Trio of brothers light up Alice Springs

Everything is better in threes; whether that be notching triple-figures, grabbing a hat-trick or simply a trio brothers playing in the same team at the National Indigenous Cricket Championships.

For the McGregor brothers, they’re hoping for all of those things and more as they suit up for South Australia at the NICC this week. 

For Marcus, 21, Ayden, 17 and Dylan, 15, it’ll be the first time they've taken the field together away from their backyard cricket battles.

"From backyard, (it) turned into club cricket then grade cricket and now to the (National Indigenous Cricket Championships)," mother Tanya says.

It's a different dynamic to normal, with middle brother Ayden – who has represented South Australia at Under 17 and Under 19 level – taking over the captaincy from eldest brother Marcus, who has recently moved to Cairns for work.

"I guess being a brother and being captain, there might be a bit of banter around that and it's more about listening to me as a brother over me as a captain," he says.

Growing up on a five-acre block of land in Darwin, there was plenty of space for backyard battles, something Marcus made count.

"I was always too quick for them and they couldn't really get me out so games would usually end up with Ayden and Dylan having a sook," he says.

While South Australia hasn’t had the tournament they’d initially hoped for, the signs are good for the youngest team in the competition with Ayden making a vital half-century and Marcus and Dylan also providing stability with bat, ball and gloves.

Like the Chappells before them, these three brothers will hope to emulate the Baggy Green successes that came for Greg, Ian and Trevor.

And with mother Tanya right by their side as Team Manager as they rise through the ranks, McGregor is a name you'll more than likely hear again.