World's first-ever LGBTQ cricket match to be played in Birmingham
The LGBTQ topic has always been a matter of debate in any sphere of the world. While the community has been severely affected in sports, things have opened up in the past few years, while the same would soon be introduced in cricket. Here's how.
FollowIn another history-making moment in cricket, the world's first LGBTQ cricket would be played between a couple of teams. Graces, two London-based teams, would field their sides in a 40-over game at the Weoley Hill Oval in Birmingham on Sunday. Notably, the match is being supported by England and Wales Cricket Board.
Graces happens to be the only LGBTQ cricket club globally, founded in 1996. Although the club was criticised in 2000 for having used a name that resembled English great WG Grace, the club has time and again clarified that it is just Grace and has no connection with the late English legend. It has been on a rapid rise ever since, gaining considerable attention from the media.
"It is an atmosphere where you're completely free to be you. You have a passion for the sport, you have your identity, and it's entirely non-judgemental and welcoming. It's important that we're playing good cricket, but equally, the social network and support is deeply important too," said club president Leo Skyner to BBC.
Meanwhile, the captain of the Graces side happens to be Manish Modi, who is of Indian origin and would lead Sunday's game against Unicorns. "I couldn't even speak to anyone; I couldn't even come out. If you'd have said 'I'm a gay man', you'd never have got selected. You'd just have had to give up. Graces has supported me a lot, including when I came out to my father. He's my hero and has accepted me, and now I'm a proud gay man," he reckoned.
Meanwhile, the ECB is doing all it can to support the community. "We have the beginning of a community within cricket that can act as a home for people who maybe feel that a more traditional club that doesn't have LGBTQ+ rights at its heart isn't for them. So, what Unicorns and Graces are doing aligns with what the ECB is trying to do in making cricket a more inclusive sport for as many people as possible," said Henry Cowen, ECB's communications manager.
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