ZCZC
BSP-02
CRICKET-AUS-WOMEN
73-0: Aussie women cricketers finally get a statue
SYDNEY, March 8, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Sports-mad Australia has 73 statues and
sculptures of cricketers dotted around the country, and they all depict men.
But that will change with Cricket Australia Monday commissioning the first
of a female player to address the glaring gender imbalance.
Who will be immortalised in bronze has not been revealed, but it will go
on prominent display at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The governing body also announced a working group to further champion
female recognition, including naming sporting ground stands after women, to
coincide with International Women’s Day.
“Just as this year’s International Women’s Day theme promotes ‘choose to
challenge’, we are committed to challenging ourselves to continue to address
gender inequality across our game,” said CA interim chief Nick Hockley.
Australian vice-captain Rachael Haynes will be involved in the effort and
told reporters she was excited to be “working alongside some pretty
incredible female leaders to help us try and improve some of the inequalities
that exist in our sport”.
A statue has been a long time coming, with the nation’s women playing
their first Test match against England in 1934.
They have since claimed six one-day World Cups, five Twenty20 World Cups
and won more matches across the three formats than any other team.
Bradman Museum executive director Rina Hore said she hoped it would open
the floodgates.
“When I was told about the statue, I could have cried,” she told
cricket.com.au.
“It is such an important announcement because once you get that first
statue, others will follow.”
BSS/AFP/MSY/0847 hrs