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The South African u20 national women’s team, known as Basetsana, has been eliminated from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers following a 0-1 defeat to Ghana at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.

In the first leg of the third round qualifiers, Basetsana journeyed to Ghana and fought hard for a 2-2 draw at the Accra Sports Stadium on 8 February.

During the return leg in Nelspruit, the visitors outperformed the hosts.

The first half concluded without any goals as both teams vigorously chased an opener, yet neither succeeded in breaking the stalemate.

In the second half, the Black Princesses were reenergised. They dictated the pace of the contest, and their persistence was rewarded when Priscilla Mensah netted a goal three minutes after the hour mark to break open the deadlock.

Following the visitors’ goal, Basetsana battled tirelessly to regain their footing in the match, but Ghana’s defence remained resolute.

Ultimately, Ghana maintained their 1-0 advantage until the final whistle, which gave them a 3-2 win on aggregate and a place in the next phase of the competition.

For South Africa, though, their FIFA World Cup dream is over.

As large parts of the Noordvaal experienced a rainy Friday and Saturday, Valentine’s Day, only the clash between Hoërskool Middelburg and Hoërskool Pietersburg was played in Polokwane in the C Section of the Finsbury League.

Summarised scorecard 

Hoërskool Middelburg 280/10 (Nijan Swart 54, Hendré Nel 48, Wilré Cilliers 48, Eduan Strydom 28, Extras 24, Puren Nieman 20; Hennie Schoeman 3/38, Stephan Swanepoel 3/78, Willem Viljoen 2/27, AJ Galloway 2/63); Hoërskool Pietersburg 72/10 (Willem Viljoen 19; Ricardo Ras 4/17, Eduan Strydom 2/14, Hendré Nel 2/14). Hoërskool Middelburg won by 208 runs. 

Hoërskool Waterkloof succeeded Durban High School (DHS) as the Clifton T20 Tournament champion with a hard-fought four-wicket victory over Kearsney College with four balls to spare in the final, played at the Crusaders Club on Sunday in front of a lively crowd.

Left-arm spinner Johan Liebenberg did a fine job for Klofies after Kearsney won the toss and chose to bat first.

He took the new ball and challenged the batsmen with a tantalising combination of flight, spin, and drift, which brought him the wickets of Gary Verbaan and captain Keegan de Jager, both bowled. Asher Hollister then holed out to Frank van der Westhuizen off the bowling of Rian Klopper to leave the KZN side wobbling on 20/3 in the sixth over.

With Liebenberg dialling up the pressure, Kearsney went too hard too soon, trying to break the shackles, and it cost them. They enjoyed a brief respite when Aaron Blackburn and Rivaan Moodley added 23 in 24 balls for the fourth wicket, but Moodley, after striking a four and a six, then lofted a delivery off the back foot right down the throat of the fielder sweeping on the offside boundary. He’d made 16 off 13.

Three balls later, Ryan Staats was caught off Frank van der Westhuizen, and Kearsney had slipped to 49/5 midway through their innings.

Blackburn maintained his composure and worked the ball around, and Luke Grobbelaar matched Rivaan Moodley’s innings exactly, striking a particularly huge six straight down the ground in his 16. After he exited on 65, Daniel Miskey joined Aaron Blackburn in the middle. At last, Kearsney enjoyed some success against the Waterkloof bowlers, adding 32 in 25 balls.

Blackburn was out on 97 for 20 from 31 balls. It wasn’t an eye-catching knock, but it was exactly what Kearsney needed to steady their innings. Miskey lasted until the second-last over, smashing two fours and a six in the innings’ top score of 28 off 19 deliveries.

Michael Groom ended with 16 not out, and James Bishop was three not out as the Botha’s Hill boys finished with 124/8.

Johan Liebenberg led Waterkloof’s bowling effort with an outstanding four-over spell, returning 2/15. Frank van der Westhuizen used his height and bounce well to claim 2/28 in four, and Jean Cloete picked up 2/30 in three. Rivan Booysen was tidy, snaring 1/16 in four overs of left-arm spin.

Set 125 to win, it looked as if Waterkloof’s hard-hitting batsmen should cruise to victory, but Kearsney came at them hard. A strong bowling performance set them up for a semi-final win over Westville Boys’ High, and it almost brought them a win in the final.

Left-arm paceman, Litha Gonya, set the tone, generating good pace and bounce, and he got rid of AJ de Villiers in the first over.

