The final of the CSA Dolphins Franchise Schools T20 Challenge between KZN Coastal winners Kearsney College first XI and KZN Inland winners Hilton College first XI will take place from 2pm on Thursday, 20^th February at the picturesque Maritzburg Oval in the KZN capital.

The final was originally scheduled for Feb 27 but the spanner in the works was that Hilton are scheduled to be at the annual St Albans College-hosted Independent Schools Cricket Festival in Pretoria on that date.

Feature image: The ‘thwack’ of willow on leather will be ringing out come the T20 final on Feb 20 in PMB.

 

 

Consultation between the various parties and stakeholders found an amicable solution in moving the much-anticipated match-up between the two most successful sides in KZN schoolboy cricket this year a week forward.

Kearsney College under captain Cade Carmichael beat Clifton College in the KZN Coastal T20 final on January 31 while Hilton College under captain Colby Dyer beat Michaelhouse in the KZN Inland final on January 27.

The winners of next week’s Feb 20 final will qualify for the CSA Schools T20 Challenge Franchise Finals, to be held at Tuks in Pretoria from March 6^th to the 8^th.

 

 

KZN10.com website and social media wishes KZN Inland pitch curator and head groundsman Mr Wonderboy Khanyile everything of best in his pitch preparation for the match.

CSA Dolphins Franchise Schools T20 Challenge final

Date: Thursday, 20 February 2020

Venue: Pietermaritzburg Cricket Oval

Time: 2pm

Teams will be in colour clothing; white balls will be used.

 

 

Last year, first-time Dolphins franchise winners St Charles College were runners-up at the nationals after losing to St Stithians College in the final at Tuks.

Inland winners The Saints beat Coastal winners Westville in the 2019 Dolphins franchise final last year.

If my memory serves me correctly, the 2019 Westville first XI under captain Matthew Pollard beat Glenwood in last year’s KZN Coastal final.

 

 

In 2018 the Hilton College first XI lost in the national final to St Andrews School Bloemfontein, so it has been close but no cigar for the KZN10 schools in recent times.

There have been other national T20 finals in this event where the KZN10 school representing the Dolphins franchise have lost by a whisker.

To my knowledge, the Dolphins franchise Schools T20 champions have never won the national final, although I think Maritzburg College – and certainly Hilton College (at least twice, once off the last ball of the final) – have been finalists in the past.

Let’s hope the 2020 Dolphins schoolboy T20 champs will go all the way at the Nationals.