St Benedict’s Cricket History
St Benedict’s, one of the top cricketing schools in the country now, since their first game of cricket was played at St Benedict’s way back in 1962. St Benedict’s played against Maryvale Alter Boys and narrowly lost. Father Jimmy Towell was the first cricket coach at St Benedict’s during the sixties and he later became headmaster in 1969-1970. The College currently boasts 16 cricket teams (four per age group).
St Benedict’s has one of the best school boy facilities in the country when it comes to cricket. It boasts four fields with turf wickets, turf practice nets, astro-turf practice facilities, a batting hut and an impressive Indoor Cricket Centre. The centre boasts 7 cricket nets with 20 metre run-ups and superb lighting. The centre caters for cricket boys from Grade 3 through to Grade 12. Coaches across the age groups provide an intense skill based coaching programme covering all aspects of the game, allowing for personal growth and development through this talent acceleration programme. The College also owns property in Linbro Park that has three cricket fields with turf wickets which the Preparatory School utilises.
The College 1st team emerged as the winners of the John Waite B Section Trophy in 2007. Andrew Hipkiss was the College’s first double centurion scoring 200 runs vs Potchefstroom Boys in 2007. Nicolas Smit was the first provincial cricketer selected for the Gauteng U13 A side in 2006 and followed this up by being selected for the Gauteng U15 A side in 2008. In 2012, Mohammed Saloojee represented the Gauteng u15B side, A. Visser represented the Gauteng u13A side, whilst Matthew Smit represented the Gauteng u17A side.
St Benedict’s play against all the top cricketing schools in Gauteng. Every year they play in the Independent Schools Cricket Festival, as well as in the ‘A’ section of the John Waite Trophy. The players enjoy the opportunity of playing schools from around the country as well as being able to tour over sees.