Rico van der Walt and Juan Swart quickly settled in after that and advanced the score by 41 runs to 46 before Swart was out for 25 from 16 balls, which included two fours and a six. Then, it became a long, hard slog for Klofies as they dragged themselves towards the winning target.

Van der Walt stood firm, but Vorster de Villiers, captain Franco Schmidt, and Jean Cloete departed cheaply, which left Waterkloof on 78/5 in the 13th over of their reply. Johan Feuth helped Van der Walt to add 15 before Van der Walt’s resistance was ended by a run out. He had faced 48 balls, struck one six and one four, and contributed the match’s highest score of 49.

It was left to Feuth and Wian du Plessis to see Klofies to victory, and they did it with an unbroken 32-run partnership off 24 deliveries. Feuth finished with 17 and Du Plessis with 19 off 10, despite not hitting a boundary.

Leg-spinner Rivaan Moodley snared 2/19 from four overs, while Matthew Gorrie nabbed 1/20 in four, and Litha Gonya returned 1/26, also from four.

In the end, Waterkloof had just enough in the tank to win. Had Kearsney been a little more circumspect early in their innings, Waterkloof might have come out on the wrong end of the result.

Prize-giving

Later, at the prize-giving, players from the two finalists scooped all the individual prizes on offer.

Kearsney’s James Bishop received the award for the best bowling figures, 4/16, which he achieved in a crucial win over Hilton College on Saturday.

His teammate, Asher Hollister, received the best batting prize for his 106 not out in only 66 balls against St John’s College (Harare). The Fielder of the Tournament Award went to Waterkloof’s Rico van der Walt, who pulled off 10 dismissals.

The three winners each received an aQuellé goodie bag.

Asher Hollister also won the Batsman of the Tournament Award after totalling 206 runs. The Bowler of the Tournament went to Bonga Maphanga of DHS. His best return was 4/19 in a win over Maritzburg College on Sunday, and he claimed nine wickets in total.

The Player of the Tournament and Coach of the Tournament went the way of Waterkloof’s Juan Swart and Cobus Pienaar, respectively.

Each of the four prize winners was presented with a JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth speaker, a R2 500 Hirsch’s voucher, a Huawei Fitness Watch, and a Champ Sports Voucher.

Semifinals

Kearsney reached the final with a one-run win over Westville Boys’ High in a match that was played over 15 overs each. They made 126/6, with Keegan de Jager hitting 34 and Asher Hollister 28, before holding Westville to 125/9 in reply.

Recently, Kearsney went down to Westville in a W100 game after a head-scratching collapse, but they weren’t about to miss out on another chance to get one over their neighbours. They struck early and often with an intense effort in the field, and by the ninth over the Griffins were on 52/6.

Westville kept fighting to the last ball, but not even an unbeaten 18 off nine balls from Kai Cotton was enough to see them across the line. Photo: Brad Morgan.

Later, they made better progress, with three successive partnerships in the twenties, but, truth be told, although they pulled to within a run at the end, they were playing catch-up throughout. They got as close as they did only because they kept running until Kearsney took the bails off the stumps after the final ball had been bowled.

Waterkloof and Northwood clashed over 12 overs in the other semi; wet conditions after overnight rain led to the matches being shortened.

Player of the Tournament, Juan Swart blasted three sixes and two fours in a rapid 47 off 27 balls, and Franco Schmidt went big twice in his 29 to help Klofies to 120/4.

Northwood made an impressive start to their reply, with David de Bruyn leading the way. He bashed three sixes and three fours in his 37 off 15 balls. When he fell in the fifth over, the Knights had raced to 51/2. Their challenge started to fall away from that point on, however, and they eventually finished on 108/9, losing six wickets for only 17 runs between the ninth and eleventh overs.

Frank van der Westhuizen captured 3/18 in three, Rivan Booysen returned 2/20 in two, and Johan Liebenberg kept the Northwood batsmen in check, with 1/16 in three.

Eliminators

Earlier, in the eliminators, a fantastic 85 from captain Kyle McGough propelled Westville to victory over Hilton. He faced just 50 balls and struck 11 fours and two sixes as Westville totalled 154/4 in 16 overs.

Hilton had reached 125/7 in reply when rain prevented the completion of the match with only five balls left. They weren’t about to hit each of those for six, which was what they would have needed to win, and Westville advanced.

