Westpac PNG congratulates PNG Indigenous Team on Spirit of Cricket honour at 2026 NICC
24 April 2026
Westpac Bank PNG Limited congratulates the PNG Indigenous team on an outstanding campaign at the 2026 National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) in Mackay, Australia, where Papua New Guinea received the NICC Men’s Spirit of Cricket Award and players earned multiple Westpac match recognitions throughout the tournament.
Held on Yuwibara Country from 14–19 April 2026, the men’s and women’s T20 competitions were played at Great Barrier Reef Arena and Harrup Park. Papua New Guinea participated in the men’s draw as an invitational side for the first time, with the tournament also featuring a dedicated cultural activity day on 17 April and national broadcast and streaming coverage. Four PNG Lewas players also joined South Australia’s Women’s Team for the Championship.
The results reflect the depth of Papua New Guinea’s cricket talent and the strong culture of respect and sportsmanship that continues to define the national program as the team turns its focus to upcoming international commitments.
Key awards and recognitions:
- NICC Men’s Spirit of Cricket Award – Papua New Guinea
- Westpac Player of the Round (Round 2) – Michael Charlie
- NICC Men’s Player of the Championship – Tony Ura
- NICC Men’s Team of the Championship – Tony Ura
- NICC Women’s Team of the Championship – Henao Thomas
Westpac Player of the Match (round-by-round):
- Round 1 vs Queensland – Tony Ura
- Round 2 vs Tasmania – Michael Charlie
- Round 4 vs South Australia – Sese Bau
- Round 5 vs Northern Territory – Hila Vare
- Round 7 vs Tasmania – Tony Ura
During the week, PNG delivered a string of strong performances, including back-to-back wins in rounds four and five to maintain an unbeaten run mid-tournament. The squad used the competition as high-performance preparation ahead of upcoming fixtures, including an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier campaign in Japan.
“We’re proud to see the PNG Indigenous team recognised for both performance and sportsmanship at the NICC. Congratulations to the players and staff, and especially to those who received Westpac match awards throughout the tournament,” said Andrew Cairns, Chief Executive, Westpac Bank PNG Limited.
“This tournament provided valuable high-performance preparation. The Spirit of Cricket award reflects the standards we set for ourselves as a group, and the individual honours are a credit to the players’ hard work,” said Tim McCaskill, High Performance Manager and Head Coach, Cricket PNG.
Next steps
The squad has returned to Port Moresby and will continue preparations for upcoming fixtures and tournament commitments.
Background
The 2026 National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) were held on Yuwibara Country in Mackay, Australia, from 14–19 April 2026, with matches played at Great Barrier Reef Arena and Harrup Park.
The competition was played in a T20 format and included a dedicated cultural activity day on 17 April.
Papua New Guinea participated in the men’s competition as an invitational team for the first time.
Westpac supported tournament activations, including Player of the Match and Player of the Round recognitions.
The participation of the PNG Indigenous team and PNG Lewas players was made possible through support from the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program, which creates opportunities for Pacific athletes, coaches, officials and administrators to access high-performance training and elite competition.
Media contact:
WestpacPNGCommunication@westpac.com.au