Students ‘bowled over’ by trip to South Africa

Our students and staff had a fantastic time on their recent cricket tour of South Africa.

The tour was a success both on and off the pitch. The group started with two tough fixtures against St Davids Marist and St Benedicts. The highlights were Aarush Wangoo scoring 68 in a defeat to St Davids and Archie Holman scoring 47* in a defeat to St Benedicts. They managed to get two games in the next day, with Zac Burt scoring 71* to help the U15s beat P.V. and Elliot Southworth scoring a blistering 43 in a close loss to Somerset College.

The most rewarding day was the trip to Langa Township, where the boys got to see the conditions some people have to live in. The boys played games with local children, however their match was interrupted by the weather.

A cancelled game day saw some of the boys take part in the inaugural South African Indoor Golf Open, with the U15s beating the U14s, and others heading to Boulders Beach to see some penguins.  An impromptu trip to a trampoline park followed, which was enjoyed by all!

The last couple of days were spent travelling back to Johannesburg and the Pilansberg game reserve, where we had two great game drives and managed to see three out of the ‘big five’, including a lion and elephant less than 5 metres away from our jeeps.

Third Year student, Oliver Falero, said of the trip: “The tour was a truly amazing experience and one we will never forget. It far exceeded all our expectations, both on and off the cricket pitch, and has created long-lasting memories for all of us.  During the tour, we played four highly competitive cricket fixtures, teaching us a lot about our team strengths and weaknesses; enjoyed the vibrant cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town, and were amazed by the game drives in Pilanesberg Nature Reserve. Other highlights included a trip to Table Mountain, visiting Robben Island and visiting a local township where we were able to appreciate just how lucky we are.  Friendships also grew, which we will take forward to improve our team performance in the future. A huge thank you to Mr Schofield, Mr Price, Mr Gabbitass and Mr Stacpoole for taking us on this adventure.”