NAIDOC hosted the Rainforest Cricket Cup for the first time this year on their 45th Anniversary

SARI RUSSO

2023 was the first year the Rainforest Cricket Cup was hosted during NAIDOC week by Jumbun Ltd.

Junior and Senior cricket teams from Tully, Mission Beach and Jumbun took to the field for two days of festivities, enjoying their cricket match followed by a band performance.

"It is a beautiful day for it and that is why we are all here. It is a community event, a coming together. We have got Mission Beach Cricket and Tully Cricket and you got us (Jumbun Cricket). And we have an extra special guest in Keiryn Lenoy (Ms Lenoy was Cricket Far North Ladies Player of the Year in 2020-21)," said Mr Shane Muriata, Girrimay member,

"It is us coming together for the sake of having a good day together, enjoying each other's company, and putting on a good community event. We can see that all the kids are enjoying themselves here today. My best moment is the kids coming here today and having a go cause we have kids who are not sure how to play, but they are here; they all got up nice and early, and some skipped breakfast just to have a go.

"The best part of the day is all the kids being here together."

Whilst reflecting on her previous involvement in the Rainforest Cricket Cup, Ms Lenoy shared her joy that 2023 was the first year that the event was hosted during NAIDOC week, "It was a perfect opportunity to reinstate the competition during NAIDOC week and great to have the cricket down here at Jumbun Park again." Jumbun had previously hosted the event for twelve years, starting in 2001.

"As part of Mission Beach Cricket, we enjoy coming out and getting the kids involved," said Ms Melissa Riley from Mission Beach Cricket Club, "We organized a game previously with the Jumbun kids in January and it was really well received, a positive day, everyone had a great time, so to come back and do it all again has been good. The kids are enjoying it and they were looking forward to it."

The games had some great action moments, with one of the young players taking two wickets; He bowled a batter out and caught one of the batters out as well.

"It was great to see the young fella having a go and also the team cheering him on as he had a go," said Ms Lenoy,

"This is a fantastic opportunity for engagement for our young ones. Also just using cricket as a vehicle to drive engagement, positive social and emotional wellbeing for our young ones."