Aussies rally around 'brave' Gardner for January 26 stand

Australia skipper Meg Lanning has hailed Ashleigh Gardner’s "brave" decision to speak out about her concerns around playing on January 26, saying the players are united in their support of the star allrounder.

Muruwari woman Gardner raised concerns about the scheduling of the second Commbank T20 against Pakistan at Blundstone Arena via social media on Sunday, saying the anniversary of the day the First Fleet arrived in Australia in 1788 was a "day of hurt and a day of mourning" for Indigenous Australians.

Lanning confirmed the team had been discussing their concerns around the schedule, and how they would approach playing on that date, since the fixture for the three-game series was changed last July.

The second T20I was originally scheduled to be played at Manuka Oval on January 27, but the game was moved to Hobart when South Africa’s men pulled out of their January ODI series, leaving the Tasmanian capital without an international game for the 2022-23 summer.

With the KFC BBL finals to begin from Friday evening, holding the match at Blundstone Arena on the 27th was not an option, given the potential for a home Hurricanes final.

"We've had a lot of discussions as a group around the game," Lanning told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

"We're fully supportive of Ash and her stance and her feelings and views around it.

"It's something that we can't control in terms of the scheduling and playing on that day, but something that we would like to do is just acknowledge the sadness and grief that day does bring for First Nations people.

"Secondly, we're going to try and use the opportunity that we have to educate ourselves, to try and create a better understanding of what it means and their culture, and that's what we're using this opportunity to do.

"It's a really united front within the group and as I said, we really support Ash and her feelings around the day."

Lanning said the team had thrown their arms around Gardner, who, while receiving strong support from her teammates and the wider cricket community, was also subjected to online abuse following her post on Sunday.

Gardner, the reigning Belinda Clark Award holder, will line up in the T20 against Pakistan and trained alongside her teammates at North Sydney Oval on Monday, but said playing on that date "did not sit well" with her.

"She's going pretty well," Lanning said.

"Putting out her views and feelings on the issue is a very brave step, I think, and she's been a really great leader within our group, but also in the community on the issues that First Nations people face.

"It can be pretty daunting, sometimes getting some of the feedback that she gets, but we're very supportive of her and we're 100 per cent behind her."

In a move that has been driven by the playing group, Australia will wear their Indigenous jersey, which was by designed by Aunty Fiona Clarke and Courtney Hagen, as well as wristbands and socks with Indigenous colours for the match in Hobart.

Image Id: 05046C555ACC43E6BB15C263B002A0D9 Image Caption: Gardner fields in Australia's Indigenous ODI kit in early 2022 at Junction Oval // Getty

The squad, who consulted with Dr Janine Mohamed, a Narrunga Kaurna woman and community leader to understand the impact of January 26, will also go on a walking tour of local mountain Kunanyi on the eve of the game, to learn about the local community, flora and fauna, and participate in a smoking ceremony.

Australia’s women’s team have long been committed to learning about and engaging with First Nations culture; their playing shirts have featured the Walkabout Wickets logo on the collar since 2019, and the team conduct a barefoot circle at the start of each home series.

Walkabout Wickets was painted by Indigenous artist Fiona Clarke ahead of the 2016 Boxing Day Test to commemorate the anniversary of an iconic match featuring an Aboriginal XI at the MCG 150 years earlier.

Cricket Australia dropped the term "Australia Day" from all marketing two years ago and consulted with its Indigenous advisory committee around how to approach Thursday’s game.

"It's something that we've been working on as a group over a number of years, trying to use every opportunity that we get to educate ourselves and try and celebrate the culture of First Nations people," Lanning said.

"It's not just something that's come up just now and we'll continue to do that, because we think it's really important."

Lanning praised Gardner’s role as a leader within the Australian squad, saying she had matured into an influential member of the world’s best team both on and off the field.

The 25-year-old has been a staple of the national side since her debut in 2017, when she became the second Indigenous woman to play for Australia.

"Ash is really matured in particular over the last few years into a leader within our group," Lanning said.

"Her cricket knowledge is incredible. Her ability to read the game is very good as well.

"She's a leader within our team and particularly, with First Nations people and her culture, she has been a massive leader in the community too."

CommBank T20I Series

Tuesday Jan 24: North Sydney Oval, 1:45pm

Thursday Jan 26: Blundstone Arena, Hobart, 7:05pm

Sunday Jan 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 1:45pm

Buy #AUSvPAK T20 tickets here

Australia T20I squad: Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

Pakistan T20I squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan