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The annual King’s School Linbro Park Basketball Tournament exploded into action on Friday, with two more days of competition to follow until Sunday’s final.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In Group A of the u18 boys’ competition, King’s Linbro, kicked off their challenge with two victories, beginning with a 48-16 win over Croydon House School.

They matched that output against Parktown Boys’ High School, with the match finishing 48-27 in the hosts’ favour.

After those impressive performances, King’s Linbro faces a stiff challenge on Saturday when they take on St Benedict’s College in the pivotal match of their group stage fixtures.

Bennies also sport a clean record after the opening day, although they were pushed hard by Parktown Boys’ High, winning by only two points, 29-27. They found the going easier against Croydon and ran away to a 49-21 victory.

In Group B, ESCA Wanderers, whose team includes the talented Siyabonga Mashaba, who participated in the Basketball Without Borders Camp in Rwanda last month, quickly took control.

They overran HeronBridge College 83-15 in their first outing and were every bit as dominant in their second game, charging to a 75-7 win over Curro Savannah.

On Saturday, ESCA concludes their group assignments against the St John’s College B Team, who defeated HeronBridge College 48-28.

Only two matches were played in Group C, with King Edward VII School (KES) securing a 49-28 victory over St John’s College A in a key clash, while Saheti rolled to a 75-30 win over Reddam House Helderfontein.

In the girls’ u18 competition, Reddam House Helderfontein began their campaign by blanking Saheti B 16-0.

The home team, King’s Linbro, eked out a narrow 13-12 win over HeronBridge College. HeronBridge, in turn, claimed a tight 13-10 victory against Saheyi B.

The Saheti A side, meanwhile, hit their stride against Reddam House Helderfontein, scoring an impressive 34-15 win.

RESULTS

u18 Boys 

Group A

King’s Linbro 48-16 Croydon House School
St Benedict’s College 29-27 Parktown Boys’ High
St Benedict’s College 49-21 Croydon House School
King’s Linbro 48-27 Parktown Boys’ High

Group B

ECSA Wanderers 83-15 HeronBridge College
ESCA Wanderers 75-7 Curro Savvanah
St John’s College B 40-28 HeronBridge College

Group C

KES 49-28 St John’s College A
Saheti 75-30 Reddam House Helderfontein

u18 Girls  

Reddam House Helderfontein 16-0 Saheti B
King’s Linbro 13-12 HeronBridge College
HeronBridge College 13-10 Saheti B
Saheti A 34-15 Reddam House Helderfontein

There are currently only two unbeaten teams left in the Easterns Premier Schools League, Hoërskool Kempton Park and defending champions, Hoërskool Hans Moore.

Read and follow all the Easterns Premier League action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

This could set things up nicely for the final clash of the 50-over round-robin stage, on 20 September in Kempton Park, making the fixture an unofficial final, and vital to qualifying for the Noordvaal competition following the respective leagues across five provinces.

Both teams, however, have unpredictable hurdles to overcome first.

The Kempies face Hoërskool Dinamika at home. The visitors from Alberton will certainly be buzzing after a 22-run victory over Hoërskool Dr. EG Jansen last weekend.

The recent form of top-order batsman, Mohammed Valli, and Branko Steenberg in the middle order should also excite Coach Jacques Venter. Both batters were exceptional against the Jansies, with Valli falling just one run short of what would have been a memorable century.

In addition, it was the bowling department that ultimately got them over the line. The bowling attack will be a key weapon against a class lineup in Kempton Park.

Sheldon Kruger‘s bat has already caused damage with a double hundred earlier in the season. Alongside him, Shuan Nash and the ever-present Wian Pieters also pose a threat with the willow. Pieters will also play a pivotal role with the ball, while Kristiaan du Plessis, the Kempies’ Khaya Majola fast bowler, will charge in from the other side.

