THE 2023/24 Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) season is almost upon us, with games set to get underway later this month. To build up to the season, we here at Rookie Me Central will take a deep dive into each of the teams competing this season.

First up, it is the ACT Meteors, who finished bottom of the table in 2022/23.

SQUAD

Alisha Bates, Paris Bowdler, Kayla Burton, Rebecca Carter, Grace Dignam, Holly Ferling, Angie Genford, Amy Hunter, Carly Leeson, Grace Lyons, Katie Mack, Olivia Porter, Chloe Rafferty, Jannatul Sumona, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Annie Wikman

FIXTURE

September 22 – South Australia – Karen Rolton Oval
September 24 – South Australia – Karen Rolton Oval         
October 8 – Tasmania – EPC Solar Park
October 10 – Tasmania – EPC Solar Park
December 12 – Queensland – EPC Solar Park
December 14 – Queensland – EPC Solar Park
January 5 – Western Australia – WACA
January 7 – Western Australia – WACA
January 16 – Victoria – Junction Oval
January 18 – Victoria – Junction Oval
January 30 – NSW – EPC Solar Park
February 1 – NSW – EPC Solar Park

NEW FACES

There are five new faces set to don the Meteors colours this season.

Jannatul Sumona is a former international off-spinner for Bangladesh, and has earned a contract after coming into the side for the last four matches of the 2022/23 season.

Grace Dignam is making the move to Canberra after a summer where she was the leading run scorer in the Sydney First Grade competition.

The three other new faces are all very young.

19 year old Paris Bowdler is a Victorian who has been impressing in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition for a few years now, and is coming off the back of a selection in the Australian Under 19 team that participated at this year’s World Cup.

The remaining new faces are both still at school, with local Canberran wicketkeeper-bat Grace Lyons and fast bowling North Queenslander Amy Hunter both set to juggle the end of their schooling with elite level cricket.

DEPARTURES

Some experienced faces have left the Meteors in the offseason.

Both Angela Reakes and Matilda Lugg have retired, while Zoe Cooke is off to the Fire and Amy Yates was not offered a contract for this season.

PLAYER TO WATCH

She may only be new into the line up at the Meteors this season, but Bowdler has enough potential to really shine at WNCL level. She can bat, she can bowl and she can keep, so she is one of the most versatile players in the game.