Faith ThomasAM (néeCoulthard; 22 February 1933 – 15 April 2023), bornTinnipha,[1] was an Australian cricketer andhockey player.[2] She was also a nurse in regionalSouth Australia. Thomas is known for being the firstIndigenous woman to represent Australia in any sport as well as for her distinguished service to the Australian Indigenous community.
Thomas completed her nursing training at theRoyal Adelaide Hospital, graduating in 1954.[6] She was South Australia's first Indigenous nurse to be employed as a public servant.[7][8] Thomas undertook midwifery training in Adelaide at Queen Victoria Hospital in Adelaide and in 1958 was employed to work atRaukkan (known then as Point McLeayAboriginal Reserve).[7] Thomas later went on to become a patrol nurse, spending much time living out of her car while on call.[9]
After being introduced to cricket by a colleague at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Thomas made an immediate impact for her club side, taking a hat-trick in her second game. She was selected to play for theSouth Australia Women's cricket team after only three club games.[10] She played for her state side between 1956 and 1958.
In 1958 she was selected for theAustralian national team.[11] She played her only international match againstEngland, at Melbourne in February 1958.[4][12][13] She was the first Aboriginal woman to be selected to represent Australia in sport, and until 2019 (following the selection ofAshleigh Gardner[14]) was the only Indigenous woman to play test cricket for Australia.[15][16] Thomas was selected in the squad to tour England and New Zealand after her test debut, but turned down the opportunity to focus on her nursing career.[17]
Thomas was known for her fast bowling off a run-up of just a few steps.[18] She was renowned for her pace and skill of bowling theyorker.[19] Thomas's skill as a fast bowler came from her time in Colebrook where she would throw rocks atgalahs.[20] Thomas played her final club cricket game in the early 1960s. She was eight months pregnant at the time.[17]
TheWBBL plays an annual Faith Thomas match between theAdelaide Strikers and thePerth Scorchers to honour her achievements in both cricket and nursing. The winner of the match is presented with the Faith Thomas Trophy.[21]
^"Aborigines meet over sport grants".The Canberra Times. Vol. 45, no. 12, 675. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 December 1970. p. 38.Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved9 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Faith Coulthard". CricketArchive.Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved23 January 2013.
