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St David’s Marist Inanda is preparing for a packed weekend of sporting action as it hosts three tournaments across cricket, water polo and basketball from 23 to 25 October 2026, welcoming school teams, aspiring young athletes and established competitors to its sporting facilities.
The four-day programme will feature the 2026 St David’s ATBMI T10 Cricket Festival, the Inanda Cup Prep Stayers and U14 Water Polo Tournaments, and Inanda Hoops, creating a weekend that celebrates competition, sportsmanship and the development of young sporting talent. With cricket, water polo and basketball taking centre stage, the tournaments will offer athletes opportunities to test themselves against their peers, build relationships through competition and experience the demands of performing in a competitive sporting environment.
T10 Cricket Festival brings emerging talent to the crease
The 2026 St David’s ATBMI T10 Cricket Festival will welcome Grade 6 cricketers, alongside selected Grade 5 players, for a fast-paced format designed to challenge young players in a competitive setting. A key feature of the festival is that all matches will be played on the College’s main cricket fields, giving the young cricketers the opportunity to play on quality grass pitches and experience larger playing surfaces than those typically used at preparatory school level. The festival will also feature the Temba Bavuma XI Tigers, a team carrying the name of St David’s Marist Inanda alumnus and Proteas captain Temba Bavuma. Their participation adds a notable connection to the school’s cricketing legacy, linking its current generation of young players with one of South Africa’s leading cricketing figures.
ATBMI joins the festival as title sponsor, supporting an event that places participation, player development and the growth of the game at its centre. With cricket continuing to provide a pathway for young players to develop their skills and progress through the ranks, the festival will give participants a valuable opportunity to experience the intensity of limited-overs cricket while learning to compete in the right spirit.
Cricket fixtures and tournament information: [LINK]
Inanda Cup puts school water polo talent to the test
The Inanda Cup Water Polo Tournaments will bring together teams competing in the Prep Stayers and U14 sections, with round-robin matches followed by crossover play-offs to determine final positions. The Prep Stayers competition is designed for eligible preparatory school players, while the U14 tournament will feature age-appropriate competition for eligible school teams, alongside participating club and invitational teams operating under the tournament rules.
The format is expected to test teams’ tactical awareness, defensive organisation, goal-scoring ability and composure under pressure, with every match contributing to the race for a place in the final standings. Matches will be played under the applicable World Aquatics rules as adopted by Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA). Games that finish level at full-time will be decided by a penalty shoot-out, adding another layer of pressure to what promises to be a competitive weekend in the pool.
Beyond the results, the tournament will create an opportunity for players, coaches and school communities to build sporting relationships while demonstrating the discipline, teamwork and respect that underpin the game. As the tournament organisers welcome participating teams, the emphasis remains on competitive friendship, player development and ensuring that all involved benefit from the experience.
Water polo fixtures and tournament information: [LINK]
Inanda Hoops brings basketball into the weekend spotlight
Rounding out the programme is Inanda Hoops, which will bring another dimension to the weekend’s sporting action as basketball takes centre stage. The reigning Basketball National League (BNL) champions, Soweto Panthers, will also make a special appearance in support of the young players, offering an opportunity to inspire the next generation of basketball talent.
With the cricket festival offering a fast-paced contest on the field, the water polo tournaments demanding endurance and tactical execution in the pool, and basketball bringing its own intensity to the court, Inanda Hoops completes a diverse sporting programme.
Inanda Hoops fixtures and tournament information: [LINK]
A weekend built around the spirit of sport
Hosting the three tournaments reflects the breadth of sporting activity taking place at St David’s Marist Inanda, while creating opportunities for young athletes to learn from competition and enjoy the camaraderie that sport brings. The tournaments also provide an opportunity for families, coaches and supporters to rally behind their teams, recognising the preparation, commitment and collective effort required to compete.
As the first matches get underway on Thursday, 22 October, and continue through to Sunday, 25 October, attention will turn to the performances that shape the tournaments, the teams that rise to the occasion and the young athletes looking to make their mark across the three sporting codes.
With three sports sharing the spotlight over four days, St David’s Marist Inanda is set to deliver a weekend where competition, community and the next generation of sporting talent come together. Spectators, players, coaches and supporters can follow the festival through the Festival app, which provides access to festival information, updates and match details. The app is available for download on:
When prompted, use the access code: Summer
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