Bulletin, Cricket

Pitch Prep

Maintaining the pristine finish of Union High School’s high-end cricket grounds, or any school’s for that matter, isn’t an easy task, especially with pitches in use for long periods of the spring and summer months.
Although COVID-19 has stumped our 2020/21 cricket season, it has led to our cricket pitches experiencing less traffic, therefore giving our ground staff an opportunity to delve into the art and graft of cricket groundsmanship to produce a quality playing surface for when play eventually resumes.
As it goes without saying that preparing a cricket pitch must be one of the most drawn-out, effort-intensive activities in the field of sports, Union High School extends its immense gratitude to our estate manager Mr Donald Kingwill and our talented team of groundsmen for their consistent efforts in ensuring that Union’s cricket grounds are pitch-perfect.
These past few months have seen a tremendous amount of work done to the pitches on the Puttick and Minnaar fields, which included a layer of bulli added to the pitches just this week.
Our grateful thanks are also extended to our Old Unionites and the Old Unionite Association for their constant support of the school in this endeavour, in particular to Messrs Dave Stern, John Crankshaw and William Copeman for their valued contributions.
We look forward to watching some top-class competitive games on these pitches when our boys are able to take the field again!
Cricket, Sport Results

UHS Honours Cricketers

Union High School is exceptionally proud of its rich tradition and reputation for sporting excellence on the cricket field.

The history of Union High School credits Mr Herby Arnott, a legendary headmaster at Union High School during the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, with establishing cricket as one of the school’s premier sports.

Having been a superior player himself, and with his firm belief in the value of cricket as an educational tool, Herby Arnott developed cricket at the school with vigour during his tenure as headmaster.

Ever since, the success of Union’s cricket can be attributed to the legions of passionate players and coaches who have ensured that the greatest of games continues to flourish within the confines of Union’s magnificent grounds.

In honour of all these cricket players who have made the sport at the school what it is today, Union has erected a permanent reminder of the best batting and bowling performances in the history of the sport at Union.

Affixed to the walls of the Tony Burrell Union is a brand new permanent installation of cricket plaques celebrating all the centuries and five-wicket hauls made by Union’s cricketers.

It is hoped that the installation, which was officially unveiled during the 2020 Founders’ Weekend, will serve as an incentive for Union’s cricketers to excel, and by so doing, earn themselves a lasting place in the history of Union’s cricket – alongside some of Union’s greatest players.

• Old Unionites, visitors, parents and the school’s young cricketers are invited to have a look at the installation when next at the Tony Burrell Union – it truly provides a wonderful walk down memory lane.

• Any Old Boys who played the sport are also encouraged to let us know if a batting or bowling performance has been omitted on the installation. Send through any information pertaining to the above to uhsmarketing@unionschools.co.za

 

Cricket, Sport Results

Annual Senior Cricket Festival

Union High School hosted another successful edition of their annual Senior Cricket Festival from Thursday, 9 January to Saturday, 11 January.

Ten teams, including Edgemead High School, Queen’s College Boys’ High School, Milnerton High School, Nico Malan, Framesby, Stirling High School, Brandwag, Muir College and Daniël Pienaar, participated.

Over the course of three days there were a number of high team scores, some big hitting from the batsmen, quite a few big wicket hauls from the spinners and plenty of smart cricket from the captains.

• Union’s 1st XI faced Edgemead High School on the first day of the festival in a 50-over game.

Union batted first and scored 184. Jaden Brotherton (58) and Brett Amsterdam (51) were Union’s top scorers.

Edgemead then went in to bat and was bowled out for 91.

Bowlers Jaden Brotherton took 5 for 18 and Brett Amsterdam 5 for 31.

Union won the match by 93 runs.

• On Friday, Union faced Queen’s College in a 50-over game. The visiting team batted first and scored 231.
Union’s top batsman was Jaden Brotherton, who took 2 for 30.

Union then went in to bat and unfortunately only managed to put 73 runs on the board. Queen’s College won by 158 runs.

• In their last match of the festival, Union faced Milnerton High School in in action-packed T20 on Saturday, 11 January.

Union went in to bat first and scored 98. Top scorers were James Pienaar (19) and Brett Amsterdam (35).

Milnerton then went in to bat and scored 99 for 6.
Jarrod Naudé took 2 for 14. Union lost by 4 wickets.

Bulletin, Cricket

Karoo U/12 Coach

Mr Floris Steenkamp, Union’s Junior Sports Administrator, has been selected to serve as the coach of the u/12 Karoo cricket team.

He will be accompanying the team when they participate in the annual u/12 Rural Cricket Festival in Port Elizabeth from 29 November to 1 December.

As announced last month, nine Union cricketers were selected for the team. They are Shaakir Kazi, Makukhanye de Beer, Matthew Paxton, Xavier Barlow, Kananelo Kometsi, Yaseen Kazi, Neelon Fourie, Daniel Marais and Yonela Wana.

We extend our best wishes to Mr Steenkamp who we know will leave no stone unturned in ensuring his team is well prepared.

