by Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (June 19^th 2010)[1]ne

Editor’s Note

The issue of racism in sport remains pertinent. We have covered this and other issues for several years. The story of Aboriginal cricket is important and still relevant especially with the 74^th Ashes series looming.

The Editor

All-rounder

Jack Marsh was not the first Aboriginal cricketer to play for Australia. Around the turn of the last century the right-arm fast bowler should have represented his country, but over thirty years earlier Aboriginal cricketers were the first Australian sportsmen to tour England.[2] The best player on that tour Unaarimin represented his state, but was denied the opportunities that he should have had.

George Tarrant, then the second fastest bowler in England, described Unaarimin as the best batsman he had faced. Unaarimin could bowl too – taking an incredible 245 wickets and scoring 1698 runs on the gruelling tour. Unaarimin was undoubtedly an exceptionally talented cricketer and there were others denied the chance they deserved.

The New Norcia Invincibles were unbeaten over five years in the nineteenth century.[3] Their star player Johnny Blurton was an all-rounder of such ability that he occasionally kept wicket as well. He too was denied the recognition he deserved, as was Albert (Alec) Henry. Marsh was the next great Aboriginal cricketer, but little is known about his origins.

Origins

Record-keeping left much to be desired in the nineteenth century, especially where Aboriginals are concerned. Not only is Marsh’s birth date unknown – even the year is not definite. It is believed to be around 1874, but at least some facts are known.

Yugilbar on the Clarence River in New South Wales has a small part in Australian sporting history. It is the birthplace of one of Australia’s greatest all-round sportsmen, Jack Marsh – was an athlete whose sporting prowess could not be ignored despite the best efforts of a racist society to remove his achievements from the record books.

Marsh’s people – the Bundjalung – are the original inhabitants of a sliver of Northern New South Wales with a distinct culture and religion that they proudly celebrate. In his day, that was not the case, but sportsmen had a way out of the grinding poverty and lack of opportunities while their skills lasted. They were given ‘honorary whites’ status that gave them limited freedoms – this happened in South Africa decades later under Apartheid too especially with cricket tours after the sporting isolation took its toll.

Nevertheless, Marsh was an Aboriginal and they were excluded from citizenship and even from records. It was therefore very difficult to locate information on Marsh’s early life. But for his sporting excellence he would have been just another Aboriginal – the fate that eventually overtook him and cost him his life. Sport gave Marsh a chance – his talent could not be ignored – but once it had finished with him it rejected him and cast him back to where he had come from and a rapid descent to a tragic and early death. He could not acknowledge or celebrate his heritage in his lifetime or see his own achievements recognised

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[1] This article was first published in the Magazine in 2009. We publish it again as the issues that it raises remain pertinent.

[2] For further details see The Aboriginal Pioneers – Australian Sport’s First Tour at https://empowersmag.com/empowersmagwp/2025/04/18/archive/ and https://empowersmag.com/empowersmagwp/2025/04/18/archive-2/ that was published by us previously.

[3] For further information see A Nation’s Shame Parts One and Two at https://empowersmag.com/empowersmagwp/2025/04/18/archive-3/ and https://empowersmag.com/empowersmagwp/2025/04/18/archive-4/ that was published previously by us.