A host of big names will feature in this week's WNCL action in the final round before Australia's multi-format series against India gets underway
Sutherland in for Vics as Aussie stars named in WNCL squads
Annabel Sutherland will turn out for Victoria this week as she ramps up preparations for this month’s multi-format series against India, while Queensland allrounder Jess Jonassen will make her return from injury.
Sutherland, who withdrew from the ongoing Women’s Premier League in India due to personal reasons, will don the navy blue for the first time since September 2023 as she joins newly appointed Australia captain Sophie Molineux in the Victoria squad to meet South Australia in Adelaide on Tuesday and Thursday.
The pair of matches at Karen Rolton Oval will be the 24-year-old allrounder’s first hit out since the Melbourne Stars were knocked out of the Weber WBBL|11 finals in December.
Victoria squad v South Australia: Rhys McKenna (c), Ira Aery, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Hasrat Gill, Ella Hayward (vc), Olivia Henry, Sophie Molineux, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Zoe Samuel, Annabel Sutherland
The Vics will again be led by caretaker coach Blake Reed this round, with head coach Andy Christie remaining in Melbourne for family reasons
Victoria, who sit on the bottom of the 50-over Women’s National Cricket League table – with negative one point to their name due to an over rate penalty – will be hunting their first win of the season.
They will face a South Australia outfit that again features Aussie stars Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown, with SA confirming an unchanged squad that won twice against Queensland in Brisbane last week, including a thrilling one-wicket win after a record 10th-wicket partnership between Eleanor Larosa and Brown.
South Australia squad v Victoria: Jemma Barsby (c), Hollie Armitage, Emma de Broughe, Darcie Brown, Ellie Johnston, Eleanor Larosa, Tahlia McGrath, Courtney Neale, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington
This week's WNCL action will be the final round before the Australian T20I squad to meet India congregates in Sydney next week, ahead of the opening T20I at the SCG on February 15.
Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy have meanwhile been named in a strong New South Wales Breakers squad that will host Queensland in a top-of-the-table set of matches at Cricket Central.
NSW Breakers squad v Queensland: Lauren Cheatle (c), Sam Bates, Maitlan Brown, Sarah Coyte, Lucy Finn, Alyssa Healy, Anika Learoyd, Lauren Kua, Katie Mack, Claire Moore, Frankie Nicklin, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia Wilson
Both teams are locked on 27 points, but NSW have two games in hand on the Fire and will be eager to boost their hopes of hosting next month’s final.
England allrounder Georgia Adams has been ruled out of the Breakers’ squad due to injury, with Lauren Kua called in. Phoebe Litchfield, who returned from the WPL last week with a quad injury, is unavailable as she rehabs ahead of the India series
In positive news for Queensland, Jonassen will make her comeback ahead of schedule after undergoing surgery on her right shoulder during WBBL|11.
Queensland squad v NSW: Georgia Redmayne (c), Sianna Ginger (vc), Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucinda Bourke, Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Jess Jonassen, Annie O’Neil, Grace Parsons, Ruby Strange, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla Wrigley
Jonassen will not reclaim the captaincy, however, with Georgia Redmayne to continue as skipper and Sianna Ginger remaining as vice-captain.
"Initially I wasn’t sure whether I would be available for the end of the WNCL but with the operation and rehabilitation going so well, the medical team and coaches have helped play a massive part in me returning so quickly," Jonassen said in a statement, adding that she expected to return to the captaincy later in the season.
"In consultation with coaches and my wider support team (including my wife Sarah), the decision was made for me to make a return this round in a playing-only capacity to allow Georgia and Sianna their leadership space as well as give me the opportunity to prioritise my own performances and return to playing."
Queensland remain without Grace Harris and Lucy Hamilton, who are in India on WPL duties. The Fire have only named a squad for Tuesday's first game, leaving the door open for Charli Knott, whose UP Warriorz missed play-offs, to potentially make a return later in the week.
Tasmania will also host the ACT Meteors at Ninja Stadium this week, with squads yet to be confirmed for those matches on Wednesday and Friday.
WNCL 2025-26 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | Bat | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
NSW
|
6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.253 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
|
2
QLD
|
8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.381 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
|
3
WA
|
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -0.014 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
|
4
TAS
|
8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.368 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
|
5
SA
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -0.4 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
|
6
ACT
|
6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -0.279 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
|
7
VIC
|
6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -1.53 | 1 | 0 | -1 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
PTS: Total points