Quantcast

Seven teams still alive for WNCL finale

WNCL regular season to conclude this weekend ahead of final on February 9

This summer’s Women’s National Cricket League finalists will be decided this weekend as the final round of the domestic 50-over competition is played out in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Fresh off the end of the Rebel WBBL season last Saturday, the country’s best players have returned to their states this week to prepare for what promises to be an interesting conclusion to the 2018-19 regular season.

All seven teams remain a mathematical chance of finishing in the top two with seven matches left to be played – each of the seven teams has two games remaining – but it’s Tasmania in the box seat, sitting on top of the ladder with 13 points.

The top two sides will meet in the WNCL final on February 9, to be hosted by the minor premiers. 

With many of the Tigers playing for the Hurricanes in the WBBL, they’ll be keen to return to the form that produced their early-season 50-over success after finishing on the bottom of the table in the 20-over competition. 

Tasmania sit one point clear of second-ranked ACT Meteors and two clear of reigning champions NSW, but the availability of bonus points will make ­­the battle to reach – and host – the final an intriguing one.

The action begins with a triple header on Friday, which will see Victoria meet Queensland – a team full of Brisbane Heat players sure to be buoyed by their maiden WBBL victory – at St Kilda’s Junction Oval, while Tasmania take on WA's Western Fury at Casey Fields. 

South Australia, who sit on the bottom of the table with one win from four games, will meet NSW at Karen Rolton Oval. 

ACT and NSW will then meet in a key battle in Adelaide on Saturday, before the regular season concludes on Sunday with a second triple-header, as Victoria meet Tasmania (Junction Oval), Queensland take on WA (Casey Fields) and South Australia meet the ACT (Karen Rolton Oval). 

For Queensland players Beth Mooney, Jess Jonassen and Delissa Kimmince, the chance to achieve a perfect summer beckons.

Heat complete triumph against the odds

The trio were part of Australia’s T20 Wor­­ld Cup win in the Caribbean last November before taking out the WBBL crown last weekend, and a WNCL title would complete the triple. 

But the Fire go into the final weekend without in-form allrounder Grace Harris, who will go under the knife after suffering a knee injury during the Big Bash finals. 

Meanwhile Victoria, who are sixth on the table, will be buoyed by the form of captain Meg Lanning, who struck five scores above 70 late in the Big Bash season before smashing 244 for club team Box Hill on Sunday. 

WNCL SQUADS 

ACT Meteors: Erin Osborne (c), Angela Reakes (vc), Samantha Bates, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Zoe Cooke, Nicola Hancock, Hayley Jensen, Erica Kershaw, Claire Koski, Anna Lanning, Matilda Lugg, Katie Mack

NSW Breakers: Alyssa Healy (c), Sarah Aley, Nicola Carey, Lauren Cheatle, Rene Farrell, Ash Gardner, Maisy Gibson, Lisa Griffith, Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, Lauren Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Rachel Trenaman, Belinda Vakarewa

Queensland Fire: Kirby Short (c), Jemma Barsby, Tess Cooper, Josie Dooley, Holly Ferling, Laura Harris, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Georgia Prestwidge, Courtney Sippel

SA Scorpions: Megan Schutt (c), Tegan McPharlin, Tahlia McGrath, Bridget Patterson, Eliza Doddridge, Annie O’Neil, Katelyn Pope, Shae Daly, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Alex Price, Sarah Lowe, Ellie Falconer, Samantha Betts

Victoria: Meg Lanning (c), Sophie Molineux, Makinley Blows, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Rhiann O’Donnell, Alana King, Courtney Neale, Molly Strano, Nicole Faltum (wk), Kristen Beams, Elly Donald

Tasmania Tigers: Brooke Hepburn (c), Corinne Hall (vc), Stefanie Daffara, Ashley Day, Erin Fazackerley, Alex Hartley, Emma Manix-Geeves, Sasha Moloney, Meg Phillips, Veronica Pyke, Celeste Raack, Georgia Redmayne, Emma Thompson, Courtney Webb

Western Fury: Chloe Piparo (c), Heather Graham (vc), Megan Banting, Melissa Cameron, Mathilda Carmichael, Kate Cross, Piepa Cleary, Bhavisha Devchand, Amy Edgar, Kath Hempenstall, Emma King, Ash King, Taneale Peschel