Black Lives Matter: Director of Cricket Smith on the spot over BLM logo

Cricket South Africa have been put on the spot by questions about how they will become involved in the Black Lives Matter movement.

This week, CSA Director of Cricket Graeme Smith revealed this week that the shirts for the upcoming exhibition 3TC match have already been printed. 

Black Lives Matter logo puts Cricket South Africa in a spin

The exhibition match, originally scheduled to take place on the last weekend in June, has been scheduled for Mandela Day 18 July with players like Lungi Ngidi expressing a desire to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Smith’s hedged response to queries about whether or not the BLM logo would feature on players shirts as it has in the English Premier, has earned him the ire of some though the Director of Cricket is likely not the one who ultimately made the call.

“We’re discussing various ways of handling it. The kit has gone to print already. We need to figure out how we can be effective about it, authentic, and spread the messages that are meaningful to us as South Africans and how it affects us on a daily basis,” Smith said.

“We are all in our own little pockets and I think it’s important that in the future we all come together and figure out how we can play our role in the Black Lives Matter movement,” Smith said.

“My belief in these things is that its important to have buy-in and everyone invested in it as well and I have no doubt that will be the case but the discussion in each team environment and as CSA how we handle it going forward is important. We do have the 3TC approaching and that will be our first occasion with the Black Lives Matter movement.”

Windies and England take a knee

England and the West Indies took the first step in international cricket’s return on Wednesday, but before the action got underway the players on the field took a knee in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler said: “It was a very strong message and it was very important for both sides to show solidarity and do that together.

“It was a powerful message that needs to go forward and be taken forward and I was glad that we were able to be a part of it.”

West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel told BBC Sport: “It was a great moment, showing something we stand for and that racism has no part in cricket.”