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. 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 the first 24 title deciders and winning 20 championships. The streak of final appearances was broken in the 2020–21 season when they finished in fourth place. Queensland are the current champions.

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. 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. In particular, it is considered a crucial platform for Australia's young cricketers to further develop their skills and strive for national team selection.

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.

Teams

The tournament features seven teams, with matches played across Australia at a combination of bigger venues including the WACA Ground in Perth and Blundstone Arena in Hobart, as well as smaller grounds including CitiPower Centre in Melbourne and Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide.

Originally a five-team competition, the league was expanded to include the Australian Capital Territory in 2009–10 and Tasmania in 2010–11. Cricket ACT fields a team in the league despite being a non-member association of Cricket Australia. Team Nickname Home ground First season Titles won Runners-up   Australian Capital Territory Meteors EPC Solar Park 2009–10 0 0   New South Wales Breakers North Sydney Oval 1996–97 21 5   Queensland Fire Allan Border Field 1996–97 2 7   South Australia SA Karen Rolton Oval 1996–97 1 5   Tasmania Tigers Ninja Stadium 2010–11 3 0   Victoria Vics CitiPower Centre 1996–97 2 11   Western Australia WA WACA Ground 1996–97 1 2

Results Season summaries SeasonChampionsRunners-upMost runsMost wicketsPlayer of the Year1996–97New South WalesVictoriaZoe Goss (VIC) – 629Jo Garey (NSW) – 15Zoe Goss (VIC)1997–98New South WalesSouth AustraliaBelinda Clark (NSW) – 611Karen Rolton (SA) – 14Belinda Clark (NSW)1998–99New South WalesVictoriaKaren Rolton (SA) – 435Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 14Belinda Clark (NSW)1999–00New South WalesWestern AustraliaLisa Keightley (NSW) – 406Lisa Sthalekar (NSW) – 15Lisa Keightley (NSW)2000–01New South WalesQueenslandKaren Rolton (SA) – 492Emma Liddell (NSW) – 17Karen Rolton (SA)2001–02New South WalesVictoriaKaren Rolton (SA) – 509Bronwyn Calver (NSW) – 18Karen Rolton (SA)2002–03VictoriaNew South WalesKaren Rolton (SA) – 468Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 17Karen Rolton (SA)2003–04New South WalesVictoriaBelinda Clark (VIC) – 622Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 18Belinda Clark (VIC)2004–05VictoriaNew South WalesBelinda Clark (VIC) – 397Julie Hayes (NSW) – 19Karen Rolton (SA)2005–06New South WalesQueenslandKaren Rolton (SA) – 553Emma Liddell (NSW) – 19Karen Rolton (SA)2006–07New South WalesVictoriaKate Blackwell (NSW) – 363Cathryn Fitzpatrick (VIC) – 25Melissa Bulow (QLD)2007–08New South WalesSouth AustraliaKaren Rolton (SA) – 384Renee Chappell (WA) – 14Lisa Sthalekar (NSW)2008–09New South WalesVictoriaKaren Rolton (SA) – 431Erin Osborne (NSW) – 15Alex Blackwell (NSW)2009–10New South WalesVictoriaKaren Rolton (SA) – 498Ellyse Perry (NSW) – 22Sarah Elliott (VIC)2010–11New South WalesVictoriaKris Britt (ACT) – 297Ellyse Perry (NSW) – 13Kris Britt (ACT)2011–12New South WalesVictoriaRachael Haynes (NSW) – 402Lisa Sthalekar (NSW) – 15Poulton, Sthalekar (NSW)2012–13New South WalesQueenslandMeg Lanning (VIC) – 509Jude Coleman (QLD) – 18Bolton (WA), Lanning (VIC)2013–14New South WalesVictoriaNicole Bolton (WA) – 371Kristen Beams (VIC) – 14Nicole Bolton (WA)2014–15New South WalesSouth AustraliaMeg Lanning (VIC) – 440Amanda-Jade Wellington (SA) – 12Jess Jonassen (QLD)2015–16South AustraliaNew South WalesEllyse Perry (NSW) – 403Megan Schutt (SA) – 14Ellyse Perry (NSW)2016–17New South WalesQueenslandMeg Lanning (VIC) – 359Molly Strano (VIC) – 13Meg Lanning (VIC)2017–18New South WalesWestern AustraliaEllyse Perry (NSW) – 372Rene Farrell (NSW) – 16Rachael Haynes (NSW)2018–19New South WalesQueenslandHeather Graham (WA) – 294Rene Farrell (NSW) – 17Georgia Redmayne (TAS)2019–20Western AustraliaNew South WalesNicole Bolton (WA) – 436Rene Farrell (NSW) – 21Nicole Bolton (WA)2020–21QueenslandVictoriaElyse Villani (VIC) – 611Molly Strano (VIC) – 14Elyse Villani (VIC)2021–22TasmaniaSouth AustraliaCourtney Webb (SA) – 367Samantha Bates (VIC) – 16Erin Osborne (ACT)2022–23TasmaniaSouth AustraliaElyse Villani (TAS) – 705Sarah Coyte (TAS) – 30Courtney Webb (SA)2023–24TasmaniaQueenslandNicola Carey (TAS) - 696Grace Parsons (QLD) - 20Nicola Carey (TAS)2024–25New South WalesQueenslandTahlia Wilson (NSW) - 667Amanda-Jade Wellington (SA) – 29Tahlia Wilson (NSW)2025–26QueenslandNew South WalesKatie Mack (NSW) (659)Lauren Cheatle (NSW) (29)Katie Mack (NSW)

