History will be created at the SCG tomorrow night, when the first all-Indigenous match at an international cricket ground gets underway, SBS' Nick Vindin reports.
Named in honour of one of the finest indigenous fast bowlers during the early 1900s, the Jack Marsh Cup will feature a Twenty-20 game between current and former NRL stars and a team largely drawn from the National Indigenous Under 23 Development Squad.
Jack Marsh was an Australian first-class cricketer of Australian aboriginal descent who represented New South Wales in six matches from 1900–01 to 1902–03.
A right-arm fast bowler of extreme pace, Marsh was blessed with high athletic qualities and was regarded as one of the outstanding talents of his era.
Former Wallaby Lloyd McDermott knows how important initiatives like this are for helping Indigenous youths.
"They've got to use sport as a vehicle, to enhance their lives, and bring them hope not only that they can be successful but also help others achieve want they want to achieve," he told SBS.
McDermott founded a similar program for rugby union and believes that sporting pursuits play a key role for Indigenous development and reconciliation.
Jack Marsh's career was dogged by allegations of racial discrimination and questions over the legitimacy of his bowling action more than a century ago.
However there will be no conjecture regarding the talent of the Indigenous athletes performing on one of the worlds biggest stages.
