Players meet pollies ahead of historic tour

The captains of the men's and women's Aboriginal teams met with the most powerful politicians in the country on Wednesday before they embark on a historic tour of the UK next week.

Dan Christian and Ash Gardner met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten at Parliament House in Canberra before a week-long tour of England that will see them re-trace the steps of the famous 1868 Aboriginal cricketers, the first Australian sporting team to tour overseas.

The pair met with politicians from both sides of the aisle, including Minister for Sport Bridget McKenzie, Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt and Western Australian senator Pat Dodson.

"(Turnbull) had just come out of question time, so I thought he might be a bit flustered and maybe not quite as interested as he'd maybe otherwise be," Christian told cricket.com.au.

"But he'd heard a bit about the tour and read up a bit about it and was really keen to have a chat to Ash and myself.

"They were all really supportive of the tour and keen to follow us, hoping that we do well."

The tour will feature a total of nine matches against English county sides and will be played at some of the grounds that hosted the original team of Aboriginal pioneers 150 years ago.

The 1868 side, which also famously played a Boxing Day clash at the MCG in 1866, became the first Australian team in any sport to tour internationally when they played 47 matches throughout England across a six-month period.

"(The Canberra visit) emphasised the magnitude of it, for us to be able to commemorate that tour 150 years ago," Christian said.

"To be able to play against county sides on some Test grounds, it's going to be a pretty special trip for all of us going. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come for Indigenous cricket."

In a special tribute to those pioneering cricketers, each member of the 2018 men's team have been linked to a 1868 player and will sport the name of that player on the back of their uniform.

Last weekend, six players visited the hometown of the 1868 team in Victoria’s West Wimmera region and met with some of the descendants of those pioneering cricketers.

"I'm representing Johnny Cuzens (Yellanach) and my brother Nick is representing Mosquito (Grongarrong) and they were brothers over there so it will be pretty cool to go over there and represent them," said Victorian quick Scott Boland, one of three BBL-contracted players in the men's squad.

"I met Ash Cuzens today and he did a nice welcome for us to his land and it was great to meet him and now have that connection."

The men's squad suffered a blow earlier this month when star opener D'Arcy Short was ruled out due to his selection for Australia's ODI series against England. Brisbane Heat fast bowler Josh Lalor will also miss the tour due to the birth of his first child, but Queensland quick Brendan Doggett – who was picked for the Australia A squad this week – joins Christian and Boland as the BBL-contracted players who will take part in the tour.

"It's definitely a blow for us as a team but it's fantastic for him," Christian said of Short's ODI call-up.

"Everyone saw he had a brilliant Big Bash and then did really well for Australia in the T20s both here and over in NZ. Hopefully he can really grab a hold of that opening spot in the one-day team and stay there for a long time."  

In the women's squad, Southern Stars allrounder Gardner will lead a young squad with an average age of 20 featuring Sydney Sixers allrounder Haylee Hoffmeister and Sydney Thunder teenager Hannah Darlington.

The men's team will open the tour against the MCC at the picturesque Arundel Castle while the highlight of the campaign will be a double header at The Oval on June 7.

FIXTURES

Men's

5th June – Aboriginal XI v Marylebone CC at Arundel Castle
7th June – Aboriginal XI v Surrey at The Oval
8th June – Aboriginal XI v Sussex at the First Central County Ground
10th June – Aboriginal XI v Derbyshire at the County Ground
12th June – Aboriginal XI v Nottinghamshire at Loughborough

Women's

7th June – Aboriginal XI v Surrey at The Oval
8th June – Aboriginal XI v Sussex at the First Central County Ground
10th June – Aboriginal XI v National Cricket Conference at the County Ground
12th June – Aboriginal XI v ECB Academy at Loughborough