By Johnathan Paoli
Graeme College’s 1st XI carved their names into the national cricketing record books this weekend, becoming the first team in South Africa to officially qualify for the inaugural Switch Schools SA20 Finals, set for March 2026.
The Makhanda side clinched the honour after a composed, disciplined, and unbeaten run through the Focus Schools tournament in East London, where they defeated Queen’s College by 40 runs in a tense final on Sunday.
The achievement marks a major step forward for the school, which reached the semi-finals of the national tournament.
This time, with a balanced attack and calm batting under pressure, Graeme ensured they went one stage further, sealing their qualification after yet another close contest against long-time rivals Queen’s College, whom Graeme edged by three wickets in a rain-affected 15-over final.
Queen’s, having elected to bat, were restricted to 76 runs for 7 wickets, thanks largely to a superb two-over burst from Jordan Damons, who took four wickets, conceded 11 runs and ripped through the middle order.
In response, Graeme paced their chase smartly, with contributions from Enrique Strydom (19 runs), Andrew Muir (15 runs) and Caleb Jattiem (14 runs) guiding the team to safety with overs to spare.
The three-wicket victory secured yet another big-match win over Queen’s, their second of the tournament, and reaffirmed their composure in pressure situations.
The semi-final earlier in the day against Prestige College presented a different kind of challenge.
After being sent in to bat, Graeme cruised to 78 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in just 8.3 overs, powered by a commanding 43 runs not out from Corbin Tidbury and a polished 29 runs not out from Strydom.
But torrential rain cut the match short, forcing a nervy bowl-out to decide the finalist.
In the decisive moment, it was Tidbury, already in form with the bat, who held his nerve and hit the only successful bowl-out strike, giving Graeme a 1–0 win and safe passage to the final.
The team’s unbeaten run also featured standout individual performances, none more memorable than Luphelo Mdyesha’s incredible 5/7 in four overs against Hudson Park in the opening game.
His spell set the tone for the entire tournament, ensuring Graeme began the weekend with confidence and authority.
Another consistent performer was Kitts McConnachie, whose all-round brilliance in the longer-format final of the Focus Schools leg (played the same weekend) earned high praise.
His composed 30 runs from 19 balls and 2 wickets while bowling showcased the squad’s impressive depth and balance, attributes that proved decisive throughout the competition.
The victory in East London capped off a weekend of resilience, discipline, and belief.
Graeme College now turns their focus to the national finals in March next year.
INSIDE EDUCATION
