Cricket Australia has today unveiled the Australian Men’s Cricket Team’s playing kit for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which features a design that acknowledges Australian Cricket’s deep connection to First Nations people and cultures.
Australia will don a new uniform designed by Kirrae Whurrong woman Aunty Fiona Clarke, in collaboration with Butchulla and Gubbi Gubbi woman Courtney Hagen, when they defend their ICC T20 Men’s World Cup title on home soil next month.
Featuring Aunty Fiona’s iconic Walkabout Wickets artwork, the new kit is Australia’s first uniform to feature a First Nations design at a Cricket World Cup.
The Walkabout Wickets artwork is the centrepiece of the new kit which pays tribute to past, present and emerging First Nations cricketers.
The design, which is predominately gold with a green gradient, also incorporates the colours of the Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Islander flag, represents the diversity of country through the rivers, waters, land and skies and also references the games played by First Nations cricketers over time.
Produced by apparel partner ASICS, the vibrant kit highlights the uplifting power and connection that cricket creates nation-wide; from the Australian Cricket Team on the field, to the fans in the grandstand and beyond.
Aunty Fiona Clarke – a direct descendant of late cricketer ‘Mosquito’ Couzens from the First XI – said connection was an important theme for the design.
“The Walkabout Wickets is to do with the past, present, and future. It’s talking about the cricket Walkabout team that first went to England in 1868,” Aunty Fiona said.
“The overall design is to do with the process of connecting with yourself as an individual, as a team, in the community and whatever is surrounded by you.”
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc (lead image) said he was looking forward to bringing Australia’s First Nations cultures onto the world stage.
“We are very proud to be wearing a First Nations themed kit for the upcoming T20 World Cup and to also be the first cricket team to do so at a world event,” Starc said.
“The First XI team is an important part of cricket’s history and we are honoured that through this kit, we will share their story and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures on the world stage.”
Mark Brunton, managing director for ASICS Oceania said, “ASICS is proud to have partnered with Cricket Australia to create a shirt incorporating performance and technical benefits paired with the First Nations design.
“The shirt has the ability to bring together and uplift supporters, and we hope that in turn uplifts the players when they pull on the shirt and feel the support from fans across Australia.”
