Hoosain Ayob (9 October 1941 – 6 May 2022) was a South African cricket player and official.
Early life edit
Ayob was born on 9 October 1941 to an Indian South African family.[1] He grew up in Brits in Transvaal Province, but his father died when he was 10 years old and the family moved to Mia's Farm (Waterval Islamic Institute), a Muslim charitable institution in what is now Midrand.[2]
Playing career edit
In the 1970s, Ayob played for Transvaal in the racially segregated South African Cricket Board of Control tournaments.[1] He was one of the leading fast bowlers but was unable to play in the Currie Cup or for the South Africa national cricket team due to apartheid.[3] In matches that were retrospectively awarded first-class status, he took 53 wickets from 17 matches at a bowling average of 18.41 runs per wicket.[1]
Coaching and development work edit
Ayob took a keen interest in developing cricket in South Africa's townships and African countries outside South Africa.[4] In 1998 he was appointed as the Africa Cricket Association's first full-time development director.[5] Kenya's Martin Suji credited him with developing African coaches and introducing softball cricket and mini-cricket as ways to popularise cricket with African children.[4]
Personal life edit
Ayob was a schoolteacher by profession. He published a memoir titled Crossing Boundaries in 2020.[3] He died in Port Elizabeth on 7 May 2022 from a kidney disorder.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Hoosain Ayob". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Hoosain Ayob". University of South Africa. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Veteran South African cricketer of Indian origin Hoosain Ayob dies at 81". Times of India. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Muchinjo, Enock (12 May 2022). "Obituary — Hoosain Ayob: 'His influence on cricket in Africa was majestic and magnificent'". This is Africa. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Zone six cricket tourney phased out". Zimbabwe Independent. ESPNcricinfo. 29 August 1997. Retrieved 29 September 2022.