ABORIGINES HAD CRICKET TEAM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18615, 17 November 1928, Page 7

ABORIGINES HAD CRICKET TEAM.

TOUR OF ENGLAND PROVED SUCCESS

Who will remember the cricket team of aborigines that Victoria knew sixtyone years ago? inquires an Australian writer. The association of native Australians who toured « England and achieved cricketing fame? The team was first founded in \ ictoria, and was a fairly successful combination. In February, 1567, a Sydney tour was decided on, and under the management of a Mr Wills, one-time captain of a Victorian eleven, the black men arrived in Sj'dney, to commence a three days' match with the Albert Club. Ihe aborigines were defeated, the scores being 298 to 164. At that time the native team numbered the players: Mullagh, Twopennv, Cuzens, Bullocky, Dick-a-Dick, Tarpot, Paddy, Jellico, Rose, Peter, and Watty.

The aborigines in New South Wales now began to take a keen and active interest in cricket, and, when, in 1862, Australia w T as visited by the first team from England under H. H. Stephenson, they were playing the game seriously. Accompanying Stephenson’s combination had come Charles Lawrence, of Surrey. He remained behind in Australia, and soon he had taken a great interest in the all-black teams. He began playing with them, and then decided that coaching would work great improvement; in this he set to work. Lawrence was going to make a successful and novel combination of these black sportsmen.

Ir. due time a worthy team was formed; other native “cracks” had come to the front row, including King Cole, Tiger, Red Cap, Shepherd, Jim Crow, Charley and Mosquito. With his pupil-team, Lawrence toured New South Wales and Victoria, with marked Success. Of twenty games all but one resulted in victories. The man from Surrey, delighted with his men, thought of an English tour; soon he decided on this. Just prior to leaving, a team comprising selected men in Mullagh, Jim Crow, King Cole, Red Cap, Bullockv. Cuzens, Dick-a-Dick, Shepherd, Tiger, Charley, Peter, Twopenny and Mosquito (not the Mosquito who was executed for outlawry in Tasmania, as has been supposed—they lived in different generations) defeated an Army and Navy combination in Sydney. A spectator of honour in the Duke of Edinburgh congratulated the victors and wished them success in his homeland. With this team Lawrence left Australia in 1868. Though it was their first sea journey, the black men enjoyed the trip, which was a good one. However, they were not themselves when, in their first match, against Surrey at the famed Surrey oval, they were defeated bv an innings and some odd runs. But the visitors were not disgraced; and allowances had to be made. They were slightly “raw”; but there was nothing lacking on the score of popularity. These dusky Australians were soon the sensation of England. London took to them, and huge crowds attended their performances. Surely the visitors were quaintly garbed, black skin, bright red shirts and blue caps contrasting oddly. They played Marylebone at Lord’s; Kent at Gravesend; Sussex at Brighton; Richmond at Richmond. In each of these big games they were defeated. The first success was gained at Ladywell against Lewisham ; it was but a single run victory. At this match Red Cap was presented with a silver cup for his excellent play. At different games cash-musters were taken up for the visitors, and they were treated royally by the people of England. Altogether 47 matches were played, of which 14 were won, 14 lost, and the remainder (19) drawn. So that the black men came out even on the tour. Everything considered, they did remarkably well. During the tour they gave divers exhibitions, engaged in mimic battles and played games peculiar to them. Johnny Mullagh played in cricket for some years after his return. It will be remembered that he played in Melbourne against Lord Harris’s English team in 1879. He top-scored for Victoria on this occasion. A good allround cricketer, he now rests in the Harrow (Victoria) cemetery; a memorial stone may be viewed in the local cricket ground.

Cricket is still being played by our aborigines, but no combination nearly the equal of Lawrence’s “All Blacks” is known, nor is such a team within the bounds of probability.