Cricket in Alexandra and other disadvantaged townships could be set for boom times ahead.
Cricket South Africa has a plan to uplift the standard of cricket in those areas through the mass mobilisation of school children to participate in cricket.
General manager of Cricket South Africa Corrie van Zyl said they wanted to start schools cricket leagues in the various township where local schools can play against one another, including other schools outside their own areas such as Soweto. From there, they can move up the ladder to play with schools that have been established in the cricket world in what Van Zyl described as a cricket development hub.
“There will be various hubs that connect established cricket schools with those in the township,” said Van Zyl. “In the hub, schools in Alexandra for instance can play against each other and move forward to play against other schools outside their area in the same hub such as King Edward Preparatory School, St Johns and other well known cricket playing schools.
Van Zyl said this would help the children from the townships to gain experience playing with some of the established cricketing schools. “In that way we shall endeavour to uplift the formerly disadvantaged children and raise their level and standard of playing cricket to be on par with their counterparts in the cricket hub,” he said.
Van Zyl, speaking at the launch of the Coca Cola Khaya Majola Cricket Week said they also wanted to establish centres of excellence in the formerly disadvantaged areas. These centres could function as cricket incubators for nurturing young talent and grooming up for the various tiers of the sport up until they reach their provincial franchises and possibly be selected for the Proteas.
