27 January 2026
(Feature photo: Rivaan Moodley, Kearsney College all-rounder)
CRICKET
Mist rolled in and rain soon followed over the picturesque AH Smith Oval on Saturday afternoon, bringing a premature end to proceedings and denying the Kearsney College 1st XI the opportunity to chase down Westville Boys’ High‘s modest total of 138.
Westville captain Kyle McGough won the toss and elected to bat, but overnight rain had left the surface offering just enough assistance for the spinners, and the Kearsney slow bowlers made full use of the conditions from the outset.
The visitors made a steady start without ever truly breaking free. Aidan Baudach was first to go for 15, after which McGough and Ewan du Toit put together a useful 39-run stand for the second wicket.
James Bishop provided the breakthrough, having McGough caught by Gary Verbaan for 26, and that dismissal signalled a gradual shift in momentum.
Du Toit and Jay-Reece Madatt pushed the total along to 83 before Rivaan Moodley struck, catching and bowling Du Toit for a top score of 32. From that point on, the Kearsney spinners took firm control of the contest.
Moodley’s orthodox leg spin and the left-arm wrist spin of Matthew Gorrie proved a potent combination, ripping through the Westville middle and lower order.
In a decisive passage of play, the visitors lost six wickets for just 11 runs in a little over six overs. Gorrie was particularly impressive, bowling with excellent control, stifling the scoring, and consistently finding ways to break partnerships.
A defiant eighth-wicket stand of 27 between Madatt and Liam de Villiers, who struck 23, dragged Westville past the 100-run mark, and some late resistance saw them scrape their way to 138 all out.
Moodley finished with 3/35 from 7.3 overs, while Gorrie was the standout performer with a superb 5/23 from his full quota of 10 overs.
Moodley then showcased his all-round ability by opening the Kearsney innings alongside Verbaan. The pair negotiated the new ball confidently, adding 31 for the first wicket before Verbaan was caught off the left-arm spin of Tristin Delvin for eight.
Aaron Blackburn joined Moodley and the two shared a stand of 39 before a sharp piece of fielding saw Blackburn run out for 17. Moments later, with Kearsney well placed on 72/2 and still requiring 67 runs for victory, worsening weather forced the abandonment of the match.
Moodley remained unbeaten on a composed 39 from 77 deliveries, while Delvin was the only Westville bowler to strike, returning figures of 1/16 from four overs, as the contest was ultimately decided by the elements rather than the players.
It was, overall, a good day for Westville on the cricket fields, but the weather curtailed many matches.
Results
1st XI
Westville 138/10; Kearsney 72/2
Match abandoned
2nd XI
Kearsney 103/10; Westville 108/7
Westville won by three wickets
3rd XI
Westville 117/9; Kearsney 111/9
Westville won by six runs
4th XI
Westville 115/6; Kearsney 55/7
Match abandoned
5th XI
Westville 120/10; Kearsney 2/0
Match abandoned
u16A
Westville 95/10; Kearsney 68/7
Match abandoned
u16B
Kearsney 177/7; Westville 132/10
Kearsney won by 45 runs
u15A
Westville 230/9; Kearsney 34/1
Match abandoned
u15B
Westville 129/10; Kearsney 65/10
Westville won by 64 runs
u15C
Kearsney 72/10; Westville 50/0
Match abandoned
u14A
Kearsney 125/10; Westville 126/2
Westville won by eight wickets
u14B
Westville 236/10; Kearsney 71/10
Westville won by 165 runs
u14C
Kearsney 47/10; Westville u14D 48/1
Westville won by nine wickets
u16C
Westville 104/7; Northwood 64/10
Westville won by 40 runs
u16D
Northwood 55/4
Match abandoned
u15D
Northwood 81/5; Westville 82/4
Westville won by six wickets
u15E
Westville 221/7; Northwood 54/10
Westville won by 167 runs
u14C
Westville 108/3
Match abandoned
BASKETBALL
The Kearsney 1st team faced Westville Boys’ High during the week and LIV Village on the weekend because of Westville’s participation in the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) Basketball Tournament. Both matches went Kearsney’s way, with only five points separating them and Westville.
