Push for club’s to come up with Indigenous artwork for middle stump
ALBERTON Ormeau Cricket Club is calling on all Taper Financial Premier League clubs to create an Aboriginal artwork middle stump in a move to encourage more Indigenous kids into the game.
Club community development lead Lisa Wells said she hoped the initiative would encourage more Indigenous children to pick up the game at any club in the league.
“We would love to see these stumps in every cricket club as an Acknowledgment to Country and a sign of reconciliation,” Wells said.
“Not only do these stumps look amazing but they open up conversations and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to become a part of cricket.”
The move started in August when the stumps were created for the club’s Celebrity Big Bash, and are part of the Middle Stump Initiative, created by Perth and Noongar man Clinton Dann, and the Preston Campbell Foundation.
“When I was talking to Clinton, he said Aboriginal children who come from disadvantaged families might not feel comfortable coming to play a team sport,” Wells said.
“These little efforts can make so much difference in creating a welcoming environment.
“We want them to be used every week, across all clubs, to open up conversations about inclusivity.”
The design was created by Gold Coast Titans legend Preston Campbell, who runs the Preston Campbell foundation that develops programs and opportunities to help Indigenous participants achieve their goals.
The move will flow into the league’s first Indigenous Round on November 27.
Alberton are hopeful for a strong performance in round 4 after controversy marred round 2 when they went down to Burleigh in a narrow 8-run loss, sparking a complaint to the Gold Coast Cricket Committee.
“The loss against Burleigh was disappointing,” Captain Reece Neyland said.
“It had some controversy with some of the umpiring decisions and close of play.
“But we had the opportunity to win, so we take ownership for that and should have got it done before that.”
With the game finishing at 5.49pm – 29 minutes past cessation time – Neyland said that it was completed in “poor visibility” with batting numbers nine, 10 and 11 facing quick bowlers.
Neyland said the club had submitted a dispute to Gold Coast Cricket, which was turned down.
Cricket Gold Coast representative Zane Beattie said umpires are provided with a light meter for these situations.
“If the umpire had a concern about the light, he would have used his meter to ascertain the reading ... if the play falls between 260 lux, play must cease,” Beattie said.
“As a board we have to back our umpires to make the right decisions ... it would be a dangerous precent if we were to go against the decisions of the officiating umpire.”