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Squads and full details for tomorrow's 2018 Aboriginal XI fixtures

7 Jun 2018

Sussex’s men and women’s squads for their matches against the 2018 Aboriginal XIs at The 1st Central County Ground on Friday have been announced.

Sussex Women are without their England trio of Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Taylor and Danni Wyatt, but will feature two guest internationals in Middlesex’s Fran Wilson and Kent’s Alice Davidson-Richards.

In the absence of skipper Georgia Adams, Freya Davies will captain the team. Fast-bowler Davies is one of two England Women’s Senior Academy players in the squad of twelve, the other being all-rounder Linsey Smith.

Sussex Sharks’ head coach, Jason Gillespie, has chosen another very strong side for the men’s fixture that follows later in the day.

Led by T20 captain, Luke Wright, the squad also includes new signing Tom Bruce. The New Zealand international was announced yesterday as the Sharks’ second overseas player for this year’s Vitality Blast.

Danny Briggs, Chris Jordan David Wiese and Wright are the other players with international experience in the side, while T20 sensation Jofra Archer is also in line to play.

The fixtures are part of a tour commemorate 150 years since an Aboriginal cricket team became the first sporting team from Australia to tour internationally.

The original tour in 1868 saw the Gentleman of Sussex play two matches against the Australian Aboriginals at the Royal Brunswick Ground in Hove, Sussex’s home until the move to the County Ground in 1872. Tomorrow’s anniversary fixtures will take place exactly 150 years after the first of those encounters.

Captained by Ashleigh Gardner and Dan Christian, two strong indigenous squads have been assembled for the tour.

They include four players who currently or have previously represented Australia – Christian, Gardner, Nick Boland and D’Arcy Short - and a further six players on WBBL, BBL or state contracts during the recently concluded Australian season.