The streets of Nyanga were abuzz when teams from communities throughout the Western Cape converged to compete for the coveted Sporting Chance Street Cricket Champions' Trophy on Wednesday 1 December 2010.

For the past six weeks more than 3000 young learners from regions including Mitchell's Plain, Manenberg, Gugulethu, Langa, Nyanga, Ocean View, Masipumelele, Elsies River, Khayelitsha, Kwezi and Macassar have taken to the streets, to compete in the 2010 Sporting Chance Street Cricket League.

The Sporting Chance Street Cricket League, in association with Disney, Grand West CSI and the HCI Foundation, is in its seventh successful season and the initiative has enjoyed unprecedented success since its humble beginnings as a pilot project in Langa.

Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Dr Ivan Meyer, attended the finals and applauded the initiative. "Projects like this show children the value of sport whilst bringing communities and cultures together. Sports development is very important to the Western Cape and initiatives like this really add value to our communities," said Dr Meyer.

The regional champions were divided into two pools with a series of five round robin matches. Passionate cricket was watched by crowds of supporters who lined Nyanga's Fenyane Street. Pleased to have the finals on home soil for the first time, the Nyanga community came out in full force to encourage their representatives. The vibe was incredible, with pavements and garden walls packed with adoring supporters cheering with every ball bowled.

The Good Hope fm drive time team were pitch side in their outside broadcast van to do on the spot commentary and live crossings while they watched the exploits outside. New Cape Cobras signing Dane Villas also took time out from the practice nets to attend and encourage the young cricket hopefuls.
Both pools were tightly contested from the first ball, and at the end of the afternoon it was Ntakane Street from Khayelitsha, and Pegasus Court from Ocean View who ended unbeaten and at the top of the respective pools.

This laid a platform for an invigorating final with both teams showing extreme determination. Ocean View batted first and amassed a formidable total of 48 runs in their allotted 5 overs. Khayelitsha, determined to get off to blazing start, lost some early wickets and unfortunately never recovered, falling short of that desired winning total. Pegasus Court from Ocean View was crowned victors, taking the Sporting Chance Street Cricket League Trophy home to Ocean View for the first time in the League's history.

Thanks to prize donations from Disney Enterprises and Prima toys the winners and runners up went home with a bundle of goodies. No player however left empty handed with Spur Steak Ranches kindly donating burgers and Disney Enterprise a prize to all participants.

The Street Cricket project continues to make a difference to thousands of children in our Western Cape communities and the feedback received from Ocean View coordinator Shirley Botes, helps to emphasise the project's impact.
"I would like to thank you and your team for the awesome time we had at the Finals. Thank you for all the hard work and efforts put into this year Street Cricket league. We enjoyed every minute of it. Coming home as the winning team was phenomenal and I wish you could have seen the reaction of the parents. While we were still in Nyanga, knowing by then we were going to win the final, I quickly organised something with the parents at home and we gave the team a surprise after party. When we got home and they saw what we had planned, some of them start crying. I'm proud of my team, they've practise hard and deserved to win! Once again thank you to all of you for doing a splendid job," said Botes.

Special thanks to our sponsors Disney Enterprises, GrandWest CSI and the HCI Foundation; media partners Good Hope fm and SuperSport Let's Play; and donors: Jonathan Marland and family and Adrian Moon from Absa Bank for assisting Sporting Chance to make the 2010 Street Cricket league a great success!