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Australian players were wearing black armbands during the third and final T20I against South Africa at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns on Saturday, August 16. The gesture is a mark of respect for former Australian captain and coach Bob Simpson, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 89.
Australian players don black armbands to pay respect to Bob Simpson
Simpson was a hugely influential figure in Australian cricket, having played 62 Tests and captained the team in 39 of them. After retiring, he returned to the game at age 41 to lead a young Australian side during the World Series Cricket era. He is also widely regarded as one of the country's greatest coaches, steering Australia from a struggling period to a dominant force in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The tribute was for Bob Simpson, a truly influential figure in the history of Australian cricket. Simpson played 62 Tests for the national team, leading them in 39 of those matches. He is widely considered one of the country's best all-rounders. In addition to his Test career, Simpson also played two One-Day Internationals, scoring 36 runs and taking two wickets.
In a formal statement, Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird honored Simpson as one of the sport's all-time greats. Baird specifically noted Simpson's admirable return from retirement to successfully lead the Australian side.
"Bob Simpson was one of the greats of Australian cricket and this is a sad day for anyone fortunate to have watched him play or who benefited from his wisdom. Bob's decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket," Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said.
Bob Simpson was a pioneering figure in Australian cricket coaching. He was appointed as the national team's first full-time coach in the 1980s, and his impact was so profound that many of the game's legends, including Shane Warne, considered him the best coach they ever had. Beyond his time with the Australian national team, Simpson also coached English county teams Leicestershire and Lancashire. He also held an advisory role for the Rajasthan team in India's Ranji Trophy and served as a consultant for the Indian national team in the late 1990s, showcasing his wide-ranging influence on the sport.
Talking about the match, put to bat first South Africa rode on Dewald Brevis' 26-ball 53 to post a competitive total of 172/7.
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram(c), Ryan Rickelton(w), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi
Australia (Playing XI): Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh(c), Josh Inglis(w), Cameron Green, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
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