Boomerang and Bat

Archie Mac | 7:26am BST 08 May 2016

Published: 2016
Pages: 34
Author: Greenwood, M and Denton, T
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Rating: 4 stars

Boomerang and Bat is a children’s book which tells the story in both text and pictures of the first of all Australian teams to tour England; the all Aboriginal team of 1868. The authors have researched their subject matter diligently and there does not appear to be a factual error.

The fact checking helps to produce a quality production which includes provocative drawings. The illustrations are really the highlight of the book, and so descriptive are they, that you can almost follow the story without reading the words. A nice touch, and sign of the detail, is the inclusion of the coloured sashes each player wore.

At the end of the matches the players, to make some extra coin, would change out of their sashes and cricket clothes and don more traditional clobber. They would then entertain the crowds to exhibitions of traditional skills such as spear throwing and one other dangerous game, in which one player would invite spectators to throw cricket balls at him as hard as they could. It’s rumoured that Dick-a-Dick was not struck with a ball on the entire tour of England.

Charles Lawrence, a former English cricket tourist to Australia, made no secret of the fact that the tour was a money making exercise. The playing schedule was gruelling and contributed, along with the cold climate, to tragedy. King Cole unfortunately passed away during the tour and Lawrence was lucky that there were no further losses as many players were seriously ill during the tour.

These days Lawrence may well have faced criminal charges as he basically kidnapped the Aboriginal players after authorities forbade the tour. At this time Aboriginals were under the control of the Board for the Protection of Aborigines. So Lawrence was forced to smuggle the team out of Australia.

Despite the breaking of the law and the loss of King Cole, Boomerang and Bat, is written in a positive and uplifting manner. The book features on the innate skills of the tourists and especially their best player Johnny Mullagh. It does beg the question as to why, despite their natural skill, Aboriginals have not taken to the game in larger numbers. It seems they have preferred to showcase their silky skills in the football codes, although again and with no clear explanation not in soccer.

I have read Boomerang and Bat three times to my eight and four year old daughters as their bedtime story. My previous efforts to encourage them in cricket fell on deaf ears but now they’re asking questions about the greatest of all games. I have this beautifully presented book to thank for the interest and it will no doubt pique the interest of many other children.

If my girls are anything to go by this book is an entertaining and unique way to introduce children to cricket, and to educate them on some Australian history, both good and bad.