England cricket teams wear black armbands to honor Nottingham victims

(Reuters) England’s men’s and women’s players will wear black armbands on the first day of the Test against Australia this month as a tribute to the victims of a stabbing and van attack in the English city of Nottingham, the Country’s Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday.

A minute’s silence will be observed before the men’s Ashes opening Test at Edgbaston on Friday and the women’s one-off Test against Australia in Nottingham from 22-26. June.

The deeply distressing scenes witnessed in Nottingham this week have brought enormous sadness to everyone, particularly the loved ones and families of the victims, England men’s Test captain Ben Stokes said.

It is impossible to express how much their lives and futures have been tragically shattered.

England cricket teams are saddened by these events and our thoughts are with those who are suffering at this painful time. As a gesture of respect, we honor them by wearing black armbands.

Three people died and one was in critical condition after the attack.

One of the teenage victims, Grace Kumar, had played hockey for England under-18s and cricket for Woodford Wells Cricket Club, and fellow student Barnaby Webber was said to be a keen cricketer.

“It was incredibly sad to hear about the events in Nottingham and it felt a little closer to home to hear that two of the victims had been cricketers,” England Women’s captain Heather Knight said.

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India Editing by Ed Osmond)