It was interesting for a while, with Barack Munawa and captain Rob Burman putting up 70 for the first wicket in just over seven overs. Munawa top-scored with 45 off 27, with six fours and a six, while Burman weighed in with 24.

Aarin Rasmussen turned the contest on its head, though, in the 11th over, claiming two wickets and also executing a run out, which reduced Hilton from 87/1 to 87/4.

In the other eliminator, Waterkloof, who lost by 37 runs to Michaelhouse on Friday at DHS, won by 72 against the same opposition at the same ground. They had taken lessons from their loss and romped to an emphatic win.

Waterkloof’s coach, Cobus Pienaar, told SuperSport Schools Plus: “We had to adapt to the wickets. It’s a lot slower here. You have to work a bit harder for your runs.

“Our guys also realised that we had to bowl different lengths here and be more accurate. I think our spinners also bowled too quickly at the beginning of the tournament, so we had to take some pace off the ball.

“We had to aim for bowling back of a length. We have a nice seam attack, so the guys got used to that. It was a little bit different for the Coastal boys, and that helped us.

From a batting point of view, we needed to adapt, too. You can’t hit through the line. We needed to play a little bit more under our eyes, and into pockets more often, not just free-flowing scoring like upcountry.

“It was a good learning curve for the boys, but I think they adapted nicely.”

Batting first against Michaelhouse, Waterkloof tallied 164/4, with AJ de Villiers making 53, Rico van der Walt 38, and Johan Feuth 26.

Michaelhouse, after losing captain Graydon Leslie early, made quick progress before opener Riley Muir was run out for 15, which left ‘House on 46/2 in the fifth over. Then, they lost four more wickets for only 13 runs in 16 balls, and from there they never recovered, eventually losing their last wicket on 92.

Playoffs

In other playoff matches, St Charles College rolled St John’s College (Harare) for only 61, with Caleb Sharp capturing 3/13, Kaiyuran Naidoo 2/12, and Jayden Saville and Keegan Vermaak 2/13 each, before replying with 63/3 in only 6.2 overs to win by seven wickets.

DHS downed Maritzburg College by five wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method at Durban North College.

College, led by 33 from Dax Jursa, posted 126/8 in their 20 overs, with Bonga Mphanga knocking over 4/19. School answered with 111/5 in 16.4, led by 43 not out from Taine Havermann and 38 from Ismaeel Omar.

Glenwood finished on a high note. They had opening batsman Kamo Moloto to thank for that. He cracked 10 fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 97 off only 59 deliveries to power the Green Machine to 153/7 against Clifton College. Their next highest run scorer was Kreesan Pillai, with 17.

Clifton mustered 130/9 in reply. Muhammed Malek weighed in with a run-a-ball 41, and Hayden Drieselmann smacked two fours and two sixes in his 30, but no other batsmen reached double figures.

Summarised scorecards

Final
Kearsney College 124/8 (Daniel Miskey 28, Aaron Blackburn 20; Johan Liebenberg 2/15, Frank van Der Westhuizen 2/28, Jean Cloete 2/30); Hoërskool Waterkloof 125/6 (Rico van der Walt 49, Juan Swart 25; Rivaan Moodley 2/19). Waterkloof won by four wickets.

Semifinals
Hoërskool Waterkloof 120/4 after 12 overs (Juan Swart 47, Franco Schmidt 25; Josh Mills 3/29); Northwood 108/9 (David de Bruyn 37; Frank van der Westhuizen 3/18, Rivan Booysen 2/20). Waterkloof won by 12 runs.

Kearsney College 126 for 6 after 15 overs (Keegan de Jager 34, Asher Hollister 28; Kyle McGough 1/8, Lwandle Buolse 1/9); Westville Boys’ High 126/9 (Jamie Hasselbach 23, Misbah Nair 22; Matthew Gorrie 2/16, James Bishop 1/12, Matthew Rice 1/13). Kearsney won by one run.

Eliminators
Westville Boys’ High 154/4 (Kyle McGough 85, Tristin Delvin 33; Sechaba Gude 3/38); Hilton College 125/7 (Barack Munawa 45, Ryan Jellis 25*, Rob Burman 24; Misbah Nair 2/21, Aarin Rasmussen 2/26). Match abandoned. Westville advanced to the semifinals.

Playoffs
Glenwood High 153/7 (Kamo Moloto 97*; Daniel Rea 4/55, Blake Johnson 2/12); Clifton College 130/9 (Muhammed Malek 41, Hayden Drieselmann 30; Kamo Moloto 2/18). Glenwood won by 23 runs.

