Former ALP boss Mark Latham launches SHOCKING assault on ‘woke’ Australian cricket participant on the day of her biggest honour
- Anabel Sutherland became first Australian women to score MCG Test ton
- Name was added to the prestigious honour board at the Victorian venue
- Latham made a stunning attack on both Sutherland and the MCG
Former federal Opposition leader Mark Latham has stirred up controversy by questioning the addition of a female player Annabel Sutherland to the honour board of Australian players to have made test centuries at the MCG.
Sutherland’s century against England in their ongoing test was the first by an Australian woman at the MCG and the first by a Victorian-born player, male or female, since Graham Yallop in 1983.
Sutherland’s superb 163 spearheaded Australia‘s score of 440 which had them poised for a crushing victory against the traditional rivals.
On Saturday, the MCG formally honoured Sutherland by stencilling her name to the prestigious wooden honour board to list Australian century-makers at the venue, but Latham said there should be a distinction made between men’s and women’s tons.
‘A very, very special addition to the MCG honour boards. A. J. Sutherland, the first woman to have her named etched in history for a test Century at the ‘G,’ the MCG’s media team posted on X.
Most comments praised the 23-year-old for her historic achievement.
The original post by the MCG social media team about Anabel Sutherland’s achievement and Mark Latham’s response
Sutherland became the first Australian woman to score a Test century at the MCG and the first Victorian since 1983
The MCG social media team hit back at Latham, who stuck to his attack on Sutherland’s achievement and honour
‘I love this. No asterisk. No reference to it being different. It’s an Australian test century at the MCG. End of story,’ one fan posted.
But Latham questioned the inclusion of women on the honour board.
‘Might think it’s her dad. Shouldn’t the woke add pronouns?’ he asked with laughing emojis.
The MCG social media team fired back, saying his comment indicated he did not know who her father is – former Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland.
‘Her Dad’s name is James which does not start with the letter A. Hope this helps,’ the reply said.
Latham left Labor to join One Nation before standing as an independent after falling out iht Pauline Hanson
Latham was not finished there, though, saying many cricketers used their middle name as their preferred name, so a first initial could be misleading.
‘AJ. could be like MC Cowdrey, CG Greenidge or with one of your old patrons, JM Fraser. Very confusing. Needs a pronoun,’ he added.
A fan shot back at the former ALP leader, turned One Nation NSW leader.
‘James Sutherland never played Test cricket and was no more than a handy tailender. You were closer to being prime minister than he was to making a test ton, and that is concerning enough,’ a fan responded.
Beth Mooney became the second Aussie woman to score a ton at the MCG just one day after Sutherland
Latham replied: ‘Every 10yo kid touring the ground knows that. You love pronouns you woke flog, get out you gold pen and add one She/her/Ms AJS.’
Latham bowed out of the comments section as the number of people defending Sutherland and the MCG’s unisex honour board grew.
There will soon be two Australian women on the MCG honour board for Latham to complain about, as Beth Mooney also scored a ton, becoming the first Australian woman to score an international century in all three formats of the game.
The consistent star posted her first Test hundred, reaching the milestone from the final ball of the first over of day three against England at the MCG.
Mooney was left stranded on 98 at stumps on Friday night.
But after five nervous balls to start the day, the 31-year-old hit a square drive to join Annabel Sutherland in piling on more pain to beleaguered England.
Mooney is just the fourth woman to post a ton in Tests, ODIs and T20s, after England pair Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, and South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt.
The left-hander has previously scored three ODI centuries and two in T20s.
Australia are racing towards securing the first 16-0 points whitewash since the multi-format format was introduced for the women’s Ashes back in 2013.