Sources:

Final(s) summaries 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. Dead rubbers were played out in the first two seasons, though such a practice was discontinued thereafter. SeasonFinal1st Innings2nd InningsResultPlayer of the FinalsVenue1996–97 Match 1ScorecardVictoria7/211 (50 overs)New South Wales7/214 (49.3 overs)New South Wales won by 3 wicketsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Sally Griffiths(New South Wales)Sydney Cricket GroundSydney, NSW Match 2ScorecardVictoria8/161 (50 overs)New South Wales5/162 (49.1 overs)New South Wales won by 5 wicketsNew South Wales led the series, 2–0 Match 3ScorecardVictoria7/208 (50 overs)New South Wales3/210 (44 overs)New South Wales won by 7 wicketsNew South Wales won the series, 3–01997–98Match 1ScorecardSouth Australia8/146 (50 overs)New South Wales4/147 (42.1 overs)New South Wales won by 6 wicketsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Belinda Clark(New South Wales)Albert ParkMelbourne, VICMatch 2ScorecardSouth Australia8/214 (50 overs)New South Wales6/215 (48.3 overs)New South Wales won by 4 wicketsNew South Wales led the series, 2–0Match 3ScorecardNew South Wales5/223 (50 overs)South Australia8/215 (50 overs)New South Wales won by 8 runsNew South Wales won the series, 3–01998–99Match 1ScorecardNew South Wales6/153 (50 overs)Victoria146 (48.2 overs)New South Wales won by 7 runsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Terry McGregor(New South Wales)Princes ParkMelbourne, VICMatch 2ScorecardNew South Wales114 (45 overs)Victoria113 (47.3 overs)New South Wales won by 1 runNew South Wales won the series, 2–01999–00Match 1ScorecardNew South Wales4/154 (30 overs)Western Australia135 (29.4 overs)New South Wales won by 19 runsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Terry McGregor(New South Wales)Sydney Cricket GroundSydney, NSWMatch 2ScorecardWestern Australia7/218 (50 overs)New South Wales7/219 (50 overs)New South Wales won by 3 wicketsNew South Wales won the series, 2–02000–01Match 1ScorecardNew South Wales5/234 (50 overs)Queensland201 (48.3 overs)New South Wales won by 33 runsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Emma Liddell(New South Wales)Bankstown OvalSydney, NSWMatch 2ScorecardQueensland137 (49.3 overs)New South Wales3/138 (34 overs)New South Wales won by 7 wicketsNew South Wales won the series, 2–02001–02Match 1ScorecardVictoria133 (50 overs)New South Wales3/134 (42 overs)New South Wales won by 7 wicketsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Lisa Sthalekar(New South Wales)Bankstown OvalSydney, NSWMatch 2ScorecardVictoria9/186 (50 overs)New South Wales6/187 (49.4 overs)New South Wales won by 4 wicketsNew South Wales won the series, 2–02002–03Match 1ScorecardNew South Wales6/200 (50 overs)Victoria7/203 (50 overs)Victoria won by 3 wicketsVictoria led the series, 1–0Belinda Clark(Victoria)Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne, VICMatch 2ScorecardVictoria181 (50 overs)New South Wales141 (47.3 overs)Victoria won by 40 runsVictoria won the series, 2–02003–04Match 1ScorecardNew South Wales128 (45.1 overs)Victoria4/129 (48.3 overs)Victoria won by 6 wicketsVictoria led the series, 1–0Belinda Clark(Victoria)Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne, VICMatch 2ScorecardVictoria8/162 (50 overs)New South Wales5/163 (48 overs)New South Wales won by 5 wicketsSeries level, 1–1Match 3ScorecardVictoria4/217 (50 overs)New South Wales7/218 (48.4 overs)New South Wales won by 3 wicketsNew South Wales won the series, 2–12004–05Match 1ScorecardNew South Wales3/200 (50 overs)Victoria179 (49.1 overs)New South Wales won by 21 runsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Julie Hayes(New South Wales)Bankstown OvalSydney, NSWMatch 2ScorecardNew South Wales71 (43.4 overs)Victoria5/72 (39.1 overs)Victoria won by 5 wicketsSeries level, 1–1Match 3ScorecardVictoria6/159 (50 overs)New South Wales109 (43.4 overs)Victoria won by 50 runsVictoria won the series, 2–12005–06Match 1ScorecardQueensland174 (48 overs)New South Wales2/175 (37.4 overs)New South Wales won by 8 wicketsNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Jude Coleman(Queensland)North Sydney OvalSydney, NSWMatch 2ScorecardNew South Wales154 (50 overs)Queensland7/155 (45.1 overs)Queensland won by 3 wicketsSeries level, 1–1Match 3ScorecardNew South Wales146 (48.4 overs)Queensland144 (47.2 overs)New South Wales won by 2 runsNew South Wales won the series, 2–12006–07Match 1ScorecardVictoria136 (46.3 overs)New South Wales9/137 (48.4 overs)New South Wales won by 1 wicketNew South Wales led the series, 1–0Cathryn Fitzpatrick(Victoria)Central ReserveMelbourne, VICMatch 2ScorecardNew South Wales144 (49 overs)Victoria2/146 (43.2 overs)Victoria won by 8 wicketsSeries level, 1–1Match 3ScorecardVictoria7/205 (50 overs)New South Wales7/206 (48.4 overs)New South Wales won by 3 wicketsNew 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 onward. However, the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons utilised an extended four-team playoffs system which included knockout semi-finals.