Women's National Cricket League

The Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) is the national domestic 50-over competition for women's cricket in Australia.[1] Featuring seven teams—one from every state, plus the Australian Capital Territory—each season's winner is awarded the Ruth Preddy Cup. New South Wales have historically dominated the competition, appearing in every title decider and winning 20 of the 24 championships to date. Beginning in 1996–97, the WNCL replaced the Australian Women's Cricket Championships which had taken place in a two-week tournament format since 1930–31.[2]

Women's National Cricket League
Countries Australia
AdministratorCricket Australia
FormatLimited-overs (50 overs per side)
First edition1996–97
Latest edition2019–20
Next edition2020–21
Tournament formatRound-robin tournament and final
Number of teams7
Current championWestern Australia
Most successfulNew South Wales Breakers (20 titles)
TVCricket Network
WebsiteWNCL

In conjunction with its Twenty20 counterparts—the more recently established Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup and its high-profile successor, the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL)—the league is cited as a bedrock foundation for developing the standard of women's cricket in the country, helping to produce world-class talent as well as attracting top international players.[3][4][5][6][7] In particular, it is considered a crucial platform for Australia's finest young cricketers to further develop their skills and strive for national team selection.[1][8]

The WNCL has experienced a rising level of professionalism since its inception, though the most notable breakthrough occurred in 2017 when the Australian Cricketers' Association negotiated a watershed deal with Cricket Australia to expand the total female payment pool from $7.5 million to $55.2 million.[9][10][11][12]

Teams
Map of Australia with each state / territory shaded in its cricket team's main colour.

The tournament features seven teams, with matches played across Australia at a combination of bigger venues including the WACA Ground in Perth, as well as smaller grounds including CitiPower Centre in Melbourne and Hurstville Oval in Sydney.[1]

Originally a five-team competition, the league was expanded to include the Australian Capital Territory in 2009–10 and Tasmania in 2010–11.[13][14] Cricket ACT fields a team in the league despite being a non-member association of Cricket Australia.[15][16]

TeamNicknameHome ground[lower-alpha 1]First seasonTitles wonRunners-up
  Australian Capital Territory Meteors Manuka Oval 2009–10 0 0
  New South Wales Breakers Sydney Cricket Ground 1996–97 20 4
  Queensland Fire Allan Border Field 1996–97 0 5
  South Australia Scorpions Adelaide Oval 1996–97 1 3
  Tasmania Tigers[lower-alpha 2] Bellerive Oval 2010–11 0 0
  Victoria Vics[lower-alpha 3] Junction Oval 1996–97 2 10
  Western Australia WA[lower-alpha 4] WACA Ground 1996–97 1 2

