Sarah Coyte wins wherever she goes and joins the Scoop Podcast to talk about her amazing career
“Oh dear, this is bad.”
When New South Wales slumped to 6-88 against Tasmania on Monday, the Breakers found themselves in an unfamiliar position.
With nine wins from nine matches in the Women’s National Cricket League so far, the dominant NSW had rarely been seriously challenged in the competition.
But the Tigers had them under the pump, and with the entire top order gone, veteran allrounder Sarah Coyte strode out to the middle to join youngster Lucy Finn.
“I’m going to have to do something here,” a grinning Coyte told the Scoop Podcast.
Coyte and Finn resurrected the innings with a 128-run stand as the veteran posted an unbeaten 82 from 87, the highest score of her storied WNCL career.
Those contributions proved crucial as NSW held off a spirited Tasmania by 37 runs, keeping their unblemished record in 2025-26 intact and securing a home final at Cricket Central on March 21.
And it’s been a theme throughout Coyte’s career: When asked to perform in high-pressure moments, the ultra-competitor has often delivered.
In the 2011 WNCL final, she combined with NSW legend Alex Blackwell in an unbroken 75-run stand to secure her team the title.
The following year, she delivered again, this time with the ball, taking 4-53 as Victoria fell 70 runs short.
And who could forget her final-over heroics against South Australia in the 2023 decider where Coyte defended four runs and took three wickets (with two run outs) in what she remembers as a “bizarre turn of events”.
“‘Junior’ (Elyse Villani) comes up to me and says ‘what are you going to do?’
“I said, ‘I’m going to hit the stumps because we’re not losing this beeping game.’
And then it all just happened. I’d been in pressure situations like that before, but in a final like that where it’s literally up to you, it could have gone either way. We just made it happen.”
Coyte puts her fierce competitiveness down to her upbringing alongside two brothers, twin brother Adam who played Under 19s for Australia and older brother Scott, who played for New South Wales and Sydney Thunder.
But those backyard battles have left a lasting impact on Coyte who now boasts one of the most coveted records in domestic cricket.
Coyte has featured in the season final 10 times, seven with New South Wales, one with South Australia and two with Tasmania, and she’s won on every occasion.
When she lines up in this year’s final, she’ll be gunning for number 11, which would leave her behind only Blackwell (13 titles) and equal with Lisa Sthalekar in terms of most WNCL title wins.
Listen to the latest episode of the Scoop Podcast now to hear about Coyte’s fitness regime away from cricket, stepping away from the sport at 25, what makes a champion side and plenty more.
WNCL 2025-26 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Total points
PTS
1
NSW
10
10
0
0
0
1.134
0
4
44
2
QLD
10
6
4
0
0
0.072
0
3
27
3
SA
10
6
3
0
1
-0.138
0
1
27
4
WA
10
6
4
0
0
0.039
0
2
26
5
ACT
10
4
5
0
1
-0.114
0
1
19
6
TAS
12
3
9
0
0
0.002
0
3
15
7
VIC
10
0
10
0
0
-1.028
1
0
-1
Legend
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