St John’s College (Harare) 61/10 (Sean Reilly 14; Caleb Sharp 3/13, Kaiyruan Naidoo 2/12, Keegan Vermaak 2/13, Jayden Saville 2/13); St Charles College 63/3 (Connor Simpson 29*, Luca Spagnuolo 1/20). St Charles won by seven wickets.

Maritzburg College 126/8 (Dax Jursa 33, Luka Puddu 29, Kyle de Bruyn 21; Bonga Maphanga 4/19); Durban High School 111/5 (Taine Havermann 43*, Ismaeel Omar 38; Kyle de Bruyn 2/8). DHS won by five wickets on the DLS Method.

SuperSport Schools is proud to announce the extension of its partnership with Edgars and its holding company, Retailability, reinforcing a shared commitment to meaningfully invest in school sport, young athletes, and the communities that support them.

Since its launch, the partnership has celebrated the passion, pride, and people at the heart of school sport. This renewed agreement builds on that foundation, expanding Edgars’ involvement across additional SuperSport Schools properties and strengthening the collaboration’s impact within the school sports ecosystem.

As part of the extension, Edgars becomes the new sponsor of the SuperSport Schools magazine show Hockey on 216, as well as the title sponsor of SuperSport Schools’ Friday Nite Lights Hockey matches. These additions further entrench Edgars’ support of hockey at school level, while giving young players increased visibility on a national platform.

More broadly, the extended partnership positions Edgars and Retailability as long-term partners in youth development, going beyond traditional sponsorship to play an active role in uplifting school communities, celebrating participation, and championing the moments that make school sport special.

“This extension with Edgars and Retailability speaks to a shared belief in the power of school sport to change lives,” said Thando Bakumeni, General Manager of SuperSport Schools. “Together, we are continuing to create platforms that shine a light on young athletes, grow participation across sporting codes, and bring school communities closer to the action. It’s a partnership rooted in purpose, and we’re excited about what lies ahead.”

“As a brand that has been part of South African family life for generations, Edgars is proud to support initiatives that matter to parents, learners and communities,” said Norman Drieselmann, CEO of Edgars. “School sport plays a vital role in shaping young people, and partnering with the SuperSport Schools Hockey Programme allows us to invest in the future of our boys and girls while celebrating the values of family, teamwork and pride.”

Edgars, a trusted South African lifestyle retailer for generations, continues to align itself with initiatives that bring families together and foster meaningful community connections. Through this partnership, Edgars and SuperSport Schools aim to amplify the stories, spirit, and pride that define school sport across the country.

The extended collaboration marks another important step in SuperSport Schools’ mission to bring fans the sport they care about most, while providing young athletes with a stage to shine.

The Junior Springboks are braced for freezing European winter conditions to face physical and abrasive opponents that will test their grit and determination on their forthcoming tour of Georgia and will be looking to use this trip to improve their cohesion and understanding of their game model ahead of the start of the international season.

Junior Bok captain Riley Norton is one of four players in the tour squad who were in the successful side that lifted the U20 world crown last year in Italy, while numerous stalwarts of the successful SA U18 side of last are also included.

For SA U20 attack coach Melusi Mthethwa, the tour represents much more than just three hit-outs – it’s a vital process for testing the team’s mental and tactical adaptability in the heart of the Georgian winter. They will warm up against the Lelo Saracens before taking on the Georgia U20 side in what promises to be two very physical internationals.

Reflecting on the recently concluded training block in South Africa, Mthethwa expressed his satisfaction regarding the squad’s progress thus far, adding that the SA U20 coaching staff had implemented a revised strategy this season, prioritizing “playing more” in addition to the traditional drill sessions in a bid to sharpen the players’ game readiness.

“I’m actually very impressed with the young men in terms of their skill level, their execution, and their detail at this stage of our preparations,” said Mthethwa, highlighting the recent training matches against local FNB Varsity Cup opposition — FNB Maties and FNB Ikeys – as evidence of the squad’s growing cohesion and progress.

“What impressed me was the speed of the ball and how we were shifting the ball. The concentration levels and ticking the boxes on our structure were awesome for me to witness, especially during our last training game against Ikeys.”

Mthethwa, who is in his second coaching year with the Junior Boks, said the itinerary in Georgia is demanding and having toured the country last season with the Junior Boks, he is aware of the unique challenges awaiting them, including snow and potentially wet conditions.