In Benoni, Hans Moore welcomes the wounded Jansies. Despite boasting arguably the strongest batting lineup in the league, coach Paul Amorim says his charges will still be wary of the threat that Jaco Engelbrecht and the rest of Jansie’s attack pose. Engelbrecht, of course, picked up six wickets in an over against Border Kei at last year’s u16 National Week in Pretoria.

Captain Adrian Watson and especially spearhead batsman Xavier Coetzee have been in good form in recent times. Coetzee has already scored two consecutive centuries, first alongside Watson’s 196 against Dinamika and then a classy 105 against Marais Viljoen the following week. In the latter, Stephan Vermaak also raised his bat, top-scoring with 120, adding significant potency to an already formidable batting lineup.

Hoërskool Marais Viljoen faces Benoni High School in Alberton. Despite being out of the race for Noordvaal qualification, the Marais Viljoen side would dearly love to regain winning momentum. Although on the losing side against the Moories, Abdullaha Tadwala, also a Kahaya Majola representative, alongside captain Jaden Govender, was amongst the runs again. He will definitely add value with the ball, too.

Another weekend of fascinating Gauteng Development League (GDL) action is on the horizon, with teams in pursuit of valuable points to remain competitive in the title race, while for others, at the bottom of the table, they’re in a battle for survival.

On Sunday, September, Kaizer Chiefs faces a tough challenge when they host Highlands Park, at Kaizer Chiefs Village, in Naturena.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The match promises to be the highlight of the GDL weekend. Although it is a home game for the Phefeni Glamour Boys, they’re going to find it difficult to secure a victory against Sfiso Mnguni’s team.

After successive wins last weekend, including over the previously table-topping Mamelodi Sundowns, the Lions of the North have taken over at the top. They look hungry and determined to capture a third consecutive GDL title.

Kaizer Chiefs, unusually, are not fighting it out for first place. They’re striving to break into the top five of the standings.

While they went back-to-back in 2023 and 2024, the 2025 season has not been an easy one for Highlands Park. The fight for the title is far from over, with four other teams – Mamelodi Sundowns, Randburg AFC, SuperSport United, and Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) – also in the battle for league honours.

RESA’s Sporting Director and u19 coach, Sandile Mathumbo, described the race for the title as “a blockbuster”. With each passing week, the intrigue has increased and the pressure on the frontrunners has amped up. Although RESA has experienced wavering form in recent weeks, the race is far from run.

On Saturday, the Vereeniging-based club journeys to Pretoria to face the University of Pretoria (Tuks). They visited the South African capital last weekend, taking on Sundowns at Clapham High, where they suffered a 1-3 defeat to the Brazilians.

Adding to the size of the challenge that awaits, Tuks will be full of confidence after bagging six points last weekend following a 1-0 win over East Rand Athletic Club on Saturday and a 2-0 defeat of TS Galaxy on Sunday.

For RESA, it is a must-win match if they wish to maintain their title push. The game, though, is equally important for Tuks, who are 12th in the standings at present. They’ll be focused on moving up the table.

One of the most captivating matches of the weekend will feature Kathorus Hyper Academy, who have been on a hot streak.

They beat Rockefvs 2-0 last Saturday. This Saturday, they take on Joburg City at the Greek Sporting Club.

Earlier in the season, Joburg City was on a roll, but their recent form has been mixed, and they’ll be eager to bounce back from a 1-4 loss to Panorama FC last time out.

Randburg, another of the title contenders, will be hosted by Seven’s Academy at Woodlands International College, while SuperSport United tackles Panorama FC at Curro Sagewood.

GDL newcomers, Rockefvs, who have gradually improved throughout the season, remain in a precarious position within the relegation zone. They’ll be up against TS Galaxy. Meanwhile, Wits Junior travels to face struggling Elspark United Academy, who are currently at the bottom of the table, at the Elspark Sports Ground.

