Aussie cricket great casts doubt over historic fashion change

There’s a suspicious “smell” emanating from a history-making fashion decision that not everyone in cricket circles is convinced by.

Former Australian Test opener Ed Cowan says the historic decision at this year’s Cricket World Cup for sides to wear “clash” strips smells of a money grabbing exercise rather than an attempt to make the tournament more accessible to fans.

The call — which was officially announced a week ago — was made to help those new to the game better differentiate between teams but Cowan believes cash is king in this instance.

Speaking on ABC’s Grandstand at Stumps podcast with Australian sportscaster Corbin Middlemas — who called the fashion change “one of the more absurd things” to come up in the lead-in to the World Cup — Cowan said the sudden decision to make sure teams are more easily distinguishable doesn’t make sense when in Test and four-day cricket, players have always worn white.

“It smells like we’re trying to sell a few more merchandise T-shirts at the retailers while the World Cup’s on,” Cowan said.

“That doesn’t make sense for a sport that for over 100 years, both teams have worn white and you can turn up at a ground and have no idea who’s batting or bowling half the time.

“To have clash strips, there are only 10 teams, there aren’t any away teams so to speak, it smells of another commercial opportunity.”

Middlemas added: “It’s pretty clear that one team’s batting and the other team’s bowling and that’s how you tell the two teams apart.”

Sri Lanka is one of the teams which will have to trot out its clash strip.

Australia, wearing its predominantly gold kit with splashes of green, won’t need to worry about any wardrobe changes in the tournament and the same goes for England, who is wearing a retro looking sky blue outfit.

However, when India — who normally wears royal blue — faces the Poms, it will don an orange and navy strip. Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are both normally decked out in blue and the Afghanis’ clash strip includes more red, while the Sri Lankans have an alternate shirt that mixes yellow and blue.

Pakistan will remain unchanged but South Africa and Bangladesh — two other countries used to wearing green — have other options. The Proteas have a yellow clash strip and Bangladesh’s back-up option is red.

Some on social media praised the decision to adopt clash strips so inexperienced fans can easily tell who’s who, but others were in the same boat as Cowan and Middlemas, mocking the call when it was announced.

Clash strips in ODI cricket. Just when you think you might've heard it all. Does that mean one team will wear white and the other team will wear cream in Test cricket in the future?

— Adam White (@White_Adam) May 24, 2019

A tip for the ICC. The two players with pads on their legs and a bat in their hands are one team. The players chasing the ball around in the field are on the other team.

— Adam White (@White_Adam) May 24, 2019

Great we have clash strips for the upcoming #CricketWorldCup2019 ...

I’ve always found it’s easiest to tell the teams apart in cricket as one is batting and one is bowling!!!

— Ben Cameron (@BenCameron23) May 24, 2019

While Cowan is sceptical of the reasons for introducing clash strips at a World Cup for the first time, he had only nice things to say about England and Australia’s jerseys, which have a retro feel about them.

England’s pale blue kit is inspired by its kit at the 1992 World Cup and Cowan says the Aussies’ outfit reminds him of the 1980s.

“What I will say … I love the retro look one-day cricket had and the 92 World Cup was maybe my favourite strip of all time,” Cowan said. “It feels like all teams have turned back the clock a little bit.

“England unveiled their powder blue uniform — it had an eerie feel to the 92 World Cup.

“Australia — feels like they’re playing a little bit in the 80s so I’m quite enjoying the look of the strips.”

Ed Cowan is liking England’s retro look.