Vics named in national indigenous cricket squads

Seven Victorians have been selected in the men’s and women’s national indigenous cricket squads to tour Vanuatu in May.

Prahran batsman Damon Egan will captain the men’s national indigenous cricket squad. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Seven Victorians have been selected in the men’s and women’s national indigenous cricket squads to tour Vanuatu in May.

Damon Egan (men’s captain) and Ella Hayward (women’s vice captain) will be joined by Carly Fuller, Merinda Hale, Tahlia Meier, Bailey Toseland and Wade King.

The tour will take place from May 3-10.

Both national squads will play four T20 matches each against the respective Vanuatu national teams.

Egan, 25, has scored over 3000 runs in Premier Cricket with St Kilda and Prahran.

He played a starring role in Prahran’s 2021-22 premiership, making a memorable 107 in the grand final to win the John Scholes Medal as player of the match.

Teenage Essendon leg-spinner Toseland and McKinnon all-rounder King get their chance after impressing for Victoria in the National Indigenous Cricket Championships in Alice Springs last month.

Ella Hayward. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

Merinda Hale bowls for Victoria. Picture: Jeff Tan

Melbourne Renegades WBBL player Hayward will be vice-captain of the women’s squad, supporting skipper Hannah Darlington, the Sydney Thunder captain.

The men’s and women’s Indigenous XI squads last toured internationally in 2018 for a commemorative tour to England that marked the 150th anniversary of the 1868 Aboriginal team that travelled to England.

Supported through the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports partnership with Cricket Australia and primary principal partner CommBank, the tour is the National Indigenous teams’ first to Vanuatu.

The tour delivers on a key priority set out in Cricket Australia’s strategic plan, Where the Game Grows, to support the growth of cricket globally including in emerging cricketing countries.

With a population of 300,000, Vanuatu has over 25,000 cricket participants and their men’s and women’s national cricket teams are the country’s highest-ranked sporting sides.

Both squads will wear the Indigenous themed One-Day International kits, designed by Kirrae Whurrong woman Aunty Fiona Clarke and Butchulla and Gubbi Gubbi woman Courtney Fewquandie, that were worn by the Australian men’s and women’s teams in home one-day internationals in the 2022-23 season.

“Congratulations to those selected for the national men’s and women’s Indigenous teams for what promises to be an exciting international tour that delivers a key priority for Australian Cricket to support the growth of global cricket,’’ Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley said.

Chair of selectors Julien Wiener said the tour to Vanuatu would benefit all players.

“With constructive and insightful input from state coaches and high-performance managers, we have identified emerging talent from across the country, alongside experienced players including Hannah Darlington and Damon Egan who toured as part of the National Indigenous squads in 2018,’’ he said.

“Whilst the aim to is bring strong and competitive squads to the Pacific, our focus is also on providing opportunities to develop and nurture young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cricketers and we look forward to player development both on and off the field.”

National Women’s Indigenous squad

Callee Black, Wiradjuri, NSW

Carly Fuller, Bundjalung, VIC

Charlotte Toohey, WA

Christina Coulson, Kaurareg, QLD

Clodagh Ryall, Thursday Island, QLD

Ella Hayward, Jawoyn, VIC

Grace Abdy, Waanyi Ganggalida, QLD

Hannah Darlington, captain, Kamilaroi, NSW

Merinda Hale, Yorta Yorta, VIC

Mikayla Hinkley, Kunja, QLD

Piper Hooke, North East Wiradjuri, NSW

Tahlia Meier, Wamba Wamba, VIC

Taleha Urszulak, Dharawal, NSW

Veronica Keen, Badimia, WA

National Men’s Indigenous squad

Bailey Toseland, Taungurung, VIC

Brandon Kopper, Palawa, TAS

Brendan Smith, Dhungutti, NSW

Brock Larance, Biripi, NSW

Brynley Richards, Dharawal, NSW

Cody Hoffmeister, Palawa, WA

Charlie Anderson, Kamilaroi, NSW

Damon Egan, captain, Gunditjmara, VIC

Dylan McLachlan, Kamilaroi, QLD

Kobe Ross, Kaiwalagal, NSW

Nicolas Taylor, Noongar, WA

Tyrell Sinclair, Ngarrindjeri, Yorta Yorta, SA

Tyran Liddiard, Biripi, NSW

Wade King, Ngyampaa, VIC