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On a cultural level, Australia has been forced to confront the harsh reality of a federal politician called Pauline Hanson, who has touched a raw nerve by questioning what it means for migrants to embrace Australian values. No one is quite sure what these values are meant to be, who drew up the list of these values, and how far back in time you have to go to determine the source of these values, but Hanson has done what she set out to do - embroil the nation in a testy debate around notions of inclusivity and diversity as it applies to her monocultural frame of reference.Much of the focus of her wrath is seemingly directed at ethnic and religious migrants from Asia and the Middle East. For many of those who may feel the sting of her words, cricket is their sport, their passion, their sense of cultural identity. Having had the privilege of being on both sides of the fence - first as a migrant in 1984 and now as a long-time resident, with children born in this land (weaned on cricket), and working as an educator in the field of diversity and inclusion, I believe firmly that cricket represents a bridge that can span the chasm between Hansons rhetoric and the history of a nation built on migration.That Cricket Australia promotes a culture that is wholly inclusive is not in doubt. I have personally witnessed their commitment to making the sport accessible to all. It is not lip service but a genuine recognition of cricket as a truly global sport that is richer for the broad church it draws from. It may yet be another generation before the proliferation of South Asian names seen in junior cricket scorecards is reflected in senior Australian teams but most of that is beyond CAs influence at this early point in time.For instance, at the national championships that my 12-year-old son participated in recently, most of the state teams had significant representation from boys with subcontinental heritage. Yet in the Under-17, U-19 and rookie squads I work with, the numbers have thinned out noticeably. This has very little to do with discrimination and everything to do with the traditional focus on higher education that many South Asian families still demand of their children. It may yet be some time before cricket is viewed as an equally attractive and viable career option for a subset of the population for whom higher education is still the holy grail.I felt that pressure in the late 1980s when I pursued a modest cricket career, and it was only the luck of a cricket scholarship to Oxford that appeased my parents sufficiently to allow me to chase that futile dream for a few more years. But inclusivity at grass-roots level runs a lot deeper than merely playing the game. It is about finding ways to encourage people from all backgrounds to be an active part of club culture. Until that happens seamlessly, there will always be the perception that gives rise to Hansonism - this ridiculous notion that if you dont share her version of Australian values, you dont belong. Its plain to see why the smallest oversights can lead to the perception that some cultures/religions do not want to assimilate, and the barriers to entry can easily be removed with nothing more than enhanced cross-cultural understanding on both sides of the fence.For example, many cricket clubs wonder why some cricketers or their families are reluctant to volunteer for simple things like running the canteen. It might not have occurred to them that they never actually invited that person to step behind the counter. If youre a second-generation club member, like my sons are, they see no impediment to volunteering for any role, but when I posed the same question to my father, he confessed that while he felt like he should have offered to help, no one actually asked him, so he did not want to force himself on people whom he did not know.It could be as simple as the Aussie staple of ham and salad rolls or hot dogs being on the menu. For some, handling certain types of meat is not an option. Serving alcohol might present a similar obstacle to volunteering in such roles. How many clubs (and Ive seen this occur in England too a thousand times) serve food that has pork or beef products and then look suspiciously at that one person who distances himself from the group and looks like he is not mixing in with his team-mates? In similar vein, Ive played cricket in India and Sri Lanka where similar situations occur in reverse - the volunteer caterer may just have forgotten to include a type of food that is non-spicy. Nothing sinister - just an oversight that leads to false perceptions that fuel the sort of myths that Hanson then makes sweeping generalisations about.Then theres dressing-room etiquette. In all my time playing cricket in Australia and England, it was standard practice for males to get changed and shower alongside each other without being self-conscious about nudity. It never occurred to those cricketers that there may be others who feel uncomfortable with that. It has nothing to do with being gay or being unhygienic (Have you noticed he never showers after a game?). And yet, those minor misunderstandings can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies that stand in the way of true inclusivity.I am now in South Africa, a proud cricketing nation that is dealing with the equally thorny issues around quotas, inclusion and opportunity. We have Pauline Hanson. South Africa had Nelson Mandela: Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination. Balenciaga Shoes Clearance . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Balenciaga Wholesale . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. http://www.balenciagacheapshoes.com/balenciaga-triple-s-sale/triple-s-white-discount.html . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Balenciaga Speed Trainer Black Sale . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Balenciaga Sandals Cheap . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. FORT WORTH, Texas -- After the rain, Carl Edwards will be racing for a championship in NASCARs season finale.Jimmie Johnson was already locked into one of the title-contending spots at Homestead.So that leaves two spots for the final four in the deciding Sprint Cup race Nov. 20. And there are six drivers -- half of them Edwards teammates with Joe Gibbs Racing -with one more chance to claim them next Sunday at Phoenix.Edwards got the victory he so desperately needed to advance when he won a rain-shortened race at Texas. It was cut by 41 laps because of rain late Sunday night after the start was delayed nearly six hours.I feel like this is what we needed to do. We were able to do that. Theres a lot of pride in that, Edwards said. To be able to run like we did tonight, for the pit crew to perform the way they did, its really great. I think its a testament to the team that Coach Gibbs put together.Gibbs drivers Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin are still in contention for the final spots. They go to Phoenix third through fifth in the points standings, though separated by only two points.Next week will be super competitive, Gibbs said. For us and our guys, I know all three of them want this. They really want it bad.Team Penske driver Joey Logano, who led a race-high 178 laps at Texas before finishing second, is listed second in the points with a tiebreaker over Kyle Bush. Kenseth is only one point back, with Hamlin one behind him.Kevin Harvick is sixth in points, 18 back, but goes to Phoenix where he won his track-record eighth race in March and has won six of the last eight.We will just go there and do what we always do and race as hard as we can, Harvick said.If one of the remaining six contenders doesnt win at Phoenix, the final two spots will be determined by points.Harvick and Kurt Busch, his Stewart-Haas teammate who is 34 points back in eighth, are both likely in the position of needing a victory at Phoenix for a title chance.That is pretty much the situation Edwards faced when he got to Texas eighth in points among the drivers still eligible for the championship, a week after a cut tire and crash led to a 36th-place finish at Martinsville.ddddddddddddWinning a rain-shortened race provided a bit of vindication for Edwards.Last years race at Phoenix was delayed nearly seven hours as a series of storms passed through the area, and then once it started at night, it was called after 218 laps. Edwards finished fifth, leaving him five points out of the final spot for the Chase finale.This rain was a lot more welcome than that rain, Edwards said. That was frustrating.Edwards took the lead on lap 258 after beating Martin Truex Jr. off pit road, and led the rest of the way.Light rain was already falling and plenty more was on the radar around the track, when the caution came out with 45 laps remaining of the originally scheduled 334-lap race.All cars were brought to pit road four laps later, and it was only a few more minutes before NASCAR declared the race over and official after 293 laps. It could have taken two hours or more to dry to track, even though it ended up being only a brief shower.Some other things from Texas:DRIVE FOR FIVE SHORT: Johnson had won the previous four fall races at Texas, but finished 11th after starting 19th.LONG GAP: Edwards had last won at Texas in 2008, when he swept both Cup races at the track. Those were among his nine wins overall that season when he finished second in points. Three years later, Edwards was the season runner-up again even though he matched Tony Stewart for the most points. Stewart won the championship on a tiebreaker since he had five wins to Edwards one.UP NEXT: An elimination race Sunday at Phoenix. Assuming Harvick wins again, the playoff picture is realistically five drivers racing for the final slot in the finale. ' ' '