Vol. 19 No. 9
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Wednesday, August 31, 2016
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Mystery behind rare cricket find A
BY DEAN LAWSON
brass belt buckle found on a Green Lake farm south-east of Horsham might prove to be of national sporting, cultural and historical significance.
Initial research based on a hallmark stamped on the buckle, which features a cricket diorama with the inscription Let Cricket Ever Flourish, has revealed it was minted almost 150 years ago. Adding to the intrigue is the specific date, December 13, 1867, which was part of a lead-up period to an historic Aboriginal cricket tour of England the following year. The find has led to speculation the buckle might have been in some way connected to one of the original players, officials or supporters of the famous first Australian representative touring cricket side to visit England. Research agronomist and hobby fossicker Daniel Mibus, 25, unearthed the relic, which is in relatively good condition, on the banks of a creek on his family’s farm. He said he was desperate to discover more about his find and had written to Melbourne Cricket Club seeking help and direction. He said he had found a variety of curios while exploring with his metal detector, but this find had tickled his sense of history as well as in-
terest. “I found the first half of the buckle about 12 months ago and, a couple of weeks ago while on holidays, decided to see if I could find the other half, and I did,” he said. “It was about 40 metres up the bank from the creek where in four generations there has never been any formal structure. But it appears there had been something there previously. “I sent details of the hallmark to establish the date and the fact that it was almost 150 years old was special in its own right.”
Significant
Mr Mibus said as a cricket player and enthusiast he was particularly interested in finding out more about who had originally owned the buckle. He agreed the buckle might be significant or simply a product that was available to general cricket fans at the time. “You just never know, but it is certainly old. So old that what I have found out is that famous English cricketer W. G. Grace suggested not wearing cricket buckles while batting. This was because there was a chance the ball could graze them and be mistaken as a snick off the bat,” he said. The Australian Aboriginal cricket team that toured England between May and October in 1868
IN THIS ISSUE
was made of indigenous players, mainly from the west Wimmera and Western District. The 13 members were Jardwadjali, Gunditjimara or Wotjobaluk men. Notable players now part of national cricketing legend included celebrated all-rounder Unaarrimin or Johnny Mullagh from Harrow and Jungunjinanuke, Dick-a-Dick, who also played a significant role in finding the Duff children of Lost in the Bush fame. In early 1866 a series of selection matches established the Aboriginal line-up, which was initially coached by pastoralist William Hayman and then Victorian cricket captain and Australian rules football pioneer Tom Wills, who had grown up with the Djab Wurrong people. On Boxing Day, 1866, more than 10,000 spectators watched the team in action at the MCG. In 1867, the year the belt buckle found near Green Lake was made, the team took part in a eastern Australian tour before ultimately heading to England under manager, coach and former all-England player and Surrey club professional Charles Lawrence the following year. Six years later, an All-England Eleven including W. G. Grace, during a visit to Australia, played a match against a Stawell district team in Stawell.
WHAT’S ITS STORY?: Daniel Mibus shows off the 150-year-old cricket belt buckle he found while fossicking on his family’s farm at Green Lake. Picture: DEAN LAWSON
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