Sentraal’s Prinsloo and Pieties’ Viljoen lead the way at Kovsie Smash
Erik Prinsloo, of Hoërskool Sentraal, and Willem Viljoen, of Hoërskool Pietersburg, were the undisputed standout performers on Tuesday, the second day of the 2026 Kovsie Smash, which is being hosted by Hoërskool Fichardtpark, in Bloemfontein.
Prinsloo was the lone batsmen to score consecutive half-centuries on day two, which featured 14 matches.
In the morning session, he anchored Sentraal‘s innings with a valuable 59 against Hoërskool Driehoek, which guided the Bloemfontein outfit to 172/7 in their 20 overs and on to a 38-run victory.
He was even better in the afternoon session, albeit in a losing cause. His 89 from 54 deliveries, the highest individual score of the day, overshadowed Damian Pretorius‘s 56 for the Potchefstroom Volkskool stayers’ team. However, Pretorius enjoyed the support that Prinsloo lacked, with captain Christiaan Verster contributing an unbeaten 30 that proved decisive in sealing Volkies‘ narrow seven-run win.
In the bowling department, Willem Viljoen shone brightest for the Pieties. He was the only player to claim four wickets in both of his side’s matches on Tuesday. Much like Erik Prinsloo’s Sentraal, Viljoen’s Pietersburg experienced mixed fortunes, recording one win and one defeat.
He saved his best for the second match, capturing 4/11 in a tight 10-run defeat to the hosts, Fichardtpark. Earlier in the day, he knocked over 4/24 in a 17-run victory over Duineveld.
Viljoen was well supported by Christiaan (GC) van der Merwe, who claimed 3/24. Still, that was not quite enough to overcome the efforts of Fichardtpark’s Dillan Geringer (3/9) and Christiaan Myburgh (3/10), who dismantled the Pieties’ batting line-up.
Wickets fell in abundance throughout the day, despite no bowler picking up a five-wicket haul. Eizer Behrens, of the Volkies Stayers, recorded the best figures of the day, taking four wickets for 10 runs in a tense encounter against Voortrekker in which Volkies successfully defended a modest 100 to secure a six-run victory. They were one of four teams to win both of their Tuesday matches.
Transvalia remained unbeaten in the tournament with comprehensive victories over Merensky Landbou Akademie and Jim Fouché (JF). The Plasies suffered a six-wicket defeat against Transvalia in the morning and JF were skittled for 51 as Valia added a 47-run victory in the afternoon.
Dylan Steinmann, also a standout fly-half for Transvalia’s 1st XV rugby side, was a top performer across the two matches, returning combined bowling figures of 6/29.
Fichardtpark‘s victory over the Pieties followed a convincing 37-run win over Hoërskool Lichtenburg earlier in the day. Captain Diederick de Vos led from the front with a composed 54, which laid the foundation for his side’s 124/8. They, then, restricted the Liggies to just 87/9 from their 20 overs.
Oos-Moot was the fourth team to go two from two. The Pretoria school overcame Witteberg by five wickets before grinding out a hard-fought nine-run victory over the Plasies.
Despite the defeat, Schalk Rossouw, Merensky’s captain, who represented the Limpopo Impalas u16 side at the CSA National Week in December, impressed with a rapid 65, which was the second-highest individual score across the 14 matches.
Summarised scorecards
Day Two – Session One
Hoërskool Pietersburg 152/5 (Jordan du Toit 44, Stephan Swanepoel 29, Willem Viljoen 27*; Wilmar Myburgh 1/19); Duineveld 135/9 (Wilmar Myburgh 42, Xander Olivier 41*; Willem Viljoen 4/24, Hancu Marais 2/18, Hennie Schoeman 2/20). Hoërskool Pietersburg won by 17 runs.
Sentraal 172/7 (Erik Prinsloo 59, Juan van der Walt 40, Damain Smith 27; Divan Dreyer 3/23, Christiaan Schoeman 2/15); Driehoek 134/2 (Christiaan Schoeman 61*, Divan Dreyer 35, Janco Smit 20*; Reshé Wales 1/26). Sentraal won by 38 runs.
