Last Wednesday, Gasant Abarder learnt some news that he had to sit on for a whole week so that he could break the story in his #SliceofGasant on this fine Tuesday. It was worth the wait because the news could well be the catalyst for changing the fate of children living on the Cape Flats.
What do you get when you splice an Ali with an Allie? The answer could very well be a game-changer for the Cape Flats, where millions of children are at risk of either falling victim to gangs or drugs and may never lift themselves out of poverty.
But before I explain my cryptic question and answer, let me reflect on a journalistic career of almost 30 years. The earlier part of said career was dominated by news editors, most of whom never set foot on the Cape Flats, whose collective interests were only piqued when there was trouble. They weren’t keen on the good news stories.
When I became a gatekeeper about a decade into my career, I deliberately worked hard to change that trend.
So, let me continue that trend today with breaking news: former England international cricketer Moeen Ali is collaborating with local ace cricket administrator Ashraf Allie to launch a new sports academy and multi-purpose sports facility on the Cape Flats. The latter is a vision the likes that have never been seen on the Cape Flats or, dare I say, the greater Cape Town.
Talented all-rounder Moeen, who endeared himself to South Africa in the Mzantsi Super League with the Cape Town Blitz and later the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 league, played club cricket for St Augustine’s on the Cape Flats, where he first met Ashraf.
Moeen, who sports an impressive beard, endeared himself to local crowds – and the travelling fanatical England Barmy Army fans that featured his name with the greatest bearded cricketer to have ever played the game, Hashim Amla. When Moeen and Hashim played opposite sides at Newlands, the genius of the Barmy Army kicked in with a special tribute chant to the tune of 2Unlimited’s hit song No Limit.
Now, Moeen will endear himself even more to South Africans with the soon-to-be-launched Moeen Ali Cricket Academy – Cape Town. Its facility will be located on one of two potential sites identified on the Cape Flats: either in Hanover Park or nearby Lansdowne. It will offer kids on the Cape Flats the best of coaching available in a facility where their talent can thrive and nurture cultural exchange and collaboration.
‘I am honoured to have a trusted friend in Ashraf Allie, leading this initiative as the CEO of the Cape Flats Sports Academy and the face and voice of the Moeen Ali Cricket Academy – Cape Town,’ Moeen told Cape {town} Etc exclusively.
‘With his passion and dedication and proven track record, together with his team, we’re committed to creating opportunities for young South Africans, to participate in exchange programmes and even play in the UK some day.’
The renderings of a magnificent multi-purpose sports complex, to be built from eco-friendly material and employing local labour, could well be the antidote for youth at risk in this challenging area of our city. It’s not a pipe dream. Moeen and Ashraf have pencilled in the ICC Test Cricket final at the Home of Cricket, Lord’s, to make the official announcement in its famous Long Room. But, of course, you read it here on Cape {town} Etc first in this #SliceofGasant column.
Moeen already has a successful academy in his name in Birmingham, and another in Dubai is well in the works. He handpicked Ashraf, the tenacious CEO of the Cape Flats Sports Academy and long-serving president of the Hanover Park Cricket Club, to be the CEO of the Moeen Ali Cricket Academy – Cape Town. It is so named, but it will be a centre of excellence for a few sporting codes.
On Ashraf’s watch, Hanover Park Cricket Club – in an area that sees more stray bullets in gang conflict than sixes from a cricket bat – made three finals in their division at Newlands in just five seasons. The club, despite meagre resources, has one of the best girls’ and women set-ups in the city and puts other better-established clubs to shame in this regard. The story was so inspiring that the legendary Jonty Rhodes sought me out and bought me lunch to find out how to bottle what was happening at the cricket club.
The plan for the announcement is during a gala dinner for the one-off Test final between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s in June.
So, what do you get when you splice an English Ali with a South African Allie? The answer: pure magic.
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Picture: Supplied
