The Women’s National Cricket League is the most important domestic List A competition in Australia. It is played in the 50 overs format and features state-based women’s teams.
Currently, the state teams that compete against each other are Australian Capital Territory Meteors, New South Wales Breakers, Queensland Fire, Tasmania Tigers, South Australia, Western Australia, and Victoria Vics. The tournament is played annually. It uses a double round-robin format where each team plays the other at least twice.
A win is worth 4 points, a draw or tie is worth two points, and a loss fetches zero points. If teams can win a match with a run-rate that is 1.25 times more than their opposition’s, then they earn a bonus point. The final is contested between the top two teams of the points table.
The tournament is held annually since 1996-97. Till its latest edition in 2023-24, New South Wales has won the title a record 20 times. Tasmania and Victoria have won three and two titles each. South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland have won the title once each. The winner of the Women’s National Cricket League is given the Ruth Preddy Cup.
Karen Rolton has won the player of the series tournament a record four times. Belinda Clark and Nicole Bolton have been the player of the series thrice each, whereas Meg Lanning has won it twice. Ever since its inception, the WNCL continues to be a pathway for women’s cricketers in Australia to make it to the national side.