In their midweek game, Kearsney found themselves on the back foot early against Westville, who rocketed into a 21-12 lead after the first quarter. With a tighter defence in the second quarter from Kearsney, the gap narrowed, with the Griffins leading only 34-32 at halftime.
Westville hung tough and at the end of the third quarter they still led, but by only a single point at 46-45.
With the game on the line, however, Kearsney pulled off some crucial turnovers to win the fourth quarter 17-11 and the game 62-57.
Pabatso Sithole led the scoring for Kearsney, with 19, while Kabo Ramodibedi added 10. Luseko Skihulume led Westville’s scorers with 16, and Tristan van Heerden chipped in with 14.
Against LIV Village, the winners of last year’s Tier Two Schools Basketball Tournament, Kearsney got on top of the visitors early and didn’t let up, running away to a 46-point win.
Kwakuhle Sibiya dropped in 22 points in his side’s smooth 76-30 victory.
On Saturday, in the three open age group games, Westville won two and Kearsney one, with the Griffins’ wins by one and two points.
Kearsney won the u16A game convincingly and went three for four in the age group. At u15 level, there were two wins apiece, but Kearsney edged out Westville three wins to two at u14 level.
The Botha’s Hill boys were surely pleased by a clean sweep of the A side contests.
Results
1st: Kearsney 76-30 LIV Village
1st: Kearsney 62-57 Westville Boys’ High
2nd: Kearsney 27-34 Westville Boys’ High
3rd: Kearsney 26-25 Westville Boys’ High
4th: Kearsney 32-30 Westville Boys’ High
16A: Kearsney 40-18 Westville Boys’ High
16B: Kearsney 40-32 Westville Boys’ High
16C: Kearsney 17-21 Westville Boys’ High
16D: Kearsney 29-21 Westville Boys’ High
15A: Kearsney 33-22 Westville Boys’ High
15B: Kearsney 22-10 Westville Boys’ High
15C: Kearsney 18-20 Westville Boys’ High
15D: Kearsney 10-19 Westville Boys’ High
15E: Kearsney 16-10 Westville Boys’ High
14A: Kearsney 28-17 Westville Boys’ High
14B: Kearsney 41-5 Westville Boys’ High
14C: Kearsney 18-17 (OT) Westville
14D: Kearsney 12-20 Westville Boys’ High
14E: Kearsney 8-31 Westville Boys’ High
WBHS 1st Team at AISJ u19 Basketball Tournament
Westville 25-36 St Stithians
Westville 32-39 St David’s Marist Inanda
Westville 25-43 The King’s School Linbro Park
Westville 20-31 Maritzburg College
Westville 36-33 AISJ
9th/10th Westville 32-30 Saheti
WATER POLO
Westville Boys’ High contested the St Andrew’s College Shield in Makhanda, which brings together 12 of the country’s leading teams. They opened with a win over the hosts, but never quite hit their straps despite remaining competitive in their other fixtures.
Pool A
Westville (8)7-7(7) St Andrew’s College
Westville 6-10 Bishops
Westville 6-10 St John’s
Westville 5-13 Rondebosch
Westville 7-9 Clifton
Plate semi-final
Westville 4-6 Grey High
11th/12th
Westville 7-8 Paul Roos
Kearsney enjoyed the edge in their water polo clashes against Westville, with the Westville 2nd team and u15C side winning while Kearsney picked up seven wins, including in the u15A and u14A matches.
Results
2nd: Kearsney 12-6 Westville
3rd: Kearsney 7-8 Westville
4th: Kearsney 12-3 Westville
5th: Kearsney 10-4 Westville
15A: Kearsney 10-5 Westville
15B: Kearsney 6-5 Westville
15C: Kearsney 1-6 Westville
14A: Kearsney 11-2 Westville
14B: Kearsney 7-5 Westville
14C: Kearsney 11-2 Westville
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