Huge congratulations to our matric cricketers, ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐น ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ and ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ผ๐, on receiving their ๐ฑ๐ฌ๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฝ for Union High Schoolโs 1st XI!
Union High School is proud of its four swimmers who represented the school at the third ๐-๐๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ held in Gqeberha today.
Left to right: ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐พ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ-๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฎ, ๐ญ๐ผรซ ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐น๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ
๐ญ๐ผรซ ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ delivered a fantastic set of results, securing 2nd place in the 200m IM and 2nd place in the 50m Breaststroke, along with two 3rd-place finishes in the 100m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle.
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ put in a brilliant effort across multiple events, claiming 1st place in the 50m Backstroke and 200m IM, while also earning 3rd place in the 100m Freestyle, 50m Fly and 50m Breaststroke.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ showed great promise and determination, finishing 8th in the 100m Freestyle and 9th in both the 50m Backstroke and 50m Breaststroke.
๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐พ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ-๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฎ also impressed, swimming to a 4th place finish in the 50m Freestyle, 7th in the 100m Freestyle and 3rd in the 50m Backstroke.
Union U11A enjoyed a successful weekend against Queens, winning both fixtures. On Friday, Queens posted 92/5 before Union chased it down with 94/3, thanks to Mark Copemanโs unbeaten 42 and strong support from teammates. On Saturday, Union set 101/8 and bowled superbly to restrict Queens to 83/9, sealing an 18-run victory. Disciplined bowling, sharp fielding, and mature batting underpinned two well-deserved wins.
13A Match Report vs Queens Junior
On Friday, 12 September, Union won the toss in the pro20 match and chose to bat first, posting 95 runs with Dante Mills (31) and Kari Stern (21) contributing well. Despite the modest total, Union produced an outstanding performance in the field, restricting Queens to 74/9 in their 20 overs. Union claimed a well-deserved 21-run victory.
On Saturday, 13 September, Union again batted first and scored 98 runs, with Nathaneal Phillips top scoring with 40. The bowlers were once more superb, restricting Queens to 90/9 in 30 overs, with Grant Murray taking 3/12. Union secured a narrow 8-run win.
Union High School won the toss and elected to bat first. Despite a positive intent, the team lost early wickets during the powerplay and was forced to consolidate. We managed to post a total of 92 runs.
Top scorers for the innings were:
Sibabalwe Mbotye โ 28 runs
Callum Jacobs โ 27 runs
Victoria Park chased down the target in 13 overs, winning the match by 6 wickets.
Declaration Match vs Daniel Pienaar Technical High School
(Played in Kariega on Friday)
Union High School once again won the toss and chose to bat first. Unfortunately, the batting unit struggled to build partnerships and the team was dismissed for 73 all out.
Daniel Pienaar responded strongly, surpassing the target and enforcing a follow-on. In the second innings, Union High was bowled out for 39, giving Daniel Pienaar victory by an innings and 5 runs.
The standout performance came from Yaseen Kazi, who delivered an impressive spell with figures of 5 wickets for 35 runs in 9.5 overs.
Match vs Alexander Road High School
Unfortunately, the scheduled fixture against Alexander Road High School was abandoned due to rain.
Summary
While our fielding department showed great effort and energy throughout the festival, the batting departments fell short of expectations. Key areas have been identified for improvement, and we are committed to working hard as we move forward.
It’s back to the drawing board with a clear focus on consistency, resilience, and discipline in all aspects of the game.
A big well done to Unionโs talented u13 cricketers, ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ and ๐๐ผ๐๐ต๐๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐น๐น, on being drafted to compete in the Eastern Province Cricket League (EPL) in Gqeberha!
Both boys proudly received their caps at the EPL Draft Ceremony at St Georgeโs Park on Friday, marking a special milestone in their cricketing journeys.
Union High School vs Pearson High School, 6โ7 September 2025
The first match of the new cricket season got underway at Union High School on Saturday morning on a perfect spring day for cricket.
Before the start of play, Pearsonโs captain, Sulaymaan Gangat, together with Unionโs captain, Shaakir Kazi, had the honour of ringing the ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น – a special tradition at Union that signals the imminent start of play.
1st Team โ Friday T20 Match Report Union High Schoolโs 1st Team won the toss and elected to bat first in Fridayโs T20 encounter against Pearson High School. Despite a positive start, early pressure from Pearsonโs disciplined bowling attack saw Union lose two wickets during the powerplay, which ultimately restricted them to a total of 85 for 6 after 20 overs.
Pearson responded confidently in their run chase, showing composure with the bat. Union’s fielders worked hard to apply pressure, and standout bowling from Yaaseen Kazi (4 overs, 23 runs, 2 wickets) helped keep the opposition in check. However, Pearson reached the target in the 15.4th over, securing victory by 6 wickets.
Despite the result, Union takes several positives from the match, especially in the bowling and fielding departments, which showed great intensity and teamwork.
