A member of the school’s first cricket team, van As has always been an avid lover of the sport. He said,” I have always had a passion for the wonderful game that is cricket. Not a day goes by where cricket is not on my mind! From when I was young, my dream was to wear the green and gold for South Africa.”
When he realised that his childhood dream to play cricket for the Proteas would not reach fruition, he changed his direction of interest in the sport by becoming a professional umpire. Van As wrote the Gauteng Umpires Level one exam in 2013 and achieved his first goal towards his future career.
Spokesperson for Hyde Park High School Avril Wright said, “He is one of the youngest qualified cricket umpires at this level and to date, he has umpired over 30 games for the Gauteng Cricket Umpires Association. He spends most weekends around the cricket pitch doing what he loves.”
He has received a great deal of praise from his teachers. Head of the sports department at the school Ken Mather said, “I admire his perseverance and passion for cricket. Matthew is 100 percent committed to the first cricket team and received his half colours for the sport at the end of last year.”
Though he said the job of an umpire is stressful and filled with a great deal of final and unwelcomed decisions, he looks forward to every game. He concluded, “Ultimately my goal is to stand at the home of cricket, Lords in London and have the opportunity to umpire The Ashes between England and Australia.”
