A year and a half away from competitive cricket has only strengthened Vicky Ara’a’s determination, producing a match-winning performance to lead the Cassowaries Women to victory in the opening match of the 2026 Boroko Motors ISUZU Women’s 50-Over Tournament at Amini Park on Monday 27,July.
Ara’a was named Player of the Match after delivering a sensational bowling spell of 6 wickets for 14 runs from 6.4 overs, helping bowl out the Black Bass Women for 89 before the Cassowaries chased down the target to win by three wickets.
For the 30-year-old experienced cricketer, the award marked an emotional return to the game she loves after stepping away from cricket for 18 months.
“It has been a very long time. I left cricket for about a year and six months,” Ara’a said.
“It feels so good to be back and to see the girls and women I played with some years back,” she added.
Although she had not played in recent national domestic tournaments, Ara’a remains active through local cricket, representing Hoods Cricket Club in the Port Moresby Cricket Association (POMCA) competition.
“I am looking forward to the matches ahead in this Boroko Motors, Izusu Women’s tournament. I am trying my best to show I still have what it takes to be part of a cricket team,” she stated.
Ara’a’s cricket journey began in Lae, where she first picked up a bat at around 12 years of age, playing backyard cricket before being identified through junior development pathways.
“From Lae, I got scouted into training squads and then I made my way to Port Moresby, around 2018. I came and was selected to join the PNG Lewas squad back then,” she recalled.
She played in the senior national women’s team, PNG Lewas for approximately eight years before taking a break from the sport.
Now balancing cricket with her studies, Ara’a is pursuing a Diploma in Business at the Institute of Business Studies (IBS) University in Port Moresby while continuing her comeback to actively play cricket.
Her outstanding performance in the tournament opener has already put her among the standout players to watch as selectors monitor talent throughout the competition.
The opportunity to play in the ISUZU Women’s 50-Over Tournament has reignited her ambitions of wearing PNG colours once again.
With six wickets in her first match tournament, Ara’a has sent a strong message that she is ready to compete at the highest level once again.
As the tournament continues, the experienced bowler hopes her comeback story is only just beginning, with her sights firmly set on earning another opportunity.