Black Lives Matter: South African cricketers mull fresh expression for 3TC game

The 24 South African players who will take part in an exhibition 3TC match, featuring three teams in the same game, may not wear the Black Lives Matter (BLM) logo on their shirts but will join in the anti-racist movement. The BLM slogan has been worn by players in the English Premier League and the logo is on the collars of players and badges of commentators involved in the first Test between England and West Indies in Southampton. But, the 3TC jerseys have already been made, sans the logo, and CSA and the players are in talks about other forms of BLM expression.

"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," Graeme Smith, CSA's director of cricket said.

Earlier this week, Lungi Ngidi expressed his hope that South African cricketers will "make a stand," against racial discrimination, especially given the country's segregated past. But, he explained that they have not had an opportunity to discuss how they want to become involved as a group. Smith agreed that more consultation is needed, and indicated it could take place before next Saturday, when the 3TC match is played.

"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."

The 3TC match will be played on July 18, which is also Mandela day, and celebrates the birth of Nelson Mandela, who led South Africa out of Apartheid. On this day, people are asked to spend 67 minutes of the time (the number corresponds to the years Mandela spent fighting for liberation) engaged in activity to help others and in the past South African players have given time to helping to improve facilitates in disadvantaged areas or holding coaching clinics.

This year, the 3TC match aims to raise R3 million for CSA's Hardship Fund, created to assist those who have lost livelihoods because of the coronavirus pandemic. It will also be the day when South African cricket joins the BLM movement, and "we use our voice to join the cause, as Dr Jacques Faul, CSA Acting CEO told ESPNcricinfo.