Eighth season of schools T20 Challenge underway
JOBURG – The eight edition of the T20 Schools Challenge is bigger and better.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/12/4_96695.jpg)
The eighth edition of the Coca-Cola Schools T20 Challenge is underway with close to 800 participating teams involved.
In a landmark new feature, Regional Performance Centres (RPC) from across the country have also been included this season and they have joined the more than 700 schools already involved, making the 2016/17 tournament the biggest of its kind.
“The introduction of the RPC in this tournament is a very significant development as many schools affiliated to these coaching centre’s will now have direct access to the biggest schools tournament in South African Cricket,” said Cricket South Africa (CSA) Youth and Tertiary Cricket manager, Niels Momberg.
The tournament, which is in the process of churning out the different regional winners, includes 16 CSA focus schools, which were also entered into the tournament for the first time. The best of those will be part of the national finals in Stellenbosch set to be held from 17 to 19 March next year.
Read St.Stithians win Coca Cola T20 Schools Challenge Championship
“Focus schools are schools with a cricket history and facilities, but with a changing demographic,” Momberg continued.
“Cricket South Africa supports these schools with coaching, facility upgrades as well as general cricket logistical input.”
![St Stithians Boys' College cricket team are the defending champions of the Coca-Cola T20 Schools Challenge.](https://midrandreporter.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2016/12/StStithiansColleg_33538-520x390.jpg)
Apart from pride, all the teams will also be eyeing the first prize of R112 000 which will go towards the development of cricket at the winning school. Regional winners will each pocket R66 000, while the provincial winner will walk away with R35 000.
In the recent regional results in Gauteng, St Davids’s College beat Crawford College Lonehill by a mammoth 180 runs, St Stithians College who are the defending champions beat Queens High by a massive 171 margin, while Dainfern College beat Riebeekrand by 40 runs.
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