Rustenburg through to North-West SA20 final, but who will they face?
News from the North West region in the Schools SA20 competition is that defending champions, Hoërskool Rustenburg, have already secured a spot in the final again, awaiting to see what will happen during the following two rounds to determine who they’ll face in the final at the JB Marks Oval on 25 September.
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The Rusties, having won both their first two matches, first against Bergsig Akademie and then Hoërskool Hartebeespoort, by 146 runs, earned automatic qualification to the final later this month.
Callie Fryer, normally a threat with his sheer pace with the ball, has been the frontrunner in the Rusties’ batting department. He was exceptional with 149 from only 59 balls against Hoërskool Hartebeespoort in the second round. Henri Kemp, a spin bowler in the shorter format of the game, has also been an asset. Kemp has been magical with the ball in all formats, already boasting a six-for in the North West School Premier League.
Of the 20 teams that originally started, only four are still in the running for a spot in the final against the Rusties. Both Potchefstroom schools, 2024 runners-up, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, and Potchefstroom Volkskool, are still in the hunt, while Hoërskool Klerksdorp and Hoërskool Lictenburg look dangerous with the playoffs around the corner. All four teams, along with the Rusties, are still unbeaten.
Gimmies’ destructive Cristivan Coetzer leads the batting charts following his memorable 150 from only 56 deliveries against Ikageng Hub in the second round. The Gimmies won this match by a mammoth 207 runs after scoring 250/1 in the allotted 20 overs. They also won their first outing against Potchefstroom High School for Boys comfortably with nine wickets.
The Volkies first saw off Hoërskool Ferdinand Postma before claiming the scalp of Hoërskool Wolmaransstad. They now face the Liggies in Lichtenburg on 18 September, while, on the same day, Klerksdorp and an in-form Gerrit Koen will cross paths with the Gimmies, most likely on home turf, in Klerksdorp. Gimmies, however, having beaten Grey College handsomely recently, will be buzzing with confidence.
Thereafter, the victors of the above-mentioned matches will square off in a playoff match on 25 September. This will take place at the Witrand Oval in Potchefstroom, after which the final will be decided between the Rusties and whoever makes it through the next two matches unscathed.
