Australian men’s teams to embrace the ‘barefoot circle’
MELBOURNE: Australian men’s cricket teams will stand in a circle with bare feet at the start of international series in support of the global antiracism movement and to recognise the country’s indigenous people, fast bowler Pat Cummins said yesterday.
The players will make the gesture for the first time before the oneday international series opener against India in Sydney on November 27.
‘‘In Australia, we think the most, I guess, marginalised group is the first nations people and the indigenous peoples,’’ Cummins, vicecaptain of Australia’s test and oneday teams, told reporters in a video call.
‘‘And we think the barefoot circle’s a great way to celebrate them.
‘‘Some people might want to take the knee, some people might want to show it in different ways and absolutely we’re all for that.
‘‘But we’ve kind of come together as a team and think this is the best way we can demonstrate antiracism as well as celebrating the indigenous culture here.’’
The Australian men are following the lead of the national women’s team, which formed a barefoot circle with New Zealand players in Brisbane before the limited overs series in September.
Last month, five indigenous players and eight team captains in the professional Women’s Big Bash League made the gesture to ‘‘connect to country and acknowledge the traditional owners of the land’’, governing body Cricket Australia said.
Australian cricket has grappled with how to support the antiracism movement since the country’s oneday team was criticised by former West Indies bowler Michael Holding for not taking a knee during the limited overs series in England in September. — Reuters