Indigenous cricketer Ash Gardner slams scheduling of Australia vs West Indies Test on Australia Day

Australian cricket gun Ashleigh Gardner has come out swinging after Cricket Australia (CA) released new schedule with a men’s Test match against the West Indies set down for Australia Day next year. 

It’s the second time she has done so after also slamming the governing body for holding a women’s match on January 26 this year in a stance that saw her cop widespread abuse on social media. 

‘I said my opinion (this year) and I told the people that it mattered to us. For this to happen again but just to the men’s side … I guess there’s certainly disappointment around it,’ she told the Daily Telegraph.

‘There’s still someone like Scott Boland in and around that Test team who is of that cultural background. Not that it matters that an Aboriginal person is in those teams – it’s the history of this country.

‘I just don’t understand why this one day of the year – which is a day of mourning, which doesn’t have a very good history of what happened on that day – that there needs to be cricket.

Outspoken Australian Indigenous star Ash Gardner has again taken a swipe at Cricket Australia for failing to acknowledge January 26 as a day of mourning for her people

‘I see sport as a celebration and entertainment and an event you want to go to. Why does there need to be something that represents something that’s quite morbid?

‘It’s probably not appropriate.’

Gardner is a proud Muruwari woman and it is her understanding of Aboriginal history that is driving her criticism of CA. 

While January 26 is called Australia Day by many, others like Gardner label it a Day of Mourning or Invasion Day, referencing the historical injustices against First Nations peoples. 

It is the day the First Fleet set foot on our shores – the day the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people changed forever. 

Gardner voiced her concern about the same lack of sensitivity toward Indigenous athletes last year when a women’s international cricket match was scheduled for January 26, and she copped enormous feedback from the divided public.

Gardner is pictured with late cricket pioneer Faith Thomas in 2017. Thomas was the first Indigenous woman to represent her country in any sport

‘I think I underestimated how much I copped. I try my best not to look at all that stuff, but I feel like it’s only human nature to read comments and things like that,’ she said. 

‘I understand the scheduling and commercial aspects of the decision but it’s probably the one day of the year an elder will not do a Welcome To Country. 

‘If you understand the meaning of what the Welcome to Country is, you’re welcoming people onto your land. Welcoming people onto stolen land is probably not appropriate.’

Gardner, 26, is a terrific all-rounder for both her state of NSW and Australia. 

She acknowledges that CA has gone a long way toward helping Indigenous cricketers and observing their rights.

Scott Boland is also culturally effected by the upcoming Test Match between Australia and West Indies being earmarked for a January 25 start date

‘OK, Cricket Australia isn’t just doing this because it’s the right thing to do, they’re actually going to action things and make sure things are happening for our people within the game of cricket,’ she said.

‘I think Cricket Australia is going in the right direction which is fantastic to see and it’s good to be a part of.’

Gardner was a key driving force behind introducing an Indigenous Round to the WBBL in 2021, with First Nations customs like a smoking ceremony, basket weaving and a barefoot circle also now commonplace in the league – and the male BBL equivalent.

The superstar batter and off-spinner also has her own charity, the Ashleigh Gardner Foundation, which aims to ‘increase the percentage of Aboriginal kids finishing high school’.