2021.

For Herschel Girls, however, it was a momentous win that saw the side claim their first-ever triumph at the tournament.

As a result, both teams were duly rewarded when the “ALL-STAR” teams of the tournament were announced after the finals on Sunday.

SACS went unbeaten in the tournament, cruising past their opponents in the group stages, before defeating Clifton 7-3 in the quarterfinals, and edging out a resilient St Andrew’s team 8-6 in the semi-finals to book themselves a spot in the showpiece against St John’s.

In the team of the tournament, the winners have four players including the likes of Connor Melling-Williams, Jandro Rojo-Roos, Mac Lecuona, and the ever-present Nicholas Fall.

Fall was also awarded the “best attacker” accolade, closing off his tournament with a well-deserved individual award.

The finalist, St John’s College also has two players on the team, with Geroge Pryce, and Nicholas Searle.

The other team with a vast representation are third-place finishers, St Andrew’s College from Makhanda. They have three players on the team, namely, Calum Emslie, Nick Franklin, and Robert Faber.

In the girls’ section, the eventual winner, Herschel boasts four players, and rightfully so, after their superb showing on the opening day.

During their pool stage matches, the Cape side scored a whopping 65 goals in three matches and only lost to fellow finalists, Roedean (9-4).

Despite that defeat, the side managed to get back to winning ways, and in the final showed grit and determination to edge out a motivated Roedean side in front of their home supporters.

The players from Herschel in the 15-player team are, Alexa de Villiers, Amy van Breda, Carla Lampe, and Carla Lampe.

Another school from Cape Town, Reddam House Constantia has two players named in the team, while Roedean was also rewarded with the duo of Mia Loizides, and Mia Osei inducted into the team.

The Eastern Cape teams, Clarendon High School, Kingswood College, and Diocesan School for Girls all field one player in the team.

Individual awards:

Girls:

Best goalkeeper: Mia Osei (Roedean School)

Best defender: Alexa de Villiers (Herschel Girls School)

Best attacker: Mia Loizides (Roedean School)

Boys:

Best goalkeeper: Jordan de Sousa (Bishops)

Best defender: Gregory Price (St John’s College)

Best attacker: Nicholas Fall (SACS)

The ALL-STAR teams:

Boys:

Calum Emslie (St Andrew’s College), Connor Melling-Williams (SACS), Gregory Pryce (St John’s College), Jack Robinson (Rondebosch Boys High), James Crick (St Stithians Boys College), Jandro Rojo-Roos (SACS), Jordan de Sousa (Bishops), Mac Lecuona (SACS), Marc Smith (St Stithians College), Nicholas Fall (SACS), Nicholas Searle (St John’s College), Nick Franklin (St Andrew’s College), Robert Faber (St Andrew’s College), Ross Stuart (St David’s Marist Inanda), Thomas Truter (Bishops).

Girls:

Alexa de Villiers (Herschel Girls), Amy van Breda (Herschel Girls), Anastasia Hambakis (Reddam House Bedfordview), Carla Lampe (Herschel Girls) Emily van Heerden (Herschel Girls), Emma Catto (Reddam House Constantia), Francesca De Villiers (Roedean School), Gina Squazzin (St Stithians College), Hannah Banks (Reddam House Constantia), Jessica Stevens (Diocesan School for Girls), Matipa Karimazondo (Kingswood College), Mia Loizides (Roedean School), Mia Osei (Roedean School), Ruby Carlson (St Dominic’s Catholic School), Tori Voke (Clarendon High School).

Paarl Boys’ High tallied a massive total of 406/5 in 50 overs, thanks to a batting masterclass by Dian van der Westhuizen, who struck 155 against the Reddam House Constantia Colts team, on Saturday.

Reddam won the toss and decided to put Paarl Boys in to bat first. It was a decision that came back to haunt them.

After losing two wickets, Boishaai’s Johan Wege and Van der Westhuizen slammed the pedal to the metal, sharing a spectacular partnership of 181. Wege raced to 86 runs from 78 balls and Van der Westhuizen was on song throughout his 155, blasting nine fours and eight sixes along the way.

By the time Wege was run out, they had lifted the Boishaai score from 44/2 to 225/3. Wege’s twin brother, Christiaan, seamlessly continued the onslaught, further boosting his team’s total with 46 runs from 38 deliveries.

Boishaai supporters will remember the twins’ older brother, Gysbert Wege, who scored a lot of runs for the first team during his time at the school.