Trio 133/8 (Myburgh Jacobs 34, Jaden Malherbe 30, Anthonie Pelser 24; Lou Fouché 2/14); Goudveld 52/9 (Damian Niewenhuyzen 11; Anthonie Pelser 3/10, Iwan du Plessis 3/15, WJ van Niekerk 2/4). Trio won by 81 runs.
Fichardtpark 124/8 (Diederik de Vos 54; Dovhan Wiese 2/21, Oratile Mmasa 2/22, Juvan van Tonder 2/34); Hoërskool Lichtenburg 87/9 (Oratile Mmasa 20; Christiaan Myburgh 3/12, Dillan Geringer 2/13, Davyd Oosthuizen 2/22). Fichardtpark won by 37 runs.
Witterberg 90/10 (Pieter Wessels 25; Elmar Theron 4/17, Henco Erasmus 2/7, Ian Labuschagne 2/7); Oos-Moot 93-5 (Chrisjan van Staden 33*, Ian Labuschagne 23*; Xander Fourie 3/13). Oos-Moot won by five wickets.
Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 100 (Jacques Oosthuizen 33; Thys Parsons 4/19, Jordan Buitendag 2/7, Thato Nthebere 2/11); Voortrekker 94/10 (Thato Nthebere 26; Eizer Behrens 4/10, Evan van der Merwe 2/17). Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers won by six runs.
Overvaal 69/7 (Cameron van der Westhuizen 21*; Kopano Mosienyane 3/7, Shané Corner 2/10); Kalahari 71/5 (Carl Thole 23*; Janco de Lange 2/13). Kalahari won by five wickets.
Merensky 60/10 (Muhammed Khan 16; Aden Matthee 2/10, Declan Steinmann 2/17); Transvalia 62/4 (Kriegler Botha 25*; Muhammed Khan 1/11). Transvalia won by six wickets.
Session Two
Oos-Moot 167/9 (David White 38, Henco Marais 28, Chrisjan van Staden 27, Extras 25; Reuben de Beer 3/35, Wynand Benade 2/15, Henru Venter 2/24); Merensky 158/4 (Schalk Rossouw 65, Yogi Brahmbatt 42*, James Durant 20; Liam du Preez 2/25). Oos-Moot won by nine runs.
Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers 155/5 (Damian Pretorius 56, Christiaan Verster 30*, Nolan Roets 27; Herkie Malan 2/13); Sentraal 148/5 (Erik Prinsloo 89*, Juan van der Walt 20; Evan van der Merwe 1/5). Potchefstroom Volkskool Stayers won by seven runs.
Fichardtpark 104/10 (Davyd Oosthuizen 29, Ziaan van Heerden 25*; Willem Viljoen 4/11, Christiaan van der Merwe 3/24, Hancu Marais 2/14); Hoërskool Pietersburg 94/9 (Jan-Hendrick Boneschans 26; Dillan Geringer 3/9, Christiaan Myburgh 3/10, Davyd Oosthuizen 2/22). Fichardtpark won by 10 runs.
Transvalia 98/10 (Kriegeler Botha 27; Wihan Pulsen 3/20, Johan van Dyk 2/10, Jean van Schalkwyk 2/16); Jim Fouché 47/10 (Benco Olivier 17; Declan Steinmann 4/12, Kriegler Botha 3/7, Aden Matthee 2/24). Transvalia won by 51 runs.
Duineveld 83/9 (Du Preez Faber 26; Adriaan van der Merwe 3/7, Joshua Ford 3/12, Henco Roets 2/18); Hoërskool Sasolburg 85/5 (Jan-Hendrik Espach 46; Sevreano Lackey 2/14, Niekie Smit 2/20). Hoërskool Sasolburg won by five wickets.
Voortrekker 57/10 (Vlag Janse van Rensburg 12; Ruan Boshoff 3/4, Rowan McLaren 2/3, Heinrich Klue 2/16); Eldoraigne 61/2 (Jean du Randt 41*; Rodney Turner 1/15). Eldoraigne won by eight wickets.
