Wncl -preview: a great season for new stars to shine

By Helen Maynard-Casely

A timelapse of the Melkweg that makes its way over the heaven of the southern hemisphere.

One thing that you will notice is that in the cacophony of stars, those heavenly bodies that you would normally recognize, fade a little fade, because the large masses are becoming brighter others – it is not that everything is dimmed, you get to see all the stars a little more. A good metaphor for the upcoming Australian domestic cricket.

The crossover of the seasons stands for us, while the grip and muddy fields of autumn hold, the final have drawn their dramatic conclusions in the UK. Down in the southern half of the globe training camps reach their flowering and the first game nerves are fixed. This will increase the curtain on Wednesday in the 2025/26 season of the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL).

Those who are not familiar with the Australian cricket for domestic women may not be so aware of the competition, who, like the Sheffield Shield, weaves around other adventures in the domestic and international cricket calendar. Although mainly based on the state, the WNCL includes a seventh team in the meteors of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Out of respect for the geography of Australia, there are no ‘home and road’ – but each team plays each other twice in each round, so seven rounds in total will take place with every team that has given a BYE during the course of the season.

Why Star metaphor cacophony? Well, the established Australian internationals will have trouble making it for their State Teams teams (Despite the fanfare of the return from Ellyse Perry to the NSW Breakers), with neat overlaps of the WNCL rounds that take place between every major international calendar date in their season. Hence the opportunities for others to find their luminance.

Rounds one and two are pressed before the splendor of the domestic 20/20 season, and will miss the Australian internationals while they heat up and compete in India for the 50 upper World Cup. There is then a long break in the procedure such as the spring challenge and Big Bash enter the city, so that the WNCL will not be recommended again until 2026. The two January rounds will overlap with the Women’s Premier League in India, where Australian international stars are much demand, making them of state tasks. The two rounds of February then overlap each other with the Multi-Format Tour from Australia against India. The final round (and the final, between the two teams ending at the top of the table) will be mid-March, when the Aussie team will be stabbed to the Caribbean for the next multi-format international adventure. So without the ‘big’ players – who will be fame?

Who should you look at 25/26? (You will notice that on the team pages, despite now in the 8th year of full professionalism of the WNCL, not all women even have a photo on their state page … sigh))

QLD Fire – It may only be a matter of time before Charli Knott becomes a fixture on the international side, but until then we can wonder about her domestic trips. Jess Jonassen will lead a side that was kept together pretty well from last season, the statistics show that their success was derived from all -round team performance last year.

NSW Breakers – The success of the Brekers last year can be traced to Batting Powerhouses Tahlia Wilson and Annika Learoyd, who both had great seasons and awarded the number of runs in the competition or in 24/25 respectively. They will be back for more – and will be skillfully assisted by Katie Mack who moved from the act meteors to the side. The young sensation of WBBL10, Caoimhe Bray has also scored a contract with the side. NSW -Breakers look formidable and to keep their mittens on the trophy.

Bag tigers – After a series of titles, Tasmania will be hungry to return to the top, and with the most experienced captain in the competition, Elyse Villani, they undoubtedly have the leadership to come back there. They have recruited Scotswoman Kathryn Bryce, together with Courtney Sippel who will only add to their team strength.

Sa Women -Amanda-Jade Wellington stood at the top of the table with wickets about last season’s WNCL with a margin of 6, she also bowed a lot-117 overs (only at the top of NSW’s Sam Bates). Bridget Patterterson, the quiet performance (and nonchalant -celebration) of Australia domestic cricket takes the gloves and together with Courtney Webb the Batting will lead. SA is always a challenging team to beat, and were those who keep Tasmania out of the final last season. They will remain a thorn in the side of the others.

Vic Women – With six of their contracted players who are away from the WNCL about national tasks, Victoria will probably have trouble making progress. But Molly Strano is back in her home, and as always it will be difficult not to see that a certain M Lanning has an impact in her 50 about element.

Act Meteors – Georgia Elwiss returns this season to play for the meteors and gets neatly in the senior playing position that has been emptied by Katie Mack. She will be supported in Bouwruns from Olivia Porter and Zoe Cooke, together with newly contracted locals Stella Wilde and Rachel Carroll.

WA Women – WA will improve their table spot this season, and from the table last year, and transferring Heather Graham from Tasmania would have seen the most excellent way to start with this. But with Grace Harris’ Injury Graham is now set up in the national side, which will be a blow to wa for rounds one and at least. However, the team has a lot of young talent, an exciting trio in Innes Mckeon, Rebbecca McGrath and Maddie White will be fun to develop during the season.

Round 1 -matches – Trade Meteors with a Bye

That is the preview. Think of it as if you are lying on a grassy bank, breathe deeply and fill your lungs with the moist grassy scent. Open your eyes, see the stars above you. Enjoy.

Helen (Crystallized cricket) is a writer located in the land of Dharug and Gundagarra and acknowledges the traditional owners of the countries she writes.