Northern Cape Schools SA20 champion Kalahari sets sights on regional title
Kuruman’s Hoërskool Kalahari will take a second shot at winning the regional title for the Northern Cape, North West and Free State after being crowned the Northern Cape champion of the Switch Schools SA20 – Volume Two competition.
In January of this year, they made it to the semi-finals of the regional event in Potchefstroom, and they’ll be aiming to better that performance when they visit the North West city in January 2026 for another crack at the crown.
Their status as Northern Cape champions was confirmed in late October when they took on Hoërskool Diamantveld, on the Kimberley Country Club’s B Oval.
Kalahari opted to bat first in the title game after winning the toss.
Both sides found run scoring to be challenging, but the Kuruman crew excelled in the field and successfully defended a modest total to win by 13 runs.
Strauss van Heerden and Myburgh de Klerk were the only Kalahari batsmen to exit the teens, with Van Heerden hitting three fours in his 20 runs off 21 balls. De Klerk, meanwhile, adopted a more cautious approach, striking only one four in his 23 off 36, but his effort proved to be valuable in a low-scoring contest.
Francois Hattingh was on fire for Diamantveld, delivering a devastating spell, which earned him 5/20 from 3.5 overs. Cobus Fourie, with 2/12, also made matters difficult for the Kuruman school, who were bowled out for 112 after 18.5 overs.
Fourie, then, opened the batting and played his part by dispatching four balls for four in scoring 29 from 32, but Janko Noeth removed the next three batsmen in the order for a combined 12 runs before the fifth man in, Hanru Rademeyer, slowed the slide.
He and Fourie added 38 runs for the fourth wicket before Fourie fell. Two runs later, on 71, Rademeyer followed for 27 from 26 deliveries, which included four fours.
Seven overs remained, and Kalahari took charge of them, with Diamantveld adding only 28 more runs while losing three more wickets.
Liam Laing was a big reason for the Kimberley side’s struggles, capturing a miserly 3/10 from his four overs, while Noeth, who had struck early, finished with 3/18 from four. A couple of run outs, involving both Laing and Noeth, also slowed Diamantveld’s progression.
After 20 overs, they finished on 99/8, still 13 runs shy of Kalahari.
With the win, Kalahari joins, among others, the Free State champions St. Andrew’s School, and North West champions, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, at the regional final in January.
Summarised Scorecard
Hoërskool Kalahari 112/10 (Myburgh de Klerk 23, Strauss van Heerden 20; Hattingh 5/20, Cobus Fourie 2/12); Hoërskool Diamantveld 99/8 (Cobus Fourie 29, Hanru Rademeyer 27; Liam Laing 3/10, Janko Noeth 3/18). Kalahari won by 13 runs.
