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Untitled Document
 Aussies to wear pink ribbons to pay homage to Jane McGrath
23rd Jun 2008 12:01 IST
Agencies
The Australian cricket team will pay homage to their retired pace legend Glenn McGrath's deceased wife, Jane, by wearing pink ribbons and using grips of the same colour in Tuesday's one-dayer against the West Indies in St Vincent.
"As a mark of respect to the McGrath family, all Australian players will wear pink ribbons and batsmen will use pink grips during the batting innings," Cricket Australia said in a statement in Melbourne.
Jane died Sunday morning after a decade-long battle with breast cancer and the colour pink represents the McGrath Foundation she co-instituted with her husband Glenn to support women battling the disease.
"This gesture by the players is one they were all very keen to do. They all wish to show their respects for Jane and ensure Glenn is aware they are thinking of him during this difficult time," Australian Team Manager Stephen Bernard said.
Earlier, the Australian team offered its condolences to the McGrath family.
Speaking on behalf of the team, skipper Ricky Ponting expressed his deepest sympathies to Glenn, Holly and James.
"All of us are thinking about Glenn and their children at this very sad time. We all wish to convey that our best wishes go with him and to know our heartfelt sympathies are with the family at this time. Jane will be very fondly remembered by all of us," Ponting said.
Meanwhile, a devastated McGrath also paid homage to his wife, whom he described as his best friend.
"I am devastated by the loss of my beautiful wife Jane. She was my best friend," he said in an emotional statement.
"This is also a very tough time for our children James and Holly. I am grateful they were able to spend the time they had with their mother. Both are only young but as the years pass and they grow older I will ensure that they never forget how much she loved them. They were her world," he added.
McGrath said his inspiring wife had shown that breast cancer patients could not just survive the disease but live life to the fullest.
"Jane would want those women who are battling breast cancer to stay strong. She would want them to draw strength from the fact she didn't only "survive" breast cancer for 11 years, but during that time she lived life to the fullest and found pleasure in the simple things so many people take for granted," he said. |
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