Beard Liberation Front
15th March
Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett 07803 167266
Clean Shaven Andrew Strauss wants a return of the Gillette Cup to English cricket
The man temporarily in charge of English and Welsh cricket has been floating plans to reform and revitalise cricket. According to a report in the Telegraph (15th March) one idea is to bring back the one-day knock out cup. This ran from 1963 until 2006 with the original sponsors to 1980 being Gillette.
It included all first class counties and minor counties and was seen as a cricketing version of the FA Cup, although giant killers were limited, perhaps notably Durham, now a first class county.
The Beard Liberation Front says that in 1963 Gillette sponsorship fitted the clean shaven image of cricket with perhaps just the odd aristocratic moustache wearer. Facial hair was generally frowned upon although by 1980 when Gillette bowed out, it had become relatively common.
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, Andrew Strauss is permanently clean shaven and in suggesting a return to the cricket one-day cup he is sending a subliminal message that England cricket did better in the clean shaven days of the 1960s. By contrast we think beard power is essential to the modern men’s game.
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