The first Indigenous cricket tour of England in 1868

Aboriginal people first began to learn cricket by playing socially with Europeans on the cattle stations in western Victoria, where some worked as stockmen.  

In 1868, 13 cricketers from Victoria's western districts sailed from Sydney to become the first Australian team to tour England.  They played local, amateur English teams. Over six gruelling months, they played 47 two-day games. At the completion of each game the Australian team was required to give an exhibition of 'native sports', including boomerang and spear throwing.

Aboriginal cricket team of 1867

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Under the captaincy of Charles Lawrence, the team produced one legendary player, a young man called Muarrinim. Known on tour as Johnny Mullagh, he scored 1698 runs and claimed 245 English wickets over 45 games. He went on to play for the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Charles Lawrence captained the first Australian team to tour England. He was born in London in 1828 and became a professional cricketer at the age of 17. He played in Ireland during the 1850s and formed the United All-Ireland XI. In 1861-62 he toured Australia with the first England Team under H.H. Stephenson. At the end of the tour he remained behind to coach the Albert Club in Sydney. In 1868 he captained a team of 13 Aboriginal cricketers to England. After returning to Australia Lawrence continued playing and coaching. He played his last game at the age of 70 and died in 1916.

This metal watch fob was presented to Charles Lawrence by Peter Curtis in 1868. It is designed as a cricket ball with a hinged lid. Mounted on the lid in a tripod formation are three cylindrical stumps, a cricket bat, and a single stump.

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