Cricket 2023: Ash Gardner calls out Cricket Australia for scheduling men’s Test against West Indies on Australia Day

Ash Gardner spoke out earlier this year after Cricket Australia slated her sideside to play on January 26. Now she feels Scott Boland could be put in the same situation.

Indigenous star Ash Gardner has expressed disappointment at Cricket Australia’s decision to schedule a men’s Test match against the West Indies on Australia Day next summer.

Earlier this year, Gardner called out CA for slating her Australian women’s team to play a fixture against Pakistan on January 26, and now feels uncomfortable that Scott Boland might be put in the same position on what is a day of mourning for Aboriginal people.

CA is determined to use the Gabba day-night Test match against the Windies as an opportunity to educate people on why January 26 is such a painful day for many First Nations people.

Gardner acknowledges the commercial pressures CA faced in scheduling cricket content over the long weekend in January and overall praises the organisation for the way it advocates for First Nations people and leads on Indigenous issues like The Voice.

But Gardner says citing ‘education’ is not a justification when it comes to January 26, and questioned whether CA will be able to find an Aboriginal elder willing to perform a Welcome to Country on a day she feels is “not overly appropriate” for sporting entertainment.

Gardner is hopeful she can educate people on why this is such a difficult day for her people. Photo by Phil Hillyard

“I said my opinion (this year) and I told the people that it mattered to. For this to happen again but just to the men’s side … I guess there’s certainly disappointment around it,” Gardner said.

“There’s still someone like Scott Boland in and around that Test team who is of that cultural background. Not that it matters that an Aboriginal person is in those teams – it’s the history of this country.

“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.

“I see sport as a celebration and entertainment and an event you want to go to. Why does there need to be something that represents something that’s quite morbid.

“It’s probably not overly appropriate.”

Gardner respects the way CA is willing to try and hold itself to account on Indigenous issues.

However, the 26-year-old all-round star says that while she agrees in principle with prioritising education, she believes the most powerful message CA could deliver on January 26, would be to not play at all.

“I understand the education piece and I think it’s super important. But I remember we had these discussions leading up to January 26 earlier this year around getting an elder to come and do a Welcome to Country,” Gardner said.

“That’s probably the one day of the year an elder will not do that. If you understand the meaning of what the Welcome to Country is, you’re welcoming people onto your land. Welcoming people onto stolen land is probably not appropriate.

“Everyone just goes, ‘oh someone can do an Acknowledgement of Country’ – well it’s not the same thing.”

Gardner says the most powerful message CA could deliver on January 26, would be to not play at all. Photo by Phil Hillyard

Despite her differing views on playing cricket on January 26, Gardner praised CA for being authentic in representing Indigenous people.

“The best thing about (CA’s willingness to make a public position on The Voice) from an Aboriginal person’s point of view is that coming out with a statement keeps people accountable and keeps the organisation accountable for matters like January 26,” Gardner said.

“If you are there to support Aboriginal people, which they are, because they’re a sport for all and they like to be inclusive, it’s making sure you’re keeping yourselves to account.

“You put these fantastic words on a piece of paper and do a statement or do a press conference, but it’s making sure you’re actually living by what you’re saying … it’s important for Aboriginal people to see that, ‘OK, Cricket Australia isn’t just doing this because it’s the right thing to do, they’re actually going to action things and make sure things are happening for our people within the game of cricket.’

“I think Cricket Australia is going in the right direction which is fantastic to see and it’s good to be a part of.”

The Australian summer will kick off with Gardner’s women’s team tackling the West Indies on October 1 at North Sydney Oval – the same day and city as the NRL Grand Final.

Australia’s men will play three Tests against Pakistan starting on December 14, and then two Tests against the West Indies, the first in Adelaide on January 17 and the second on January 25 in Brisbane.