Rather than a hinderance, he views these uncontrollable factors as a perfect test for the young South Africans: “We can’t control the conditions, but we can control our emotions, how we adapt and what we need to achieve.”

Georgia is renowned for its bruising, forward-oriented style of play, focusing on scrums, lineouts, and relentless physicality, and Mthethwa believes this direct confrontational style is exactly what the South African side needs to sharpen the further develop of their game.

“One of the things we learnt in Georgia (last year) was the necessity to go through the defence instead of just going around them,” Mthethwa explained, emphasizing that the players are ready to embrace the physicality so well associated with South African rugby.

“The primary goal of the tour is to ensure every player is on the same page regarding the team’s tactical and technical framework. Another key focus will be game management – learning when to expand the play and when to rely on a tactical kicking game.

“Back home, we can run hard because conditions are dry everywhere. Now, when we get there, if we encounter snow or rain, we need to understand how to adapt. So that is excellent preparation for our international season.”

Georgia will host the rebranded Junior World Championship in June and July, when the Junior Boks will aim to defend the crown they won last year in Italy.

SA U20 tour fixtures (all matches to be played in Tbilisi, Georgia):

Wednesday, 18 February

SA U20 vs Lelo Saracens

Sunday, 22 February:

SA U20 vs Georgia U20

Friday, 27 February

SA U20 vs Georgia U20

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Kan ‘n span van buite Pretoria vanjaar tot die eindstryd van die NWU Sportreeks deurdring?

Na die eerste twee jaar van die reeks is albei die eerstespan-eindstryde tussen die enigste twee spanne vanuit die Jakarandastad, die Hoërskool Waterkloof en Menlopark, beslis.

In die eerste jaar (2024) het Waterkloof die Parkies met 23-8 op Eldoraigne se hoofveld verslaan om as kampioen gekroon te word. Verlede jaar in Boksburg het die Parkies en Klofies die titel gedeel (23-elk).

Vanjaar se eindstryd sal by Hoërskool Kempton Park op 18 April aangebied word.

Die halfeindrondes word op 11 April by onderskeidelik HTS Middelburg en Transvalia in Vanverbijlpark beslis.

Waterkloof sal hul aanslag op ‘n derde agtereenvolgende titel vanjaar op sy tuisveld teen die Rooi Bulle van HTS Middelburg afskop. Die kragmeting vind op Dinsdag, 10 Maart plaas.

Menlopark sal die daaropvolgende dag na Eldoraigne in Centurion reis om die Groen Drake die stryd aan te sê.

Alle oë sal wel op die kragmeting in Groep C tussen Hoërskool Middelburg en Transvalia op 14 Maart wees. Die Middies is aan die einde van verlede jaar tot die Beker-afdeling van die Virseker Noordvaalbeker gepromoveer in Transvalia se plek, wat vanjaar in die Plaat-afdeling sal deelneem. Albei spanne het dus iets om te bewys tydens dié kragmeting wat in Middelburg sal plaasvind.

Die Groepe: 

Groep A: Waterkloof, HTS Middelburg, Piet Retief.
Groep B: Menlopark, Eldoraigne, Ben Vorster.
Groep C: Transvalia, Oos-Moot, Hoërskool Middelburg.
Groep D: EG Jansen, Kempton Park, Hoërskool Nelspruit.

Die bepalings (tuisspanne eerste vermeld): 

10 Maart 2026 

Waterkloof vs HTS Middelburg
Transvalia vs Oos-Moot
EG Jansen vs Kempton Park

11 Maart 2026 

Eldoraigne vs Menlopark

14 Maart 2026 

HTS Middelburg vs Piet Retief
Menlopark vs Ben Vorster
Hoërskool Middelburg vs Transvalia
Hoërskool Nelspruit vs EG Jansen

21 Maart 2026 

Piet Retief vs Waterkloof
Ben Vorster vs Eldoraigne
Oos-Moot vs Hoërskool Middelburg
Kempton Park vs Hoërskool Nelspruit

The St David’s Marist Inanda water polo team made history on Saturday after claiming their second-straight Vides Water Polo Tournament title in East London.

The boys from Johannesburg downed Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) 9-8 in a hotly contested final.

The annual tournament, which celebrated its 50th edition this year, ran from Thursday at Selborne College‘s main pool and Clarendon‘s Aquatic Centre.

St David’s defeated St Andrew’s College in last year’s final to clinch the title for the first time. They were favoured to go all the way once again in 2026.

