Controversial politician blasts cricket bosses for BETRAYING Australia with a very woke decision
Australia Day has become a huge issue for the governing body, with no games being played on the public holiday this year, either.
Cricket Australia also decided not to mention the words 'Australia Day' when the Test against the West Indies fell on January 26, 2024.
The national day has become a divisive issue in recent years as many Aussies refuse to celebrate it, claiming the date should be changed because it is known as 'Invasion Day' to many.
Latham saw red when the news broke on Wednesday afternoon and posted a fiery message on Facebook.
'Complete BS,' he wrote.
'Cricket Australia has now announced there will be no cricket played on Australia Day 2026!
'A betrayal of those who love our country and its national sport.
'And an act of self-harm: we only have cricket in Australia because of 26 January 1788. No Australia Day, no cricket or cricket salaries.
'It's the birthday of cricket in Australia, why wouldn't these clowns celebrate it??'
Latham's question was answered by Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg when he was interviewed by radio 2GB 's Ben Fordham on Thursday.
The Big Bash League final will be played on January 25, and Fordham asked for an explanation about why the big match isn't being held a day later.
'There's nothing sinister, no hidden meanings, there's certainly no avoidance of the concept of playing cricket on Australia Day,' Greenberg said.
'But we sat down and had a close look at this one and on the balance of merit, we've decided to play the night before.'
Greenberg said CA only took two factors into consideration when the decision was made.
'To get the best possible crowd, unashamedly to sell as many tickets as we can to get a full house, and then the second is to ensure we work with our broadcast partners to give them the highest possible ratings for Seven and Fox,' he said.
'The concept of the date ... was not a consideration.'
'There's no concern about us playing on Australia Day.'
Greenberg added that CA believed the crowd would be bigger since it's a day-night match, and by holding it on Sunday the 25th, more families would attend as they'd have the public holiday to rest before kids returned to school in many parts of Australia on the 27th.
He said if the BBL match was a day game, playing on the 26th would have made 'absolute sense'.
Cricket legend Ian Healy adopted the same argument when he hit back at those opposed to the decision.
'Some fans and some media have had a cynical dig at Cricket Australia for not scheduling cricket on Monday, January 26th because of the political hot potato it can become,' he told SEN.
'Last year it was to stay away from ratings of the (Australian Open) tennis final from memory, but this year it's definitely at the request of the broadcasters.'
However, that didn't wash with many Aussie cricket fans.
'Todd Greenberg almost destroyed Rugby League with his woke virus mindset. Looks like he has achieved his mission of completely destroying cricket, he just doesn't get it,' one wrote about the former NRL CEO.
'Keep digging a hole, Cricket Australia,' added another.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Bundee Aki reveals he missed birth of fifth child to play in first Lions Test
Bundee Aki has revealed he missed the birth of his fifth child to play in the British and Irish Lions' first Test against Australia. Aki completed 23 minutes as a replacement against the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium on July 19 just hours after his wife Kayla had given birth to Aine in their native New Zealand. And the 35-year-old Ireland centre saw the delivery of a healthy baby as an omen for the Lions' resounding 27-19 victory that set them on the path to a series triumph. 'I want to enjoy my break, my family time. I haven't seen my family for eight weeks. I have a newborn child who I haven't met yet,' Aki said. 'Credit to my wife – she's a powerful woman, a strong woman. I have to say it to her. If you only knew the story of what happened, it's a funny story in itself. 'It was a good day. I was in the hotel. I knew we were overdue. The missus calls me and she's like, 'Water hasn't broke but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions.' I go, 'Yeah, fair enough'. 'She goes to the hospital, we're getting ready for the team meeting pre-match and then she calls me and says she's on the way to the hospital, so I said, 'Fine, be safe.' 'Five minutes later she sends a photo, her water broke. I was like, 'Cool, OK, are you almost there?'. This is like 30 or 40 minutes away from the hospital, so I said, 'You'll be all right, mum is there'. 'Ten minutes later she video calls me and I was like, 'S***, what's going on?'. I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car on the way to the hospital. They're both strong and healthy, so happy days! 'I knew it was good Juju, I knew it was good Juju, so I knew we were going to have a good day.' The Lions clinched the series in Melbourne the following weekend by emerging 29-26 winners in what was the first of two successive starts for Aki, who was also part of the 2021 expedition to South Africa. 'Only so many people can say they've been on two tours or have won a series,' he said. 'Honestly, I can't say anything high enough of this bunch of boys, the team, the staff. It's been one of the most enjoyable tours I've ever been on. It's so good. 'The Lions is every four years so coming to Australia, being the first team to go back-to-back to win the series against Australia – it's up there.'
