The Woman Behind the Red: Ruth Strauss and Why Lords Goes Crimson

By Lewis Barnett 11 July, 2025 6 mins read 263 Views

God, where do I even start with this one.

Andrew Strauss - yeah, that Andrew Strauss, the guy who captained England through some of their best cricket years and later ran the whole show at the ECB. But here's the thing that gets me every time I watch a Test match at Lords and see everyone decked out in red. It's not about the cricket legend at all. It's about Ruth.

And honestly? Her story breaks my heart every single time.

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Ruth McDonald: More Than Just a Cricket Wife

Look, I hate when people reduce women to just being "so-and-so's wife," but that's how most cricket fans knew Ruth McDonald. She was Andrew Strauss's partner, sure, but the woman had her own life before cricket took over everything. Born in Australia, she was actually an actress first - though I'll admit, I spent way too much time trying to find her old acting credits and came up empty. Later she moved into business, became an executive, had her own career trajectory that had nothing to do with leather on willow.

Then December 29, 2018 happened. Lung cancer. The rare kind that doesn't give you much warning or many options. She was 46.

Forty-six! That's younger than my sister, and it just... it hits different when you put it in perspective like that.

How They Met (It's Actually Sweet)

Andrew was touring Australia early in his career - Sydney and Adelaide, doing what young cricketers do when they're trying to make their mark. Ruth was there, probably not expecting to fall for some English bloke who spent his days chasing a red ball around a field. But sometimes life throws you these curveballs, right?

October 2003 - they got married. Two sons followed: Sam in 2005, Luca in 2008. Andrew's career was flying high, became England captain, then transitioned to running English cricket as director in May 2015.

But here's the part that gets me. When Ruth got sick, really sick, Andrew walked away from his dream job. Just... resigned. Two months before she died, he stepped down from being director of England cricket to be with her during treatment.

Tell me that doesn't hit you right in the chest.

The Red Revolution

After Ruth passed, Andrew did something that honestly shows the kind of man he is. He reached out to Glenn McGrath - you know, the Australian fast bowler who could make batsmen's lives miserable. McGrath had been through this nightmare before when his wife Jane died from cancer in 2008.

McGrath had started the McGrath Foundation while Jane was still fighting, and since 2007, the third day of the first Test at the SCG has been Jane McGrath Day. Everyone wears pink. It's become this massive thing in Australian cricket.

Andrew wanted something similar for Ruth, but with their own twist.

Why Red? Why Lords?

The second day of the second Ashes Test at Lords became Ruth Strauss Foundation Day. Instead of pink, they chose red - Ruth's color. Players from both teams wear commemorative shirts with the foundation's logo, red caps, red numbers on their backs. The whole ground turns crimson.

That first year in 2019? They raised £382,462 in a single day. Nearly 400 grand! For lung cancer research and support for families going through what Andrew and his boys went through.

The tradition stuck. England vs West Indies in 2020 - red caps again. England vs India and England vs South Africa in 2021 and 2022 - more red. It's become this beautiful, heartbreaking tradition that reminds everyone that cricket, for all its statistics and strategies, is really about the people behind the game.

And honestly? Every time I see Ben Stokes or Joe Root wearing that red cap, I think about Ruth McDonald, who probably never imagined her name would be remembered by cricket fans around the world.

Sometimes the most powerful tributes are the simplest ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can the fielding team secure wickets using their strategy?

The fielding team uses different strategies to restrict the batsmen's ability to score runs and get wickets. To deceive batsmen into dismissing them, bowlers mix up their pace, spin, seam movement or swing. Captains set up fielding positions carefully to attack, placing fielders in catching areas or defend. Bowlers and captains work together to plan and execute delivery plans based on batsmen's weak spots, match conditions and situational factors.

What does the term lbw (left behind) mean?

The words 'bowled' or 'caught" are used to dismiss a cricket batsman. 'Bowled' occurs when the bowler's delivery hits the stumps and dislodges the bails, without being deflected by the batsman's bat or body. 'Caught' refers to when a batsman hits the ball and it is caught by a fielder before it touches the ground. "Run out" occurs when a player hits the stumps during a run before the batsman has a chance to get safely to the crease. LBW or 'leg-before-wicket' occurs when a batsman stands in front of stumps, the ball strikes the batsmans legs or pads but would have struck the stumps if they weren't in the way.

What is an Over in Cricket?

In cricket, an "over" is composed of six consecutive legal balls that a bowler delivers from one side of the pitch to the batting position at the other. Play is then transferred to the opposite end and a different player must bowl the following over. The game can progress with the six deliveries. It also provides strategic elements for teams as they try to maximize or restrict the opponent's scoring each over.

How long can a cricket match last?

The length of a match in cricket can be very different. There are three primary formats of the game. The longest format, Test cricket, can last as long as five days. One Day International (ODI), or one-day matches, are played in a typical day. Each side is given a specific number of fifty overs. Twenty20 (T20), which is a shorter format, can be completed in three to four hours. Each team plays a single inning of 20 overs.

What are the basic rules of cricket?

Cricket is a team sport played by two 11-player teams. The goal of the game is to score runs for a team when they bat and dismiss batsmen when they bowl and field. Each team gets a turn at batting and hurling. The two batsmen on the field score runs by running between the wickets and hitting the ball. Meanwhile, the bowling and defending team tries to stop this by limiting the number of runs. The team with most runs wins the match.

Statistics

In 1999, the Indian team set a Test match record for the most runs scored in a single day's play, putting up 588 runs against New Zealand.
Australia's Women's Cricket Team holds the record for the longest winning streak in ODIs, with 26 consecutive wins from 2018 to 2021.
The record for the highest individual score in a Test match is held by Brian Lara, who scored an unbeaten 400 runs against England in 2004.
Australia's Margaret Peden holds the earliest recorded instance of a double century in women's Test cricket, scoring 204 runs against England in 1935.
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the highest number of runs scored in international cricket, amassing 34,357 runs across all formats.

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How To

How to prepare and maintain a cricket pitch

Maintaining and preparing a pitch for cricket is vital to ensuring that the surface is fair and consistent. To achieve the desired firmness and cover of grass, start by rolling and mowing the pitch. The integrity of the field can be maintained by watering regularly, particularly during dry weather. Be sure to address any wear and tears immediately, especially the run-ups of bowlers and batsmen. Regular inspections and maintenance will ensure that the pitch stays in good condition during play.