Photo Credit: Sydney Thunder/Phil Hillyard
Today marks the first of two Weber WBBL|09 First Nation Round matches for Sydney Thunder as the side take on Melbourne Stars.
Thunder are celebrating the history of Aboriginal and Torres Islanders across NSW in a dedicated round of WBBL fixtures, first against the Stars on Cammeraygal Country at North Sydney Oval and on November 18 when they take on Perth Scorchers on Wangal Land at Cricket Central.
The FNR encourages clubs to educate players, volunteers and supporters about the history of the land we walk on, paying respects to elders past and present. The team will also play in their specifically designed indigenous kits.
The playing strip design, created by local Yuin artist Rhe Lotter, features the Aboriginal symbol for people throughout, representing all players that wear the club colours. The boomerangs show strength and resilience – the fighting spirit that is embodied throughout the club.
The outside designs are for fans, sponsors, and community. Proving that they hold the team firm and without them, the team wouldn’t be as strong.
The Thunder squad will spend the week learning about what playing on these lands mean, particularly to players with Indigenous heritage.
Sydney Thunder’s Hannah Darlington, a Kamilaroi woman and the current captain of Cricket Australia’s Women’s Indigenous team, said the coming together of all levels of cricket to celebrate First Nations Round showed how far the game had come in recent years.
“To have a dedicated cricket First Nations Round that recognises and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from community level right through to the elite level is something, as an Aboriginal woman, that I am very proud of,” Darlington said.
“A round like this that can be seen everywhere from our television screens with the WBBL, right through Premier Cricket and around our local ovals and parks will only continue to promote education and reconciliation.”
The Sydney Thunder is an Australian professional cricket team competing in the Big Bash League (BBL). Based at Sydney Showground Stadium, the Thunder, along with the Sydney Sixers, succeeded the New South Wales Blues from the defunct KFC Twenty20 Big Bash.
