The baggy beer cap controversy
18/05/2008 4:26 PM
Australia's touring cricketers have been told to change their caps midway through their opening tour match of the West Indies after a furore erupted over the wearing of sponsor's caps during an official match.
Cricket Australia has told its players to wear either their 'baggy green' national caps or a white floppy hat during the second innings of the match against a Jamaican XI.
Australian players wore blue training caps in the first innings with the VB logo on them, believed to be the first time that a sponsor has featured so prominently on Australian caps during an official match.
A CA statement said that the players had decided to wear the cap because one of the players, Brad Haddin, had yet to be awarded a 'baggy green' because he hadn't made his Test debut.
"Brad Haddin, who has not yet been selected to play Test cricket for Australia, was ineligible to wear the baggy green cap, which is only presented to players on the morning of their Test debut," the statement said.
"In these circumstances it was decided that in the interests of team uniformity (and out of respect for the baggy green) all players would wear the same cap, the blue Cricket Australia training cap, which bears the sponsors mark."
CA has confirmed it will review its procedure surrounding the wearing of caps during such matches.
"Cricket Australia has accepted that in the future a 'fitted green' cap may need to be developed so that players who have not yet represented Australia in Test cricket may wear an appropriate green felt cap, that is different from the baggy green, in Australia tour matches," it said.