QUEENS EDGE GALLANT SAINTS CHRISTIAN TO BE CROWNED VOLUME 2 GIRLS CHAMPIONS

Mankwana Moriri scored a priceless 44 and snapped up a crucial wicket, while Koketso Mokgara stopped the Saint Christian School batters in their tracks, to help Queens High School secure a six-run win and the Switch Schools SA20 Volume 2 title at Tuks Oval on Saturday.

Boitumelo Chuene, the Queens captain, won the toss and chose to bat first. Her batters answered her call to put up a winning total by scoring 96/9 in 20 overs. Meanwhile, her bowlers bowled a disciplined line and did not concede any extras as they restricted Saints Christian to 90/8 in 20 overs.

Moriri led the way with a brilliant 44 from 49 balls that featured six boundaries. The opener got her side going with a 46-run opening stand she shared with Nonkululeko Mthethwa (13).

Queens’ innings, which looked promising, fell apart with Mthethwa’s dismissal in the ninth over. She was replaced by her captain, Chuene, who stayed in the middle long enough to score six runs from 15 deliveries.

The wheels came off for Queens in the 14th over, when the Johannesburg side lost Chuene and Tshepang Choma in three deliveries. Siphokazi Duma deceived both batters with her spin to trap Chuene leg before wicket and then elicit an edge with a delivery that kept low to account for Choma.

The double strike was the beginning of a collapse that saw the Queens lose four wickets for 11 runs in 2.1 overs. They could have soldiered on to 100 runs had Moriri remained in the middle until the final over. Unfortunately, for them, the opener scooped a Bophelo Sothoane delivery to Leeanny Makusha at mid-off while trying to clear the inner ring.

However, despite not having double-figure contributions from their lower order, Queens still managed to put up a winning total.

Sothoane was Saint Christian’s most successful bowler with three wickets for 23 runs in four overs - which helped her claim the Bowler of the Tournament award for most wickets on seven. Siphokazi Duma ended her campaign (which started with the girls Player of the Day award on the opening day of these Finals) with two wickets for 24 runs in four overs, while Diarabilwe Ngubeni, captain Reabetswe Dithipe, and Gogontle Padi contributed a wicket each.

The loss of Siphokazi Duma in the fourth over briefly put Saints Christian on the backfoot in their chase. However, they consolidated and rebuilt with a 20-run second-wicket partnership between Dithipe (16) and wicketkeeper Jessica Joshua (18).

Unfortunately, that fightback was halted by Koketso Mokgara, who bowled two match-winning overs that crippled Saints Christian. Mokgara accounted for Joshua, who was looking comfortable at the crease, in the 11th over, and then bagged two wickets in three deliveries to account for Ngubeni and Padi in the 13th over.

The three scalps handicapped the ladies from Potchefstroom, and they did not recover from them. Leeanny Makusha (18) and Siphumelele Duma (12*) launched a lower-order fightback, but the Queens bowling attack ensured that they scored at a rate below the required run rate.

Mokgara was Queens’ most successful bowler with three wickets for 14 runs in four overs - which earned her the Player of the Match honours. Thanya Nkuna, Karabo Matlaila, Mankwana Moriri, and Bonolo Phalane each took a wicket to see Queens over the finishing line and cue ecstatic celebrations.

MATCH SUMMARY

Switch Schools SA20 Volume 2 Girls Final

Saturday, 7 March 2026 at Tuks Oval, Pretoria

Queens High School 96/9 - 20 overs (Mankwana Moriri 44, Nonkululeko Mthethwa 13; Bophelo Sothoane 3/23, Siphokazi Duma 2/24). 

Saints Christian School 90/8 - 20 overs (Joshua Jessica 18, Leeanny Makusha 18; Koketso Mokgara 3/14, Thanya Nkuna 1/9). 

Queens won by six runs. Player of the Match: Koketso Mokgara (Queens)

OVERALL AWARDS

Bowler of the Tournament: Bophelo Sothoane (Saints Christian School - 7 wickets)

Batter of the Tournament: Tshepiso Motswi (Nkowankowa Hub - 58 runs)

Switch Player of the Tournament: Tshepiso Motswi (Nkowankowa Hub - 58 runs, 6 wickets, 3 dismissals)

Spirit of Cricket Award: Saints Christian School