Chance to grow Indigenous cricket talent

PLANS for a North Coast Indigenous cricket competition are gaining momentum after teams showcased their talent at Ballina’s annual Australia Day carnival.

The Lismore Boomerangs claimed this year’s title, competing in Twenty20 matches at Fripp Oval against teams from Ballina and Cabbage Tree Island.

The carnival, which began drawing attention in 2022 with a match between Ballina and Lismore, has become a platform for celebrating Indigenous talent and culture.

The new competition, known as the North Coast Indigenous Challenge, aims to provide opportunities for Indigenous players while fostering connections across the region.

Organiser Phil Melville said the competition could feature up to 13 teams, with each aligned to a Local Aboriginal Land Council.

“We’ve made positive steps, it looks like we’ll be able to get some funding from the State Government next year, too” Melville said.

“Part of that would be providing transport and paying for uniforms, ground hire and umpires.”

The tournament’s format would include a North Coast champion who could play other winners from across the state.

The top four teams would compete on Australia Day as part of the Far North Coast finals, with the winner advancing to face the champion team from the Mid North Coast.

The Ballina Bears Cricket Club originally developed the carnival to honour its past and present Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players.

Melville said the event was always intended as a stepping stone toward a larger competition, with a focus on uncovering junior talent in remote communities.

“We know there might be kids out there at Tabulam and other places who will never play in the weekend competitions in town,” Melville said.

“This is something they will play in because it means something to them when they can design the uniform and represent their family.

“No one will ever know unless we keep trying to find who and where these kids are.”

Part of Cricket NSW’s Reconciliation Action Plan includes initiatives like this to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous players.

The program’s ultimate goal is to inspire the next generation of cricketers, with Melville hoping to discover talents akin to Australian fast bowler Scott Boland, who is Indigenous and has become one of Test cricket’s most celebrated players.