Paarl Boys’ High are nobody’s underdogs
Last year, Bishops won all three phases of the Switch Schools SA20 competition, thus becoming the first winners of the prestigious national event.
After a successful showing in Phase One of the second edition of the competition, the southern suburbs outfit appeared primed to win Phase Two and, with that, cement a place at The Final Showdown, where they could defend the national title.
Their title defence came up short, however, when Paarl Boys’ High comfortably beat Bishops by five wickets in the semi-finals of the Western Cape’s regional final.
Bishops were the Western Province winners, while Boishaai won the Boland title. When they met, though, the Bolanders came through with the win.
This season, Boys’ High hit their straps in the T20 format, crushing their local rival, Paarl Gimnasium, by 10 wickets in the Boland final, in which AB Jacobs smashed 89 runs off 41 balls.
In the Western Cape final, they faced Paarl Gim again. With a place at The Final Showdown on the line, Boys’ High posted a healthy 170/8 and then hit Gimmies hard with an inspired fielding performance. It brought them an eye-opening five run outs, and Paarl Gim was skittled for only 43, leaving Boishaai with a handsome 127-run victory.
In recent seasons, Paarl Boys’ High has been a fruitful supplier of provincial cricketers to Boland sides. At the Khaya Majola Week in December, they had four representatives in the 16-player squad, which was more than any other school in the region.
Captain Aden Batt and wicket-keeping all-rounder AB Jacobs, who were members of that squad, are still in the Boys’ High 1st XI. Their passion and performances have rubbed off on their peers, with Boishaai playing their best cricket in the first and second phases of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two.
In the Final Showdown at the University of Pretoria, which starts on Wednesday, 4 March, the intense and cohesive Paarl Boys’ High unit will be a difficult side to overcome.
They will enjoy the first use of the Tuks Oval on Wednesday morning, when they take on the KZN champs, Hilton College. In the afternoon, they face the CSA Hub XI.
Then, on Thursday, they complete their group games against St Andrew’s School, who will be contesting the national final for a second successive year.
The playoffs take place on Friday, with the final being played on Saturday, 7 March, on the Tuks Oval, where the Paarl Boys’ High 1st XI begins its challenge. They would be thrilled to earn a return to the same ground.
FIXTURES
Wednesday, 4 March
Paarl Boys’ High vs Hilton College, Tuks Oval, 09:30
Paarl Boys’ High vs CSA Hub XI, Tuks B, 14:00
Thursday, 5 March
Paarl Boys’ High vs St Andrew’s School, Tuks B, 09:30
Paarl Boys’ High squad: Abriam “AB” Jacobs, Neil Louw, Roan Heyns, Daniel Francke, Aden Batt, Charl du Toit, Ra-eez Isaacs, JP Immelman, Tom Krige, Ra’ed Fredericks, Ed-Lee Koopman, Ullrich Drotschie, Reese Petersen.
