Short, Christian on indigenous tour of UK

Tuesday, 10 April 2018:

DARCY SHORT of Australia walks onto the field to bat through flames during game two of the International Twenty20 series between Australia and England at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.
DARCY SHORT of Australia walks onto the field to bat through flames during game two of the International Twenty20 series between Australia and England at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.


D'Arcy Short and Dan Christian will commemorate 150 years since their fellow Aboriginal cricketers became the first sporting team from Australia to tour overseas.

The limited-overs stars will join 11 others, plus a women's team led by emerging Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, on a tour of the UK in June which partially mirrors the famous original tour.

In May 1868, 13 Aboriginal players from Victoria arrived in England before playing 47 matches against amateur teams over the next four months.

Australian ODI and Twenty20 representative Scott Boland and first class player Brendan Doggett are also on the commemorative tour, which includes games against county sides Surrey, Sussex, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

The men's and women's team will each play a game at Test venue The Oval.

The tourists will pay tribute to the 1868 pioneers by wearing their names on the backs of uniforms, as well as learning about their experiences and visiting the London grave of all-rounder Bripumyarrimin (King Cole), who died in the UK.

"150 years on, to be captain is such an honour," Gardner said.

"Being able to represent my culture is really special and all the girls are really excited to do that too."

The tour begins on June 5 when the men's team faces Marylebone Cricket Club at Arundel Castle.






AAP






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