Wednesday 10 March 2010

Queenslanders Worrin Williams and Cameron Trask are the stars of an ABC documentary centred on the national Indigenous development team’s tour of England last year.

From the Ashes, as part of its Indigenous program, Message Stick, will screen nationally this Sunday 14 March at 1.30pm.

The squad of promising young Indigenous cricketers played 12 matches through England in June and July last year, winning eight matches, losing three and drawing one.

Narrated by Queensland actor William McInnes, the documentary follows Trask and Williams preparing for the tour and then throughout the many unique places and experiences the team took in.

The players discover the history of the 1868 Aboriginal team that toured the UK as the first Australian sporting team travel overseas, heading to the hometown and resting place of its star player, Johnny Mullagh, before making the journey to England to carry on the spirit of the 1868 tour.

The team was captained by recent Australian Twenty20 debutant Dan Christian and featured a squad largely consisting of exciting young Indigenous cricketers ranging from ages of 16 to 23.

The documentary was produced by Aboriginal-owned new media company Carbon Media for the ABC with the support of Cricket Australia.

Cricket Australia General Manager of Game Development Damien Bown is excited that the successful tour will now be brought to a wider audience:

“The story around this young Indigenous team is powerful, with the connection to the 1868 pioneers running deep. Moreover the development of a number of the players the tour since makes this an important documentary,” Bown said.

“We’ve seen Dan Christian step up to Australian selection for recent matches against the West Indies and New Zealand, becoming the second player of Aboriginal heritage to play for Australia in the modern era.

“We have also seen younger players like Preston White, who has played Futures League Twenty20 for Queensland, and Darcy Short, who starred for the Northern Territory at the National Under-19 Championships and has since scored an unbeaten century for Western Australia in the Futures League, that have kicked on this summer since the tour.”

From the Ashes will also be repeated in the Message Stick slot at 11.30am on Saturday 20 March.