Record on the line in WNCL finals

New South Wales’ domination of the Women’s National Cricket League will be on the line when the semi-final action gets underway in Sydney this morning..

Reigning premiers Lend Lease Breakers, who finished fourth on the ladder, take on minor premiers Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit, while 2013/14 WT20 champions Konica Minolta Queensland Fire play Breeze Air SA Scorpions. 

The semi-final winners will meet in the final at Blacktown International Sportspark on Sunday at 10am.

NSW Breakers v VicSpirit, 10am, Blacktown International Sportspark 1

VicSpirit will be out to create WNCL history when they meet NSW.

Many would have tipped the teams to meet in the final before the Breakers crashed to finish fourth on the competition ladder.

The Breakers have played in every final in WNCL history, winning 16 of 18 possible titles, including the last nine. Of those nine, VicSpirit were runners-up on six occasions.

VicSpirit has named an unchanged line-up for the final, including an in-form batting line-up featuring Australian captain Meg Lanning (399 runs at 66.50) and Nicole Bolton (392 at 98), who top the competition's run-scorers list.

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Kelly Applebee, one of two surviving members from Victoria's last successful WNCL side in 2005 along with Julie Hunter, is having one of her finest seasons averaging 229 – having only been dismissed once.

The Breakers named a full-strength squad including Alex Blackwell and Leah Poulton, who have both played more than 100 WNCL matches.

Blackwell and Poulton are the only two players to have been part of all nine of NSW’s premiership winning teams since 2005-06.

In their previous encounter earlier this month, a six-wicket haul from Strano (6-46) restricted the Breakers to 229 before Lanning (103) and Applebee (73*) saw VicSpirit home with five wickets and four overs remaining.

VicSpirit squad: Meg Lanning (captain), Kelly Applebee, Kristen Beams, Briana Binch, Nicole Bolton, Jess Cameron, Julie Hunter, Emma Inglis, Kirsty Lamb, Anna Lanning, Emily McIntyre, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani.

NSW Breakers squad: Alex Blackwell (captain), Rachael Haynes (vice-captain), Sarah Aley, Nicola Carey, Sarah Coyte, Alyssa Healy, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Leah Poulton, Angela Reakes, Lauren Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Kara Sutherland.

Queensland Fire v SA Scorpions, 10am, Bankstown Oval

Both the Fire and the Scorpions have twice featured in WNCL finals, but neither has been able to break through to win the title.

Queensland have been a consistent performer through the summer and have players with finals’ experience, including former Australian captain Jodie Fields, who missed last summer’s WT20 final due to injury.

New Zealand international Felicity Leydon-Davis has also been named in the squad, with the only significant omission being Southern Stars allrounder Jessica Jonassen who is still recovering from knee surgery at Christmas.

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The Fire easily accounted for the Scorpions last time the teams met in December, winning by seven wickets after Jonassen (4-19) and Holly Ferling (3-28) ripped through the SA lineup for 99.

The Scorpions snagged third spot on the ladder with an upset victory over NSW late in the season.

Despite a history of struggling against more experienced opposition throughout the season, the Scorpions have experience in their batting thanks to England international Sarah Taylor and Lauren Ebsary, while Southern Star Megan Schutt has been leading the way with the ball.

Queensland Fire squad: Jodie Fields (captain), Danielle Hollis, Beth Mooney, Delissa Kimmince, Kirby Short, Grace Harris, Jemma Barsby, Haidee Birkett, Courtney Hill, Holly Ferling, Felicity Leydon-Davis, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Casey Ryan.

SA Scorpions squad: Lauren Ebsary (captain), Samantha Betts, Tahlia McGrath, Tegan McPharlin, Bridget Patterson, Rhianna Peate, Brittany Perry, Hannah Perry, Katelyn Pope, Alex Price, Megan Schutt, Sarah Taylor, Amanda Wellington.

Entry to the semi-finals is free.