Drawn in Pool C, coach Dean Whyte‘s troops constructed a splendid campaign, dominating their group games before grinding their way past their opponents in the knockout stages of the tournament.

They rattled off three comprehensive victories to finish top of their pool, defeating Paarl Boys’ High 9-3, Glenwood House 16-7, and Grey High School 10-5.

In the quarterfinals, St David’s met St Andrew’s in a repeat of the 2025 final and had to work hard for an 8-6 win over the boys from Makhanda.

That victory set up a semifinal meeting with Michaelhouse. It was a closely contested affair, but St David’s reigned supreme, winning 10-6.

While the Johannesburg school punched its ticket to the final, PRG took on Wynberg Boys’ High in the other semifinal.

In a low-scoring contest, coach Vaughn Marlow‘s got the better of their Western Cape counterparts, with a 6-3 win sealing their spot in the title game.

The final had it all – suspense, drama, and moments of magic.

St David’s made a bright start and raced into a 5-1 lead after the first chukka thanks to goals by Matthew Peacock, Cooper Haworth, David Latilla-Campbell, and a brace by Danilo Giuricich.

PRG, though, won the second chukka 2-0, with strikes by James Swart and Ben van Zyl cutting the deficit to 5-3 at the break.

The second half was end-to-end stuff as PRG fought their way back into the match. Swart completed his hat-trick before Andrew Reynold scored, and Johnty Coolen levelled matters at 6-6.

Luke Laporte replied to put St David’s one goal ahead heading into the final chukka before Darien Salovy and Giuricich extended the lead to 9-6.

PRG kept fighting, though, and Swart netted twice, but it wasn’t quite enough, and St David’s held on for the win.

“It was a really tough tournament. I’m super proud of the boys. They were amazing and worked hard,” coach Whyte told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“They have a good internal drive to produce and step it up when it matters. To win the tournament again is incredible.”

Whyte admitted his boys felt some pressure heading into the tournament as the defending champions.

“That label did put pressure on us,” he said. “A lot of people have now marked St David’s on the radar, and guys see that we are a contending water polo school.

“It was difficult shifting the mindset because in previous years we were underdogs, but now we’re up there on the mark, so maturity from the boys was key.”

Several components of the game were key to St David’s successful title defence: they were clinical in front of goal, solid defensively, and punished teams when the opportunities presented themselves.

Coach Whyte said he was also impressed with how some of his players rose to the occasion.

“What was really nice was developing another layer of attack. We chose our options wisely, and the teams mitigated our weaknesses, but we had to dig deep.

“There were some moments of brilliance and perfect executions. It feels good going through a tournament undefeated, but kudos to the other schools because they made it hard.

“Our defence was also incredible. Dylan Wiggil in goal is unbelievable. He’s the best goalkeeper in the country, in my opinion. I also think our youngsters stepped up well.

“I want to highlight my second seven because they were incredible and gave the big names time to rest so they could implement properly. Overall, it was a great team effort.”

Coach Whyte and his guns will return to action on Thursday in the KES Night League.

After that, they’ll pursue a second piece of silverware at the KES Water Polo Tournament later this month.

Day 4 Results

St Alban’s (2) 4-4 (3) Stirling High
St Andrew’s College 7-4 Selborne College
Paarl Boys’ High 8-4 Selborne Collegians
Reddam Constantia (5) 9-9 (4) Grey High
Glenwood House 13-3 Grey College
St David’s 10-6 Michaelhouse
Woodridge College 7-6 Pearson
Paul Roos 6-3 Wynberg Boys’ High
St Alban’s 14-9 Selborne Collegians
Stirling High 8-6 Paarl Boys’
Grey College (4) 4- 4 (3) Pearson High
Woodridge College 10-8 Glenwood House (Plate final)
Grey High (5) 9- 9 (4) Selborne College (7th/8th playoff)
St Andrew’s College 11-9 Reddam House (5th/6th playoff)
Wynberg 5-3 Michaelhouse (3rd/4th playoff)
St David’s Marist 9-8 Paul Roos (Final)

Final standings

St David’s Marist Inanda
Paul Roos
Wynberg Boys’ High
Michaelhouse
St Andrew’s College
Reddam House Constantia
Grey High
Selborne College
Woodridge College
Glenwood House
Grey College
Pearson High
Stirling
Paarl Boys’ High
St Alban’s College
Selborne Collegians

Hoërskool Jim Fouché vs Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker

The visiting Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker decided to field first after winning the toss against Hoërskool Jim Fouché in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

The hosts, though, made hay, with opener Joden Vorster, whacking six fours and a six in his contribution of 53 off 76 deliveries.

