In a touching display of solidarity and support, players from both the England and Australia cricket teams paid tribute to Andrew Strauss and his family on Thursday (June 29) to commemorate the annual ‘Red for Ruth day’ at Lord’s.
The occasion held special significance as all squad members wore red caps and participated in a guard of honour, applauding as the Strauss family walked out to ring the bell and commence Day 2 of the second Ashes Test.
The poignant ceremony began with a moment of silence, allowing everyone present to reflect on the impact of the Ruth Strauss Foundation. Following the silence, a brief speech shed light on the Foundation’s crucial work in providing assistance to families affected by a rare form of lung cancer.
Andrew Strauss, renowned as one of England’s greatest-ever Test captains and a respected figure in cricket administration, established the Ruth Strauss Foundation in 2019. The Foundation was born out of personal tragedy when Strauss’ wife, Ruth, tragically passed away at the age of 46 from a rare type of non-smoking lung cancer.
This year’s event marked the fifth ‘Red for Ruth Day’ or ‘Ruth Strauss Red Day,’ an annual initiative by the Foundation to raise awareness and offer support to families facing similar challenges. The players and spectators were encouraged to wear red attire as a symbol of unity and to demonstrate their commitment to the cause. Additionally, the day included an auction, with the proceeds contributing to the Foundation’s ongoing efforts.
In his speech, Strauss emphasized that the aims of Red for Ruth day extend far beyond his own personal journey.
“This is something much greater than me,” he said.
“I know how hard it is for all those families. It just breaks my heart that every day, there are hundreds of kids being put in the situation that my kids were put in. We can’t change that, but we can make it a little bit easier. If we’re able to do that, that warms my soul and I know it’ll be warming Ruth’s soul too.
“People are going through this from all walks of life in all parts of the country, many of whom have never heard of Cricket or the Ruth Strauss Foundation,” Strauss added.
“The Ashes Test match is hopefully a time when people that perhaps aren’t always watching cricket are suddenly tuning in.”
Here’s the video:
Lord’s is #RedForRuth ❤️
Text TWENTY to 70600 to donate £20 to the @RuthStraussFdn pic.twitter.com/04I4KfCbnF
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 29, 2023