While Nelson Mandela Bay schools are still involved in Sevens Rugby tournaments all over the country, it is also time for the cricketers to pick up the pace.
One of the biggest cricket festivals in the Eastern Cape is the Pearson Festival which starts tomorrow.
This popular event, hosted by Pearson High School in Gqeberha, is in its 15th year. It keeps getting bigger and bigger, and this year 25 teams will compete in 51 matches.
The matches will be played from tomorrow till Sunday at various venues in the Metro. Most of the top-playing cricketing schools in the province will be in action.
The Bay schools will have to be at their best to come out on top, and will be challenged by some very strong visitors.
Rondebosch Boys is currently ranked the number one cricket school in the country. Their presence adds a lot of value to the festival.
Potchefstroom Gymnasium from North West plays an exciting brand of cricket, and will be a force to be reckoned with.
Queen’s College from Komani is always capable of beating the best, and will be joined from the Border region by Hudson Park and Stirling.
One of the top Boland teams, Boland Landbou, and York High School from George, will be at the festival for the first time.
Teams will play two T20 matches tomorrow, followed by time format cricket on Friday which will allow teams to bat twice.
Starting at 09:00 on Saturday and Sunday, 50 overs matches will be played.
Some of the teams will probably be without some of their Grade 12 learners, due to examinations. This will give the younger players a chance to show what they can do.
There are many interesting clashes to look forward to, and one of them will be on Friday when Pearson is at home in Gqeberha against Potchefstroom Gymnasium.
Grey High will get their chance against the North West visitors on Saturday, and the match between Pearson and Queen’s on the last day is another to keep an eye on.
The acting principal of Pearson, Haldane Pienaar, said the school is excited to again host this prestigious event.
“I am looking forward to competitive cricket over the four days. The festival is a fantastic opportunity for our top cricketing schools to start the new season in style.
“We appreciate the support of our visiting teams and for our local schools for making their facilities available for the festival.
“Most importantly, we hope the boys will have fun and build new friendships,” said Pienaar.
The Pearson openers, Owen Reyneke-Barnard and Jayden Groenewald, showed that they are ready for the festival when they scored magnificent centuries this past Saturday in Gqeberha.
Pearson beat Union High in a 50-overs match by 322 runs.
Reyneke-Barnard hit 142 runs and Groenewald 142.
Brayden Andrews was in fine form with the ball and took 5/9. Union could only manage 31 runs and were bowled out in 17.3 overs.
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