Northern Territory Cricket would like to congratulate Jake Weatherald on becoming the first born and raised Territorian to wear the Baggy Green, making his Test debut in the 2025–26 Ashes series opener against England at Optus Stadium in Perth.
The 31-year-old was presented Test Cap number 473 by former Australian player David Warner in a moment shared with his family and wife Rachel.
Speaking about the moment he received the Baggy Green, Weatherald said:
"It was hard to reflect, hard to be present in the moment, because all I wanted to do was just scream when I got it and just jump up and down."
It was an amazing moment, something that I've obviously dreamed about as a kid and most of my adulthood, too,"
Every day I've gone to training, it's all I've aspired to be is a Test cricketer and be a part of one of the greatest sporting teams in the world.I just wanted to go and embrace my parents and embrace my family – they've done so much for me to be there and that I was happy they were there."
(Source: Cricket.com.au – “All I wanted to do was scream: Weatherald’s wild welcome”)
After an inauspicious start, Weatherald played a key role in what was a dramatic Ashes Test that lasted just two days.
Weatherald’s second-innings 75-run opening partnership with Travis Head was a defining moment that swung momentum back in Australia’s favour, as Head (123) produced one of the greatest Ashes hundreds of all time to guide the hosts to an eight-wicket victory and a 1–0 series lead.
Weatherald’s Test debut breaks 148 years of history and is a significant milestone for cricket and sport in the Northern Territory, showcasing that it is possible for young Territorians to progress through local underage pathways and reach the highest level of the game.
After representing the NT at Cricket Australia’s U17 and U19 National Championships, Weatherald has regularly returned to Darwin during his off-seasons as a professional cricketer, playing in the Darwin and Districts Cricket Competition as a means of continuing to improve his skills. This year he also competed for the NT Strike in the 2025 Top End T20 Series alongside fellow Territory products Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short and Tom Andrews.
“Growing up (in Darwin), you had your club role models, but you never had any great representation in the international or domestic scene to aspire to,” Weatherald explained.
”For me, to be able to provide that for some kids back home would be awesome. The boys and girls there, to be able to show that there’s a pathway from playing in the NT, which is obviously quite a small place.
“It would be cool for me to show that there are some great players that can come from there if you give them the chance.”
The 2025–26 Ashes series resumes with the second Test in Brisbane from 4 to 8 December. NT Cricket encourages fans across the Territory to follow Jake’s progress and celebrate his historic journey.