“I’m really excited about what could happen here and if it’s successful, then this could be a great blueprint to roll this out in other areas with a significant Afro-Caribbean population.”
Those were the words of Middlesex’s Cricket4London Activation Officer, Dharani Thayi, when he was talking about an upcoming initiative to help cricket undergo a revival in the notorious Broadwater Farm Estate in Tottenham.
A 12-week programme ‘Hit it With Cricket’ will commence in November, giving 20 of the most talented primary school children the opportunity to grow their love for the game, hone their skills and have a shot at becoming a star of the future.
This programme wouldn't have been possible without the help and support of London Elite as well as Haringey Council, which has led to the green light for the project. London Elite was founded by Clasford Stirling MBE and was instrumental in bringing calm and dialogue between the community and police over the past few decades. Stirling is supportive of the work Middlesex in the Community are doing in the area.
Throughout the autumn term at five schools in the area, a talent identification process has been taking place – with around 60 or 70 children showcasing their potential to community coaches.
Thayi is optimistic that the journey that Middlesex in the Community is about the embark on can have the desired impact and act as a driver for change in one of the most deprived areas of the nation’s capital city.
“Cricket has this opportunity to bring people together in the Broadwater Farm area and be inclusive,” says Thayi.
“It would be nice to create a community atmosphere and allow people to have fun, enjoying themselves rather than it being about winning or losing all the time.
“This can be an exciting time for the sport in the area and a drive for change. If we were able to unearth some talent in that area and get them into the pathway through ACE, that would have a positive impact for the area.
“It has taken a while to get here, but it’s great to see it gathering momentum thanks to some of the work that we have done in the area previously.
“We’ve had England legends Devon Malcolm and Angus Fraser at a school in the area this year, so the seeds have been sewn; now we’re just waiting for this to spring into life.
“We are under no illusion that the next few weeks are critical, and it’s fitting that this is all happening this month, during Black History Month.”
It is fitting also that cricket is hoping to a make a long-term return to the area for the first time in many a year, as this month marks the 39th anniversary of the Broadwater Farm riots.
Broadwater Farm has had its challenges over the last four decades, following on from the riots of October 1985. These riots were sparked off the back of a police raid, which saw four police officers burst into the home of Cynthia Jarrett – who subsequently died of heart failure.
“There are great memories of cricket amongst older generations and the sport was a regular topic of conversation with parents and grandparents back in the day,” says Thayi. “If you think back to blackwash and the glory days of West Indies cricket, there was lots to be proud of… however, they didn’t feel welcome at local grounds or clubs.
“The local pitch was covered up by concrete in the 1970s or 1980s, so generations have missed out on what this great game can offer. It’s only through the connection of parents and grandparents that the young generation of today can resonate with cricket.”
However, in 2023, the ECB installed or repaired 100 non-turf pitches (NTPs) with the help of funding from KP Snacks, the official snacks provider of the Hundred, with Broadwater Farm being one of the sites chosen for a new space.
The initiative forms part of KP Snacks ‘Everyone In Campaign’ which aims to champion balanced lifestyles through inspiring and enabling more people to get active and involved with cricket.
Kimberley Walsh & Isa Guha appeared at Broadwater Farm in North London alongside The Hundred stars including Anya Shrubsole, Reece Topley and Tammy Beaumont.
“To be honest, we’re a while away from NTPs having the desired impact in the area. It’s not to say that it won’t, it’s just we’re focused at the moment on introducing cricket on non-traditional surfaces to build an appetite for the game.
“Through this upcoming programme and weeks of training for these youngsters, we are hoping that the NTP can be used by them next summer, which will pave the way for more cricket activity in the future.”
Speaking more broadly about the return of cricket to the area, Thayi went on to explain: “There is an appetite for cricket in the area amongst young people.
“At least 40% of our participants are from an Afro-Caribbean background and a number of the teachers are from the same background, so they see the value of having cricket around because they recognise and connect with the game because of famous West Indies teams of bygone eras.”
So, we have the programme, but what is the desired outcome? We have an ACE Academy at our Indoor School in Finchley, run by Garfield Struthers, who we will be hearing from next week.
Thayi believes that it is only right that this could act as a catalyst for getting more youngsters from the Broadwater Farm area into cricket and show them that a career in the game is possible.
“This should be a natural progression and having ACE coaches helping in the area would have a huge impact. Kids will have coaches that they can identify with which is only a good thing, will help the young people feel relaxed and allow them to perform at their full potential.
“Obviously these kids are young and a few years away from ACE, but it would be great to welcome them to our academy in Finchley and start their journey with Middlesex.”
He finished by adding that seeing a product of this programme representing Middlesex in years to come, would be a dream come true and could revolutionise the way cricket is seen across the area, which lies under the shadow of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“That could be game changing! Not only for the community, but for the sport. It would highlight the issues that the Broadwater Farm area has been through over the years, but could be a real success story…”
