When the 2018 Indigenous Australian cricket team leaves for England in June, there will be five Campbelltown Camden Ghosts in the 30 member squad.
The tour will commemorate 150 years since 13 Aboriginal cricketers went to England and became the first ever Australian sporting team to tour internationally.
In 1868 all 13 were men, but in 2018 the tour will include both a men’s and women’s Indigenous teams.
The women’s team contains four Ghosts reps, while club coaching member Jeff Cook will travel on the tour as head coach of the men’s team.
Three of the female players selected for the tour, Dharmini Chauhan (Wiradjuri), Hannah Darlington (Kamilaroi) and Naomi Woods (Kamilaroi) played in the Ghosts first grade women’s grade team this season.
All three have recently won the NSW All Schools Championships for Combined High Schools with Naomi Woods claiming a hat trick in the state final.
The fourth, Haylee Hoffmeister (Palawa) was a local junior and Ghosts first grade player, until relocating to Western Australia for a season.
She has since returned, and it is anticipated she will represent Macarthur at the Ghosts again next season.
Selection in the women’s team means Hannah Darlington’s successful season will be longer than most.
Prior to the tour Hannah will represent Australia Under 19s in South Africa in a Tri-series against the hosts and England.
The Ghosts Australian Indigenous players will experience playing on England’s marquee grounds which include Surrey’s famous home ground located in London, The Oval, a regular English Test match venue.
Australian men’s coach, Jeff Cook (Kamilaroi), has no doubt their English opponents will be in for a shock.
“These are serious teams, high performance players who, for example, could compete as teams in our national interstate competitions such as the JLT Cup,’’ Cook said.
The Campbelltown Camden Ghosts have welcomed selection for their five representatives.
“The Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club are proud to have these Indigenous players amongst our members and wish them all the best for a wonderful England tour,’’ it said in a statement.
