Like Maritzburg College and Saint Charles, all of Hilton’s matches will be played on their home ground. PHOTO: Brad Morgan
AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Ali Bacher, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, David Miller, Kevin Pietersen, Tony Grieg, and Ross Taylor. They’ve all captained international cricket teams. What else do they have in common? They all played in the Michaelmas Cricket Week.
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS
The Michaelmas Cricket Week was first held in 1959, and since then this year’s line-up of 20 schools has produced 98 internationals, so the potential for two players who are part of the 2023 week to take that number into triple figures exists. One thinks, for example, of Lhuan-dre Pretorius of St Stithians, who on Wednesday was bought by the Paarl Royals at the SA20 Auction, as a possibility.
Interestingly, the Royals’ first pick was Hilton College’s 2019 Head Boy, John Turner, who was recently selected for England’s four-match T20 series against New Zealand at the end of August. Unfortunately, he was forced to miss it with injury, but he is likely to add his name to the list of internationals who played in the week in the near future.
INTERNATIONAL COACHES
Former Michaelmas Cricket Week participants have also achieved in other aspects of the game. College’s Graham Ford has coached Sri Lanka and Ireland, while Old Collegian, Dave Orchard, umpired at international level. Corrie van Zyl (Grey College), Ray Jennings (KES) and Mickey Arthur (Westville) all coached the Proteas, with Arthur also coaching Australia and Pakistan.
Lance Klusener (DHS) has coached Afghanistan, as well as the Dolphins, and Riaan Minnie (Northwood) is the current analyst and fielding coach for Namibia.
GREATS OF THE GAME
And Barry Richards (DHS), a man named by the legendary Sir Donald Bradman in his all-time team, was also part of the Michaelmas Week. He was named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1969. It should be noted that Wisden never accords the honour to a cricketer more than once, or a player of his talent might have been recognised more times.
Three decades later, Maritzburg College’s Jonty Rhodes received the same honour. He is perhaps the most electric and best fielder of all time, which sometimes detracts from his ability with the bat. Rhodes captained College in 1987.
Those two are far from the only players to participate in the Michaelmas Cricket Week to be recognised by Wisden as Cricketers of the Year. Some more? Tony Greig (Queens College), Clive Rice (Saint John’s College), Kepler Wessels (Grey College), Lance Klusener (DHS), Shaun Pollock (Northwood), Graeme Smith (KES), Kevin Pietersen (Maritzburg College), Dale Benkenstein (Michaelhouse), Neil McKenzie (KES), Hashim Amla (DHS), Simon Harmer (Pretoria Boys High), and Devon Conway (Saint John’s College).
AB de Villiers was never accorded the honour in a specific year, but he was named one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Decade in 2019.
SPONSOR
Since 2004, the event has been sponsored by Jonathan Oppenheimer and is now known as the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week, and it continues to draw some of the finest talent from throughout South Africa. This year, it runs from 30 September to 3 October.
It is now into its 63rd edition, with Maritzburg College hosting it for the 62nd time. KES was the venue for the 1987 festival.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
This year, hosts are joined by Glenwood, Kearsney, DHS, Michaelhouse, Hilton College, Saint Charles College, Northwood, Westville and Clifton College, from KZN.
Saint Charles College will play all of their matches at home. PHOTO: Brad Morgan
Nine Gauteng schools – Affies, Cornwall Hill College, KES, Waterkloof, Jeppe, Pretoria Boys’ High, Saint John’s College, St Stithians, and Saint David’s Marist Inanda – will also be in action, as will the Free State’s Grey College.
Historically, as demonstrated above, the Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week has consistently featured some of the finest cricket talent in South Africa. Over the years, that talent has, beyond doubt, proved itself to be among the best in the world.
Expect more of the same cracking cricket this year. And get out there and enjoy some fine competition, if you have the time.
FIXTURES
30 SEPTEMBER
Maritzburg College vs Affies, Goldstone’s Glenwood vs Cornwall Hill, Barns Kearsney vs KES, Collegians DHS vs Waterkloof, Lynwood Michaelhouse vs Jeppe, Eston Hilton College vs Pretoria Boys, Hilton Saint Charles vs Grey College, Saint Charles Northwood vs Saint John’s, Varsity Westville vs St Stithians, Varsity 2 Clifton vs Saint David’s, Richmond
1 OCTOBER
Maritzburg College vs Grey College, Goldstone’s Westville vs KES, Barns Michaelhouse vs Cornwall Hill, Lynwood Clifton vs Pretoria Boys, Collegians Kearsney vs Waterkloof, Eston Hilton College vs St Stithians, Hilton Saint Charles vs Jeppe, Saint Charles DHS vs Saint David’s, Varsity 1 Glenwood vs Saint John’s, Varsity 2 Northwood vs Affies, Richmond
2 OCTOBER
Maritzburg College vs Pretoria Boys, Goldstone’s Kearsney vs Saint John’s Barns Westville vs Jeppe, Lynwood Michaelhouse vs Affies, Collegians Glenwood vs St Stithians, Eston Hilton vs KES, Hilton Saint Charles vs Saint David’s, Saint Charles Clifton vs Grey College, Varsity 1 Northwood vs Waterkloof, Varsity 2 DHS vs Cornwall Hill, Richmond
3 OCTOBER
Maritzburg College vs Cornwall Hill, Goldstone’s Northwood vs Grey College, Barns Clifton vs KES, Lynwood Glenwood vs Jeppe, Collegians Westville vs Waterkloof, Eston Hilton vs Saint David’s, Hilton Saint Charles vs St Stithians, Saint Charles DHS vs Saint John’s, Varsity 1 Kearsney vs Affies, Varsity 2 Michaelhouse vs Pretoria Boys, Michaelhouse
A product of Clifton (Nottingham Road) and St Andrew's School (Bloemfontein), Brad Morgan played schools' provincial cricket and hockey. He has worked in radio, online and for newspapers. He also previously handled media matters for the Natal Canoe Club, which hosts the Dusi Canoe Marathon, and for the Midmar Mile. Brad has, furthermore, co-authored books on the Dusi Canoe Marathon and the Comrades Marathon. He holds no particular biases towards South African sports teams but, beyond South Africa's borders, is a big fan of the Green Bay Packers and Liverpool FC. Brad enjoys photography and music, and likes working to some good dub techno in the background.