Concluding the weekend’s action, on Sunday, Mamelodi Sundowns takes on Jomo Cosmos. ‘Downs will be favoured ahead of the clash, but, as their coach, Krstopher Bergman mentioned in an interview with SuperSport Schools Plus, there are no certainties in the GDL, and wins are not simply handed over.

After going down to Highlands Park, Sundowns will be aiming to boost their points’ tally again to keep up the pressure on the Lions of the North. They’re six points adrift currently.

Also on Sunday, Wits duels with Joburg City, while Rockefvs faces Tuks at the ACCP Grounds. The School of Excellence welcomes the East Rand Athletic Club to Elandsfontein.

FIXTURES

Saturday, 13 September

14:00

ACCP Grounds
Rockevfs vs TS Galaxy

15:00

Tuks Sports Ground
Tuks vs RESA

Greek Sporting Club
Joburg City vs Kathorus Hyper Academy

Woodlands International College
Seven’s Academy vs Randburg AFC

Curro Sagewood
SuperSport United vs Panorama FC

Elspark Sports Ground
Elspark United vs Wits Junior

Sunday, 14 September 

14:00

KC Village
Kaizer Chiefs vs Highlands Park

15:30

JC Training Ground
Jomo Cosmos vs Mamelodi Sundowns

Elandsfontein
School of Excellence vs East Rand Athletic Club

Marks Park
Wits Junior vs Joburg City

ACCP Ground
Rockefvs vs Tuks

For the second time in as many days, Hoërskool Middelburg handed Hoërskool Hoogenhout a heavy defeat, this time in a 50-over match on Thursday as part of the Mpumalanga Premier League.

Read and relive all the Mpumalanga Schools action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

Playing at home this time around, Middies won the toss and opted to bat first, and Zubair Desai took the lead to showcase his prowess with the willow. Somewhat overdue for runs, the top-order batter used the home facilities to great advantage.

Alongside Herman Potgieter, in partnership for the third wicket, the pair added 90 runs before Potgieter lost his wicket to Hoogenhout captain Pieter Viljoen (2/54) for a well-played 66 runs from just 66 balls.

Desai then hit his straps as he started to score more freely. With Eduan Strydom (33) and Gavin Genis (37) both scoring at a healthy pace, Desai put pedal to the metal, hitting 10 fours to contribute 83, his side’s highest individual score on the day. This helped the hosts reach a big total of 325/7 in the allotted 50 overs. Zeeshan Ebrahim (3/74) ended the Middies’ innings as the most successful bowler, snapping up three wickets.

Genis then came to work his magic with the ball, as was to be expected. Hoogenhout got off to a steady start, but timely wickets by fast bowler Hendré Nel (2/28) denied them any momentum. The only thrust was provided by Juhwan Jonker, who managed to reach a half-century, before Eduan Styrdom (2/32) sent him back to the pavilion.

This set the scene for Genis to spin a web around the visitors. The right-arm off-spinner did what he does best, playing with his pace and attacking the stumps, to dismantle the Hoogenhout middle order. In the 9.4 overs he bowled, four wickets had his name written over it while conceding 65 runs. Hoogenhout could not manage more than 160 before their last batsman was sent back to the shed, losing by a big margin of 165 runs.

The other fixture in this round, between Hoërskool Nelspruit and Hoërskool Secunda, takes place on Saturday in Secunda. Both teams desperately need a victory after coming short against the Middies and Hoogenhout, respectively, last week. The Nellies, especially, will be buzzing to put the loss against Hoogenhout behind them with a comprehensive victory over the men from Secunda. Nevertheless, after Hoogenhout’s defeat, a win for either side could quite possibly shuffle the cards considerably in Mpumalanga’s top schools league.

Summarised scorecard: 

Hoërskool Middelburg 325/7 (Zubair Desai 83, Herman Potgieter 66, Gavin Genis 37, Eduan Strydom 33, Extras 31, Hendré Nel 22, Dewet Botha 21; Zeeshan Ebrahim 3/74, Pieter Viljoen 2/54); Hoërskool Hoogenhout 160 (Juhwan Jonker 50; Gavin Genis 4/65, Hendré Nel 2/28, Eduan Strydom 2/32). Hoërskool Middelburg won by 165 runs. 