JF received a second fifty from number four batsman, Franco de Necker, who weighed in with 56 off 71, and Ruan Kleyn, batting at eight, also recorded a half-century, making exactly 50 from 71 deliveries, too.

Those three innings were the pillars upon which the home side built a strong 261/7 from their 50 overs.

Ruan Heunis was the best of the Voorktrekker bowlers, taking 2/29 in six overs, while Thato Nthebere returned 2/55 from nine.

Under pressure after being set a stiff target, the visitors struggled to find traction in their reply.

Jayden Strydom, at six, and Janno Olivier, at seven, were the only batsmen to reach double figures. Both were forced to play conservatively, with Strydom making 28 off 56 and Olivier scoring 29 off 70 as they partnered for 60 runs for the sixth wicket.

Jareth Scott, though, asked questions the Vootrekker batsmen couldn’t answer, knocking over a brilliant 5/13 in six overs. Despite bowling only one over, Cobus Wilken made an impact, removing two batsmen, while André Kleyn wrapped up the visitors’ innings, nabbing 2/14 in 3.4 overs.

Bethlehem Voortrekker’s run chase stalled after 30.2 overs, when they were all out for 92 runs, leaving Jim Fouché the runaway winners by 169 runs.

Welkom Gimnasium vs Hoërskool Witteberg

After a slow start, Welkom Gimnasium built up momentum in their limited-overs clash against the visiting Hoërskool Witteberg on Saturday.

Luhan Botha, who made his way to the middle after the fall of the second wicket, gave the hosts’ innings impetus with his contribution of 56 from 82 balls, which featured two fours and three sixes. Then, tailender Bryan Haywood boosted the Gim innings with 25, which included a couple of sixes.

His effort helped Welkom Gimnasium to 164 all out after 46.2 overs at the crease.

Xander Fourie kept the home team under pressure, snapping up 3/19 in eight overs, while WJ Geldenhuis gave little away as he bagged 2/12 in 7.2 overs. Lwazi Mosea played his part by acquiring 2/33.

When Witteberg replied, they were put under pressure by the relentless Bryan Haywood, who uprooted 3/16 in nine overs. He found good support from Luhan Botha, who claimed 2/25 in eight.

Welkom Gim was in the ascendancy when they reduced the Bethlehem visitors to 57/6 after 18.3 overs, but Pieter Wessels then made his appearance at the crease. The number eight batsman proceeded to thump two fours and three sixes in an undefeated 55 off 91 balls to set Witteberg on course for victory.

He found a willing partner in Lwazi Mosea, who joined him after the seventh wicket went down. Mosea made an invaluable 23 and combined with Wessels to add 48 runs for the eighth wicket.

That helped Welkom Gimnasium to 165/8, and a narrow two-wicket win with 14 balls remaining.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Jim Fouché 261/7 (Franco de Necker 56, Joden Vorster 53, Ruan Kleyn 50, André Kleyn 32, Extras 32, Benco Olivier 27; Ruan Harris 2/29, Thato Nthebere 2/55); Hoërskool Bethlehem Voortrekker 92/10 (Janno Olivier 29, Jayden Strydom 28; Jareth Scott 5/13, Cobus Wilken 2/0, André Kleyn 2/14). Jim Fouché won by 169 runs.

Welkom Gimnasium 164/10 (Luhan Botha 56, Extras 33, Bryan Haywood 25; Xander Fourie 3/19, WJ Geldenhuis 2/12, Lwazi Mosea 2/33); Hoërskool Witteberg 165/8 (Pieter Wessels 55*, Extras 35, Lwazi Mosea 23; Bryan Haywood 3/16, Luhan Botha 2/25); Witteberg won by two wickets.

HTS Middelburg capped off their 2026 Finsbury League campaign with a second consecutive D Section victory on home soil in Middelburg on Saturday.

Summarised scorecard

Ben Vorster 127 (Extras 28, Dirk Nortman 23, Ruben Pohl 21; Hugo Bierman 3/19, Brussow de Wet 3/22); HTS Middelburg 128/6 (Henco Britz 29, Jandré de Clerq 25, Armand Kotze 24; Sontag Ramatsoma 3/6). HTS Middelburg won by four wickets. 

