Audi and Cricket South Africa launch initiative to find South Africa’s next great fast bowler
ILLOVO – The Audi Q5 Fast Track programme will focus on finding talented fast bowlers from rural areas.
Cricket South Africa and Audi launched the Audi Q5 Fast Track programme at the Wanderers Stadium in Illovo on 19 September.
The initiative will see former Proteas fast bowler Mfuneko Ngam, travelling the country to find South Africa’s next great fast bowler. The initiative will use Audi’s Fast Track technology to measure the speed and accuracy of a bowler’s delivery.
The initiative will focus particularly on giving children from rural areas the opportunity to show off their fast bowling skills and potentially allow them to pursue a career in cricket.
The head of Audi South Africa Trevor Hill said, “We want to continue this legacy of broadening the talent pool with being the progressive partner of the Proteas. We’re striving to bring innovative and exciting technology into the game of cricket to progress the cricket experience.
“We will be allowing young bowlers in rural areas to test their skills and we will see if Cricket South Africa together with Mfuneko can identify some of these talented fast bowlers.”
Haroon Lorgat, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa, said the initiative demonstrated where his organisation was aiming to go by finding talent at a grassroots level.
“I think it is a very dangerous thing to sit back on the talent that you have and say to yourself that you’re a country blessed with fast bowlers so just let things happen,” said Lorgat.
“I’m confident that in a short space of time we will pick up somebody who Mfuneko thinks will one day play for the Proteas.”
Ngam said the initiative immediately interested him because he had also come from a rural area and moved to Port Elizabeth so that he could be noticed by cricket coaches.
Ngam added that there would be certain criteria which they would be looking for. “First off, all we will be looking for is pace. The guy has to be able to bowl fast and have a good bowling action and accuracy. If we see a cricketer who we think we can work with we will speak to Cricket South Africa to see if we can place them in a [cricket] hub somewhere.”
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