When the Rhenish Girls’ High School first hockey side enjoyed a superb season in 2024, many wondered whether they would be able to replicate that form or even better it in 2025.

In 2024, Rhenish was, at times, unstoppable. They played some superb hockey on their way to 37 victories in 50 matches.

They lost only twice, drew 11 times, and scored a whopping 160 goals while conceding only 17.

Captained by Leah du Plessis, they were fearless in attack, rock solid in defence, and bullied most of their opponents in midfield.

The Stellenbosch school also won the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament for a first time, which put a shiny bow on a superb season.

When coach Chris Gerber and his side returned to action early in 2025, they had said farewell to only one player from last year’s group. They set their sights high.

Rhenish was expected to dominate once again, and they made their presence felt early on at the Greg Beling Festival, in East London, in March, where they went unbeaten.

They carried that momentum out of the pre-season event into the season proper. “It was an incredible season for the girls,” coach Gerber told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“They had an amazing year. Beating some big powerhouse schools like Oranje Meisies twice during the year has been incredible.

“The girls have had an unbeaten season. We played 45 matches, won 38 and drew seven, scoring 140 goals and only conceding 15.” It was only in tournament play, in some contests that went to penalty shootouts, that Rhenish went down, but their record in regulation time was clean.

Gerber was quick to admit that there was a high level of pressure and expectation heading into the new season.

He credited his team’s work ethic and discipline for their success. Those were the keys to Rhenish becoming a force to be reckoned with.

“There was a lot of pressure and expectation throughout the season,” he reckoned. “However, I am extremely pleased with how the girls handled that. Every game, they pitched up and played exceptional hockey.

“To be the top hockey team for the second year in a row is a reward for the hard work, discipline, and effort the girls put in. They have been incredible throughout. I’m extremely proud.”

While Rhenish dominated in the Western Cape, they fell short of adding silverware to their cabinet, missing out at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, the All Girls’ Festival, and the Super 12 after shootouts.

At St Mary’s and the Super 12, they bowed out in the semifinals, while they lost to Collegiate Girls’ High in the final of the All Girls’ Festival. Those exits were bitter pills to swallow, and penalty shootouts are a key item on the list of things that Gerber want his team to work on in 2026.

“Obviously, you want the showdowns to go your way, and ultimately, that is where we lacked during the season,” he admitted. “However, the lessons we had from that will go a long way in the future. We will get stronger from that and work hard to get that right in 2026.”

Despite only one player not returning from the 2024 team, Rhenish says goodbye to only five more – Jasmine Aitken, Leah Du Plessis, Puck Bakker, Ruby Cilliers, and Shené Du Plessis – after the 2025 season.

Gerber thanked them for their contribution to the programme, saying: “A special mention must go to our Grade 12 girls, whose leadership, spirit, and presence have left an unforgettable mark on this team.

“They’ve made a special impact, not only through their performance, but in the examples they’ve set, and the heart they’ve brought to every game.

“They will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will genuinely cherish the memories we’ve made together.”

Heading into 2026, Rhenish will not be short of experience. When asked what spectators can look forward to, the coach replied: “You can expect a team that will be excellent and keep setting standards.

“We will keep pushing to be the top team in the country.”

Rhenish stats in 2025

Played: 45
Won: 38
Drew: 7
Goals for: 140
Goals against: 15
Goal difference: 125

Bishops is widely regarded as one of the top schools in the country. They’re strong academically and on the sports’ fields. However, in recent years, their rugby has not reached the vaunted heights it has previously attained.

A committee of passionate old boys has been formed to help the school climb to the very top tier again. Old boy, Nik Augoustatos, sat down for a discussion with two other old boys to share the vision for the school’s rugby future.