Results

Season summaries
Season Champions Runners-up Most runs Most wickets Player of the Season
1996–97 New South Wales Victoria Zoe Goss (VIC) – 629[20] Jo Garey (NSW) – 15[21] Zoe Goss (VIC)
1997–98 New South Wales South Australia Belinda Clark (NSW) – 611[22] Karen Rolton (SA) – 14[23] Belinda Clark (NSW)
1998–99 New South Wales Victoria Karen Rolton (SA) – 435 Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 14[lower-alpha 5] Belinda Clark (NSW)
1999–00 New South Wales Western Australia Lisa Keightley (NSW) – 406 Lisa Sthalekar (NSW) – 15 Lisa Keightley (NSW)
2000–01 New South Wales Queensland Karen Rolton (SA) – 492 Emma Liddell (NSW) – 17 Karen Rolton (SA)
2001–02 New South Wales Victoria Karen Rolton (SA) – 509 Bronwyn Calver (NSW) – 18 Karen Rolton (SA)
2002–03 Victoria New South Wales Karen Rolton (SA) – 468 Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 17[lower-alpha 6] Karen Rolton (SA)
2003–04 New South Wales Victoria Belinda Clark (VIC) – 622 Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 18 Belinda Clark (VIC)
2004–05 Victoria New South Wales Belinda Clark (VIC) – 397 Julie Hayes (NSW) – 19 Karen Rolton (SA)
2005–06 New South Wales Queensland Karen Rolton (SA) – 553 Emma Liddell (NSW) – 19 Karen Rolton (SA)
2006–07 New South Wales Victoria Kate Blackwell (NSW) – 363 Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 25 Melissa Bulow (QLD)
2007–08 New South Wales South Australia Karen Rolton (SA) – 384[24] Renee Chappell[25] (WA) – 14 Lisa Sthalekar (NSW)
2008–09 New South Wales Victoria Karen Rolton (SA) – 431[26] Erin Osborne (NSW) – 15[lower-alpha 7] Alex Blackwell (NSW)
2009–10 New South Wales Victoria Karen Rolton (SA) – 498 Ellyse Perry (NSW) – 22 Sarah Elliott (VIC)
2010–11 New South Wales Victoria Kris Britt (ACT) – 297 Ellyse Perry (NSW) – 13 Kris Britt (ACT)
2011–12 New South Wales Victoria Rachael Haynes (NSW) – 402 Lisa Sthalekar (NSW) – 15 Poulton, Sthalekar (NSW)
2012–13 New South Wales Queensland Meg Lanning (VIC) – 509 Jude Coleman (QLD) – 18 Bolton (WA), Lanning (VIC)
2013–14 New South Wales Victoria Nicole Bolton (WA) – 371 Kristen Beams (VIC) – 14 Nicole Bolton (WA)
2014–15 New South Wales South Australia Meg Lanning (VIC) – 440 Amanda-Jade Wellington (SA) – 12 Jess Jonassen (QLD)
2015–16 South Australia New South Wales Ellyse Perry (NSW) – 403 Megan Schutt (SA) – 14 Ellyse Perry (NSW)
2016–17 New South Wales Queensland Meg Lanning (VIC) – 359 Molly Strano (VIC) – 13[lower-alpha 8] Meg Lanning (VIC)
2017–18 New South Wales Western Australia Ellyse Perry (NSW) – 372 Rene Farrell (NSW) – 16 Rachael Haynes (NSW)
2018–19 New South Wales Queensland Heather Graham (WA) – 294 Rene Farrell (NSW) – 17 Georgia Redmayne (TAS)
2019–20 Western Australia New South Wales Nicole Bolton (WA) – 436 Rene Farrell (NSW) – 21 Nicole Bolton (WA)
2020–21 Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing

Sources: [28][29]

1996–2007

From the inaugural season through to 2006–07, the two top-ranked teams on the points table at the conclusion of the regular season would go on to compete in a best-of-three finals series to determine a champion.[30] Dead rubbers were played out in the first two seasons, though such a practice was discontinued thereafter.

