The Compton Ashes

Compton is a suburb of LA infamous for gangs and drive-by shootings. Ted Hayes, an activist who has spent many years campaigning for homeless people, formed the Compton Homies and the Popz cricket team in an attempt to keep Afro-American and Hispanic youths out of gang culture. He was drawn towards cricket because it is a non-contact team sport. The Homies are not only coached in the technical aspects of the game but also encouraged to show respect for the opposition and the rules of the game. A fundamental aspect of the Homies is that people of all ages play together in the same team so that the adults are not just there to boss the teenagers about.

Ted Hayes is a fervent patriot and has brought a lot of America sports culture to the cricket team. He gives pep talks based around Alexander the Great and Darios and shouts, "yo, lets play ball", before each over. Technical coaching, from Leo a retired West Indian cricketer, has adapted the Homies baseball skills to good effect. Bowling Compton style requires a two or three pace run-up before releasing the ball from an almost horizontal sling. The Homies seemed to regard the more conventional run ups of the Cowboy's medium pacers as a waist of energy.