Former Springbok centre, Robbie Fleck, will be overseeing the ground operations, including the recruitment and development of players.

Another old boy, Martin Versfeld, will lead the fund procurement and distribution side of the high-performance rugby committee.

Fleck has two sons at the school and was disappointed that Bishops didn’t appear to be progressing at the speed of their southern suburbs‘ counterparts, Wynberg, Rondebosch, and SACS.

It won’t be a quick fix. It will be multi-year project aimed at developing Bishops’ rugby. Starting from the beginning of the new financial year, Bishops will appoint a Director of Rugby to oversee the entire programme, with the main focus being on recruitment.

When asked about how the rugby programme will change, Fleck assured Augoustatos: “This is not a reinventing of the wheel. Bishops already has a rugby identity that has been shaped over time.”

He also noted how attractive South African schoolboy rugby is to investors. “It really has become professional. There’s a billion rand floating around in South African schoolboy rugby at the moment.”

When asked about the potential of the rugby programme, Versfeld answered: “We are trying to beef up our rugby sides to be competitive. That’s it. We’re not trying to run rugby academies, like Paul Roos or Paarl Gim. We’re an all-round school. In this respect, the ball was dropped. Now we are working on fixing that.”

Fleck reiterated the importance of effective recruitment. He believes that Bishops is too reliant on local prep schools to deliver potential stars. However, both he and Versfeld acknowledged that whoever is recruited needs to be a good fit for the school as a whole, not just be a rugby player.

“It’s not about the school, it’s about the boy”, stated Fleck. He emphasised the importance of the newcomers being comfortable with the environment at Bishops and not just arriving to play rugby.

While the rugby committee is a separate entity from the school, they have the school’s full support. Starting from 2027 onwards, eight of their 15 grade eight legacy bursaries will be set aside for rugby. In the past, it was more evenly spread between the different sporting and academic codes.

Potentially, three or four more boys will receive bursaries in Grade 10. The reason that would happen then is that it is challenging to identify a player’s potential when they are younger.

Bishops is renowned for its flowing, inventive, running rugby. The schools’ old boys will be eager to see it executed to its potential, and the Bishops’ community is all-in on making it happen.

Original video link: Bishops Rugby | What does the future look like?

There was a sense of optimism, excitement, and expectation when the Zimbabwe u18A girls’ team arrived in South Africa for the Allistar Fredericks Africa Challenge in August.

The visitors took on the South African u17 girls in four tests   at St David’s Marist Inanda, in Johannesburg.

It was an uphill battle against the home team, with Zimbabwe going down in all four games but showing great character and fight on the turf, despite the losses.

While the results didn’t go their way, there was a silver lining for the Zimbabwean side, with one of their players, Janelle Wightman, catching the eye with her standout performances in goal.

Wightman, who hails from Falcon College in Esigodeni, was on her game and pulled off some incredible saves to make the South African side work extra hard for their victories.

Her performances during the series came on the back of a tough and competitive season at her school.

“This season truly felt like a dream, and I can hardly believe how quickly it flew by,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“Our Falcon College first team accomplished so much. The growth and learning have been remarkable.”

Schools’ hockey has come on leaps and bounds in Zimbabwe, with several schools investing heavily in improving and growing their programmes.

Some, like Chisipite Senior School and Peterhouse, have competed in South African tournaments, with Chisipite in action at the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, and Peterhouse contesting the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Festival.

Wightman said there is fierce competition within Zimbabwe. “The competition here is intense, with numerous schools showcasing a variety of playing styles and top skills,” the ‘keeper explained.

“It’s always a thrill to compete against all of them. This season, Falcon College faced several teams, including Arundel, Hellenic, Peterhouse Girls, and Chisipite.

“I’ve significantly improved my game thanks to our practices, and I genuinely enjoy growing and honing my skills with my team.”

The Falcon College learner, who looks up to senior players Tanatswa Mutaramuswa and Bradley Heuer, has represented her country at the u16, u18 and u21 levels.

