T20s were the name of the game on Sunday, the fourth and final day of the 2026 Oppenheimer Michaelmas Cricket Week.
In the match of the day, Northwood School chose to bat first against Grey College after the coin fell in their favour.
Playing on Michaelhouse‘s Hannah’s Field, the Durban school tallied a strong 184/4 after their 20 overs, led by opener Thomas Oosthuizen, who top-scored with an electric 61 off 38 balls, which included six fours and four sixes.
Fellow opener David de Bruyn hit four maximums and a four of his own in a knock of 43 off 35, as the pair built a 112-run partnership for the first wicket from only 72 balls.
Batting at four, Josh Mills smashed three fours and two sixes in a rapid and unbeaten 40 off 23.
Daniel Hayidakis was the only bowler from the City of Roses to remove more than one batsman. He finished 2/35 from four overs.
In reply, Grey College opener Juan Maree scored a relatively conservative 33 off 35 in his 117-run second-wicket stand with his captain, Daniel Hattingh.
The skipper led from the front, rocketing a ridiculous 11 sixes into orbit, plus three fours, in his explosive journey to 86 runs off only 37 deliveries.
Josh Mills, after his excellent innings, weighed in with an important bowling contribution, capturing 3/40 in four overs, while Cameron White bowled well at the death, claiming 3/17, also in four.
The contest came down to the very last ball, from which Aiden Dodd was run out after Grey had added one run to their total, taking them to 183/9 after their 20 overs. That left Northwood with the narrowest of victories and an impressive three-win showing at the Michaelmas Week.
It also meant that Grey College stumbled at the last hurdle in their shot at a fourth Michaelmas victory.
At Michael Patrick’s Oval, King Edward VII (KES) went against the grain and decided to bowl first against Paarl Gimnasium.
It was certainly the right call, as they restricted the Western Cape side to 125/9 from their 20 overs.
In four overs, Steele Grooteman, who went on to win the man of the match award, claimed 3/16, while Ryan Erasmus returned 3/20 in his four.
Opener Wian Munnik was the only Gimmies‘ batsman to get past 15.
In response, KES needed only 15.4 overs to reach 128/2, recording an emphatic eight-wicket victory.
Tiago Dias contributed heavily to his opening partnership of 51 runs with Matthew Bromley. The latter was caught on 14, while Dias went on to score 44 off 38, whacking two fours and four sixes.
Troy Gordon, at three, faced only 28 balls, but raced to an unbeaten 45, dispatching six balls for four and another two for six.
At the Collegians Club, when Westville Boys’ High batted first against Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), Griffins’ openers Aiden Baudach and Tristin Delvin set a fierce tone early on with half-centuries and combined for 99 for the first wicket.
Baudach played with more caution than Delvin, hitting five fours in his 53 off 47 deliveries, while Delvin blasted two sixes and six fours in his 52 off only 30 balls.
The Stellenbosch school’s bowlers bounced back after the departure of the opening pair. Luan Coetzee continued his strong form with 2/20 from four overs, while Marcus Conradie came in for some tap, but took 2/36 in three, bowling late in Westville’s innings, which ended on 188/5.
Set a challenging run chase, Paul Roos opener Jason Moodie cut loose, thumping seven fours and four sixes in an impressive 81 off only 46 balls. Christiaan Fouché hit out, too, cracking six fours and a six in an explosive 31-ball stay, which produced 45 not out.
Westville’s Liam de Villiers captured the important wicket of Moodie and returned 2/36 from his four overs.
Despite their brave run pursuit, PRG came up slightly short, finishing on 179/6, leaving Westville with a slim seven-run win.
Paarl Boys’ High donned their helmets and pads first after winning the toss at the Lynwood Oval, where they faced Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies).
That decision didn’t pay off. In 18.4 overs, the Bolanders mustered only 76 all out.
Ra’ed Fredericks, batting at 10, top scored with 20. He was one of only three Boys’ High batsmen to reach double figures in the face of a relentless Affies’ effort in the field.
That was best shown by four players being run out, with Dylan Stander, Lucas Cronje, Daniel Murray, and Nico Loggenberg all contributing to those dismissals
Zian Labuschagne snapped up 2/6 in only 1.4 overs, while Lucas Cronje produced an economic and efficient spell, which earned him 2/10.
Affies’ opener JP Botha led his side’s run pursuit, cracking four fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 46 off 43 balls, while steering the Pretoria locals to 79/4 and a comfortable six-wicket victory in just 12.1 overs.
All four bowlers employed by Boishaai earned a wicket, with Ra-eez Isaacs returning a tight 1/14 from four overs.
Summarised Scorecards:
Northwood School 184/4 (Thomas Oosthuizen 61, David de Bruyn 43, Josh Mills 40*, Jamie Wimble 24; Daniel Hayidakis 2/35). Grey College 183/9 (Daniel Hattingh 86, Juan Maree 33, River Scott 22; Cameron White 3/17, Josh Mills 3/40). Northwood won by one run.
Paarl Gimnasium 125/9 (Wian Munnik 33; Steele Grooteman 3/16, Ryan Erasmus 3/20). KES 128/2 (Troy Gordon 45*, Tiago Dias 44; Daniel Carstens 1/6). KES won by eight wickets.
Westville Boys’ High 188/5 (Aiden Rautenbach 53, Tristin Delvin 52, Ewan du Toit 34, Kyle McGough 24; Luan Coetzee 2/20, Marcus Conradie 2/36). Paul Roos Gimnasium 179/6 (Jason Moodie 81, Christiaan Fouché 45*; Liam de Villiers 2/36). Westville won by nine runs.
Paarl Boys’ High 76/10 (Ra’ed Fredericks 20; Zian Labuschagne 2/6, Lucas Cronje 2/10). Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) 79/4 (JP Botha 46*; Raeez Isaacs 1/14). Affies won by six wickets.