1st Team โ Saturday 50-Over Match Report On Saturday, Union High School’s 1st Team took on Pearson High School in a 50-over clash. After losing the toss, Union was asked to bowl first. The bowlers responded with energy and intent, reducing Pearson to 105 for 5 after 16 overs, thanks to a fearless and attacking bowling display.
It was a proud moment for ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ฒ, who received his white cap ahead of his 1st XI debut against a visiting Pearson High School side.
However, Pearsonโs middle order stabilized their innings, with their number 5 batsman scoring a quick-fire 81 runs to shift the momentum. Pearson eventually posted a formidable total of 328 runs, all out. Unionโs fielding performance unfortunately fell short, missing key opportunities that could have limited the total further.
In response, Union struggled with the bat, losing two early wickets. However, Yaaseen Kazi showed exceptional grit and skill, scoring a courageous 68 runs under pressure. The team was eventually bowled out for 149, resulting in a 179-run win for Pearson.
A special congratulations goes to Yaaseen Kazi, who celebrated a significant personal milestone by taking his 100th wicket for the Union High School 1st Teamโa remarkable achievement.
2nd Team Match Report Union High Schoolโs 2nd Team won the toss and chose to bat first. However, Pearsonโs bowling attack proved too strong, dismissing Union for just 40 runs. Pearson chased down the target without losing a wicket, winning by 10 wickets. While the result was disappointing, it serves as a valuable learning experience, and the team will be looking to bounce back with renewed determination.
U15 Match Report On Saturday, 6 September, Union High Schoolโs U15 team faced Pearson High School in what proved to be a challenging fixture. After losing the toss, Union bowled first against a powerful Pearson batting lineup.
Pearson capitalized on scoring opportunities, finishing on 325 for 5 in their allotted 50 overs. Despite the best efforts from Unionโs bowlers, containing such a strong batting performance proved difficult. In the second innings, Unionโs batsmen faced a relentless bowling attack and struggled to build momentum, ultimately resulting in a 250-run loss.
While the result didnโt go in Unionโs favor, there were glimpses of potential throughout the game. The experience gained will be invaluable for the teamโs development going forward.
Union High School Grade 5 learner, ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐, proudly represented the school at the recent Madibaz Swim Meet held at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha.
After being out of the water for two months – ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฏ๐ฐ ๐ง๐ข๐ถ๐ญ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ค๐บ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด – and with just three days of training last week, Catie still managed to deliver an incredible performance.
She secured 2nd place in the 11- 12 Girls 200IM Relay, as well as 3rd place in both the 11-12 Mixed 200IM and Mixed 200 Free events.
๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐, Catie swam a personal best of 1.96 seconds on her 100m Breaststroke and, most impressively, qualified for SA Level 2 with her outstanding 50m Backstroke time!
The Levels competition will take place in March 2026 and we cannot wait to see her shine on that stage.
This past weekend, we successfully hosted the 2nd Annual 6-a-Side Cricket Tournament, aimed at promoting and developing the game, as well as raising much-needed funds in support of our First Team cricket program.
We were pleased to welcome eight competitive teams, each of which played three matches during the group stages. The tournament then progressed to two semi-final fixtures followed by a thrilling final.
Semi-Finalists: Port Elizabeth Team Old Unionites Wheatlands UHS 1
In the semi-finals, UHS 1 delivered a strong performance with a total of 90 runs against the Port Elizabeth team, securing their place in the final. The Old Unionites also advanced to the final after a commendable performance in their semi-final match.
Final Match: The final saw UHS 1 face off against Old Unionites. UHS 1 set a target of 63 runs, but in an exciting chase, the Old Unionites emerged victorious with two wickets in hand, claiming the title of 2025 6-a-Side Tournament Champions.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Old Unionites, a proud group of Union High School alumni, on their well-deserved win.
This past Saturday, we were privileged to witness one of the finest displays of hockey by a Union High School side in recent memory, as our ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป.
From the first whistle, they controlled the pace and flow of the game, linking up beautifully in attack and staying disciplined on defence. The teamโs structure, communication and intensity proved too much for the opposition as they cruised to a 10โ0 victory. It was a complete performance that highlighted the strength and depth of this talented group.
This past week saw Union High School’s ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ก๐๐ข๐ฅ boys and girls tennis players represent the school at the Cradock Spar Tennis Tournament – ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ๐ด ๐ง๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐น๐ค๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด, ๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ด๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐บ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐จ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ต๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ต๐ด.
๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ท๐๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐น, securing victories against Outeniqua Primary, Clarendon Park and Clarendon Primary School for Girls. Finishing second in their group behind Stirling, they advanced to play for 3rd and 4th place. Despite a hard-fought final match against Fichardtpark, the girls ended in a commendable 4th place overall out of 10 schools – ๐ข ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ถ๐ญ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฃ๐ญ๐บ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ง.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ท๐๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป in Summerwood, Tjokkies and Selborne, losing all three encounters, they bounced back however, with spirited wins against Fichardtpark and the Cradock B team.