When JJ van der Sandt was the next man at the crease, he confidently powered Boishaai to a towering total with a confident unbeaten knock of 57 off 29.

Van der Westhuizen’s rollicking romp was finally ended when Alex Wilson palmed a catch off of Charlie Naylor‘s bowling, but the damage had already been inflicted.

Faced with an intimidating total, the Constantia boys fought valiantly, with Naylor leading the way again, making a solid 43 at nearly a run a ball at the top of the order.

Mitchell Welch also scrapped his way to 40, but that came only after Christiaan Wege had dismissed the three top men in the order, leaving Reddam facing an uphill battle at 85/3 after 26 overs.

Though Reddam defended their wickets dourly, they were never able to bat at anywhere near the required run rate and Boishaai were able to see out the 50 overs comfortably, with Reddam House totalling only 181/8, still shy of their target by a sizeable 227 runs.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecard

Paarl Boys’ High 405/6 (Dian van der Westhuizen 155, Johan Wege 86, JJ van der Sandt 57*, Christiaan Wege 46. Extras 22, Gideon du Toit 27; Alex Wilson 3/98); Reddam House Constantia 181/8 (Charlie Naylor 43, Mitchell Welch 40, Leo del Coure 20, Joe Gitlin 20; Christiaan Wege 3/28). Paarl Boys’ High won by 226 runs.

Marais Viljoen booked their place in the Fain Noordvaal final against Waterkloof next week after a four-wicket victory over Potchefstroom Gimnasium on Saturday.

In a scintillating team performance, they chased down 186 in only the 29th over of their reply.

Tristan van Schalkwyk stood out for the winners, leading the way with both ball and bat. He, firstly, snared two wickets for 43 runs and then added 42 from 45 deliveries with the bat.

Tiaan Kuhn also impressed with a wonderful display of new-ball bowling, returning the best figures of the day of 2/19. Juan Steyn was equally impressive in his spell of 2/22 from 6.5 overs.

Sheldon van Wyk lent Van Schalkwyk good support at the crease, making a vital 33 from 45 balls as the duo compiled a wonderfully constructed 84-run opening partnership to set their side on the path to victory.

In a disappointing batting performance by the Gimmies, it was only their stalwart, Zavier van Rensburg, who looked comfortable at the crease. He hit eight fours and top scored with a fantastic 81 from 84 deliveries to dominate his team’s total of 186.

Caiden Seleka caused Marais Viljoen trouble in their run chase, sending three batsmen packing as he claimed three wickets for 41 runs in nine overs, while Marnu Cronje chipped in with two wickets, but he was a touch expensive, conceding 51 runs from his seven overs.

Dewan Marais rocketed Marais Viljoen to victory by striking a blistering 47 from just 25 balls as he and Aldre Huyzers (30, 35b*) combined for an important partnership of 59 runs. Their efforts carried the side from Alberton to the win with four wickets to spare.

Their reward is a showdown with North-South T20 champions, Waterkloof, for the Noordvaal title.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised Scorecard 

Potchefstroom Gimnasium 186/10 (Zavier van Rensburg 81: Tiaan Kuhn 2/19, Juan Steyn 2/22, Declan Botes 2/25, Tristan van Schalkwyk 2/43): Marais Viljoen 187/6 (Dewan Marais 47, Van Schalkwyk 42, Sheldon van Wyk 33, Aldre Huyzers 30*; Caiden Seleka 3/41, Marnu Cronje 2/51). Marais Viljoen won by four wickets. 

Hoërskool Bellville pulled off a thrilling victory against Stellenberg in their own backyard on Saturday, scoring the winning run off the last ball of the game.

Having won the toss, Stellenberg sent the visitors out to field first, but their hopes of piling on the runs fell through as their batsmen struggled to find momentum.

The consistent Kyle van Santen survived for 96 deliveries and scored 46, but his strike rate of less than 50 demonstrated how difficult run scoring was. The hosts were left with 187 to defend.

Sensing an opportunity, the Bellville boys pulled together brilliantly, with each making a contribution to help their side chase down the 188 they required for victory.

Adrian van der Westhuizen, batting at nine, managed the top score of the day, missing his 50 by only two runs.

Bellville’s concerted batting effort left them needing six runs from the final over. Wiaan van den Heever rose to the challenge to guide his side to the brink of victory. Christiaan Oosthuizen then did well to get Van den Heever back on strike with the scores level and the last delivery to negotiate.

