ENGvsAUS Ashes 2023: Why England and Australia players wore blue caps Ahead of Day 2

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The players of the England and Australian Test team wore blue caps ahead of Day 2 start of the ongoing first Ashes 2023 Test as a tribute to the late England great Bob Willis.

Edgbaston in Birmingham turned blue on Saturday, June 17 for the #BlueforBob day to commemorate Willis, who passed away due to prostate cancer in 2019. The official Twitter handle of Edgbaston ground, appealed to the fans to don something of blue colour in respect to the bowling great who picked 325 wickets in 90 Test matches.

"It's #BlueForBob at Edgbaston today. If you're attending, remember to wear a splash of blue. Show your support for @bobwillisfund," the tweet read.

Edgbaston was Willis’s domestic ground for the majority of his career. He also played five Test matches here including the famous 1981 fourth Ashes Test. England were bundled out for 189 in the first innings of the match. Later, they could post just a 151-run target for Australia.

However, Bob Willis joined hands with John Emburey and Ian Botham to bundle out Australia for 121. Will picked the wickets of opener John Dyson and Australian captain Kim Hughes who had walked in to bat at four.

Willis' wife Lauren Clark established the Bob Willis fund to help raise money for research and also raise awareness against prostate cancer.

On Day 1 of the first Test, England and Australia players wore black armbands and observed a moment’s silence for the victims of Nottingham attacks earlier this week. Three people were killed in the incident. The first day of the women’s Ashes between England and Australia will also follow the same gesture.