Women's cricket crown up in the air

A flood of international talent has levelled the women’s domestic scene like never before, with the Lend Lease Breakers’ and Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit’s firm hold on the silverware looking shakier than ever.

With the first round of women’s domestic cricket action kicking off this weekend, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the most even season in the competition’s history.

What’s the history?

The tapestry of the Women’s National Cricket League has been painted almost exclusively in Lend Lease Breakers blue over its 18-year duration with a couple of splashes of Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit navy a tossed in for good measure.

New South Wales have won the last nine WNCL crowns, beating Victoria in six of those finals.

Former Commonwealth Bank Southern Star Leah Poulton and current Southern Stars vice-captain Alex Blackwell are the only players to feature in all of those victorious campaigns.

The T20 competition has been a far more open affair to date, with the VicSpirit taking out the first three trophies, from 2009-2010 to 2011-12 before NSW won in 2012-13 and Queensland topped the Tradies ACT Meteors in the 2013-14 edition – the first time the final didn’t feature the Breakers.

Who are the local stars?

You know the names. Meg Lanning. Jess Cameron. Alex Blackwell. Ellyse Perry. Both NSW and Victoria have opted for all-Australian rosters this season and you can understand why, with those sides boasting five and seven Southern Stars squad members respectively.

Here’s a quick wrap of the top home-grown talent that won’t be suiting up in blue this year:

Delissa Kimmince – Having starting her career as a tear-away quick, Kimmince has re-invented herself as an allrounder at the top of the order over the last two seasons, taking home the Player of the WT20 Final award last season. Her recent success with the Southern Stars highlights her all-round quality.

Megan Schutt – After spending the winter plying her trade in the UK, Schutt will be ready and raring to go with the new ball for the SA Scorpions in 2014-15 and will have the added advantage of New Zealand international Sophie Devine to share the bowling workload. Look-out for a breakthrough season from the Adelaide product.

Jess Jonassen – One of a bevy of Southern Stars allrounders that dominated both disciplines against Pakistan, Jonassen’s aggressive left-arm orthodox and powerful lower-order hitting has already won more than a few games for the world champions. At 21 years of age, Jonassen will be an international superstar within a few years and another outstanding season in maroon will be a key factor in the Fire’s ability going back-to-back in 2014-15.

Rene Farrell – The Southern Stars opening bowler led her ACT side all the way to the WT20 final last season and she’ll have to do something similar this year if the Meteors are any chance of repeat performance. Batters beware Farrell’s deadly brand of in-swing on an aging Manuka Oval pitch.

Aren’t there some overseas players?

Not just any overseas players – the women’s domestic scene has attracted some of the biggest names in the female game for the 2014-15 season, including England captain and all-time leading Women’s ODI run-scorer Charlotte Edwards.

Edwards will suit up for the Western Fury along with New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates – who ranks in the top five batters in both ODIs and Twenty20 internationals. With the Fury losing the competition’s leading run-scorer, and their captain, Nicole Bolton to the VicSpirit, the pair’s experience will prove invaluable to the developing squad out west.

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With just two domestic competition final appearances to their credit in 23 attempts, and no championships, South Australia have looked further afield this season, picking up Edwards’ teammate, and the world’s third-ranked ODI and T20I batter, Sarah Taylor.

Along with Devine and last year’s top run-scorer Lauren Ebsary, Taylor will form one of the most potent, and powerful, batting lineups in the country – and, with the competition lacking in out-and-out pace bowlers outside of Queensland and New South Wales, one big partnership could be enough to seal victory in a large majority of matches this season.

Kiwi allrounder Nicola Browne and wicketkeeper Sara McGlashan will also join Farrell in Canberra this year while another of England’s Ashes stars, Heather Knight, is faced with the task of lifting the Tasmanian Roar off the bottom of the ladder.

Round One squads

Tradies ACT Meteors: Kris Britt (captain), Sam Bates, Laura Wright, Rhiannon Dick, Lynsey Askew, Rene Farrell, Nicola Browne, Jenny Taffs, Kate Pulford, Kira Churchland, Sara McGlashan, Sally Moylan, Sara Hungerford.

Lend Lease NSW Breakers: Alex Blackwell (captain), Rachael Haynes (vice-captain), Sarah Aley, Nicola Carey, Sarah Coyte, Alyssa Healy, Emily Leys, Ellyse Perry, Leah Poulton, Erin Osborne, Angela Reakes, Kara Sutherland, Lauren Smith.

Konica Minolta Queensland Fire: Jodie Fields (captain), Beth Mooney, Danielle Hollis, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Kirby Short, Grace Harris, Jemma Barsby, Courtney Hill, Haidee Birkett, Bec Hollindale, Felicity Leydon-Davis.

SA Scorpions: Lauren Ebsary (captain), Samantha Betts, Sophie Devine, Tahlia McGrath, Tegan McPharlin, Bridget Patterson, Rhianna Peate, Brittany Perry, Hannah Perry, Alex Price, Megan Schutt, Sarah Taylor, Amanda Wellington

Cripps Tasmanian Roar: (full squad) Erin Burns, Paris Crowe, Linsey Da Cost, aEmily Divin, Katelyn Fryett, Corinne Hall, Brooke Hepburn, Heather Knight, Sasha Moloney, Meg Phillips, Veronica Pyke, Celeste Raack, Carly Ryan, Hannah Short, Anita Silva, Emily Smith, Emma Thompson.

Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit: Meg Lanning (captain), Kelly Applebee, Kristen Beams, Briana Binch, Nicole Bolton, Jess Cameron, Julie Hunter, Emma Inglis, Emma Kearney, Anna Lanning, Emily McIntyre, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani.

Alcohol.Think Again Western Fury: Charlotte Edwards (captain), Megan Banting,  Suzie Bates, Emma Biss, Piepa Cleary, Bhavisha Devchand, Heather Graham,Melissa Holmes,  Emma King, Chloe Piparo, Nicky Shaw, Gemma Triscari, Amanda Williams, Jenny Wallace.

How can I watch?

In an unprecedented move, eight WT20 matches will feature in doubleheaders with KFC T20 Big Bash League fixtures, with the final to be broadcast live on the Ten Network .

Outside of these matches, the only way to watch some of the best cricketers in the country strut their stuff is to get down to the games and support your state side in person. Matches are held at some of the best grounds around the country, so pack a lunch, get your friends or family together and enjoy a great day out enjoying Australia’s game.

Full WNCL fixture here

Full WT20 fixture here

And don’t forget you can keep track of all the action on Twitter using #WNCL and #WT20 with live scores, news and analysis on www.cricket.com.au.