The ECB will continue to support the Rainbow Laces Campaign in the Hundred and Royal London One Day Cup this weekend, with players wearing rainbow laces and rainbow stumps being used to ensure everyone can be accepted within the world of cricket.
Nat Sciver, who is engaged to Trent Rockets and England teammate Katherine Brunt, said in an interview with Sky Sports, “I guess there is always someone out there who needs a bit of encouragement or needs to know it is okay to be yourself.
“I feel very comfortable and I had no qualms telling my team-mates and, I guess, the world, but I know it’s not the same for everyone so hopefully this campaign can still help some people. I think it will always be relevant and it has become a campaign that is linked with our summer.”
Some question the tangibility of the impact of these campaigns, but there is no doubt that Rainbow Laces has proved a hugely positive statement in elite sport. Stars such as Harry Kane wearing a rainbow-branded armband during the European championships this summer allowed many to see football publicly opening its doors to all. Cricket rightly prides itself on its openness, and the Rainbow Laces Campaign helps the sport be synonymous with what the modern world should look like.
The campaign will be a particularly significant statement in the Hundred, a tournament that from the start has highlighted the vital principles of inclusivity and acceptance. In a competition that has already provided role models such as Scotland leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood, those watching on will hopefully see a game that will welcome them for who they are.
