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The primary Aboriginal lady to symbolize Australia in sport was hailed on Monday for her “groundbreaking contribution” to cricket after dying aged 90.
Religion Thomas padded up towards England in 1958 in Melbourne to change into the primary Indigenous lady to play a Take a look at match for Australia and within the course of the primary to characteristic for any Australian sports activities crew, Cricket Australia stated.
A fearsome quick bowler, she skilled as a nurse earlier than studying that ladies performed organised cricket, together with her profession starting when she was invited by a colleague to take part in a membership recreation in Adelaide.
After simply three video games, Thomas was chosen to symbolize South Australia and the next yr performed her first Take a look at.
She was chosen to tour England and New Zealand, however deterred by the prospect of a protracted sea voyage, Thomas as an alternative devoted herself to nursing, turning into one of many first employed Aboriginal nurses.
She handed away on Saturday with Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley hailing her “great and groundbreaking contribution to cricket and the neighborhood”.
“This can be a very unhappy day for all these lucky to have identified her or who had been touched by her many accomplishments,” he added.
“As the primary Aboriginal lady to symbolize Australia in Take a look at cricket, Religion was an inspiration to those that have adopted and she or he leaves an indelible mark on the sport.”
Solely a handful of Aboriginal cricketers have ever performed Take a look at cricket with Jason Gillespie essentially the most profitable. Others embrace Scott Boland and Ashleigh Gardner.
Thomas was awarded the Order of Australia, for excellent service or achievement, in 2009.
The Adelaide Strikers honour her by taking part in for the Religion Thomas Trophy yearly within the Girls’s Large Bash League.
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