15 February 2026
Rain was forecast for Saturday at the Clifton T20 Tournament, but six results were achieved in eight matches, with only two being abandoned, although those came with consequences.
Kearsney College, the tournament’s most explosive batting unit thus far, picked up where they had left off after Friday’s 196/1 against St John’s College (Harare).
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Against Hilton College, they powered their way to 188/4, with Rivaan Moodley striking 65 and Aaron Blackburn finishing unbeaten on 58 in another authoritative display of clean hitting and sharp running between the wickets.
Then came the squeeze. James Bishop ripped through Hilton with 4/16, leading to the Midlands’ school being dismissed for 132 in 16.3 overs. That meant Kearsney had won by 56 runs and, as a result, it undid Hilton’s encouraging 50-run victory over Clifton on day one.
That was because Clifton College responded in emphatic fashion to that setback. Backed by a vocal home crowd, they powered through St John’s (Harare) to win by 71 runs and surge above Hilton in the Group A standings.
Hayden Drieselmann, one of three run outs in the loss to Hilton, answered in style. His 41 from 25 balls – four fours and a six – was 25 more than any other batsman managed in the contest and gave Clifton a competitive 148 all out.
Then their spinners took over. Keegan Watson (3/15), Blake Johnson (3/17), Shiraz Perumal (2/15), and Muhammed Malek (1/1) shared nine wickets as St John’s unravelled and were all out for 77.
Later, rain halted Kearsney’s clash with Clifton and Hilton’s meeting with St John’s, leaving Kearsney top of the group, followed by Clifton and then Hilton. Kearsney’s Asher Hollister, unbeaten on 63 when the covers came on, tops the run charts with 170 from three innings.
While Kearsney and Clifton were grabbing the top two places in Group A, Michaelhouse was busy ending Durban High School‘s (DHS) reign as the only winners of the Clifton T20.
At Northwood, they beat School by 28 runs to end School’s quest for a third successive Clifton T20 crown.
It didn’t look likely early on. When Michaelhouse slumped to 37/4 after seven overs and 64/5 in the tenth, DHS was in complete control.
Then Ben Heuer launched a counterattack of rare ferocity. Teaming up with Thandanani Zuma, they added 98 in 55 balls to flip the match.
Heuer hammered 75 from just 37 deliveries, clearing the ropes seven times and striking two fours. By the time he fell, seven balls from the close, DHS was reeling.
Zuma’s unbeaten 38 from 32 and Victor North‘s blistering 18 not out from six balls lifted Michaelhouse to a formidable total of 191/6.
Chasing 9.6 runs per over to win, DHS mounted a spirited reply. Ismaeel Omar (61 off 42) and Josh van Biljon (58 off 52) made 104 for the second wicket and, for a time, kept the champions’ hopes alive.
But when Omar fell and Van Biljon followed in the 16th over, caught by Heuer off Rendani Nonge, the asking rate ballooned. Bonga Maphanga‘s unbeaten 15 from seven balls was spirited, yet insufficient. DHS closed on 153/5.
Michaelhouse must now beat Hoërskool Waterkloof, who they comfortably dispatched on Friday, in Sunday’s eliminator to reach the semi-finals.
Klofies crushed Glenwood by 77 runs after Juan Swart‘s 50 from 24 balls propelled them to 185/7. Northwood edged Maritzburg College off the final ball of an 18-over thriller, and Westville Boys’ High claimed a DLS win over St Charles College, highlighted by a Kyle McGough hat-trick.
The rain threatened to steal the stage. Instead, the cricket ensured the tournament remains finely poised – and that there will be no three-peat for DHS.
Summarised scorecards
Michaelhouse 181/6 (Ben Heuer 75, Thandanani Zuma 38; Bonga Maphanga 3/16, Josh Morley 2/27); Durban High School 153/5 (Ismaeel Omar 61, Josh van Biljon 58; Rendani Nonge 3/37). Michaelhouse won by 28 runs.
Kearsney College 188/4 (Rivaan Moodley 65, Aaron Blackburn 58*; Sange Qangule 1/26); Hilton College 132/10 (Robert Burman 28, Ben Wilson 28, James Peattie 23, Sange Qangule 22; James Bishop 4/16). Kearsney won by 56 runs.
Clifton College 148/10 (Hayden Drieselmann 41; Sean Reilly 4/36); St John’s College (Harare) 77/10 (James Manning 18; Keegan Watson 3/15, Blake Johnson 3/17, Shiraz Perumal 2/15). Clifton College won by 71 runs.
Waterkloof 185/7 (Juan Swart 50, Wian du Plessis 37*, AJ de Villiers 32, Franco Schimdt 29; Kreesan Pillai 3/36); Glenwood High 108/10 (Akhil Sinath 18; Rian Klopper 2/4, Rivan Booysen 2/16, Vorster de Villiers 2/19). Waterkloof won by 77 runs.
Maritzburg College 120/5 (Rory Schirge 50*, Reece Willson 27; Ryan van Zyl 2/29); Northwood 121/4 (Luc Boyall 53*, David de Bruyn 47; Reece Willson 2/20). Northwood won by six wickets.
Hilton College 101/5 (James Peattie 36; Shivaan Chouhan 3/10). St John’s (Harare) did not bat. Match abandoned.
St Charles College 121/4 in 15 overs (Thando Zama 67, Joshua Nicholson 33; Kyle McGough 3/32); Westville Boys’ High 56/2 in 5 overs (Tristin Delvin 31*, Aidan Baudach 19; Jayden Saville 1/9). Westville Boys’ High won by eight wickets.
Kearsney College 98/2 after 14 overs (Asher Hollister 63*; Blake Johnson 1/18). Clifton College did not bat. Match abandoned.
PLAYOFF FIXTURES
Sunday, 15 February
Eliminator
Michaelhouse vs Waterkloof
Westville Boys’ High vs Hilton College
Positional playoffs
Clifton College vs Glenwood
St Charles College vs St John’s College (Harare)
Maritzburg College vs Durban High School
Semi-finals
Kearsney College vs winner of Eliminator 1
Northwood vs winner of Eliminator 2
Final
Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF2, Crusaders Club
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