Heidelberg Volkskool 146 (Vaughn Steynvaart 31, Kehan Baird 30, Extras 21, Jaco Botha 20; Michael Kinnear 5/29, Ethan Walker 2/16, Jeandré Greyling 2/44); Wesvalia 147/8 (Ethan Walker 26, Jeandré Greyling 22, Extras 20; Kehan Baird 2/22, Francois Smith 2/29, Jaco Botha 2/32). Wesvalia won by two wickets. 

SACS vs Bishops Diocesan College

Playing at home on the De Villiers Oval, SACS opted to bat first after winning the toss against their southern suburbs’ rival, Bishops Diocesan College, but it was a difficult start for the hosts.

Imraan Leith got stuck into the SACS batting early, bowling out three batsmen between the seventh and ninth over. Eventually, he collected 4/27 from 7.1 overs.

Captain Alex Vintcent produced a tidy performance, conceding no extras in his 3/24 in nine overs, while Harry Morgan chipped in with two wickets in the middle overs to pick up 2/24.

Opener Aqeel Waggie was the only member of the top four to survive Leith’s onslaught, but he fell victim to Harry Morgan, bowled for 32 after facing 32 balls.

Jordan Berry and Abhay Kalan, batting at five and six, partnered for 49 runs to stop the slide. Berry contributed 25, including four fours and a six, while Kalan top-scored with 57 off 89, hitting five fours.

Twenty-two from Ben Blackburn helped the home team stretch their total to 191 all out before they were bowled out in the 48th over.

In contrast to SACS, Bishops made a good start to their innings. Captain Alex Vintcent swung the bat like a blade, exhibiting both power and skill while striking nine fours and a maximum to tally 74 off 83. His fellow opener, Litha Mbiko, was in a hurry and clubbed five fours and three sixes in his 45 off 34 deliveries. Together, they put up 85 for the first wicket.

Ibraheem Taliep, batting at four, helped Bishops across the line in just 30.2 overs, finishing unbeaten on 34.

Ben Blackburn nabbed 2/39 for SACS, who snapped up three wickets just before the visitors overhauled their total, reaching 192/5 to win by five wickets.

Hoërskool Strand vs Hoërskool Stellenbosch

The visiting Hoërskool Strand got off to a strong start in their limited-overs battle against Hoërskool Stellenbosch on Saturday. They were sent in to bat first after the hosts were luckier in the coin flip.

Opener Keaton Gertze performed his duty well, striking four fours in his journey to 62 runs off 82 deliveries. Much lower down the batting order, at nine, Robin Beukes, weighed in with the second-best contribution from a batsman, making an unbeaten 34.

EC Labuschagne claimed 3/55 in eight overs for Stellenbosch, while Clement Swartz chipped in with 2/17 across 6.1 overs, and the other four bowlers a wicket apiece. They let themselves down, though, with 27 wides.

In total, there were 38 extras in Strand’s 194 all out, which came up in 39.1 overs.

Stellenbosch’s reply was led by number four batsman, Antoine de Beer, who went on the attack, lofting six sixes and hitting two fours in his 57 off 73. He also shared a 43-run fourth wicket stand with Wilkin Pote, who made 22.

Like their Stellenbosch counterparts, Strand’s bowlers were guilty of conceding too many extras, with 29 wides contributing to the 33 extras that boosted the home team’s total.

Zylin Rule, though, captured 4/28, and Keaton Gertze followed up his strong batting effort with 3/38, to ensure Stellenbosch came up short of the victory target.

They were bowled out for 170 after 35.3 overs, leaving Strand with a 24-run victory.

Summarised Scorecard

SACS 191/10 (Abhay Kalan 57, Aqeel Waggie 32, Jordan Berry 25, Extras 24, Benjamin Blackburn 22; Imraan Leith 4/27, Alex Vintcent 3/24, Harry Morgan 2/24); Bishops Diocesan College 192/5 (Alex Vintcent 74, Litha Mbiko 45, Ibraheem Taliep 34*; Benjamin Blackburn 2/39). Bishops won by five wickets.

Hoërskool Strand 194/10 (Keaton Gertze 62, Extras 38, Robin Beukes 34*; EC Labuschagne 3/55, Clement Swartz 2/17); Hoërskool Stellenbosch 170/10 (Antoine de Beer 57, Extras 33, Wilkin Pote 22; Zylin Rule 4/28, Keaton Gertze 3/38). Strand won by 24 runs.