The fielders were in and the gaps tight, but Van den Heever scrounged the single that was needed to secure a memorable victory for Bellville over their big rivals from the northern suburbs.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarized scorecards:

Stellenberg 187/9 (Kyle van Santen 46, Gerrad Kamalie 26, Ryan Jones 25; Chris Roets 2/37, Christiaan Oosthuizen 2/43); Hoërskool Bellville 188/9 (Adrian van der Westhuizen 48, André Bernhardt 35, Pieter du Toit 23, Extras 20; Jan-Jak Alberts 2/20, Gerrad Kamalie 2/25, Kyle van Santen 2/34).

DF Malan 121 (Colin Burger 29, Johan Janse van Rensburg 28, Reuben Braxton 22, Extras 20; Caleb Jonkers 3/12, James le Roux 3/14); Curro Durbanville 123/2 (Vaughan Flanigan 56*, Dean Huesmann 55; Charl Botha 1/26). Curro Durbanville won by 8 wickets.

Grey High School tallied a massive 464/5 in 50 overs on Saturday, when they welcomed Woodridge College to the Kolisi Field in Gqeberha.

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Having won the toss, Grey elected to bat first and centuries by Dylan Garrod and Xander Elkington, bolstered by a fine innings of 87 by Tristan Grundling, saw them to a huge total.

Grundling set the tone, opening with Marco Giaconi, who also helped Grey’s cause with 46 at the top of the order.

Then, Elkington and Garrod raised the tempo when they joined forces. Garrod raced to 123 off only 72 deliveries, and Elkington amassed an unblemished 108 from 77.

To add to his display of batting prowess, Elkington picked up five wickets as Grey bowled out Woodridge for 222 in just 40 overs, leaving the visitors still 243 runs short of their target.

For the visitors, Randy Syce starred with bat and ball, top scoring with 84 runs and removing three Grey batsmen.

His courageous efforts were, however, nowhere near enough to topple a Grey High team that looks in fine form as they begin early preparations for the Grey Fest, which takes place in January next year.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecards

Grey High School 464/5 (Dylan Garrod 123, Xander Elkington 108*, Tristan Grundling 87, Extras 48, Marco Giaconi 46, Joel Maree 33*; Randy Syce 3/58); Woodridge College 222 (Randy Syce 84, Zche-Keane Killian 55, Extras 27, Ethan Moothoo 22; Xander Elkington 5/54, Ben Ristow 2/12). Grey High School won by 242 runs.

Kingswood College 212/9 (Matthew Collett 73, Brad Goss 33, Michael van Staden 25, Extras 24, Jean-Luc Basson 22; Adam Rogers 2/39); Selborne 215/7 (Tré Gilbert 60, Waeden Plaatjes 57, Ethan Currin 30, Jacques van der Merwe 25, Ben van der Merwe 21; Angus Johns 3/44, Ike Ukekwe 2/10). Selborne won by three wickets.

St Andrew’s College 238 (Sibusiso Khayi 77, Myles Samson 50, Extras 40, Joe Wostenholm 21; Aphiwe Mnyanda 21/3, Marcus Williams 41/3, Murray Tyson 2/43); Graeme College 128 (Ethan Beyleveld 33; Joe Wostenholm 4/17, Laurie Apps 3/38). St Andrew’s College won by 111 runs.

Facing a tireless onslaught from Wynberg Boys’ High on Saturday, SACS managed to doggedly defend 236 in their own backyard.

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Reza Salie spearheaded the SACS’ batting attack as they took to the middle first, scoring an unbeaten 89 to give his teammates a solid foundation to build upon.

The rest of the batting lineup found the going tougher, however, especially when Ihsan Khan had the ball in hand.

Khan slayed four SACS batsmen, and their knock ended in his final over, when Kyle Williams effected a run out to cut the hosts’ innings short by two deliveries.

Wynberg Boys then launched a concerted effort to chase down 236.

Paul James did his bit, racing to a well-played 68 off 75 balls but, after Fayaad Davids captured his wicket, the end came quickly.

Davids and Litha Kraai produced the good for SACS, combining for six wickets, to help their side dismiss Wynberg for 210, still 26 runs shy of the SACS’ total.