She was also nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Year at the Hyundai Hockey on 216 Awards and admitted it came as a surprise.

“I was absolutely thrilled when a friend told me about the nomination. I could hardly believe it! Initially, I didn’t even think I had a shot, and it filled me with pride,” she exclaimed.

Wightman will head to South Africa next year to pursue her studies in the Western Cape. “I’m moving to Somerset West for my studies and hope to keep playing at a hockey club there,” she said.

“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all my hockey coaches at Falcon College and from the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe, as well as to everyone who has contributed to my journey,” she ended.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has announced their boys’ teams to contest the Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament in December, in Johannesburg. The diverse selections reflect the rising standard of the game throughout the province.

Only two years ago, the u19A team featured only players from Clifton College, Hilton College, and Westville Boys’ High. Interestingly, Westville, who have been in strong early season form, don’t have a player in the squad, but six schools are represented.

A number of top performers were not available for selection, with Hilton’s Tristan Uys, the Attacker of the Tournament at the 2024 SWPSA event, perhaps the most notable absentee. Still, there is plenty of quality in the 14-player group.

Durban High School (DHS) contributes Adrian Truter and Kirk Wilson, their Head Boy, who made the SA Schools’ side last year. Hilton’s representatives are Sebastian Laudenberg and Andrew Schnell, who was an impressive performer at lock in the school’s 1st XV this past rugby season.

From Michaelhouse, Elliot Springate and Oliver Guy cracked the nod, while Clifton’s Caleb Malumbete, Jamie Nicolau, and Nathan Burger earned selection, too.

Northwood is represented by John Watkins and Matt Lortan, another SA Schools’ selection from 2024, while Kearsney, with three players – Oliver Ludwig, Thomas Aylward, and Thomas Francke – matches Clifton for the most players selected.

In 2024, it was a three-way battle for the SWPSA title. In the group stage, KZN beat Central Gauteng, but lost to Western Province. Central Gauteng, in turn, beat Province. Then, in the semi-finals, KZN accounted for Province, but they came up short against Central Gauteng in the final.

The margins were slim, and KZN will be eager to go one step further this year. They will feel they have the quality to do it.

Announcing their teams early will give KZN plenty of time to prepare for the IPT, which runs from 6-10 December, and the players will have a good opportunity to sharpen their skills in a number of big tournaments that are coming up, starting with the Clifton Water Polo Tournament, which takes place from 24-28 September in Durban.

Clifton College topped the number of selections through the four teams named, just ahead of Hilton College and Kearsney College, with Michaelhouse following closely behind in fourth spot. See below for the breakdown.

TEAMS

u19A

Adrian Truter (DHS), Andrew Schnell (Hilton), Caleb Malumbete (Clifton), Elliot Springate (Michaelhouse), Jamie Nicolau (Clifton), John Watkins (Northwood), Kirk Wilson (DHS), Matthew Lortan (Northwood), Nathan Burger (Clifton), Oliver Guy (Michaelhouse), Oliver Ludwig (Kearsney), Sebastian Laudenberg (Hilton), Thomas Aylward (Kearsney), Thomas Franke (Kearsney)

u16A

Ben Watson (Clifton), Bradley van Loggerenberg (Hilton), Daniel Nothard (Clifton), Henry Harker (Westville), Izah Roux (Clifton), Jake Frederic (Clifton), Jake Jones (Northwood), James Whatmore (Kearsney), Jed Reilly (Michaelhouse), Liam Casey (Hilton College), Lwango Ntantala (Hilton), Max Mills (Kearsney), Nabil Bejia (Clifton).

u15A

Benji Keeton (Hilton), Blake de Bruin (Northwood), Carter Seiler (Clifton), Casey Marks (Hilton), Christiano Sandri (Kearsney), Cruz Chapman (Clifton), Dru Mills (Kearsney), Everraud Raynard (Westville), Finn Mallet (Northwood),
Josh Watson (Clifton), Lincoln Burger (Hilton), Maxwell Fowlds (Clifton), Mitchell Rodgers (Michaelhouse), Oliver Hunter (Hilton).