Bulletin, Cricket

EP Midlands Management

Congratulations to Mr Sean Koeberg (left) who has been tasked with managing the EP Midlands u/17 cricket team that will participate in Cricket South Africa’s National Rural Week 2019.

In addition to this, we also extend our congratulations to Union’s Senior Sports Administrator, Mr Raymond Hamilton (right), who has been asked to serve as the team’s assistant coach.

Union wishes them everything of the best in preparing the team for its campaign. We trust that they will do a sterling job and that the team will go from strength to strength under their guidance.

The National Week will take place from 10 to 14 December 2019 at Kearnsney College, Durban.

Cricket, Sport Results

EP Midlands Cricket

Following extensive trials, eight Union High School cricketers have been selected to represent the Eastern Province Midlands u/17 team at the SA National u/17 Rural Week at Kearsney College, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal from 10 to 14 December.

Congratulations to Jaden Brotherton, Hlaki Skepe, Sisipho Arnols, Rogan Odendaal, Lihle Mxhunyelwa, James Pienaar, Kyle-Luke du Preez and Bowen Langmead!

Jaden Brotherton will captain the team, with Bowen Langmead assisting him as vice-captain.

Cricket, Sport Results

Karoo U/12 Cricket

We wish to congratulate the following Union cricketers on being selected for the Karoo u/12 cricket team: Shaakir Kazi, Makukhanye de Beer, Matthew Paxton, Xavier Barlow, Kananelo Kometsi, Yaseen Kazi, Neelon Fourie, Daniel Marais and Yonela Wana.

We wish them everything of the best in the knowledge that they will represent us well!

Cricket, Sport Results

EP Selection For Brett

Months of dedicated practice, matches and trials have resulted in a young Union cricketer being selected to represent his province.

Union High School is immensely proud of Brett Amsterdam who will represent the Eastern Province (EP) u/17 cricket side.

We wish him the best of luck!

Cricket, Sport Results

Cape Schools Results

UHS vs SACS
Brett Amsterdam delivered a superb 7-wicket haul

On Saturday, 21 September UHS 1st XI joined forces against SACS on the Minnaar Field.  SACS batted first and were bowled out for 107.  Brett Amsterdam 7 for 28.  Union batted and scored 131 – 24 run lead.  Brett Amsterdam 23;  Lunga Zantsi 20.

SACS 2nd innings scored 182 – declared.  Union needed 158.  Union scored 93 for 5.  Bowen Langmead 41; Luke Mc Naughton 28.  Union lost by 65 runs.

It’s difficult enough to take fifers and six-wicket-hauls but imagine 7!  In their declaration match against SACS today on Union’s Minnaar Field, Union High School’s Brett Amsterdam wrought havoc with the ball claiming 7 wickets, conceding very few runs while doing so.

Well done Brett!

UHS vs Paarl Boys’ High

Union High School’s 1st XI faced off against Paarl Boys’ High School today, Sunday, 22 September.

Due to rain, the scheduled declaration match was changed to a 35 over match.  Union batted first and scored 177 for 7.  Union’s best batsmen were Jaden Brotherton (54), Bowen Langmead (64) and Brett Amsterdam (45).

Paarl Boys’ then went in to bat. They managed to score 181 for 4.

Union lost by 6 wickets.

UHS vs Paul Roos Gymnasium

Union High School’s 1st XIs faced Paul Roos Gymnasium in a declaration match on Monday, 23 September.  Union batted first and were bowled out for 107.  Trevor Moos scored 32 and Luke McNaughton 28.

Paul Roos then scored 260 for 4.  James Pienaar was Union’s best bowler in this inning, taking 2 for 67.

When Union went in to bat for their second innings, Paul Roos needed 5 wickets for an outright win, with a 153 run lead.  With the day ending at 17:30, Union needed to bat the day out. They, unfortunately, lost their last wicket in the final over of the day, with the score on 133.

Union’s best batsmen were Jaden Brotherton (41), Bowen Langmead (38) and Brett Amsterdam (21 not out).

Unfortunately, the result doesn’t reflect the high standard of cricket the boys played.

UHS vs Wynberg

Union’s 1st XI faced Wynberg Boys’ High School in a 50-over match today, Tuesday, 24 September, on the last day of the 2019 Cape Schools’ Cricket Week.

Union batted first and were bowled out for 97. Zu Ngwane made 17 runs and Caerwyn Spence 13 not out.

Wynberg managed to pass the score with 5 wickets down.  Brett Amsterdam was Union’s best bowler, taking 4 for 40 in 10 overs.

Union lost the match by 5 wickets.

Thank you Asante Sana!

One of the higlights of this year’s Cape Schools’ Cricket Week was playing at Asante Sana Private Game Reserve, where the appearance of animals on the field of play proved to be entertaining distractions from the regular cricketing fare.

A heartfelt word of thanks is extended to Richard and Kitty Viljoen for this incredible opportunity!

 

Last schools match for these lads

One can only begin to imagine the emotion.

Cape Schools’ Cricket Week 2019 served as the last schoolboy cricket festival for five Union Grade 12 1st XI players.

Union thanks them for the years of entertainment they provided and their exemplary contribution to the game of cricket at Union.