Selborne College Records Mixed Results Across Age Groups at Prestigious Cricket Festivals

Selborne College’s cricket teams represented the Eastern Cape with pride at various national school cricket festivals from 3 to 7 October 2025, delivering spirited performances across age groups despite mixed results. The 1st XI, U15A, and U14A sides all faced top opposition from leading cricket schools across the country — gaining invaluable experience on some of South Africa’s biggest school cricket stages.

1st XI — Cape Schools Cricket Week (Cape Town)

Selborne College’s 1st XI travelled to Cape Town for the prestigious Cape Schools Cricket Week, facing a demanding four-day schedule against elite cricketing institutions.

Day 1: Selborne opened strongly against Union High School, posting a commanding 353/7 declared, thanks to fine batting from Matthew Hendry (84), Aaron Senekal (83), and Reece Wait (50). Union High was dismissed for 182, with Michael Hess (3/52) and Senekal (3/13) leading the attack. Selborne won convincingly by 171 runs.

Day 2: The momentum shifted as Selborne faced St Andrew’s School (Bloemfontein). Despite excellent bowling from Samuel Jacobson (3/16) and Hendry (3/46), St Andrew’s amassed 274/7. Selborne managed 125 all out, with Josh Wilkie (42) offering resistance, falling 149 runs short.

Day 3: In a T20 clash against SACS, Selborne bowled well — Bunqina Nuku (2/38) among the wickets — but rain interrupted play after Selborne reached 135/5 chasing 171, ending the match abandoned.

Day 4: A challenging encounter against Rondebosch ended quickly, with Selborne dismissed for 27. Rondebosch chased down the target within five overs to win by 9 wickets.

While results were mixed, the 1st XI showcased depth in batting and moments of bowling brilliance, setting a foundation for the rest of the summer season.

U15A — Grey High Festival (Gqeberha)

Selborne’s U15A side faced equally tough opposition at the Grey High Festival, where conditions tested both skill and temperament.

Day 1: Against Woodridge, the team bowled well with Imigcobo Matshele (4/33) and Muhammed Lulat (2/69) restricting the hosts to 285/8 declared. Despite Bilal Hassan (34) and Laythum Prince (16) fighting hard, Selborne were dismissed for 100, losing on the first innings by 185 runs.

Day 2: In the one-day format versus Paarl Boys’ High, Selborne’s bowlers worked tirelessly — Prince (3/65) and Hamza Langeveldt (2/33) the pick — but the opposition’s 304/6 proved too strong. Hassan (51) and Nathan Randall (27) offered resistance before Selborne were bowled out for 143, losing by 161 runs.

Day 3: Facing Bishops, Selborne’s bowlers again performed with discipline. Liam Chettiar (3/39) and Matshele (2/20) restricted Bishops to 212, but Selborne’s batting faltered at 124 all out, losing by 88 runs.

Day 4: A short-format clash against SACS saw Randall (28) top-score as Selborne posted 95, but SACS chased it down comfortably to win by 9 wickets.

Despite not finding victories, the U15A team displayed strong individual performances and resilience, gaining crucial experience against top-tier opponents.

U14A — Charl van Rooyen Festival (Paarl)

Selborne’s U14A team, competing in Paarl, delivered a standout performance at the Charl van Rooyen Cricket Festival, achieving three wins from four matches in an impressive run.

Day 1: Against KES, Jordan Janse van Rensburg (58) led the way as Selborne’s bowlers — Rudolph Britz (2/7) and Daniel Smith (2/14) — dominated both innings to secure an outright 77-run victory.

Day 2: Facing Pretoria Boys High, Selborne edged a thrilling encounter, defending 163 to bowl out their opponents for 152. Jesse van Bronckhorst (3/26) and Jaidyn van Tonder (2/14) were key in sealing a 12-run win.

Day 3: In T20 action against Durban High School, Selborne’s bowlers again excelled — Daniel Fourie (3/9) and Korban Peinkie (2/10) — restricting DHS to 61/8, handing Selborne a 21-run win.

Day 4: In their final match against Jeppe High, Selborne narrowly missed victory in a high-scoring thriller. Van Bronckhorst smashed a magnificent 140 (94), supported by van Rensburg (56) and van Tonder (28), as Selborne fell just short, losing by 2 runs.

The U14A side emerged as one of the standout Eastern Cape teams of the festival, showing exceptional skill and unity.

⚡ Summary and Outlook

While Selborne’s senior teams endured mixed results, the younger age groups — particularly the U14A squad — demonstrated the depth and promise of Selborne College cricket. Across all divisions, players displayed determination, sportsmanship, and the school’s trademark spirit against some of South Africa’s finest cricket schools.

With the summer term ahead, the lessons from these festivals are expected to strengthen Selborne’s competitive edge in the upcoming fixtures.