They bowled brilliantly in the final overs to deny Wynberg and Keiron Bowers took a spectacular catch to end the game.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarized scorecard:

SACS 236 (Reza Salie 89*, Oliver Whitehead 33, Kieran Bowers 27, Extras 24; Ihsan Khan 4/43, Xavier Garvs 2/24); Wynberg Boys’ High 210 (Paul James 68, Shadley Allie 38, Storme van Rooyen 29, Divan Linde 26, Extras 21; Fayaad Davids 3/25, Litha Kraai 3/41). SACS won by 26 runs.

Noordheuwel‘s Corné Botha, with a sensational all-round performance, sealed an emphatic and historic victory for the Norries over the mighty St Stithians College on Saturday.

He enjoyed a spectacular day with both bat and ball to lead his side to a convincing 54-run win, scoring a magnificent 136 from only 95 deliveries, which included a whopping 10 sixes and seven fours, before following that up with a superb five-for.

In Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Saints had a player to counteract Botha’s brilliant all-round contribution. He demonstrated why he earned an SA20 contract at just 17, with a magnificent, even bigger, innings of 200 off only 125 balls.

Pretorius powered the ball to all parts of the ground, smashing 20 fours and an astounding 12 sixes, which meant an incredible 152 of his runs, or 76%, came from boundaries.

He was also the best of the Saints’ bowlers, snapping up 4/34 from 5.1 overs, and received good backing from Cayden Sunker and Joshua Meyer, who chipped in with two wickets apiece.

Botha, meanwhile, followed up his cracking century with a match-winning return of 5/33 from 9.3 overs.

At the crease, he received good support from Dian Taljaard, who struck a wonderful 65 from just 41 deliveries, while Marius Penning (41, 66b) and Ethan Smith (34, 19b) also made telling contributions to help the Norries to a mammoth 343/10.

Unfortunately for Saints’ Pretorius, he wasn’t afforded similar backing when he was out in the middle. His 200 was masterful, but the next best St Stithians’ score was 21 from Joshua Meyer

Following the star left-hander’s dismissal, the Johannesburg school suffered a batting collapse, resulting in Norries bowling them out for 289 in the 46th over to claim a convincing victory.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised scorecard

Noordheuwel 343/10 (Corné Botha 136, Dian Taljaard 65, Marius Penning 41, Ethan Smith 34: Lhuan-dre Pretoius 4/34, Cayden Sunker 2/55, Joshua Meyer 2/49); St Stithians 289/10 (Pretorius 200, Joshua Meyer 21; Corné Botha 5/33, JJ Bason 2/46, Corne Olivier 2/50). Noordheuwel won by 55 runs. 

By Siya Pongco

Day one of the 2nd edition of the Gauteng Women’s Soccer Tournament provided the spectators with plenty of thrills and enjoyment, with the 16 teams putting on a fine show.

The turnout was highly impressive, with plenty of parents and families providing strong support for the competing sides.

The intensity of the competition was clear from the very first kick off, with the teams battling fiercely for supremacy and making it difficult to determine who the likely title challengers were.

Katlego Mohamme, from Mamelodi Sundowns FC, was an interested spectator and commended the tournament organisers, sponsors, teams, media houses and the parents of the young footballers for their support.

The Brazilians’ centre-back said he was excited about the talent he saw on display, and was further impressed by the hunger, passion and determination displayed by the sides, noting especially the players’ competitive spirit and natural talent.

Attending tournaments of this nature was important for him as a professional footballer, Mohamme said. It is vitally important to show support for women’s football, he added, because the presence of pros provides the players with significant motivation.

He also called on the South African Football Association (SAFA) and sponsors to step forward and dedicate more time and effort to the growth of women’s football in the country.

Mohamme said players, like the young girls in action at the Gauteng Women’s Soccer Tournament, are the future of South African football, and the country needs to push to maintain the momentum achieved by Banyana Banyana, who were crowned African champions in 2022, and made the last 16 of the World Cup earlier this year.

