Under-19 Coca-Cola T20 Schools Challenge National Finals are finally here

In October 2013 over 11 000 cricketers from over 650 schools started on their journey to represent their respective franchise in the national finals of the

Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge.  The grueling qualifiers are now over and Grey College (Knights), St Stithians College (Lions), Waterkloof Hoerskool (Titans), Kingwood College (Warriors), Wynberg Boys’ High (Cobras) and Westville High School (Dolphins) will lock horns at the Tuks High Performance Centre, Pretoria, from the 3^rd to the 5^th October.

The tournament is fairly new, but it is already playing its part in Cricket South Africa’s talent identification pipeline. Quinton de Kock is the first Protea player to have played in the national finals – for King Edward II School and the Lions in 2010 and 2011 – and a number of players have gone on from here to play for the South African Schools and  Coca-Cola®  under-19 teams. They include the star of the 2014 ICC under-19 World Cup, Kagiso Rabada, who represented St Stithians College and the Lions in 2013.

The Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge is about making heroes,” explains Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola® South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “This grassroots tournament is where heroes are unearthed by giving them the opportunity to showcase their talent against top T20 schools from around the country”.

ENDS

ABOUT FINALISTS

GREY COLLEGE

For Grey College, based in Bloemfontein, this cricket season has been exceptional.  Not only is the school representing the Knights in the national finals this weekend, but the school emerged as the winner of the Coca-Cola® 30 Minute Hero Challenge winning a fully installed outdoor gym to the value of R200 000 with 199 pupils competing a 5 drill programme in the allotted 30 minutes.

As Free State champions, Grey then went on to play Noord-Kaap, the winners of the Griquas region, to determine who the representative of the Knights franchise at the national finals would be, in a match won comfortably by Grey.

ST STITHIANS

St Stithians will represent the Lions for the second year in succession.  The school qualified after winning the Johnny Waite Knockout beating St John’s College in the final game.

T20 cricket is a key part of the schools cricketing calendar. In preparation for the tournament St Stithians have played as many T20 games as possible including against Hoërskool Menlopark, Wits University and the University of Johannesburg.

WESTVILLE BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL

Westville Boys’ High School will be making their third consecutive appearance at the national finals of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge representing the Dolphins.

Westville Boys’ High School won the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal region playoff and went on to beat the KZN Inland champions, Hilton College, by 19 runs in the franchise final.

Key to their tournament preparation has been a focus on multiple fielding drills, as well as practicing specific strokes for the Coca-Cola® T20 matches, like hitting over the top and reverse sweeping.

WYNBERG BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL

Wynberg Boys’ High School will represent the Cobras franchise at the national finals of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge.

Wynberg Boys’ High School beat Paul Roos Gymnasium, the Boland provincial champions, by 4 wickets in the regional final.

Wynberg’s focus has been on ensuring that their bowlers are focused, as players need to hone in right from the very first ball in T20 cricket.

Wynberg played in the national finals in the 2010/11 season with an experienced team and believes this team has the same qualities.

WATERKLOOF HOERSKOOL

Waterkloof Hoerskool beat EG Jansen in a reduced overs match to reach the national finals for the second year in succession.   Waterkloof managed 106 runs in 10 overs and bowled EG Jansen out for 37 runs.

Waterkloofs strategy is to play aggressive attacking and positive cricket.

Waterkloof were beaten by Rondebosch Boys’ High in the final last year. 

KINGSWOOD COLLEGE

Kingswood College beat Selborne College to represent the Warriors in the national finals of the Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge. 

In a tightly contested regional final Kingswood won the toss and elected to bat first notching up 124/9.  Selborne lost by a mere 2 runs.  The highlight of the game came from Jerome Bossr who scored 58 not out in 44 balls including three 6’s in a row in the last over.

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT

Coca-Cola® T20 Schools Challenge National Finals

Date: 3^rd – 5^th October 2014

Venue: TUKS Cricket Grounds (Fields – Oval A, Cricket B, Cricket C)

Match Programme

Each team will play each other in a preliminary round

The two teams that gain first and second position will then contest the final.

In the event of a no result in the final, the team that finished first after the conclusion of the preliminary round shall be declared the winner.

Fixtures

DAY	DATE	TIME	TEAM	TEAM	VENUE
Friday	3 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Cobras	Knights	Tuks Oval
Friday	3 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Titans	Warriors	Tuks B
Friday	3 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Dolphins	Lions	Tuks C
Friday	3 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	Warriors	Cobras	Tuks C
Friday	3 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	Lions	Titans	Tuks Oval
Friday	3 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	Knights	Dolphins	Tuks B
Saturday	4 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Cobras	Lions	Tuks B
Saturday	4 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Titans	Dolphins	Tuks C
Saturday	4 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Warriors	Knights	Tuks OvAL
Saturday	4 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	Dolphins	Cobras	Tuks Oval
Saturday	4 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	Knights	Titans	Tuks C
Saturday	4 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	Warriors	Lions	Tuks B
Sunday	5 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Titans	Cobras	Tuks Oval
Sunday	5 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Warriors	Dolphins	Tuks B
Sunday	5 October	AM : 09h30 - 12h30	Knights	Lions	Tuks C
Sunday	5 October	PM : 14h00 - 17h00	1st Place	2nd Place	Tuks Oval