AFTER an enthralling opening weekend of the season back in December, the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) is back for another round of matches.
This month sees South Australia finally get their season underway, with two matches against reigning champions Queensland.
Meanwhile, the other four matches this month all feature the ACT Meteors. They well and truly get their season underway with two matches against NSW and two against Victoria.
ACT vs NSW
January 6 – Manuka Oval, Canberra – 10am AEDT
January 14 – North Sydney Oval – 10am AEDT
The ACT Meteors will be certainly looking to get their season off to the best possible start, after not being one of the teams that played over that December weekend of matches.
The Meteors certainly do not have an easy start to the season, coming up against arguably the most dominant side of the last decade in NSW.
The Meteors have some big outs this season in Erin Osborne and Maitlin Brown, and the likes of new addition Chloe Rafferty certainly have big shoes to fill. Brown actually comes up against her old side this weekend as she is now playing for the Breakers.
ACT is a young side, so if the Meteors are competitive against NSW or even manage to score an upset win, it will send a strong message to the rest of the competition to not underestimate them this season.
NSW will go in as strong favourites though, after they got their campaign off to the best of starts with strong back-to-back wins over Victoria.
Queensland vs South Australia
January 7 – Ian Healy Oval, Brisbane – 10am AEST
January 9 – Ian Healy Oval, Brisbane – 10am AEST
South Australia will be looking to cause a few upsets this month as they take on Queensland. The Fire are the reigning champions of the WNCL, but are coming off a win and a loss against Tasmania.
This could be the closest pair of matches across the month, but Queensland would probably go in as favourites, because they are the reigning champions.
With the likes of Australian regulars Tahlia McGrath and Megan Schutt, South Australia will certainly be a competitive side in 2021/22.
They also have young stars in Darcie Brown and Amanda–Jade Wellington.
Brown comes into this season off earning her first Australian contract, while Wellington had an absolutely superb WBBL season and will be looking to earn her first Australian call up for the upcoming Ashes series.
ACT vs Victoria
January 9 – Manuka Oval, Canberra – 10am AEDT
January 11 – Manuka Oval, Canberra – 10am AEDT
As if a double header of matches against NSW is not enough of a challenge for ACT, they also have a double header against arguably the second most dominant side of the last decade in Victoria.
The Victorians will be keen to pile on the pressure and get a win on the board after losing both of their first two matches to arch rival NSW.
Victoria should be bolstered by the return of captain and star batter Meg Lanning. She sat out the first two matches of Victoria’s season because she needed a break from her busy schedule.
These matches come in the middle of their NSW double header for ACT, so how much playing four matches in the space of just over a week will affect the Meteors is yet to be seen.
