Australia and New Zealand to pay their respects 100 years after the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli
ANZACs to be remembered in first Test
Australia and New Zealand will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli during next week’s first Commonwealth Bank Test in Brisbane.
The Test will mark a century since the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps landed in Turkey, signifying the beginning of the respective country’s involvement in the First World War.
Beginning November 5, the Test will see Australia Defence Force (ADF) and Returned and Services League (RSL) personnel involved in the official anthem ceremony with fundraising efforts to be conducted throughout day one.
The teams' captains will also pay their respects to those who served, laying a wreath prior to the coin toss.
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Gillespie at ANZAC Cove in 2001 // Getty Images
Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland said the Test match between the two nations provided a fitting platform to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the legendary ANZAC alliance.
"It’s been a special year for cricket in Australia and New Zealand, having co-hosted a successful World Cup event where both sides performed so well during the course of that tournament and played off in the final at the MCG," Sutherland said.
"But it is clear that there is even greater significance for our two countries this year when you consider that 2015 marks the commemoration of the centenary of ANZAC.
"The ANZAC legend has become part of the cultural fabric of our two nations and we are very proud to be partnering with the RSL to honour it during the Brisbane Test."
Cricket and the war have a strong history, with the ANZACs playing a match at Shell Green whilst gunfire reigned above them, sending a message to the Central powers that things were to go on as usual for the Allies.
In 2002, the first Test match against England also included the ‘Spirit of Anzac’ medal, awarded to Jason Gillespie who showed mateship and camaraderie after carrying England fast bowler Simon Jones off after Jones ruptured his knee in the outfield.
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Gillespie receiving his medal // Getty Images
More than 450,000 Australians and New Zealanders served in the Great War, including Test cricketer Albert ‘Tibby’ Cotter who had played 21 Tests and took 89 wickets before being enlisted to the Army.
Cotter, along with first-class cricketers Norman Callaway (Australia) and Rupert Hickmott and George Wilson (New Zealand) perished during the war, all aged below 30.
Callaway still holds the highest first-class average on record, batting once for New South Wales and scoring 207 against Queensland in a six-and-a-half hour innings.
The Australia-New Zealand GABBA Test will signify the beginning of a four-year deal which will see the two nations play five one-day series for the Chappell-Hadlee trophy.