19 June, 2009
Cricket Australia's National Indigenous Development Team leaves Brisbane tomorrow embarking on four-week tour of England, that in many ways honours the spirit of the first ever Australian touring sporting team, the 1868 Indigenous cricket team.
141 years on much has changed, but it has only been in recent years that momentum has accelerated around Indigenous cricket. The growth of the annual Imparja Cup has been responsible for much of this momentum and the England tour is a natural extension of this, giving the most talented young Indigenous players a unique opportunity to develop their game.
The final day of the team's training camp at the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence saw excitement levels at fever-pitch, as final preparations were made and final training sessions conducted. Matthew Hayden dropped by to talk to the team as well as conducting some specialist training sessions.
"I saw a lot of these guys playing at the Imparja Cup during February, and it's been a big build-up from the naming of the team then through to this point now where they're about to get on the plane," Hayden said.
"You can sense a lot of nervous excitement around, for a lot of the guys the furthest they've ever travelled is to Alice Springs for the Imparja Cup, so it's a huge event in these guys' lives."
Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin and Minister for Sport Kate Ellis today wished the cricketers the best of luck as they left on their historic journey.
“This is an exciting opportunity for these young men to follow in the footsteps of the 1868 team, playing at many of the same venues,” Ms Macklin said.
“While in Brisbane, the team participated in the Australian Government’s Indigenous Leadership Program, with subjects in leadership, vision and goal setting, and values.
“This adds to the benefits of this tour for these young Indigenous cricketers, who will come back to their families and communities having learnt a great deal about their history, cricket, and leadership.”
The build-up has not been without dramas either, the training sessions have not been walks in the park and with that a couple of players under injury clouds have been tested.
The CA National Indigenous Development Team
Queenslander Cameron Trask has been on the road to recovery from knee surgery over the past few months and has passed recent tests to prove his fitness for the camp and tour, however a scare was sent through the camp on Thursday when he fell awkwardly during warm-ups. Doctors cleared Trask of any structural damage so the Player of the Imparja Cup will be boarding the plane on Saturday.
A similar fate fell upon Tasmanian bat Josh Walmsley, receiving a knock to a recent hand injury also on Thursday. A rushed trip to doctors for X-rays cleared him of any breaks so he too will make the trip.
Trask's build-up has been followed by Indigenous media crew Carbon Media who are producing a documentary of the tour. The crew will follow the team through England and produce a fly-on-the-wall account of the historic tour. Last week Trask and fellow Queenslander Worrin Williams travelled to Western Victoria with Carbon Media where they visited the small-town of Harrow, the spiritual home of the 1868 pioneers and their champion player Johnny Mullagh, to learn more about those that came before them.
As well as the training sessions and tactical discussions Friday also saw the team grilled by the media, a very new experience for most of the young team. Captain and South Australian Redback player Dan Christian was able to add his support in this area, while Hayden also spoke to the media about his role in helping to promote Indigenous cricket.
"I hope this tour can create role models for Indigenous communities, inspire young Indigenous boys and girls to pick up a bat and ball and give them the dream to wear the baggy green. That's the ultimate goal, to have Indigenous players coming through to wear the baggy green," Hayden said.