The stage is set for the Final Showdown in schools cricket as the top boys' and girls' teams gather for the inaugural Schools SA20 National Finals from 12-15 March at the Tuks Oval in Pretoria.
SA20 in collaboration with Cricket South Africa (CSA) launched this national competition in September 2024 to discover and nurture cricket talent among both girls and boys in the Under-19 age group. Over 370 boys' school teams and 200 girls' school teams participated in the national competition, with over 1 000 matches played across all provinces in the country.
CSA Chief Executive Officer Pholetsi Moseki commented: “Congratulations to all the schools that participated in the inaugural Schools SA20 and to those who have made it to the National Finals.
“It is inspiring to see the continued growth of our game at all levels, especially following the remarkable performances of our men’s and women’s teams - both senior and youth - on the global stage in the past 24 months. We look forward to the emergence of future stars of South African cricket over the weekend."
The final phase of the tournament will feature the regional champions from a highly competitive Phase Two, which includes traditional cricket schools, CSA Hub teams and Focus Schools.
It will be the culmination of months of high-quality boys’ and girls’ school cricket, which has produced incredible individual and team performances.
SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said: “Off the back of a successful Season 3 of SA20, it’s wonderful to be able to continue providing a platform for talent in South Africa to perform. The first two phases showed there is an abundance of youth talent in the pipeline. We will have some of the best boys and girls cricketers in action for the Schools SA20 National Finals and I’m looking forward to seeing the next generation of incredible in action.”
A number of young upcoming players will be showcasing their talent at the Tuks Oval including Bishops’ South Africa U19 opening batter Adnaan Lagadien, Pearson High School’s SA Colts allrounder Cayden Wilson along with St Davids’ Marist Inanda’s SA Schools representatives Armaan Manack and Jason Rowles.
Steyn City School will be showing off their two SA U19 Women stars Karabo Meso and Diara Ramlakan along with non-travelling reserve Jenna-Lee Lubbe, who were all part of the team that recently reached the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup Final in Malaysia.
Nkowankowa Hub’s allrounder Shelfa Mukhari as well as Saints Christian School allrounder Tshegofatso Monyela were also part of the SA20 supported U19 girls training camps held last year.
The eight boys’ teams have been divided into two pools of four teams each. The boys will have three matches in their respective pools with the top two sides in each pool qualifying for the semi-finals.
The six girls’ teams are split into two pools of three, where they will play two group matches and one cross-pool match. The top girls’ team in each pool will automatically qualify for the Final.
In addition to the thrilling matches, the Schools SA20 Finals also serve as a vital platform for skills development, with coaches and scouts eager to spot the next generation of future stars.
The event stands as a testament to the joint commitment to strengthening the pipeline, especially with the recent success of the Rookie Draft concept introduced in the SA20 League’s second season, ensuring that the road to professional cricket is more accessible for talented players.
Spectators are encouraged to head to the Tuks Oval from 12-15 March to cheer on the future of South African cricket. Saturday will be a family-friendly outing with food and beverages on sale, shaded areas for picnics, live music, and action-packed schools cricket.
All matches from the Finals Showdown week will be live on the SuperSport Schools app, DStv Channel 216 and SABC Plus. The girls' final on Saturday, 15 March will be shown on DStv Channel 209.
Boys Teams
POOL A: Northwood School (KwaZulu-Natal), St Andrew’s School Bloemfontein (Central), Hoërskool Garsfontein (Gauteng North), Graeme College (Focus School).
POOL B: Pearson High School (Eastern Cape), Bishops Diocesan College (Western Cape), St David's Marist Inanda (Gauteng South), CSA Hubs Invitational XI
Girls Teams
POOL A: Dr JL Dube High School (KwaZulu-Natal), Saints Christian School (Central), Nkowankowa Hub (Gauteng North).
POOL B: Nomandi Junior Secondary School (Eastern Cape), Victoria Hub (Western Cape), Steyn City School (Gauteng South)
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