u14A

Andrew van Oenselen (Michaelhouse), Blake Gaines (Kearsney), Cai Terblanche (Kearsney), Cooper Morrison (Michaelhouse), Cruz Marks (Hilton), Jonty Mun-Gavin (Clifton), Luke Barendse (Hilton), Malachi Mogale (Hilton),
Mason Allan (Kearsney), Matthew Warner (Hilton), Noah Brown (Clifton), Isaac Mvulana (Michaelhouse), Thomas Ludwig (Kearsney), Zach Loerens (Clifton).

Totals by School

• Clifton – 15
  (Caleb Malumbete, Jamie Nicolau, Nathan Burger, Ben Watson, Daniel Nothard, Izah Roux, Jake Frederic, Nabil Bejia, Carter Seiler, Cruz Chapman, Josh Watson, Maxwell Fowlds, Jonty Mun-Gavin, Noah Brown, Zach Loerens)

• Hilton College – 13
  (Andrew Schnell, Sebastian Laudenberg, Bradley van Loggerenberg, Liam Casey, Lwango Ntantala, Benji Keeton, Casey Marks, Lincoln Burger, Oliver Hunter, Cruz Marks, Luke Barendse, Malachi Mogale, Matthew Warner)

• Kearsney – 11
  (Oliver Ludwig, Thomas Aylward, Thomas Franke, James Whatmore, Max Mills, Christiano Sandri, Dru Mills, Blake Gaines, Cai Terblanche, Mason Allan, Thomas Ludwig)

• Michaelhouse – 7
  (Elliot Springate, Oliver Guy, Jed Reilly, Mitchell Rodgers, Andrew van Oenselen, Cooper Morrison, Isaac Mvulana)

• Northwood – 5
  (John Watkins, Matthew Lortan, Jake Jones, Blake de Bruin, Finn Mallet)

• DHS – 2
  (Adrian Truter, Kirk Wilson)

• Westville – 2
  (Henry Harker, Everraud Raynard) 

St Charles College had lifted the Eston One Insurance T20 Night League title for an outstanding three years in succession. Their chances of adding a fourth were extinguished on Thursday evening at the Beaumont Eston Farmers Club, however.

Facing their Pietermaritzburg rivals, Maritzburg College, in a semi-final showdown, Saints came up agonisingly shy of victory – one big hit would have sufficed – having been set a revised target because of an interruption by Mother Nature.

All credit to College, they batted well, with their opening pair, captain Daniel Nadasan and Kyle de Bruyn, handling the St Charles bowling attack with aplomb in a stand of 150 runs, which took 17.3 overs.

When, at last, St Charles found success, De Bruyn was the man to depart, caught by Connor Simpson off Keegan Vermaak for 61 from 54 balls, seven of which he struck for four.

Karl Dedekind chipped in with a quickfire 10 off six, and Maritzburg College went on to finish on 176/2. Nadasan led their charge, striking a six and 11 fours in an undefeated 79 from just 59 deliveries.

Given College’s success with the bat, the Saints’ bowling figures didn’t make for pleasant reading, but Keegan Vermaak, with 1/22 from four, was a bright spot among the eight bowlers employed.

St Charles was left with 11 overs in which to score 97 runs. They gave it a good go, spearheaded by the in-form Caleb Sharp, but his departure via a run out in the last over, was a big blow to their chances of victory. The loss of captain Rico Honiball for a duck didn’t help either.

Sharp and Connor Simpson gave Saints hope with a partnership of 45 from seven overs after their openers had exited with 16 runs on the board. Dom du Toit, then, bowled Simpson for 22 from 21, which had included a six and three fours.

