Holding last year slammed the Australian and English sides foroffering a “lame excuse”after choosing not to take a knee during their limited-overs series. Australia’s limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch had said the team would not make the gesture as “education is more important than protest”.
While Australia’s players took a knee during last season’s Big Bash League,the national men’s team did not,choosing instead to follow the lead of their female colleagues by taking part in a barefoot circle ceremony which they felt was more appropriate in celebrating the country’s Indigenous people.
Holding stopped short of telling Australia what they should do but it’s clear what he would like to see happen when they play the West Indies next month.
“If you support Black Lives Matter,I don’t see how it can be an issue to take the knee,” Holding told theHerald andThe Age from the UK,where he is commentating for Sky Sports.
“I would hope everybody does it but as I said,I am not a Black Lives Matter policeman.
“People who must decide whether they support the movement,support the issue,or not.
“The world-recognised gesture of support for Black Lives Matter is taking a knee. Everybody accepts that and knows that as the world-recognised gesture.