The Breakers have locked in hosting rights for the WNCL final after a dominant season to date
With one round of the 2025-26 WNCL season remaining, New South Wales are the runaway favourites to go back-to-back as the undefeated Breakers have already locked in a home final at Cricket Central on March 21.
But, for Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and ACT, there is still lots to play for in the final block of regular-season matches.
Here’s a reminder on the scoring system:
Teams get four points for a win, zero points for a loss and one point for a no result or a washout. A bonus point can be achieved by the victorious side if they reach the target in 40 overs of fewer or if they restrict the opposition to 80 per cent of their score or less.
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
Below is a look at each state’s remaining matches and their potential path to the end-of-season decider.
1. New South Wales (44 points)
Most runs: Katie Mack (518)
Most wickets: Lauren Cheatle (22)
Remaining matches:
Away v South Australia, Adelaide Oval (Mar 12)
Away v South Australia, Adelaide Oval (Mar 14)
Locked into top spot, NSW have been the dominant side all season. Although pushed by Western Australia in round two (where they won by six runs), by Queensland in round five (one wicket) and Tasmania in round six (37 runs), the reigning champions have continually found ways to win.
Katie Mack has unsurprisingly been a star recruit, leading NSW for runs after crossing from ACT in the off-season. Four of the competition’s top seven wicket-takers are Breakers, with captain Lauren Cheatle (22 wickets) leading the comp and closely followed by Maitlan Brown (16), Sarah Coyte (16) and Sam Bates (15).
While their two remaining matches against South Australia mean little for NSW, they do mean a lot for SA who will likely need to win both to get through to the final.
2. Queensland (27 points)
Most runs: Georgia Redmayne (377)
Most wickets: Sianna Ginger (17)
Remaining matches:
Home v Victoria, Allan Border Field (Mar 12)
Home v Victoria, Allan Border Field (Mar 14)
Queensland were flying early in the new year and had a 6-0 record at the halfway point of the competition. But two losses at home to a South Australian side stacked with Aussie players followed by two losses to New South Wales now have them right back in the chasing pack.
Despite four losses in a row, their net run rate (NRR) remains strong and they get to finish their season with two matches at home against last-placed Victoria, who are yet to register a victory this season. On paper it appears to be the Fire’s spot in the final to lose, but they could still be jumped on NRR or by bonus points even if they defeat the Vics in both concluding games.
3. South Australia (27 points)
Most runs: Courtney Webb (406)
Most wickets: Amanda-Jade Wellington (18)
Remaining matches:
Home v NSW, Adelaide Oval (Mar 12)
Home v NSW, Adelaide Oval (Mar 14)
South Australia have it all to do if they’re to win their first title since 2015-16 despite being level on points with second-placed Queensland.
While the Fire play winless Victoria, SA take on the undefeated NSW. However, two wins for Queensland wouldn’t guarantee them a place in the final, as South Australia could improve their NRR enough to overtake the Fire or earn more bonus points across the two games.
Either way, it will take a Herculean effort from SA who have form on their side, having won five of their last six games with the only miss there being a washout against ACT.
4. Western Australia (26 points)
Most runs: Chloe Piparo (506)
Most wickets: Amy Edgar (17)
Remaining matches:
Home v ACT, WACA Ground (Mar 13)
Home v ACT, WACA Ground (Mar 15)
Western Australia cannot be discounted either. Having lost their first four matches of the campaign (against NSW and Queensland), they have since won six in a row to storm back into contention.
WA end the season with a couple of home games against the vastly improved ACT and two bonus point wins over the Meteors would put them in an extremely strong position to challenge Queensland in second place.
In what could be an advantage, the WA-ACT match on March 15 is the final game of the home-and-away season and will be a standalone fixture, meaning both sides will know exactly what needs to be done in order to qualify for the competition decider.
5. ACT Meteors (19 points)
Most runs: Annie Wikman (462)
Most wickets: Zoe Cooke (17)
Remaining matches:
Away v Western Australia, WACA Ground (Mar 13)
Away v Western Australia, WACA Ground (Mar 15)
Although they are eight points behind Queensland and South Australia in second, ACT’s season isn’t over … mathematically, at least.
To keep it alive, they’ll need the following to happen:
ACT to defeat WA in both matches
NSW to defeat SA in both matches
Victoria to defeat Queensland in both matches
The first two scenarios are plausible while the final piece of the puzzle seems more unlikely. Even one win from the Fire (or SA) would put them out of reach and end the Meteors’ season.
6. Tasmania (15 points)
Most runs: Rachel Trenaman (648)
Most wickets: Kathryn Bryce, Courtney Sippel (14)
Remaining matches:
None.
Tasmania are the first team to finish their season and end with a 3-9 win-loss record. It’s a disappointing finish for a proud side who finished third last season and famously completed a three-peat before that.
But there are some exciting signs for the Tigers. Twenty-four-year-old Rachel Trenaman’s 648 runs outs her in fourth place for the most prolific season ever, new recruit Courtney Sippel (24yo) delivered with bat and ball (274 runs, 14 wickets) while wicketkeeper Emma Manix-Geeves (25yo) responded to being dropped earlier in the season with a century against NSW.
7. Victoria (-1 point)
Most runs: Tess Flintoff (314)
Most wickets: Ella Hayward (15)
Remaining matches:
Away v Queensland, Allan Border Field (Mar 12)
Away v Queensland, Allan Border Field (Mar 14)
Victoria have had a horror season not just because they are winless from 10 matches but because their points tally sits in the negatives thanks to an early-season deduction for a slow over rate.
With only pride now on the line, they could scupper Queensland’s hopes of qualifying for the final with an upset in one of their two remaining matches at Allan Border Field.
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
