10 cricketers who support the ‘Movember’ moustache cause

Movember is a campaign promoted in the month of November to raise awareness about men’s health issues like prostate cancer. The campaign was started by the Movember Foundation chairty to raise awareness and fund the issues in Australia and New Zealand. Sudatta Mukherjee writes about 10 cricketers who support the Movember campaign.

The Ashes 2013-14 in Australia witnessed a lot of Australian cricketers grow moustaches. Who can forget Mitchell Johnson’s killer spells sporting a Zapata moustache in the Ashes in Australia!

This year, the Australian and South African cricketers are growing moustaches in support of Movember.

Last year, ahead of the Ashes 2013-14, Australian coach Darren Lehmann said, “Movember has helped change the way we see men’s health and with my grandfather battling prostate cancer, it’s a cause I’ll always be a huge supporter of. It’s great to have [Matthew] Wade, [David] Warner, [Mitchell] Starc and [Mitchell] Johnson on board as well and I think things will get pretty competitive but hopefully I’ll have the boys covered when it comes to the end of the month.”

Here are 10 cricketers who actively support the ‘Movember’ cause:

1. Mitchell Johnson

The Australian pacer leads the Movember list of cricketers after his terrorising spells during the last Ashes series Down Under, which was followed by his performances in South Africa. Johnson is seen sporting the famous moustache again during South Africa’s ongoing tour of Australia.

2. David Warner
The Australian opener had a rough early 2013, but he made for it by scoring most runs in the Ashes 2013-14 series, during which he sported a moustache alongside Johnson. Warner terrorised the English bowlers scoring two centuries, two half-centuries and accumulating 523 runs from five Test matches, with an average of 58.11.

3. Aaron Finch

Finch, the Australian Twenty20 (T20) skipper sported a moustache during the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. The aggressive batsman, who has been associated with Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils, created history, when he scored 156 against England in 2013, in a T20 International, which included 14 sixes.

4. Glenn Maxwell

Maxwell is another Australian who bulldozes any bowling when he is in the mood. Maxwell has been seen sporting a moustache during South Africa’s tour to Australia this summer. During IPL 2014, Maxwell scored 552 runs from 21 T20 matches, and smashed 36 sixes in the tournament, the most by any player in seventh season.

5. JP Duminy

South African cricketer Duminy grew a moustache this month to promote awareness about men’s health. Duminy was quoted by SuperSport, “Movember is a fantastic initiative. I’m taking part this year in an effort to create awareness, but more importantly, to get people talking about the dangers of and the measures they can take to help prevent prostate and testicular cancer.”

6. Vernon Philander

The South African is the other cricketer from the current touring team, who will be seen sporting the moustache. Recently, Philander asked his followers to support the Movember initiative on Twitter.

7. Darren Lehmann

The former Australian cricketer and current coach Darren Lehmann is one of the three members of the current team who has grown a moustache in support of the Movember movement. Lehmann had supported the cause last year during the Ashes 2013-14 series too.

8. Merv Hughes

Retired Australian fast bowler Hughes was part of the team that launched the Movember campaign last year which featured a moustache on the nose of a Qantas Boeing. Hughes’ moustache has been a sex symbol over the years. It is said that Hughes was so obsessed about his moustache that he reportedly insured it for £200,000.

9. Peter Siddle

Australian fast bowler Siddle, was announced the Movember ambassador in 2010. Siddle had then said, “Given cricket’s famous links to the moustache through players like Merv Hughes, Ian Botham and Max Walker, it’s great that Movember brings the moustache back to the cricket field each year and does so for a fantastic cause.”

Siddle also spoke about Hughes, being one of his inspirations. “As a fast bowler and a Victorian, Merv Hughes is the obvious inspiration when it comes to growing a moustache — if I can grow one half as good as his, I’ll be rapt! I encourage clubs nationwide to join me in growing a moustache to support men’s health and I look forward to seeing moustaches on cricket grounds throughout November.”

10. Kevin Pietersen

The controversial England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was seen sporting a moustache during the Ashes 2010. Pietersen took to social media to promote the cause. Even his team-mates were seen talking about his moustaches during the Ashes series. In 2013, Pietersen wrote on Facebook during the Ashes series Down Under, “I’m not growing a tash this Movember! However, I will donate one of my 100th Test shirts to the Movember UK cause at the end of the month. (sic)”

(Sudatta Mukherjee is a reporter with CricLife. Other than writing on cricket, she spends penning random thoughts on her blog and produces weekly posts on new food joints at Whopping Weekends. She played table tennis for University of Calcutta. When she is not writing, you will catch her at a movie theatre or watching some English serial on her laptop. Her Twitter id is @blackrosegal)