Rowen Rajah joined Sharp in the middle, and they smashed 30 in only 2.3 over to take Saints to within a big hit or two of victory. However, on the third last ball of the innings, Sharp was run out by Joseph Currie for 45 from 32. He had launched a six and added four fours.

St Charles was on 91/4, needing 97 to win, with two balls remaining. College held their nerve, however, conceding only two runs, to hold out for a hard-fought win.

Sphamandla Dzanibe did a good job up front, claiming 1/15 in two, while Dom du Toit was slightly more expensive, snaring 1/33 in four.

Scores

Maritzburg College 176/2 (Daniel Nadasan 79*, Kyle de Bruyn 61; Keegan Vermaak 1/22); St Charles College 93/4 after 11 overs (Caleb Sharp 45, Connor Simpson 22; Sphamandla Dzanibe 1/15).

Maritzburg College won by four runs.

Somerset College is preparing for the new cricket season, and perhaps the Schools SA20 specifically, by tackling three T20 fixtures in a row on Saturday.

They’ve invited HTS Drostdy, Reddam House Constantia, and Bellville High School for a four-way quickfire event that will challenge the players’ intensity and endurance.

The schedule is as follows:

Round 1 08:30: Somerset vs Reddam, Drostdy vs Bellville.

Round 2 11:00: Somerset vs Drostdy, Bellville vs Reddam.

Round 3 14:00: Somerset vs Belville, Drostdy vs Reddam.

Somerset College last played against Parel Vallei in a Somerset West derby in February, when they went down by 30 runs in the two-day double innings fixture.

Although it was in a loss to their rivals, the match put Somerset College’s talent on show, with Mila Silamsi capturing 3/22 in eight overs, while Troy Varie knocked over 3/10 in 7.4 overs, which was his third three-wicket haul in succession after he had achieved that feat against Hermanus and HTS Drostdy, whom they’ll meet in the middle of their three games on Saturday.

Batsmen Callum Hughes and Buhle Mfunelwa, scored 49 and 46 respectively in that last outing, sharing a 79-run stand, and Hughes was also clutch against Drostdy two weeks earlier, compiling 69 runs off 104 balls to guide his team to victory.

Mitchell Walsh is an exciting and dangerous all-rounder for Reddam. His skills were on full display when they took on Hoërskool Durbanville in a limited overs clash. He missed out on being Reddam’s top scorer by only three runs, contributing 41, and followed up with a destructive bowling performance that brought him figures of 6/24.

Others to keep an eye on in the Reddam bowling attack are Joe Gitlin and Hayden Blackensee. Back in the summer, against Pearson, Gitlin, with 3/9, and Blackensee, with 2/20, tore through the Gqeberha school’s innings. Blackensee also snared 3/9 against Durbanville.

Sias Du Toit is a handy opening bowler for HTS Drostdy. His returns at the beginning of the year included a handy 4/25 against the Grey High 2nd XI in the first innings of a two-day fixture.

Drostdy opening batsman, Christopher du Toit, is a player to watch. He tallied 72 in the first innings of the same Grey High game. More pertinently, against Somerset College, in February, he scored a patient 78 off 124 balls. The Donkies ended up with just 139 all out in a tough 50-over match, but Du Toit stood firm in a sea of troubles.

AD van der Westhuyzen may be the pick of the Bellville bowlers. He secured 2/11 against Stellenberg in March, one week after taking 4/21 versus DF Malan.

Gustav Maass opens the batting for Bellville. Due to his side often chasing low totals, he wasn’t provided with many opportunities to go big near the end of the summer. However, he was often one of the higher scorers in the team. His scores included an unbeaten 40 off 35 balls in a T20 against Milnerton in February, while his opening partner, Xander Lategang, finished with a moderate 10 not out as Bellville cruised to a 10-wicket victory.

Saturday’s showdowns will be about more than victories alone. The grind and the intensity of three T20 fixtures in quick succession will serve as an opportunity to accelerate through early season rust.