Australia v West Indies, second Test: CA to honour First Nations people on Australia Day

Cricket Australia’s decision to schedule a Test over the Australia Day holiday was itself controversial, drawing condemnation from two high-profile cricketers. Here’s how CA will navigate the polarising issue.

Cricket Australia will walk a delicate tightrope this week when it gently acknowledges the polarities of emotion around Australia Day during the Gabba Test.

Men’s international cricket returns to the public holiday on Friday, which coincides with day two of the second Test between Australia and the West Indies in Brisbane.

The move to schedule the Test over the Australia Day holiday was itself controversial.

Star Australian women’s all-rounder Ash Gardner criticised the decision to play on the day.

Australian men’s fast bowler Scott Boland later said he supported Gardner’s comments but he would play if selected, which appears unlikely given frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have had a relatively light bowling load across the summer.

CA will conduct a standard Welcome to Country ceremony on day one of the Test, which falls on Australia Day eve.

Australia Day itself will be marked in passing by a ground announcer, and CA is set to acknowledge that the day means vastly different things to different people.

CA is keen to promote inclusivity and respect from patrons regardless of their view on the date itself, which is widely viewed as a day of mourning by First Nations people.

The term “Australia Day” will not be used.

A Welcome to Country is performed before a BBL clash this year. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

CA consulted with its Indigenous advisory board (NATSICAC) in the lead-up to both the scheduling and the commemoration of January 26.

Pakistan and the West Indies have joined with the Australian side to take part in barefoot circle rituals before their respective Test series.

CA has taken several measures in recent years to enhance Indigenous involvement and recognition in cricket, including introducing the Johnny Mullagh Medal – named after the star player from the trailblazing 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England – to the player of the match in the Boxing Day Test.

Adelaide Oval was the traditional host of Australia Day international cricket. Test and one-day internationals were routinely held at the venue before a scheduling crunch in recent years.

“There’s still someone like Scott Boland in and around that Test team who is of that cultural background,” Gardner said last year.

“Not that it matters that an Aboriginal person is in those teams – it’s the history of this country.

Hannah Darlington and Ash Gardner. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Scott Boland. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

“I just don’t understand why this one day of the year – which is a day of mourning, which doesn’t have a very good history of what happened on that day – that there needs to be cricket.”

Boland backed up Gardner’s sentiments.

“I fully support Ash’s comments,” Boland said in May. “I don’t think Jan 26 is the day to celebrate.

“It’s not really a fully inclusive day where everyone can celebrate Australia.”

CA’s scheduling chief Peter Roach said a packed calendar made it tough to avoid playing on Australia Day, which is an annual political lightning rod.

“We really respect Ash’s opinion and understand for many Australians and Indigenous Australians especially, that’s a day that has different meanings,” Roach said in May.

“What we do know is that we’ve got a really tight schedule where we need to fit lots of games in and we make those decisions with all those factors taken into account and try to make it work for us.

“We consult widely on this to see when we do play those games, especially around the 26th of January and through our own internal group called NATSICAC.”

Originally published as Australia v West Indies, second Test: CA to honour First Nations people on Australia Day