Street Cricket league was launched by Sporting Chance with a pilot project in Langa, Western Cape in October 2004. Street Cricket creates an opportunity for the sport mad children of South Africa’s emerging communities to be actively involved in a sporting environment without having to travel too far. Street Cricket is embraced by all the communities as it keeps the children occupied whilst living in an environment which seldom encourages self improvement and empowerment. The talent is in abundance and the skills newly learnt have to be worked on! So what better place to demonstrate their sporting ability than on the streets of the township?

2004 

In 2004 the league involved 250 participants aged 10 to 12 years from the surrounding communities of Langa.  In addition to the children involved in the Street Cricket project, over 25 of the unemployed adults of the Langa community were provided the opportunity to be a part of Street Cricket. Through Street Cricket they gained valuable knowledge in coaching and crucial life skills, which they were able to pass onto the children ensuring that they make a difference to the lives of the children in their community. 

2005

The league was a resounding success and in 2005 with the increased popularity of the project, Sporting Chance expanded Street Cricket to include five regions in Cape Town – the township communities of Langa, Nyanga and Khayleitsha and the Cape flats areas of Mananberg and Elsies River. The five community leagues involved 1250 children and a total of 125 unemployed adults were empowered through Street Cricket.

2006

Sporting Chance is continually inundated with requests from community leaders to bring Street Cricket to their area. In 2006 with the support of sponsors, Sporting Chance further expanded the Street Cricket League to include ten regions. These included the five regions from 2005 as well as two new regions in Cape Town, namely the township community of Gugulethu and the infamous Mitchell's Plain on the Cape flats. The expansion also included three regions in Mossel Bay namely Kwa Nonqaba, Civic Park and D’Almeida. A total of 2500 children were involved and 250 adults were employed. 

2007

In 2007 with the continued support of sponsors, Street Cricket continued to grow in popularity beyond its resources and this forced the league to include the township community of Kwezi in Cape Town. 

2008

With support from our sponsors and the City of Cape Town, Street Cricket has continued to grow and 2008 will see Street Cricket move into an extra 5 regions in the Western Cape. Therefore in just 4 years since Street Cricket was launched we are now in 15 regions and aim to get as many regions involved in the years to come

Over the past four years since its inception in 2004 the Street Cricket League has involved over 6700 children,  employed over 670 unemployed adults and made a difference to thousands of lives within South Africa’s communities.

The Concept

• The Street Cricket League adds a new dimension to youth cricket in South Africa with the already popular Calypso Cricket Beach festivals taking place in December. Street Cricket creates an environment where aspiring youngsters can entertain their communities and involve their family members as “spectators”, thus creating an event for everyone.
• The Street Cricket League is played between the different streets within the region, with the aim to keep children active and participating in an event where they can successfully achieve. The Township coaches and leaders encourage them to maintain an interest in after school activities in order to alleviate any opportunity these children have towards a life of petty crime, gansterism, and alcohol and drug abuse.
• The Street Cricket League has become sustainable through the communities embracement of the project. The league includes a holistic approach to creating and sustaining a positive lifestyle for the participants. Participation in the Street Cricket league involves commitment and in so, helps teach crucial life skills.
• With Sporting Chance providing logistical and structural support, each region is completely community driven, with a co-ordinator and organizing commitee in each of these regions organizing children to play, overseeing the entire process from start to finish. Allowing much needed employment opportunities within the communities.
• The league runs for seven weeks starting in mid October and ending with the Finals at the end of November.
• Regional cricket clubs and sports organisations in association with Sporting Chance, organise children under eleven into street teams of 10. At least two members of each team must be girls and all must have attended school throughout the year prior to the start of the tournament.  During the six weeks, teams play against each other in a round robin tournament culminating in the Pinnacle Point Street Cricket Festival Final.
• The first five weeks hosts the round robin stages in each region. In the sixth week the various regions play their regional finals finishing off in the seventh week with the Grand Finals being played under lights in the ‘home of Street Cricket’ – Langa Township, Cape Town
  
  

Objectives

• Show children the value of sport and physical activity in building a positive future.
• Empowering South Africa’s communities
• Build a better understanding between different communities and cultures.
• Provide everyone an equal opportunity whilst playing sport in a non-elitist, fun environment.
• Offer South African children a healthy and positive alternative to a sedentary and disruptive lifestyle.
• Provide employment opportunity in a sporting environment
• Identify and nurture raw and natural talent.