Proud Kamilaroi woman Hannah Darlington has been selected to captain Cricket Australia's Women's Indigenous XI team in the side's upcoming tour of Vanuatu.
The team will play four T20 matches against Vanuatu in what will be their first international fixtures since touring England in 2018.
Darlington (New South Wales Breakers / Sydney Thunder) will be joined in the Women's Indigenous XI by fellow professional stars, Kunja woman Mikayla Hinkley (Queensland Road / Brisbane Heat) and Jawoyn woman Ella Hayward (Victoria / Melbourne Renegades) alongside a raft of young up and comers, many who have been plucked from the recent National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC).
A member of the 2018 Women's Indigenous XI side that was lead by Muruwari superstar Ash Gardner, Darlington said she was excited to take on the role of leading a new group of women's Indigenous cricketers on the international stage.
"It's an amazing opportunity that we have, not only myself but I think the squad we've put together looks really exciting to be able to head across to Vanuatu and not only play some cricket but get tight as a group and understand some different peoples culture that we haven't met before," Darlington told ABC news.
"Any time we get a chance to be proud of our culture and have a chance to showcase it is really important, and then we get opportunities to play cricket as well.
"…the talent that this players are going to be able to showcase in Australian colours I think is the most exciting part."
The Australian Men's Indigenous XI's played a one-off fixture against Vanuatu in Queensland in 2019, however the Australian Women's Indigenous XI have not previously played against the pacific nation.
Darlington said there was excitement surrounding the Women's Indigenous XI coming up against their Vanuatu opponents for the first time.
"It's going to be really exciting to see how these players are able to unite with another nation as well as them coming together as Indigenous people and try and make sure that when we get tours like this we're really taking full toll of it," she said.
Darlington will be joined by the likes of Australian debutants Waanyi Ganggalida woman Grace Abdy, Badimia woman Veronica Keen and Wiradjuri woman Callee Black, who have all been selected for national duties following strong performances at last month's NICC.
Keen made herself an irresistible choice for selectors, the 16-year-old scoring a tournament-high 234 runs at 58.50 for Western Australia whilst fellow teenage prodigy Callee Black also had a tournament to remember, the allrounder scoring 148 runs at 29.60 whilst also taking seven wickets for New South Wales.
Proud Wamba Wamba woman Tahlia Meier (187 runs at 62.33) was also given the nod after dominating with the bat for Victoria with tournament leading wicket taker, proud Kaurareg woman Christina Coulson (14 wickets at 14.21) also called up after leading Queensland with the ball.
The Australian Women's Indigenous XI's tour of Vanuatu commences 3 May.
National Women's Indigenous squad
(Name, mob, home state)
Callee Black, Wiradjuri, NSW
Carly Fuller, Bundjalung, VIC
Charlotte Toohey, WA
Christina Coulson, Kaurareg, QLD
Clodagh Ryall, Thursday Island, QLD
Ella Hayward, Jawoyn, VIC
Grace Abdy, Waanyi Ganggalida, QLD
Hannah Darlington (c), Kamilaroi, NSW
Merinda Hale, Yorta Yorta, VIC
Mikayla Hinkley, Kunja, QLD
Piper Hooke, North East Wiradjuri, NSW
Tahlia Meier, Wamba Wamba, VIC
Taleha Urszulak, Dharawal, NSW
Veronica Keen, Badimia, WA
