Kempton Park set to make Finsbury League A Section comeback
Saturday will mark a historic moment in the Finsbury League as Hoërskool Kempton Park turns out in the A Section for the first time in 25 years.
The Kempies earned a return to the league’s top tier in February 2025 with a six-wicket victory over Hoërskool Nelspruit in Mbombela. That win sealed their promotion to the elite section, which consists of seven leagues featuring schools from across the Noordvaal region.
In the A Section, each side plays five round-robin matches, with the top two advancing to the final, scheduled for 21 February, at the home ground of the highest-ranked qualifier.
Kempton Park’s first test back among the elite will come on Saturday, 17 January, when they visit Pretoria’s Hoërskool Menlopark. The Parkies will be well prepared after a productive showing at the recent Grey Festival in Gqeberha, where they recorded a notable victory over Glenwood and also accounted for the St Charles College Colts XI.
Menlopark boasts a balanced squad of proven campaigners and emerging talent. One of the new faces, Johan Bosch, has already made a strong impression. The all-rounder produced a Man of the Match performance against Glenwood, contributing an unbeaten 38 and outstanding bowling figures of 5/37.
Among the experienced core are Jan-Willem Pienaar, Monré Koekemoer, and the tall off-spinner Murray Hofmeyr. Pienaar, in particular, has impressed over the past three seasons with his flowing batsmanship, while Koekemoer’s batting consistency adds a further threat.
For the Kempies, much of the focus will fall on Sheldon Kruger, the linchpin of their batting order. He enjoyed a remarkable 2025 season, highlighted by the only double century in the Noordvaal and outstanding performances at the CSA u17 Regional Week in December. Those efforts, and an injury to Xavier Coetzee, opened up his selection for the Northern Champions at the recent Cubs Week in Stellenbosch, where the side went unbeaten and claimed the title.
Kruger will also enjoy the support of the experienced Hanroux Siemens and Stian van Breda, who return for their final year at Kempton Park. They’ll be a crucial part of the middle order as they were when the Kempies dethroned Hans Moore as Easterns’ League champions. An intriguing battle between bat and ball awaits in the season opener.
Elsewhere in the Finbury League, the clash between Potchefstroom Volkskool and Hoërskool Rustenburg, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed to 25 January due to the Rusties‘ involvement in the Switch Schools SA20 Central Region Play-offs in Potchefstroom. Meanwhile, Hoërskool Eldoraigne and Hoërskool Waterkloof meet on 21 January.
