Katie Mack eager to lift Ruth Preddy Cup after being named top domestic player after her most prolific season yet
Katie Mack has crowned a “crazy” maiden season with NSW by being named the WNCL’s player of the year, but has eyes firmly fixed on team silverware ahead of Saturday’s final.
With 632 runs from 12 games, Mack enjoyed her most prolific season ever with the bat, including three scores in 90s. She will have another opportunity to add to that tally when the Breakers host the Queensland Fire on Saturday to battle for the Ruth Preddy Cup.
While a century evaded the 32-year-old in her first season with NSW, having made the switch last winter from the ACT Meteors, her consistency helped the defending champions secure a home final by locking up the top spot before the final round of games.
Mack said being named player of the year was “unexpected” as she admitted to flitting between nerves and excitement for her maiden WNCL final after spending 13 years playing with the ACT Meteors.
“I’m so excited … but I’m also like, I don’t know if I’m anxious or excited. I’m already getting quite nervous,” Mack said.
“I get moments where I’m thinking about us winning and I’m getting really excited for that.
“But I’m just going to enjoy it. It’s been 13 years of playing to make a final, so I’m just excited that I’ve got a big prep and I can actually live in the moment.
“And then obviously whatever happens on Saturday happens.”
Mack spent most of the summer in her usual role opening the batting, but made way for Australian international duo Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry in the later part of the tournament, sliding down to either first drop or No.4.
Despite admitting to an initial reluctance to the move, it opened a new dynamic to Mack’s batting, and she posted two of her three 90+ scores outside of an opening spot in a summer where a century has so far eluded her.
“It’s been kind of fun to drop around (the batting order),” Mack said during a commentary stint on cricket.com.au’s Sheffield Shield coverage.
“Originally I was a bit ‘oh, I don’t know if I like that’ and ‘the only person I’m willing to do that for is the Australian captain’.
“But once I dropped down and batted there it was actually really nice. It was a bit of a challenge and I did it quite successfully, so it was nice to think, well I can actually float around the order and be semi-successful everywhere.”
Despite finishing behind Rachel Trenaman’s 648 in the runs tally this season, Mack’s impact in NSW’s dominant run, which saw them drop just one game before the final saw her collected 26 votes, six more than ACT Meteors’ quick Zoe Cooke.
WNCL Player of the Year 2025-26
Player
State
Votes
Katie Mack
NSW
26
Zoe Cooke
ACT
20
Lauren Cheatle
NSW
18
Annie Wikman
ACT
18
Georgia Redmayne
Queensland
16
Chloe Piparo
Western Australia
16
It was the need for a new challenge that encouraged the 32-year-old to consider a departure from her Canberra base, and it came in form of an offer from the state she had left as a teenager in the hunt for a fresh challenge.
She proved to be key piece of the puzzle for the Breakers as Mack formed a strong opening partnership with Tahlia Wilson, last year’s WNCL player of the year.
Having gone unbeaten in their first 10 games before suffering a loss against South Australia in Adelaide, Mack said there was already much to celebrate from the campaign.
“Obviously we want to win but you don’t want to take away from how good the season has been,” Mack said during her Shield commentary stint.
“There’s been so much effort gone into just making this one game. And for us to nearly go undefeated is pretty crazy.
“We’ve played some pretty good cricket, we’ve also had injuries, we’ve had people who debuted, there’s been so much that has happened. There’s lots to reflect on and celebrate. “
WNCL Final
21 March: NSW v Queensland, Cricket Central, 10am AEDT