Season Final 1st Innings 2nd Innings Result Player of the Finals Venue
1996–97[31] Match 1
Scorecard		 Victoria
7/211 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
7/214 (49.3 overs)		 New South Wales won by 3 wickets
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Sally Griffiths
(New South Wales)		 Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
Match 2
Scorecard		 Victoria
8/161 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
5/162 (49.1 overs)		 New South Wales won by 5 wickets
New South Wales led the series, 2–0
Match 3
Scorecard		 Victoria
7/208 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
3/210 (44 overs)		 New South Wales won by 7 wickets
New South Wales won the series, 3–0
1997–98 Match 1
Scorecard		 South Australia
8/146 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
4/147 (42.1 overs)		 New South Wales won by 6 wickets
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Belinda Clark
(New South Wales)		 Albert Park
Melbourne, VIC
Match 2
Scorecard		 South Australia
8/214 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
6/215 (48.3 overs)		 New South Wales won by 4 wickets
New South Wales led the series, 2–0
Match 3
Scorecard		 New South Wales
5/223 (50 overs)		 South Australia
8/215 (50 overs)		 New South Wales won by 8 runs
New South Wales won the series, 3–0
1998–99 Match 1
Scorecard		 New South Wales
6/153 (50 overs)		 Victoria
146 (48.2 overs)		 New South Wales won by 7 runs
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Terry McGregor[32]
(New South Wales)		 Princes Park
Melbourne, VIC
Match 2
Scorecard		 New South Wales
114 (45 overs)		 Victoria
113 (47.3 overs)		 New South Wales won by 1 run
New South Wales won the series, 2–0
1999–00 Match 1
Scorecard		 New South Wales
4/154 (30 overs)		 Western Australia
135 (29.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 19 runs
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Terry McGregor[33]
(New South Wales)		 Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
Match 2
Scorecard		 Western Australia
7/218 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
7/219 (50 overs)		 New South Wales won by 3 wickets
New South Wales won the series, 2–0
2000–01 Match 1
Scorecard		 New South Wales
5/234 (50 overs)		 Queensland
201 (48.3 overs)		 New South Wales won by 33 runs
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Emma Liddell
(New South Wales)		 Bankstown Oval
Sydney, NSW
Match 2
Scorecard		 Queensland
137 (49.3 overs)		 New South Wales
3/138 (34 overs)		 New South Wales won by 7 wickets
New South Wales won the series, 2–0
2001–02 Match 1
Scorecard		 Victoria
133 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
3/134 (42 overs)		 New South Wales won by 7 wickets
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Lisa Sthalekar
(New South Wales)		 Bankstown Oval
Sydney, NSW
Match 2
Scorecard		 Victoria
9/186 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
6/187 (49.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 4 wickets
New South Wales won the series, 2–0
2002–03 Match 1
Scorecard		 New South Wales
6/200 (50 overs)		 Victoria
7/203 (50 overs)		 Victoria won by 3 wickets
Victoria led the series, 1–0		 Belinda Clark
(Victoria)		 Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne, VIC
Match 2
Scorecard		 Victoria
181 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
141 (47.3 overs)		 Victoria won by 40 runs
Victoria won the series, 2–0
2003–04 Match 1
Scorecard		 New South Wales
128 (45.1 overs)		 Victoria
4/129 (48.3 overs)		 Victoria won by 6 wickets
Victoria led the series, 1–0		 Belinda Clark
(Victoria)		 Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne, VIC
Match 2
Scorecard		 Victoria
8/162 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
5/163 (48 overs)		 New South Wales won by 5 wickets
Series level, 1–1
Match 3
Scorecard		 Victoria
4/217 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
7/218 (48.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 3 wickets
New South Wales won the series, 2–1
2004–05 Match 1
Scorecard		 New South Wales
3/200 (50 overs)		 Victoria
179 (49.1 overs)		 New South Wales won by 21 runs
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Julie Hayes[34]
(New South Wales)		 Bankstown Oval
Sydney, NSW
Match 2
Scorecard		 New South Wales
71 (43.4 overs)		 Victoria
5/72 (39.1 overs)		 Victoria won by 5 wickets
Series level, 1–1
Match 3
Scorecard		 Victoria
6/159 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
109 (43.4 overs)		 Victoria won by 50 runs
Victoria won the series, 2–1
2005–06 Match 1
Scorecard		 Queensland
174 (48 overs)		 New South Wales
2/175 (37.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 8 wickets
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Jude Coleman[35]
(Queensland)		 North Sydney Oval
Sydney, NSW
Match 2
Scorecard		 New South Wales
154 (50 overs)		 Queensland
7/155 (45.1 overs)		 Queensland won by 3 wickets
Series level, 1–1
Match 3
Scorecard		 New South Wales
146 (48.4 overs)		 Queensland
144 (47.2 overs)		 New South Wales won by 2 runs
New South Wales won the series, 2–1
2006–07 Match 1
Scorecard		 Victoria
136 (46.3 overs)		 New South Wales
9/137 (48.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 1 wicket
New South Wales led the series, 1–0		 Cathryn Fitzpatrick
(Victoria)		 Central Reserve
Melbourne, VIC
Match 2
Scorecard		 New South Wales
144 (49 overs)		 Victoria
2/146 (43.2 overs)		 Victoria won by 8 wickets
Series level, 1–1
Match 3
Scorecard		 Victoria
7/205 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
7/206 (48.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 3 wickets
New South Wales won the series, 2–1

2007–present

Coinciding with the introduction of the Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup, the WNCL finals series was reduced to a single match from 2007–08 onward.[30] However, the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons utilised an extended four-team playoffs system which included knockout semi-finals.[36][37]

