Cricket Australia will continue to schedule games on January 26 despite player opposition

Cricket Australia has come under fire for scheduling games on Australia Day, but it has the support of an Indigenous advisory council.

Cricket Australia says it has the support of its internal advisory committee on Indigenous affairs around scheduling a match on Australia Day amid dissent from players.

Australian captain Meg Lanning says she fully supports star teammate Ash Gardner‘s stance that it’s “not overly appropriate” to play on January 26.

The second day of the final Test of the domestic summer will be played on January 26 between Australia and the West Indies at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Gardner, who voiced opposition to having to play a T20 against Pakistan on the date last summer, has reiterated her opposition to the scheduling of matches on a date she said was “a day of mourning”.

But CA scheduling boss Peter Roach said the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cricket Advisory Committee was “supportive” of the schedule.

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

Cricket Australia scheduling boss Peter Roach and Australian captain Meg Lanning, who said scheduling was out of the players’ hands. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

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

“We consult widely on this, whether we should play games on the 26th of January, and through our own internal group called NATSICAC, we ask their opinion and seek their feedback and think all things considered starting on the 26th of January was an appropriate time.

“My job is balancing lost of things, lots of stakeholders, lots of different groups and lots of opinions. We try and find the best outcome for Australian cricket.”

Lanning confirmed her support for Gardner but also said scheduling was “out of the players’ hands”.

“I’m fully supportive of Ash and her stance, as is the team,” she said.

“We understand it’s a very sensitive issue for a lot of people. The scheduling is a little bit out of control of the players’ hands.

Lanning said it was a ‘sensitive issue’. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“As a group we are undertaking a lot of education around Indigenous culture and trying to learn as much as we can and will continue to do that.

“We’ll leave the scheduling to those who make those decisions and make sure we are in the best position to understand what’s happening.”

Both Roach and Lanning also defended the scheduling of the opening women’s international of the summer, a T20 against the West Indies, being played in Sydney on the same day as the NRL grand final.

“We’ve done that for a number of years now on that day,” Lanning said.

“On a weekend makes a lot of sense.”

She also backed a women’s T20 game on the same day of the NRL grand final. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE 2023/24

T20I series v West Indies

1 October: North Sydney Oval, Sydney

2 October: North Sydney Oval, Sydney (N)

5 October: Allan Border Field, Brisbane (N)

ODI series v West Indies

8 October: Allan Border Field, Brisbane

12 October: Junction Oval, Melbourne

15 October: Junction Oval, Melbourne

T20I series v South Africa

27 January: Manuka Oval, Canberra

28 January: Manuka Oval, Canberra

30 January: Blundstone Arena, Hobart (N)

ODI series v South Africa

3 February: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (D/N)

7 February: North Sydney Oval, Sydney (D/N)

10 February: North Sydney Oval, Sydney (D/N)

Test match v South Africa

15-18 February: WACA Ground, Perth

Originally published as Cricket Australia will continue to schedule games on January 26 despite player opposition