Former Test captain Ian Chappell takes a stand for Australia’s Indigenous stars

If CA is serious about Indigenous inclusion then they need to not only prepare for the future but also address historical issues, says a former Aussie Test skipper.

James “Jimmy Mosquito” Couzens (Fiona's great-great grandfather),(4th from left) he is standing next to coach and captain Charles Lawrence (an ex all-England cricketer). Australian Aboriginal cricket team in England 1868

As Australia’s cricketers prepare to form a barefoot circle, former Test captain Ian Chappell remains frustrated at the snubbing of the game’s Indigenous trailblazers.

Aussie players will form a barefoot circle at the SCG on Friday against India as a stand against racism and to recognise Australian cricket’s Indigenous heritage.

Chappell believes the gesture is a worthy one but, if Australia truly wants to honour its heritage, it should address historical issues and give special recognition to Johnny Mullagh, captain of the 1868 Indigenous team to England, the first Australian team in any sport to venture abroad.

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Johnny Mullagh was the captain of the 1868 Indigenous side.

Chappell revealed he had launched a private campaign to have Mullagh inducted into Australian Cricket’s Hall of Fame and, despite several rejections, is ready to reload.

Fourteen Aboriginal players from western Victoria played 47 matches in England in 1868 and, while Cricket Australia gave them retrospective cap numbers after a push by Chappell in 2004, they do not appear on traditional lists of Australia’s Test cricketers, which start with Charles Bannerman who arrived a decade later.

A long-time Indigenous advocate, Chappell believes rather than be airbrushed out of history they should be the first names mentioned as Test players, with Mullagh deserving a special honour.

“I think it is fine what Australia is going to do (on Friday) but let’s get our own house in order,’’ Chappell said.

“I told them if they wanted to have a separate Hall of Fame category, I would accept that, but Johnny Mullagh was highly regarded by WG Grace, the premier cricketer in the world at the time and deserved to be inducted.

The 1868 tourists played 47 matches in the UK.

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“There was a feeling you had to do things like score 5000 Test runs, but I said “forget all that’’ because every now and then you have to ignore the stats and go on your gut feeling.

“He was far and away the best player on that tour. I felt strongly about that and I am going to revisit it. One of the reasons why cricket has struggled to attract Indigenous players like the football codes is because they don’t have the visible heroes.’’

Chappell said the pain felt by batting great Barry Richards at not having a South African Test number due to the fact he played the apartheid era reinforced to him the importance of paying due historical recognition to past players.

“Those (Indigenous) players should be on the (Test) list. They should be Test players. While the matches they played were not regarded as a Test match the first Test match between Australia and England was not regarded as a Test until several years later.

“The timing is right to have this discussion again.’’

Originally published as Former Test captain Ian Chappell takes a stand for Australia’s Indigenous stars