Kingswood ready to host the Makhanda Cricket Festival
All roads in Makhanda will lead to Kingswood College, where schools’ cricket fans will be treated to four days of high-quality cricket action when the Makhanda Cricket Festival comes to life on Thursday.
The region’s top schools – Graeme College, Saint Andrew’s College, and Kingswood – take turns to host the season-opening showpiece, and Kingswood is home to the 2025 edition.
“We are excited to be this year’s hosts. We are looking forward to great action,” Andrew Birch, the Kingswood Head of Cricket and one of the festival’s organisers, said.
The event runs from Thursday, 9 January, to Sunday, 12 January, with teams competing in declaration cricket matches on the first day, 50-over contests on the second and third days, and T20 games on the final day.
The festival has been running for over 25 years and has often had 10 or more teams participating. However, the 2025 edition has been pared down to eight teams. Birch said this was done to improve the quality of cricket at the festival.
Pearson High School will make the one-and-a-half-hour trip from Gqeberha to join the local sides. Gauteng will be represented by two powerhouses, St David’s Marist Inanda and St Alban’s, while Peterhouse College and Hellenic make the trek from Zimbabwe.
“We are happy to have St Alban’s back. They didn’t attend the last couple of festivals. They are a strong and competitive outfit,” Birch said.
The event offers a good opportunity for up-and-coming players to show what they are capable of and to solidify their claims to places in their first XIs. It is also an opportunity for players to catch the eyes of provincial selectors, scouts, and the media with good performances. There is a good chance of some future stars making their mark.
“We have a side of exciting young players who are hungry to make an impact at the festival. Everyone is looking to fill the spots left vacant by last year’s matrics and this is an opportunity for youngsters to show what they can do,” Birch said of the host’s 1st XI.
The teams will spring into action on Thursday morning, at 9:00. The hosts, Kingswood, will lock horns with Hellenic. The contest between St Andrew’s College and St David’s is sure to attract attention and viewers on the SuperSport Schools app will be treated to a great clash, while Graeme College will square up against Peterhouse, and St Alban’s faces Pearson.
FIXTURES
Day 1 (declaration cricket)
9:00 – Kingswood College vs Hellenic
9:00 – St Andrew’s College vs St David’s
9:00 – Graeme College vs Peterhouse
9:00 – St Alban’s vs Pearson
Day 2 (50-over cricket)
9:00 – Saint Andrew’s College vs Hellenic
9:00 – Graeme College vs St Alban’s
9:00 – St David’s vs Pearson
14:00 – Kingswood College vs Peterhouse
Day 3 (50-over cricket)
9:00 – St Andrew’s College vs Pearson
9:00 – Graeme College vs Hellenic
9:00 – Peterhouse vs St Alban’s
14:00 – Kingswood College vs St David’s
Day 4 (T20 cricket)
9:30 – Kingswood College vs Pearson
9:30 – St Andrews College vs St Alban’s
9:30 – Graeme College vs St David’s
18:00 – Peterhouse vs Hellenic
