Darlington eyes off-field impact at National Indigenous Champs

When Hannah Darlington reflects on her previous experiences in the National Indigenous Cricket Championships, two things immediately spring to mind: camaraderie and culture.

This summer, both of those elements are helping to fulfil Darlington's off-field life as she navigates the most difficult injury of her career, with the 23-year-old sidelined since before the start of the 2025-26 season due to a significant knee issue.

It also means the Kamilaroi woman, a key member of both the Sydney Thunder and NSW Breakers sides, will not be playing in the upcoming NICC in Mackay – however, the event remains close to her heart, and Darlington is eager to get involved with the New South Wales side in whatever capacity she can.

"It's been a couple of years now since I've been able to play in in (the NICC) but still being involved over the years has been the highlight of the year," Darlington told cricket.com.au this week.

"It's where I identified my culture and started to really dive into learning about it, so it does hold a special place for me.

"In New South Wales, just seeing the young kids that now look forward to coming to Sydney to meet up in a camp to then head to the Championships – it's pretty cool to see them have that same feeling we used to have, as the highlight of their year when they get to put on a New South Wales shirt," Darlington continued.

"I think that the next generation now see this as a pathway into the professional game, when there's Australian tours and things that can come from it as well.

"I'm hoping to either be in Sydney when they come into camp and be involved in that way, but also just as a person that they can reach out to at any time … I've known a couple of girls for a few years, so I'll definitely be around the group as much as I can be."

The 2026 NICC, presented by Westpac, will again see some of the most talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men's and women's cricketers represent their states and territories in the T20 competition. 

Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday the tournament would return to Yuwibara Country in Mackay, Queensland, for the next two years, with the 2026 edition to be staged at Great Barrier Reef Arena and Harrup Park from April 14-19.

Teams will play T20 matches across five days of competition, with a day of cultural activity on Friday, April 17. 

The NICC were also held in Mackay in 2025, after being hosted on Arrernte Country in Mparntwe, Alice Springs for the first eight years since becoming a standalone competition. 

"New South Wales had a few successful years (when I played), but I probably strip it back to meeting (Thunder and NSW teammate) Anika Learoyd there," Darlington said when asked her fondest memories of playing in the NICC.

"We were reminiscing the other day that it has been about 10 years since we met each other at our first NICC, and now we're best mates and get to run out alongside each other in a shirt that we designed together for Thunder, or in New South Wales colours.

"I think the people you meet along the way, it's been a pretty special place."

Learoyd has been one of a host of Darlington's close friends and teammates who are helping the allrounder navigate her recent injury setbacks.

Darlington, who has not played since she turned out for Australia A against England A last April, went into detail about her complicated knee issues in an episode of She's in the Game, the podcast she co-hosts with Maitlan Brown, last October.

Speaking this week, she said she hoped an upcoming scan on the troublesome joint would bring some more positive news, while she was using her lay-off to find ways to stretch herself in off-field and non-cricketing capacities.

"We've got another scan in a couple of weeks that fingers crossed, is going to come back clear," Darlington said.

"After a couple of dodgy ones, you want to stay quite level, just in case, so I'm not getting my hopes up too much.

"(I'm) in a good place in terms of doing things away from the game, but it's been about seven months now without any answers, so we're ready to get cracking (on some improvement), I think."