On Day 2 of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, both England and Australia players are donning Blue Caps. This gesture is in honor of ‘Blue for Bob’ Day, an event taking place at Edgbaston today to raise awareness about Prostate cancer. Moreover, funds are being collected in support of the Bob Willis Fund.
The match commenced on June 16, with English captain Ben Stokes winning the toss and opting to bat against a formidable Australian bowling attack. Following a similar approach as Day 1, known as the ‘Bazball’ style, the English batters declared the innings at 393-8.
Bob Willis, a former England captain, sadly passed away from prostate cancer in December 2019 at the age of 70. To promote awareness about this disease, Bob’s wife, Lauren Clark, and his brother, David Willis, established the Bob Willis Fund.
Today, on June 17, Edgbaston observes Blue for Bob Day, urging everyone to wear blue attire as a tribute and to generate funds in memory of Bob Willis. Both England and Australia players are wearing blue caps to raise awareness against prostate cancer, while also contributing to the Bob Willis Fund.
Notably, Ricky Ponting, Michael Atherton, and Kevin Pietersen have also joined the cause by sporting stylish blue blazers. This initiative was initially introduced in 2021 during an ODI match between England and Pakistan.
Thank you to to everyone at @Edgbaston @SkyCricket and @englandcricket for the most fantastic, emotional and uplifting start to #BlueForBob this morning. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/sdiOlhAuR0
— The Bob Willis Fund (@bobwillisfund) June 17, 2023
In a previous occurrence during July 2022, players from Team India and England also engaged in the same gesture on Day 2 of the fifth test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. It is worth mentioning that Bob Willis had an illustrious career, representing England in 90 Test matches and amassing 325 wickets with an impressive average of 25.20.