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FINALS 2026 PLAYER PROFILE - DIARABILWE NGUBENI (SAINTS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL)
Profile courtesy SuperSport Schools Plus
Representing the North West senior ladies' side adds a wealth of experience to any young cricketer's CV, especially when it comes to possibly leading one's school to a national title.
That is exactly what the young Diarabilwe Ngubeni will bring to Saints Christian School's campaign when the Central Region champions face seven of the country's top teams at The Finals of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume 2 competition at the University of Pretoria from 4-7 March.
Ngubeni, from the Ikageng Township, in Potchefstroom, recently lifted the 50‑over trophy with the North West Dragons ladies' franchise in Cricket South Africa's Division One.
The astonishing part is that she is only 15 years old, turning 16 later this year. Her talents, however, have been evident long before her breakthrough season with the Dragons.
In 2025, she represented North West at the U16 Girls National Week. Before that, she had already honed her skills in the Saints' 1st XI since 2024, when she was only in Grade 8.
She has represented North West at every age‑group level during her young cricketing career.
Her all‑round ability, batting in the top order and bowling accurate off‑spin, has been integral to Saints reaching the final phase of the nationwide T20 competition once again.
Diarabilwe Ngubeni (front row, second from right) played a key role in Saints Christian School reaching the Switch Schools SA20 Volume 2 Finals.
In the final of the Regional Playoffs, at the JB Marks Oval, a venue she already knows all too well, against Hoërskool Witteberg, from Bethlehem, she produced a tidy return of 2/16 to help her side seal a 24‑run victory, while offering a clear glimpse of what may come next week.
Beyond her cricketing excellence, Ngubeni is also an exceptional footballer. She dreams of following in the footsteps of her hero, Ellyse Perry, the Australian great who excelled internationally in both cricket and football.
Her ambitions are as bold as her talent. She aims to represent both Banyana Banyana and the Proteas Women, highlighting what her peers and coaches already know - she is unafraid of chasing big goals, which exhibits a mentality essential for competing with and overcoming the country's best.
Saints will be one of the first girls' teams in action at the Finals. They meet Queens High School in their opener on the Tuks C Field at 09:30 on Wednesday, 4 March.
That's followed by two matches on Thursday, 5 March. The Potchefstroom girls face Nomandi Junior Secondary School in the morning, then take on the Nkowankowa Hub in the afternoon. Both matches will be played on Tuks D.
The playoffs begin on Friday, 7 March.
Profile courtesy SuperSport Schools Plus. Follow all the Switch Schools SA20 action live on SuperSport Schools - (www.supersportschools.com) and Channel 216.
