SHOWPIECE: Pineapple Cricket is gearing up for a spectacular showpiece of cricket when 32 teams converge on Port Alfred to have a crack at silverware in the prestigious tournament that runs from March 7 to March 14 at various venues. Picture: MARK CARRELS
The 122nd edition of the historic Pineapple Cricket tournament gears up for a spectacular showpiece when the event hits off with 32 teams participating at various Port Alfred venues, from March 7 to March 14.
The marquee A final has been moved to the Port Alfred Country Club on Saturday March 14, while the B division and invitational finals are scheduled on the same day at Port Alfred High School fields.
St Andrew’s College who won last year’s A division final against Southwell 1sts by five wickets, will be back to defend their title.
Coaches Ethan O’Reilly and assistant, Zander de Bruyn, bring with them a full squad of young cricketing talent who surprised the Pineapple fraternity last year with the way they went about winning the tournament.
Megan McCullum who assists with marketing the tournament, said a few changes have been brought to the showpiece this year.
“New teams introduced this year to fill the A division up to eight teams is Standard Cricket Club from Nxuba (Cradock). They played in our invitational division last year and agreed to move up. A Makhanda schools invitational team managed by Carl Bradfield (ex Warriors and Border opener), will also be participating.
“Bedford (managed by Brendan Wicks) are new to the invitational division this year and will take the place of the gap Standard left behind. “So each division (A, B & Invitational) now has eight teams except the C division, which remains at four teams,” said McCallum.
Rainbows were promoted to the B division after winning the C division last year and Rhodes University who came last in the B division, move down into the C division this year.
Veteran umpire Barry Smith who assists the organising committee, said the Makhanda Schools Invitational team is a composite team from Graeme and Kingswood College.
“A Grahamstown XI side comprising Makana Sona and Willows club members will also be participating.”
The team list has been increased from 28 teams to 32 this year and with the talent available, there promises as always to be exciting cricket on the cards at Pineapple Cricket Week.
It will be a red-letter day for Station Hill Cricket – twice winners of the B section tournament – when they kick off their participation at the Station Hill fields on the opening day; the first time ever a cricket match will be played at the ground.
It is indeed a historic moment for the club, whose rise up the ranks since its founding in the early 2000s has resulted in Pineapple Cricket establishing a turf wicket at their local fields in an effort to grow the game.
Southwell 1sts after their surprise defeat to St Andrew’s College last year, have enough talent in their ranks to set the matter straight but the defending champs, Cuylerville 1sts and Sidbury 1sts will have something to say about that.
The B division tournament won by Salem 2nds last year is packed with cricketing talent, among them Cuylerville, Station Hill, Southwell, Tiger Titans, Salem Sidbury, Manleys Flat and last year’s C division champs, Rainbows.
Another positive development is the EP women’s v Border women’s match to be played on PAHS Schools’ B field on Wednesday March 11. Smith said the idea was to promote the rising popularity of the women’s game and organisers were hoping that schools would be allowed to attend.
The invitational pools which is as competitive cricket as they come, consist of Notties (KZN), Gypsies, Komga Cobras, Cathcart, The Owls, Jeffreys Bay, PE Vets and Bedford.
The East Legends v West Legends match (Legends of Pineapple) where prominent cricketers of yesteryear lock horns in a social hit out takes place, on Monday March 9 at PA Country Club. This will be followed by a late lunch and a guest speaker talking cricket at the tent
“This year we will be operating completely cashless (at the Pineapple tent). Only card payments will be accepted,” said McCullum.
The main sponsors of Pineapple Cricket are Kowie Toyota and Rosehill SuperSpar.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, February 12, 2026. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