Season 1st Innings 2nd Innings Result Player of the Final Venue
2007–08 New South Wales vs. South Australia
Match abandoned due to rain		 No result
New South Wales were declared champions[lower-alpha 9]		 N/A Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
2008–09 Victoria
117 (44.5 overs)		 New South Wales
4/120 (34.2 overs)		 New South Wales won by 6 wickets
Scorecard		 Ellyse Perry
(New South Wales)		 Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
2009–10 New South Wales
9/206 (50 overs)		 Victoria
147 (39.1 overs)		 New South Wales won by 59 runs
Scorecard		 Erin Osborne[38]
(New South Wales)		 Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne, VIC
2010–11 Victoria
263 (48.5 overs)		 New South Wales
2/193 (34.1 overs)		 New South Wales won by 49 runs[lower-alpha 10]
Scorecard		 Alex Blackwell
(New South Wales)		 Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
2011–12 New South Wales
7/310 ( 50 overs)		 Victoria
240 (41.4 overs)		 New South Wales won by 70 runs
Scorecard		 Rachael Haynes
(New South Wales)		 Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
2012–13 Queensland
7/232 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
4/135 (27 overs)		 New South Wales won by 15 runs[lower-alpha 10]
Scorecard		 Jodie Fields[39]
(Queensland)		 Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney, NSW
2013–14 Victoria
9/111 (20 overs)		 New South Wales
3/114 (18.5 overs)		 New South Wales won by 7 wickets[lower-alpha 11]
Scorecard		 Rachael Haynes
(New South Wales)		 North Sydney Oval
Sydney, NSW
2014–15 New South Wales
4/279 (50 overs)		 South Australia
135 (44.5 overs)		 New South Wales won by 144 runs
Scorecard		 Rachael Haynes
(New South Wales)		 Blacktown International Sportspark
Sydney, NSW
2015–16 South Australia
7/264 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
210 (46 overs)		 South Australia won by 54 runs
Scorecard		 Sarah Taylor
(South Australia)		 Hurstville Oval
Sydney, NSW
2016–17 Queensland
119 (41.1 overs)		 New South Wales
1/123 (24 overs)		 New South Wales won by 9 wickets
Scorecard		 Rene Farrell
(New South Wales)		 Allan Border Field
Brisbane, QLD
2017–18 New South Wales
6/302 (50 overs)		 Western Australia
251 (47.2 overs)		 New South Wales won by 51 runs
Scorecard		 Alyssa Healy
(New South Wales)		 Blacktown International Sportspark
Sydney, NSW
2018–19 New South Wales
7/259 (50 overs)		 Queensland
228 (47.2 overs)		 New South Wales won by 31 runs
Scorecard		 Nicola Carey
(New South Wales)		 North Sydney Oval
Sydney, NSW
2019–20 Western Australia
231 (50 overs)		 New South Wales
189 (49.5 overs)		 Western Australia won by 42 runs
Scorecard		 Nicole Bolton
(Western Australia)		 North Sydney Oval
Sydney, NSW

Team performance

Legend
C = Champions; RU = Runners-up; SF = Semi-finalists; 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th/6th/7th = Ladder position after regular season

Team
Australian Capital Territory​
New South Wales​
Queensland​
South Australia​
Tasmania​
Victoria​
Western Australia
1996–971997–981998–991999–002000–012001–022002–032003–042004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–20
3rd3rd3rd5th6th5th4th5th4th4th5th
2nd (C)2nd (C)1st (C)1st (C)1st (C)1st (C)2nd (RU)2nd (C)1st (RU)1st (C)2nd (C)1st (C)1st (C)2nd (C)1st (C)1st (C)1st (C)1st (C)4th (C)1st (RU)2nd (C)1st (C)1st (C)1st (RU)
5th4th4th4th2nd (RU)4th4th5th4th2nd (RU)3rd5th4th5th6th5th2nd (RU)5th2nd (SF)3rd1st (RU)5th2nd (RU)3rd
3rd1st (RU)3rd5th3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd3rd4th2nd (RU)5th6th5th4th6th4th3rd (RU)2nd (C)4th3rd7th7th
7th6th7th7th6th7th6th7th3rd6th
1st (RU)3rd2nd (RU)3rd5th2nd (RU)1st (C)1st (RU)2nd (C)4th1st (RU)4th2nd (RU)1st (RU)2nd (RU)2nd (RU)3rd (SF)2nd (RU)1st (SF)5th3rd6th5th4th
4th5th5th2nd (RU)4th5th5th4th5th5th5th3rd3rd4th4th7th4th (SF)3rd7th6th7th2nd (RU)6th2nd (C)


