Victoria’s best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cricketers will head to Alice Springs later this month for the National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC).
Victoria’s best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cricketers will head to Alice Springs later this month for the National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC).
After a two-year COVID hiatus, the NICC returns from 22-28 February. It will bring together some of the most talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from across Australia, with seven men’s and five women’s teams competing for national titles in the T20 format.
NSW will defend the men’s and women’s titles they won in 2020, with games to be played at three Alice Springs venues – Traeger Park, Albrecht Oval and Jim McConville Oval.
Victoria’s squad features several players with Premier Cricket experience as well new and returning players from the 2020 championships.
The men’s team is coached by Barry Neivandt – a former Victorian coach and current coach at Wesley College. The women’s team will be coached by former Irish international Ciara Metcalfe, who played one Test, 53 ODIs and 25 T20s and currently coaches Dandenong in Women’s Premier Cricket.
Returning in the men’s squad is Epping CC batter Nathan Gardiner, who has Premier Cricket experience with Essendon and Northcote. He will be joined in the team by McKinnon CC’s Wade King, who was named in the 2020 team of the tournament.
New players include teenager Bailey Toseland, who recently represented Victoria Metro in the Under 17 National Championships and is a rising star at Essendon CC.
In the women’s team, Northern Socials CC’s Brooke Nam will captain the team. Coburg CC bowler Simone Burridge also returns to the team, while new players include Box Hill CC all-rounder Tahlia Meier and Heidelberg CC’s Taya Barnett.
Victoria was one of the first state associations to build an Indigenous cricket program, dating back to 2001.
Both squads last won titles in 2017.
Victorian Men’s Indigenous Squad
Tyler Nanson (City Colts CC) – Dharug
Jhiah Baxter (Thomson CC) – Nygena Walmatjurri
MacKenzie Casson (Auburn CC) – Kamilaroi
Jacob Devine (Old Carey CC) – Wonnarua
Ryan Donovan (Altona Sports Club) – Gumbainjirri & Dunghutti
Nathan Gardiner (Epping CC) – Wurundjeri
Lachlan Jackson (Pines CC) – Yorta Yorta
Bohdie Jones (Mt Evelyn CC) – Wurundjeri
Jacob Bourke (Alexandra Cricket Club) – Taungurung
Wade King (McKinnon CC) – Ngyampaa
Shaun McAndrew (Surf Coast Stingrays CC) – Murries
Josh Nanson (City Colts CC) – Durug
BaileyToseland (Essendon CC) – Taungurung
Josh Devine (Old Carey CC) – Wonnarua
Men’s Squad coaching staff:
Coach: Barry Neivandt
Team Manager: Jamie Jewiss
CV Staff: Cameron Rochow
Victorian Women’s Indigenous Squad
Brooke Nam (Northern Socials CC) – Wailwan
Chloe Larkin (Burnside Springs CC) – Wurendjeri
Taya Barnett (Heidelberg CC) – Wiradjuri
Helen Archibald (Northern Socials CC) – Yorta Yorta
Tahlia Meier (Box Hill Cricket CC) – Wamba Wamba
Simone Burridge (Coburg CC) – Kamilaroi
Shawana Brown (Northern Socials CC) – Wailwan and Wirangu
Shannon Johnson (Allansford-Panmure CC) – Yamaji
Chamika Sadler (Northern Socials CC) – Quandamooka/Wakka Wakka
Cindy Duson (Lalor Warriors CC) – Wiradjuri
Rose Stewart (Holy Trinity CC) – Gunditjmara and Taungurung
Jessica Martin (Coburg CC) – Wiradjuri
Jacintha Tass (Northern Socials CC) – Yorta Yorta/Wiradjuri
Women’s Squad coaching staff:
Coach: Ciara Metcalfe
Team Manager: Kaitlyn Frawley
CV Staff: Cameron Rochow
