Indigenous cricket will continue to call Mparntwe home in 2024

The biggest indigenous cricket event in Australia will continue to call Mparntwe (Alice Springs) home in 2024, with the 31st Imparja Cup scheduled to take place from 18 - 21 February, followed by the 7th National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) scheduled for 22-27 February. 

Since the inception of the NICC in 2016, the Imparja Cup and NICC have been held side-by-side on Arrernte Land, with hundreds of talented indigenous cricketers, coaches and match officials from different mobs around the country coming together in the heart of Central Australia to celebrate cricket, culture and country.  

The Imparja Cup continues the incredible story of an annual cricket match between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs becoming a national competition, and in 2024 participants can once again play in the Major Centres Division, Men’s Community Division, and Women’s Community Division. In an exciting development NT Cricket is also pleased to announce the re-introduction of a Schools Division.  

NT Cricket will also host an ‘Imparja Schools Cup Day’ with local Primary Schools, aimed at inspiring a new younger generation of indigenous kids to fall in love with the game. 

The NICC continues to offer a pathway for talented and aspiring indigenous cricketers from all the States and Territories to showcase their potential, competing in the weeklong T20 tournament and following in the footsteps of D’Arcy Short, Scott Boland, Dan Christian and Ashleigh Gardner who have all gone on to represent Australia at the highest level.  

NT Cricket's Head of Cricket Darren Treumer said the Northern Territory community is looking forward to welcoming everyone to the spiritual home of indigenous cricket. 

"The Imparja Cup is a significant part of cricket in the Territory and we look forward to celebrating that rich history with a new wave of talented indigenous cricketers from around the country,” he said.  

“We would like to thank the NT Government, NT Major Events, Imparja TV, Yeperenye Shopping Centre, DXC Technology, Hilton Double Tree and the many wonderful partners and sponsors that help make the event possible.”  

Alice Springs Mayor, Matt Patterson said It’s always an exciting time of year when the Imparja Cup comes to Alice Springs. 

“The Imparja Cup has such a rich history in our town as one of the preeminent Indigenous sporting events in Australia.” 

“Alice Springs Town Council is proud to be a partner again in 2024 and I can’t wait to see players and spectators alike flock to our facilities to take in the action.” 

Registration  

• The 2024 Imparja Cup Registration is free and open to new and past teams from the Northern Territory and around Australia. 
• Teams wishing to nominate to play in the Imparja Cup are asked to complete the online form available here.  
• NT Cricket is also seeking expressions of interest from Umpires who would like to be part of the 2024 Imparja Cup.  
• Umpires wishing to officiate at the Imparja Cup are asked to complete the online form available here. 
• During the Imparja Cup, NT Cricket will host a free Community Cricket (Level 1) Coaching accreditation course, further information to come. 
• Male and Female cricketers with a desire to play for the Northern Territory at the National Indigenous Cricket Championships are asked to contact Darren Treumer (Head of Cricket) at darren.treumer@ntcricket.com.au   

History 

The Imparja Cup is Australia’s biggest indigenous cricket festival, originally founded by custodians, Shane Franey and Ross Williams, as a family match between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek in 1993. The Imparja Cup has made a significant contribution to the history and story of indigenous cricket in Australia, and was the event and foundation on which CA created the National Indigenous Cricket Championships in 2016. 

 Event Dates