Cup focus all about NT Indigenous cricket talent on show as tournament offers pathway to top
THE 28th edition of the Imparja Cup is set to begin this week, with teams from across the Northern Territory bringing plenty of skills ahead of the Alice Springs tournament.
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THE 28th edition of the Imparja Cup is set to begin this week, with teams from across the Northern Territory packing plenty ahead of the Alice Springs tournament.
The Imparja Cup is charging on in 2021 with Territory-based teams the focus point, ensuring the celebration of Indigenous cricket continues despite the National Indigenous Cricket Championships postponed due to COVID-19.
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The Imparja Cup holds a proud history in the NT, with the first match between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek held on Australia Day in 1994, created to promote Indigenous cricket.
And now 28 years later the tradition continues.
As a celebration of culture through cricket, the annual event serves as an opportunity for Indigenous men and women to meet and compete against one another in a supportive environment.
Current Australian representatives D’Arcy Short and Ashleigh Gardner played in the Imparja Cup as juniors and with that pathway open to Indigenous youth it has become a competition of significance.
And with Ken Vowles named the NT Cricket Indigenous Academy coach the tournament could see the beginnings of the next NT superstar.
CEO of NT Cricket Joel Morrison was thrilled to see the celebration of cricket and culture go ahead despite the lack of interstate teams.
“We’re thrilled that we’re able to run the 28th edition of the Imparja Cup despite the challenges that COVID-19 has thrown our way,” Morrison told the Sunday Territorian.
“We won’t have teams from interstate but we have teams from across the Territory from Tennant Creek to Darwin all taking part in a celebration of cricket, country and culture.
“This is a really important tournament for us and has such a significant history going all the way back to the first match and now it’s an event that teams right across the world know about.
“It’s something we’re proud of and has helped put the NT on the map centring on the home of Indigenous cricket in the Red Centre.
“We’re expecting plenty of exciting cricket with raw and natural talent on show so expect lots of wickets and sixes.
“The really special part about the Imparja Cup is that is uses cricket as the vehicle of a celebration of culture and country and we will see that in the week to come.”
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, NT Cricket consulted the community on staging the event, with stakeholders wanting to see the event go ahead.
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Divisions included in the 2021 tournament are similar to that of recent years with Mixed Indoor Cricket (Super Sixes format), Major Centres Division (T20 format), Men’s Community Division (Super Eights format) and Women’s Community Division (Super Eights format).
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