Day one results 

Group A 

Tuks	3	German International School	1
Future Stars	2	Springs Home Sweepers	2
Springs Home Sweepers	5	German International School	0
Future Stars	2	Tuks	0
Springs Home Sweepers	4	Tuks	1
Future Stars	3	German International School	1

 

Group B

Queen Lozikey	2	JVW	1
Nicko Taurus	1	FC Raycon	1
FC Raycon	1	Queen Lozikey	0
JVW 1	1	Nicko Taurus	0
JVW 1	0	FC Raycon	0
Nicko Taurus	2	Queen Lozikey	0

 

Group C

JVW 2	2	Zamblor Ladies	0
Rietvlei FC	5	Rovers FC	0
JVW 2	1	Rietvlei	1
Zamblor Ladies	4	Rovers FC	0
Rietvlei	3	Zamblor Ladies	0
JVW 2	4	Rovers FC	1

 

Group D

Diepkloof Ladies	1	Blue Birds Ladies	0
Electrical Ladies	3	Monene FC	0
Blue Birds Ladies	0	Electrical Ladies	0
Diepkloof Ladies	1	Monene Ladies FC	0
Electrical Ladies	1	Diepkloof Ladies	0
Monene	1	Blue Birds Ladies	0

 

Since the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week, the St John’s College 1st XI has been in sparkling form, but they faced a stiff challenge on Saturday, tackling an equally in-form Affies‘ team. Together, the two sides produced a fantastic spectacle.

Batting first, St John’s, somewhat predictably, owed plenty to their star batsman, Joe Macrobert, who top scored with 84 after going in at the first wicket down. He was harsh on the Affies’ bowlers, needing only 66 balls for his near-century, and striking 12 fours and a six.

Jacob Smith also made a telling contribution, scoring 57 from 78, with four fours and a six, as he and MacRobert, the player of the match, shared an outstanding partnership of 127 in 19.5 overs.

Meanwhile, five other batsmen made it into double figures without doing too much damage. Cole Francis, with 22, was the best of them.

Still, St John’s put up a substantial 286 all out after 49.4 overs.

All-rounder Divan de Villiers, who seems to always find a way to make an important contribution, led the Affies’ attack, capturing 5 for 45 in 10 probing overs. Wihan Pretorius lent good support, taking 2 for 37 in 6.4.

Affies, in reply, made a slow start and lost Dillon Koegelenberg in the sixth over for a duck, bowled by Alec Loveland. At that stage, the total was just 4/1.

JP Botha and Matthew Seymore set about getting Affies on track and provided the innings with some substance, combining for 68 for the second wicket before Seymore was caught by Luthando Masinda off the bowling of Oliver Tait for 22. After 19.2 overs, Affies were 72 for 2.

Opening batsman Botha eventually fell for 68 from 92 balls, which included five fours, with the total on 123. His contribution proved to be the highest of Affies’ innings.

Six more batsmen made between 22 and 35, however. The issue, though, was that at least one of them should have pressed on and turned a solid start into a more substantial innings.

The consistent Divan de Villiers made 35 from 43 balls, while Ruben Groenewald matched him, but needed only 36 deliveries. SF Vermeulen scored 31 from 30, and Wihan Pretorius struck only one four, but good running between the wickets took him to 26 from 27.

Malan du Plessis, though, kept the Affies’ batsmen in check, taking 3 for 44 in nine overs, while Alec Loveland damaged the Pretoria school’s efforts with an economical return of 1 for 35 from his 10 overs. That, and 31 extras in the St John’s innings, to 20 in the Affies’ innings, proved to be of vital importance.

Zirk Meyer provided the Affies’ effort with a big boost at the end, smashing an unbeaten 28 from only 13 balls, with four fours and a six, while Petrus Rautenbach bashed 15 off six, with two fours and one maximum, but it wasn’t quite enough.

In a nail-biting finish, Affies ran out of overs, and finished on 280 for 7, a mere six runs shy of the St John’s total.

That meant the school from Houghton, Johannesburg, had clinched a big scalp and an eighth victory on the trot since the Michaelmas Week. They also finished off their season with only six defeats from 38 matches, a sterling record.

Remember to submit your nominations for SuperSport Schools’ “The Class of ’23”. We invite you to be a part of this journey by nominating unforgettable moments, outstanding athletes, and inspiring coaches.

Your participation will help us recognise and showcase the true stars and stories of 2023. Submit your nominations on the following link – https://bit.ly/SSClassof2023.

Summarised Scorecard

St John’s College 286/10 (Joe Macrobert 84, Jacob Smith 57, Divan de Villiers 5/45, Wihan Pretorius 2/37); Affies 280/7 (JP Botha 68, Divan de Villiers 35, Ruben Groenewald 35, SF Vermeulen 31, Zirk Meyer 28*, Wihan Pretorius 26, Malan du Plessis 3/44, Alex Loveland 1/35)

St John’s College won by six runs.