See also

Notes
  1. Each team has used several venues to host matches. For a full list, see list of cricket grounds in Australia.
  2. Formerly Tasmanian Roar[17]
  3. Formerly VicSpirit[18]
  4. Formerly Western Fury[19]
  5. Terry McGregor (NSW) also took 14 wickets, but finished with a higher average
  6. Julie Hayes (NSW) also took 17 wickets, but finished with a higher average
  7. Kristen Beams (VIC) also took 15 wickets, but finished with a higher average[27]
  8. Amanda-Jade Wellington (SA) and Brooke Hepburn (TAS) also took 13 wickets, but finished with a higher average
  9. Higher-ranked finalist awarded the title in the event of a washout[30]
  10. D/L method was used to determine winner due to rain interruption
  11. Match reduced to 20 overs per side due to rain

References
  1. "WNCL: All You Need To Know". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  2. "Womens Cricket Australia - All and Sundry Statistics". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  3. "Now is the time to invest in women's cricket, not cut back". Australian Cricketers' Association. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  4. "Q&A with Chloe Piparo". Australian Cricketers' Association. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  5. "Women crave more long-form cricket". The Australian. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  6. "PERRY MAKES WELCOME RETURN TO ELITE CRICKET". RSN927. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  7. Phillips, Sam (8 February 2019). "Healy, ACA want WNCL to go back to future". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  8. "WNCL fixture unveiled for 2017-18". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  9. "Australia's women cricketers now playing for love and money". www.abc.net.au. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  10. "Australia's female cricketers leap ahead in pay race". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  11. "Women big winners in cricket pay deal". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  12. "Cricket pay deal lauded as biggest windfall in women's sport". www.abc.net.au. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  13. "Tasmania and ACT join women's league". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  14. "Tasmania Ready to Roar into full WNCL Competition". web.archive.org. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  15. John Nauright; Charles Parrish (6 April 2012). Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. ABC-CLIO. p. 374. ISBN 978-1-59884-300-2. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  16. "Member Associations | Cricket Australia". www.cricketaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  17. "Tasmanian Roar Become Tasmanian Tigers Women's Team". crickettas.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  18. "Victorian Cricket Team name update". Cricket Victoria. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  19. "Domestic Cricket Changes". waca.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  20. "BATTING AND FIELDING IN WOMEN'S NATIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE 1996/97". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  21. "BOWLING IN WOMEN'S NATIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE 1996/97". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  22. "BATTING AND FIELDING IN WOMEN'S NATIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE 1997/98". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  23. "BOWLING IN WOMEN'S NATIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE 1997/98". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  24. "Women's National Cricket League, 2007/08 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  25. "Women's National Cricket League, 2007/08 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  26. "Women's National Cricket League, 2008/09 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  27. "Women's National Cricket League, 2008/09 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  28. "WNCL | Cricket Australia". www.cricketaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  29. "Womens Cricket in Australia - National League (WNCL)". web.archive.org. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  30. "Breakers handed title in washed out final". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  31. "Women's National Cricket League 1996/97". CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  32. "WCA National League 1998/9 - NSW v Vic: Finals Game 2". web.archive.org. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  33. "Blues win womens title in last-ball thriller". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  34. "Women's Cricket in Australia - CBA WNCL 2004/05". web.archive.org. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  35. "Women's Cricket in Australia - WNCL". web.archive.org. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  36. "Experience the difference for NSW". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  37. "Women's National Cricket League, 2012/13: Results". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  38. "WNCL 2009-10". web.archive.org. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  39. "Lend Lease Breakers win eighth consecutive WNCL title". Cricket NSW. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
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