Rainford-Brent and Holding lift the lid on cases of racism
COMMENTARY duo Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent spoke powerfully about their experiences of racism in cricket on the day England and West Indies showed their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by taking a knee.
Windies fast-bowling great Holding said: ‘I went on my very first tour of Australia in 197576. I never experienced any racism on the field but you are fielding down by the boundary and you hear some comments being passed.
‘I just thought these people are sick. I came to England in ‘76 and it started again but myself – and most of the team – just brushed it off. If you don’t educate people, you’ll not get meaningful change.’
Lambeth-born Rainford-Brent, the first black woman to play for England and a World Cup winner in 2009, said: ‘As soon as I walked into the world of cricket the comments started – about where I grew up, the fact I had a long name my mum didn’t know who my dads were, about my hair, body parts, the food I ate stank. It was just constant, “Did I wash my skin?” or “Everyone in your area gets stabbed”.
‘All these things would drip-feed constantly.
‘I love the game but it can be really difficult dealing with that day-in and day-out.’