U19 cricket play-offs: Kalahari High and St Patrick’s teams excel

For the second consecutive year, the U19 boys cricket team of the Kalahari High School in Kuruman has been crowned the Northern Cape winners in the Switch Schools XX SA20 cricket play-offs. In the U19 girls’ division, the team from St Patrick’s CBC in Kimberley emerged victorious.

These two teams, along with the boys’ runner-up team – Diamantveld High School in Kimberley – will compete in phase two of the Switch Schools XX SA20 against the winners from Free State and North West. This stage is set to take place in Potchefstroom from 16 to 18 January.

Phase one of the cricket play-offs was held on 24 and 25 October in Kimberley, featuring teams that topped the log table in all five regions of the Northern Cape. Six teams competed in the boys’ section and four in the girls’ section.

In the boys’ section, the participating teams were from Kalahari High, Diamantveld High, St Patrick’s CBC, De Aar High, Upington High and Prieska High. The girls’ section consisted of teams from St Patrick’s CBC, Kathu High (runners-up), HC Rose Hub and Kalahari High.

Competition showcasing very best U19 talent

Switch Schools XX SA20, in conjunction with Cricket South Africa (CSA), is the re-launch and re-brand of the Schools T20 challenge (previously the Coca Cola Schools Challenge). This prestigious tournament stands as the premier national competition for school cricket teams across the country, showcasing the very best U19 talent.

In September 2024, CSA and SA20 launched Schools SA20, designed to uncover and nurture cricket talent among boys and girls across South Africa, while creating pathways into professional cricket and growing both the player and fan base for years to come. Volume two of the competition commenced in August to be completed by March. A total of 630 boys’ and girls’ teams nationwide have registered to compete for the coveted title.

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Each of the 16 CSA members are running boys’ and girls’ tournaments, using either straight knockout or round robin format. In the boys’ division, two boys’ teams from each member will progress to the next phase. Meanwhile, only the winning girls’ team from each member will progress to the next phase. Phase two of volume two is scheduled for January and February 2026.

Visit schools.sa20.co.za for more information.