BBC News
9 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lions star Aki's baby born in car before first Test
In the aftermath of the British and Irish Lions' third Test against Australia in Sydney, a beaming Bundee Aki was riffing about all sorts of topics included the series win being the greatest achievement of his career, the special bonds forged between the players and how he would love to see Andy Farrell go again as Lions coach in he mentioned something extraordinary, almost in passing - his wife Kayla had given birth to their fifth child in a car on her way to the hospital before the first Test of the what he wanted to do now, the New Zealand-born Ireland centre replied: "I want to enjoy my break, my family time."I haven't seen my family for eight weeks. I have a newborn child who I haven't met yet."Pardon?"Yep, a girl. She was born when we were playing in Brisbane, so I haven't met her. Her name is Aine, so I'm looking forward to going and meeting her," he to my wife," he went much credit to Kayla, who has now given birth to the couple's fifth child. The first was born in hospital and the next three at home, while Aine entered the world in the back of a car en route to a hospital in New Zealand, where the rest of the Akis were visiting family, as Bundee and the Lions prepared for the first Test in remarkable scene happened mid-tour and never got out in public. "She's a powerful woman, a strong woman. If you only knew the story of what happened, it's a funny story in itself," the 35-year-old that point, Aki was faced with a gaggle of journalists desperate for the full story. We have journeyed around Australia for six weeks looking for gold like this and here we were, literally doing the last player interview of the entire trip and the greatest tale of the tour was tumbling out in front of us."Have we got time?" asked the Connacht player. He may as well have asked if we would like a free lunch."It was a good day. I was in the team hotel. I knew we were overdue. The missus calls me and she's like, 'My water hasn't broken but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions'."We were getting ready for the team meeting pre-match and she calls back and says she's now on the way to the hospital."Five minutes later, she sends a photo - her water had broken. I was like, 'Cool, OK, are you almost there?' This is like 30 or 40 minutes away from the hospital. I said, 'You'll be all right, Mum is there'."Ten minutes later, she video calls. I was like, 'What's going on?' - and I saw a baby on the video call. She had it in the car on the way to the hospital. They're both strong and healthy, so happy days." Aki was not in the 23-man squad for the first Test, but after the arrival of Aine he was confident the Lions would get the result they duly won 27-19 after blitzing the Wallabies in the first half and secured the series - with Aki now in the side - in Melbourne the following week."I knew it was good 'Juju' [a magical property bringing good luck]. I knew we were going to have a good day," he added."All my kids start with A and my wife loved the name Aine. That's five As in the family - Armani, Adrianna, Andronicus [their one son], Ailbhe, and now Aine."Now that the series is over, the Lions players are scattering this way and that. Some are flying home, some are exploring Australia, others are venturing to different climes in search of a matter how amazing their destinations turn out to be, none of them will be as special as the place Aki is now heading for.
BreakingNews.ie
9 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Bundee Aki reveals he missed birth of fifth child to play in first Lions Test
Bundee Aki has revealed he missed the birth of his fifth child to play in the British and Irish Lions' first Test against Australia. Aki completed 23 minutes as a replacement against the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium on July 19th just hours after his wife Kayla had given birth to Aine in their native New Zealand. Advertisement And the 35-year-old Ireland centre saw the delivery of a healthy baby as an omen for the Lions' resounding 27-19 victory that set them on the path to a series triumph. 'I want to enjoy my break, my family time. I haven't seen my family for eight weeks. I have a newborn child who I haven't met yet,' Aki said. 'Credit to my wife – she's a powerful woman, a strong woman. I have to say it to her. If you only knew the story of what happened, it's a funny story in itself. 'It was a good day. I was in the hotel. I knew we were overdue. The missus calls me and she's like, 'Water hasn't broke but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions.' I go, 'Yeah, fair enough'. Advertisement 'She goes to the hospital, we're getting ready for the team meeting pre-match and then she calls me and says she's on the way to the hospital, so I said, 'Fine, be safe.' 'Five minutes later she sends a photo, her water broke. I was like, 'Cool, OK, are you almost there?'. This is like 30 or 40 minutes away from the hospital, so I said, 'You'll be all right, mum is there'. 'Ten minutes later she video calls me and I was like, 'S***, what's going on?'. I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car on the way to the hospital. They're both strong and healthy, so happy days! 'I knew it was good Juju, I knew it was good Juju, so I knew we were going to have a good day.' Advertisement Bundee Aki helped the Lions to a series victory (PA) The Lions clinched the series in Melbourne the following weekend by emerging 29-26 winners in what was the first of two successive starts for Aki, who was also part of the 2021 expedition to South Africa. 'Only so many people can say they've been on two tours or have won a series,' he said. 'Honestly, I can't say anything high enough of this bunch of boys, the team, the staff. It's been one of the most enjoyable tours I've ever been on. It's so good. 'The Lions is every four years so coming to Australia, being the first team to go back-to-back to win the series against Australia – it's up there.' Advertisement
