St David’s Marist Inanda Set for Ninth Fasken Time Cricket Festival
St David’s Marist Inanda is set to welcome some of South Africa’s top school cricket programmes when the Fasken Time Cricket Festival returns from 3 to 6 September 2026.
The four-day pre-season festival, hosted by St David’s Marist Inanda and supported by title sponsor Fasken, is designed to give young cricketers an opportunity to experience the demands of longer-format cricket before the start of the new school season.
First introduced in 2017, the festival has established itself as a distinctive fixture on the school cricket calendar. After being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, it has continued to grow and will stage its ninth competitive edition this year.
Unlike conventional limited-overs cricket, the festival places a strong focus on patience, tactical decision-making, resilience and leadership. Players are challenged to manage their time and resources, respond to setbacks and understand the importance of building a game over an extended period.
Festival Director and St David’s Marist Inanda Director of Cricket Dave Nosworthy says the format is intended to develop cricketers who can think strategically while competing with the right attitude.
“Time cricket teaches lessons that cannot always be learnt in a shorter format of the game,” says Nosworthy. “It is about strategy, tactics, patience and resilience, but also about understanding how to compete.”
The 2026 edition will feature 12 teams, including St David’s Marist Inanda, St Stithians College, St Andrew’s School, King Edward VII School, Clifton School, Middelburg Hoërskool, St Charles College, Waterkloof Hoërskool, Jeppe High School for Boys, St John’s College, Noordheuwel Hoërskool and the Lions Cricket Invitational XI.
Approximately 156 players, 28 coaches and managers, 12 umpires and six scorers are expected to take part, while SuperSport Schools will provide live-streaming coverage.
A different approach to school cricket
The festival’s unique format is aimed at testing players beyond traditional match situations.
Games are played over two days, with teams allowed to select 13 players, although only 11 batsmen can bat in an innings. The structure also allows fielders to rotate, helping manage workloads while giving players opportunities to develop in different roles.
Teams must bowl a minimum of 110 overs per day, placing additional demands on fitness, concentration and bowling discipline.
Compulsory declarations, new-ball opportunities and a follow-on threshold are also incorporated into the competition, forcing teams to carefully consider when to attack and when to defend.
Even when matches finish earlier than expected, players can remain involved through additional “time games” or target-based scenarios, ensuring that valuable pre-season playing and learning opportunities are not lost.
The festival ultimately aims to create an environment where young cricketers are encouraged to compete, make decisions, learn from mistakes and develop the mental skills required for the longer format of the game.
Spectators, players, coaches and supporters can also follow the action through the Fasken Time Cricket Festival app, which provides festival information, match details and updates throughout the competition.