National Indigenous Cricket Championships returns: Celebrating Aboriginal talent and culture

By Our Reporter
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Representational Photo by Alfred Kenneally on Unsplash

The National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) are set to make a return to Mparntwe (Alice Springs) from 22nd to 27th February 2024.

This tournament serves as a platform to highlight the talents of some of the finest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cricketers nationwide, whilst also commemorating cricket’s profound connection with these communities.

Ten teams representing various states across Australia will compete in either the Men’s or Women’s categories throughout the six-day event.

The reigning Men’s champions, New South Wales, aim to secure their fifth consecutive title, while Queensland seeks to build upon their remarkable victory in the women’s division during the 2023 championship.

Esteemed Weber WBBL stars, namely Ella Hayward (VIC—Melbourne Renegades), Anika Learoyd (NSW—Sydney Thunder), and Hannah Darlington (NSW—Sydney Thunder), are all set to represent their respective states in this year’s tournament.

Thanks to the collaboration between NICC and the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Foundation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cricketers will have the chance to participate in a distinctive training camp at the MCG later in the year.

Supported by CommBank, the Principal Partner of Cricket Australia’s A Sport for All program, alongside the MCC Foundation, the NICC serves as an integral component of Australian Cricket’s developmental pathway, with the objective of fostering greater representation of cricketers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage at the international level.

The Northern Territory Government, Northern Territory Major Events, Alice Springs Town Council, and Northern Territory Cricket have all continued their support towards hosting the sixth NICC in Alice Springs.

Joel Morrison, Cricket Australia’s General Manager, Events & Operations, expressed the significance of the event, stating: “The NICC is a special event in the cricket calendar, providing the opportunity to celebrate and showcase the skills of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cricketers from across the country. The NICC is about more than competing on the field and playing cricket. It connects cricket, country, and culture, and the championships remain grounded in their community origins with the continuation of the Imparja Cup.”

He further added, “The Championships form an important part of the summer of cricket, and we hope they will inspire Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to play cricket at all levels.”

For media interested in receiving updates throughout the event, please email Samantha.scott@cricket.com.au.

To access the fixture of this year’s National Indigenous Cricket Championships, please visit the provided link.

For those keen on following all the action during the 2024 National Cricket Indigenous Championships, the PlayHQ app or Cricket Australia’s YouTube channel will offer live streams of all the games.


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