Saints Cricket
Cricket has been part and parcel of St Charles College since the early 1930’s. Since then, many a famous victory have taken place, which includes an unbeaten winning streak by Mr Murray Cole-Edwardes and Mr Lucky Dladla’s first team of 2019 – 22 wins on the trot.
The march to the final of the South Africa Schools Coca-Cola T20 League was one to remember. Famous victories were included in that phenomenal year of cricket. The Super Saints of 2019 set the standards for years to come.
At a time where St Charles College Cricket celebrated this extraordinary feat, Mr Morne van Wyk joined the ranks, and the programme has never looked back. His calm, caring and peaceful demeanour allows for boys to learn in a stress-free environment, whilst playing the sport they love. Words that are synonymous with the learning experience at St Charles College, the school that Africa needs.
Fast forward a few years, and here we find ourselves quietly noticing a tremendous shift, once again, in the world of South African schoolboy cricket. During the past holiday break, our U14, U15, U17 and first team participated in prestigious cricket festivals across the country. Victories were recorded against Rondebosch (U14), Grey College (U14), St Johns College (U14), Bishops College (U17), Pretoria Boys High School (U17), Kempton Park High School (U17) and St David’s (U19). This on the back of the 1st XI defending their title of KZN T20 Champions, a tournament hosted at Eston Sports club.
This success, however, is not limited to only the top cricket playing teams. Over the last three full school fixtures, St Charles College have recorded some extraordinary results. This included clean sweeps vs Glenwood High School and Kearsney College, with only three teams across the whole Senior School losing to Hilton College. The entire U14 age-group, and the 1st XI recording well-deserved victories, amongst others. Our U11 cricket team found some form as well, defeating the co-champions of the 100@Saints U11 Cricket festival hosted at St Charles College, arguably the most prestigious U11 cricket tournament in South Africa.
The successes do not only remain team based, which is most important at St Charles College, but individuals are also enjoying resounding successes. At the last KZN Inland cricket capping ceremony, six boys were selected for the KZN U19 Cricket team, three for the U16 team, three for the KZN cubs’ team, one included in the South African Schools cricket team and another made his way into the South African U19 squad, as well as the South African Emerging team.
St Charles College, furthermore, enjoys the expertise of four Level 3 cricket coaches, and to top this off, Level 4 cricket coach and the current Head Coach of the Tuskers cricket team, Mr Grant Morgan, serves as a consultant, sharing unparalleled coaching tips and techniques. The wealth of experience and expertise these coaches bring to St Charles College makes training days, truly a blessed environment.
So where will this journey lead to? Cricket is very much a statistical game, and in words echoed in most cricket change rooms – stats don’t lie. Be sure of this, to the faithful one, a certain reward. – Mr Divan van Wyk (Sports Marketing)
