Township kids dream of playing for Proteas
ONE bat and one ball among them, Molemo Thole and four of his friends run to the nets and a battle for who gets to bowl and bat first ensues.
The eldest of the teenagers, a 16-year-old boy, wins the fight for the bat. Thole, the smallest in physique and youngest at 13, emerges with a big smile and the ball, which is showing signs of wear and tear, but is still hard enough to bring one of the boys close to tears later after hitting him on the shin.
No pads, no gloves, no helmet or protector — a batsman walks to the crease while Thole marks his run-up, with the three other boys taking their fielding positions inside the small net.
Behind them the Highveld Lions are on their way to an emphatic 127-run victory over the Titans in the inaugural eKasi Challenge. All this took place at the Mamelodi Cricket Oval on Friday.
In between the exchange of bat and ball between the boys, Thole — a Grade 7 learner at Ikaleng Primary School — exclaims: “I want to play cricket for South Africa one day!”
“Me too,” is the response from each of Thole’s mates.
Those are also the thoughts going through the minds of many of the children from FF Ribeiro Primary School, Mogale Primary School, Vukani Mawethu Secondary School and Jafta Mahlangu Secondary School, who braved a chilly day to witness high-profile cricket in Mamelodi.
We are hosting an important transformation symposium next month and I hope that among other objectives we can develop an irresistible momentum to make cricket a sport of choice in the townships — Cricket SA chief executive Haroon Lorgat, left
For a large number of the children and some of their parents this was the first time they saw top cricket being played here. Hopefully, it’s not the last.
It has been more than a decade since big-time cricket has been taken to the townships and to rural areas.
Could the eKasi Challenge, which will now become an annual event between the Titans and Lions — alternating between Tshwane and Johannesburg townships — be the first step towards taking the game back to the people? Thole’s dream of donning the green and gold could largely rest on seeing more action in his back yard.
“I sincerely hope so and that would be a goal we must strive to achieve,” responded newly appointed Cricket SA chief executive Haroon Lorgat.
“We are hosting an important transformation symposium next month and I hope that among other objectives we can develop an irresistible momentum to make cricket a sport of choice in the townships. Otherwise we will not deliver on our vision to make cricket a truly national sport.
“I must compliment both the Gauteng Cricket Board on the work they are doing in Soweto and Northerns for their work in Mamelodi. The other affiliates are also hard at work, but we have to acknowledge that there is much more that we can do.”
Ahead of Friday’s match both unions were involved in refurbishing facilities and pitches at Mamelodi and Soshanguve cricket clubs in Tshwane.
Also, in the week leading up to game day, life skills workshops were held at primary schools in Mamelodi and Soshanguve with more than 1 300 learners attending. Both teams held a coaching clinic for youngsters from Mamelodi and Hammanskraal.
Over the next three years Soweto, Soshanguve and Alexandra townships are also set to benefit from the eKasi Challenge.
The two unions have taken the lead and set a benchmark for other unions, and most importantly for CSA, to ensure that Thole’s dream is kept alive.
“Sadly, the effects of apartheid have meant that underprivileged South Africans are finding it very difficult to get to our major cricket grounds and they make up a huge proportion of the talent in our country,” said Lorgat. “We simply have to make cricket accessible in the townships and we have to do this better than we have done in the past.”
Titans CEO Jacques Faul also gave more hope when he said: “We have a lot of plans for Mamelodi and our other townships. We want to play a whole lot more here.”