Bulk runs, all-round contribution get nod for individual honours at National Indigenous Cricket Championships

Jarred Cross Published April 8, 2025 at 2.45pm (AWST)

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Queensland's Christina Coulson (pictured) and Western Australia's Brock Larance were awarded players of the series after strong performances at this year's National Indigenous Cricket Championships. (Image: Cricket Australia)

Western Australian batter Brock Larance and Queensland allrounder Christina Coulson have forged past team disappointment to claim player of the series honours following a historic National Indigenous Cricket Championships on Yuwibara Country.

The pair's respective states clinched national titles Monday without either lifting the trophies themselves, after WA set too strong of a total for Coulson's side and when Queensland's mens team later broke a 12-year drought in a nailbiter on home soil.

It was Western Australia's first time qualifying for the final in the women's draw, while in the men's division Dylan McLachlan remained undismissed for the tournament while leading Queensland to victory on Monday.

Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena played host to the week-long competition, which moved away from Alice Springs for the first time.

Both Coulson and Larance backed up their 2024 efforts with team of the tournament selection.

A three-innings string of scores in the 30s boosted Coulson's return with the bat and help her team book a spot in the final throughout shortened fixtures across the back end of last week.

Heavy rain reduced matches to 10 overs a side until Monday.

Coulson ended the round-robin portion with 139 runs at an average of 34.8, going unbeaten in two wins, including an early victory over WA, to go with her four wickets and a couple of catches in the field.

"It's nice to come away and score some runs and take wickets and just contribute all around…that's what we just talked about, just playing your role," Coulson told National Indigenous Times.

"It's not often that we're all here together or that we're all in one space. It's good to catch up with the girls that you only get to see once or twice a year."

A dominant partnership between Mikayla Hinkley (71 from 44 balls) and Charlotte Toohey (47 from 32) helped lift WA to a historic 72-run win earlier in the day.

"We put in a super effort today and all throughout the week.. we were just outclassed today," Coulson said of her side.

"Mikayla's just an exceptional batter. Sometimes it's just not your day. Unfortunate for us, but it's awesome to see the WA girls come along, it's nice to see the progress that they're making. I think a lot of states can take a lot away from what they do."

Hinkley fell just short of taking home player of the series.

"The girls have been coming here for 12 years, and at the start some of them didn't even know how to hold a bat or let alone the rules of cricket," Hinkley said.

"To get to now and see how much this group has developed has been amazing. I couldn't be happier."

*Mikayla Hinkley won the women's batting and player of the final award at this year's National Indigenous Cricket Championships. (Image: Cricket Australia)*

*Charlotte Toohey finds the rope in Monday's final against Queensland. (Image: Jarred Cross)*

Despite putting on 70-odd, it was her teammate's knock which made the difference, Hinkley said.

"At the end of the day, I probably couldn't have done it without Charlotte. She came out in a crucial time and she stuck to her guns. She didn't fear failure at all," Hinkley, a current Perth Scorcher and WA state player said of Toohey's final performance.

At the top of WA's men's batting order, Larance left little to consider for the individual nod.

A contribution of 46 from 27 balls against South Australia in his side's opening match was Larance's only score below 50 across the week.

He scored at quicker than a run a ball across the tournament, totalling 289 runs at an average of 72.3, going unbeaten once and with a high score of 74 off just 37 balls, to go with a catch in the field against Victoria in WA's final match on Sunday night.

That came across 10-over innings matches.

"As a team, you obviously want to play the final. I think that's the pinnacle of this tournament," he said.

"So there is a little bit of disappointment there, but also proud of the boys. We've got a very young group, so we're proud."

After claiming the men's trophy in 2024 - thanks to Larance knock off 87 (38) to deny NSW a fifth-straight title, WA missed out on a spot in the final behind Queensland on losses conceded.

He also paid credit to his state's women's side.

*Larance averaged over 70 in 10-over innings on his way to multiple individual awards at this year's National Indigenous Cricket Championships. (Image: Cricket Australia)*

"I think it was pretty incredible to see them play how they did. Personally, I say Charlotte Toohey's (batting performance in the final) was the best innings of the week…without Charlotte's 47, it's a different game."

Veteran NSW batter Pat Rosser, who came up just short of player of the tournament, said NICC is "the one week of cricket every year that I commit, that I lock in, every year".

"For me, it's incredibly special to represent myself, represent my family, represent where I'm from and to express myself through cricket. And then to come away and have my young fella, who's nearly 16, watch his dad….it's also pretty special," Rosser said.

Cricket Australia are due to name the Australian Indigenous women's team squad for June's PacificAus Sports' Cricket Invitational hosted in PNG in the coming weeks.

2025 National Indigenous Cricket Championships Awards:

Player of the Series: Women - Christina Coulson (Queensland), Men - Brock Larance (WA)

Batting (most runs): Women - Mikayla Hinkley (WA), Men - Brock Larance (WA)

Bowling (most wickets): Women - Elsie Simpson (WA), Men - Eli Sheean (Tasmania)

Fielding: Women - Lucy Neumann (Queensland), Men - Brayden DeVries (Tasmania)

Player of the final awards: Women - Mikayla Hinkley (WA), Men - Dylan McLachlan (Queensland)

Spirit of Cricket Award: Women - Victoria, Men - NT

Women's Team of the Tournament:

Mikayla Hinkley (WA) (Captain)

Tahlia Meier (Victoria)

Christina Coulson (Queensland)

Callee Black (NSW)