Garsies-Klofies derby headlines Noordvaal quarter-finals
A local derby in a quarter-final round always stirs the butterflies. A clash between Hoërskool Garsfontein and Hoërskool Waterkloof makes for even greater excitement.
With the respective leagues across the Noordvaal having concluded, it’s time to decide the best of the best, with the two Pretoria giants clashing for the second time in this year’s 50-over season, in one of the highly anticipated quarter-finals.
The Klofies and the Ysbere advanced to the Fain Noordvaal Series as number one and two from the Titans region, although Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool snared the title, the first team to do so, and thereby dethroned Waterkloof, who claimed the title a record four consecutive times since 2020. Affies does not take part in the Fain Noordvaal Series.
The Klofies and Garsies also won the respective Wildeklawer T20 tournaments just a week ago. Kloof defeated Grey College in Pretoria, while the Ysbere beat Hans Moore at the Wildeklawer Diamantveld T20 tournament in Kimberly.
The Jacaranda City will furthermore be abuzz as four of the union’s Khaya Majola representatives are set to go head-to-head at Hoërskool Garsfontein on Saturday.
The Ysbere, of course, boast the leading run-scorer of the Titans Platinum League, Reuben van Zyl, who racked up a whopping 503 runs in seven matches at an astronomical average of 100.6. His stats include three centuries and a half-century, as he led the pack with more than 200 runs abreast of the second best, who, not so surprisingly, will be his Kloof opposite number, Rico van der Walt. Van der Walt amassed 289 runs in seven matches, scoring one century, in the previous meeting between these two sides, with his 132 helping the Klofies to win by 199 runs.
Darius Maritz and Garsies’ captain, Xander Venter, come up against each other in the bowling department, although Venter might have a say with the bat too, being one of Pretoria’s best all-rounders at schoolboy level. Performances from these four players should excite the Ysbere’s coach, Elmar Dorey, who will accompany the Khaya Majola side as assistant coach.
Merensky Landbou Akademie, victors of the Limpopo Super League, travel to Meyerton to face Hoërskool Dr Malan. The Dokkies turned the tables on Heidelberg Volkskool after a narrow one-wicket defeat in 2024, to snatch this year’s title with a convincing six-wicket victory.
An enticing encounter awaits between Limpopo’s two leading wicket-takers, Timothy Baker (14) and captain Luka Heinlein (13), who come up against a formidable Luka Pretorius and co. The Dokkies will look to go one better than last year, when they lost to Menlopark in the first playoff round.
The in-form Hoërskool Middelburg welcomes an equally impressive Potchefstroom Gimnasium in a fixture that should go down to the wire. The Middies have now won the Mpumalanga League for two consecutive years, while the Gimmies claimed the North West title mostly thanks to the red-hot bat of Christivan Coetzer. Coetzer has already accumulated an astonishing seven centuries this year, and his batting battle with Herman Portgieter and Eduan Strydom, at the top of the Middies order, might prove the deciding factor by the end of 100 overs.
Hoërskool Kempton Park, who ended Hoërskool Hans Moore‘s Fain Noordvaal title defence in the league stages already, hosts an unpredictable Hoërskool Monument. The Kempies have been exceptional throughout the season, particularly with Sheldon Kruger highlighting the start of the 2025/26 season with a double century, the only one in the Noordvaal thus far, in a friendly against Hoërskool Rustenburg. Monnas, however, are still victors from their beat and possess the all-round abilities of Logan Weetman, who will be a danger with both bat and ball.
Quarter-Final Fixtures – 25 October (Home teams named first):
Garsfontein vs Waterkloof – Pretoria
Dr Malan vs Merensky Landbou Akademie – Meyerton
Hoërskool Middelburg vs Potchefstroom Gimnasium – Middelburg
Hoërskool Kempton Park vs Monument – Kempton Park
