Durham marked their home opener of their Vitality Blast campaign against Notts Outlaws with a strong message of inclusivity in cricket in support of Durham Pride.
The contest marked the end of Pride week in Durham, where Durham players donned the rainbow armband to promote inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community in sport and in everyday life. It marked the first in an array events that the club are staging across their home Blast matches in the 2023 season in support of local charities.
Durham white-ball captain Alex Lees was delighted that the club could be at the forefront in support of the initiative and is hopeful that the message resonated amongst the 5,000 fans in attendance at Seat Unique Riverside.
“It’s great for us to be connected with Durham Pride,” Lees said. “Monday night was all about showing our support for the LGBTQ+ community in County Durham and for inclusivity to highlight that cricket is a game for everyone.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re participating or watching there always needs to be a safe environment for everyone to enjoy the game. Here at Durham that’s what we want the message to be.
“In society we probably have fallen short over the last 20 years in a lot of areas. I think this event will hopefully educate people to see the world through a different lens, and accepting that some people are different and embracing that difference. Everyone has the right to feel how they want to feel. We’re very supportive of that.
“Durham have been very proactive in our support. We want to be a central part of the community and use cricket as a voice in a positive way for a variety of important matters. Everyone who plays has a responsibility to carry the message, we’re the custodians of the game to ensure that everyone feels included.”
Chair of Durham Pride, Mel Metcalf, was equally thrilled to be offered the chance to promote inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community at the culmination of Durham Pride. He is hopeful that it can be just the start of a lasting relationship to promote key societal issues.
“We’re hopeful that more clubs that will embrace this in the future in the north east and elsewhere.” Metcalfe said.
“This is a really good example for those clubs to show that they can be a part of Pride too. We’re delighted to have seen the players wear the rainbow armbands because a lot of young people look up to these players. If they’re sending the right message, we’re confident that people will learn from their example.
“There are barriers in every community and there are even barriers within the LGBTQ+ community because we might think that sport is not inclusive sometimes. People in the LGBTQ+ community may have thought in the past that a cricket club was not a safe space, but they’re wrong. The message we had on Monday was that Durham Cricket Club are accepting and supportive of everyone.
“It’s a massive start for us and we’re thrilled that we were allowed to be here to promote this cause. I think this could be the start of something special.”
Ahead of the game, Metcalf was invited by the club to give a talk to all Durham players and support staff about the issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community in County Durham, including inclusivity and diversity in sport.
Lees has admitted that the talk was extremely useful to all involved at the club due to the diverse range of backgrounds in the dressing room.
“We had a great experience at the talk and I’m all for educating all of our players,” he added.
“We’ve all come from different backgrounds. So we need to ensure that we’re all aware of what’s happening in the real world. Within our dressing room I think we’re not an overly macho group of guys. Culturally and in society, the old-school man mentally is long gone. You’ve got so much access to a wide range of information.
“I can honestly say it’s only been a positive experience for me and the Durham dressing room. I don’t think there are a lot of barriers to break down from our point of view because we’re very receptive and welcoming here.
“We support anyone coming to support us and anyone picking up a bat and ball.”