On 14 September, Cricket Australia and sportswear supplier ASICS unveiled the Australian Men’s Cricket Team’s kit for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – the first design to acknowledge Australia and Australian Cricket’s deep connection to First Nations people and cultures.
Featuring the iconic Walkabout Wickets artwork and paying tribute to past, present and emerging First Nations cricketers, the new strip was designed by Aunty Fiona Clarke (a member of the Aboriginal Australian Kirrae Whurrong community) in collaboration with Butchulla and Gubbi Gubbi woman Courtney Hagen.
The classic Australian gold with a green gradient colourway blends with the colours of the Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Islander flag to represent the diversity of country through the rivers, waters, land and skies and also references the games played by First Nations cricketers over time.
Created in harness with apparel partner ASICS, the kit sets out to highlight 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, who herself is a direct descendant of late cricketer James ‘Mosquito’ Couzens – who played in the indigenous First XI – commented that ‘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,” said Aunty Fiona in a kit launch event statement. “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.”
The promotional campaign for the new strip was fronted by Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc who appeared in the creative for the kit marketing campaign and at the launch event where he stated that he was looking forward to bringing Australia’s First Nations cultures onto the world stage.
The campaign’s hero online video dropped on 14 September and was supported by additional, digital-first creative across the rights owner, sportswear brand and even the tournament’s online channels.
Introducing the Official Cricket Australia T20 World Cup Shirt
Shop Now: https://t.co/yWWO1XObuK@CricketAus #LiveUplifted #CricketAustralia #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/dcGmR622IR— ASICS Australia (@ASICSaustralia) September 13, 2022
Australia have unveiled their @T20WorldCup 2022 jersey.
More https://t.co/jK0BcHTZel pic.twitter.com/Zw4mVf2YIe
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) September 14, 2022
“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,” said Starc. “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.”
ASICS Oceania Managing Director Mark Brunton added: “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.”
Comment
This kit initiative follows on from previous Australian national sports team indigenous rebrands and First Nations kit designs such as Surf Australia’s 2021 ‘The Irukanjis’ brand refresh and ‘Welcome To Sea Country’ initiative’.
Australia will defend their ICC T20 Men’s World Cup title on home soil next month when the country hosts the short-form tournament. Organised by cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council, the 16-team, 7-venue tournament will run from 16 October to 13 November.
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