The Aussies set to don the specially-designed Indigenous shirts in the upcoming T20 series against India – a move aimed at recognising and encouraging the Indigenous Australians’ role in the sport.
Cricket Australia on Wednesday unveiled the design, a collaboration between manufacturer ASICS and two Indigenous women, Aunty Fiona Clarke and Courtney Hagen.
“Clarke, a Kirrae Whurrong woman, is a direct descendent of legendary cricketer ‘Mosquito’ Couzens (known as Grongarrong), one of the Aboriginal players who toured England in 1868 as part of the first sporting team from Australia to play abroad.
Designed by Kirrae Whurrong woman Aunty Fiona Clarke & Butchulla and Gubbi Gubbi woman Courtney Hagen, the shirt continues the storytelling of the 1868 cricket team! 🙌 #NAIDOC2020 pic.twitter.com/qKRywH5XcR
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 11, 2020
“Clarke’s artwork Walkabout Wickets, which was unveiled in 2016 and featured on the collars of the Aussie Test shirts during last year’s Ashes, features prominently in the design of the T20 shirt,” cricket.com.au reported.
The design is an ode to the past, present and future aboriginal cricketers.
The Australian men’s team, thus, will be following their women counterparts, who first wore an Indigenous shirt during a match against England earlier this year.
Australia speedster Mitchell Starc, who displayed the first look of the jersey, seemed excited after sporting the new shirt.
“It’s really exciting to have the chance as a men’s team to wear our first Indigenous jersey,” he said to the website.
Team India’s tour of Australia will start with a three-match ODI series beginning November 27 in Sydney, followed by three T20Is and four Tests.
