As Tasmania and Queensland prepare to face off for the 2023-24 WNCL crown, we've put together our best XI for the season
Cricket.com.au's 2023-24 WNCL Team of the Tournament
1. Georgia Redmayne (wk/c) (Queensland)
Matches: 12 | Runs: 423 | Ave: 42.30 | SR: 77.90 | 100s/50s: 1/3 | HS: 112 | Ct/St: 9/5
The Queensland skipper led from the front this summer with several match-winning knocks earlier in the season, including a sensational 112 against ACT in December. All of Redmayne’s four scores of 50 or more came in Fire victories, as she was named captain of the all-star side after leading her state into their fourth decider of the past eight seasons.
2. Chloe Piparo (WA)
Matches: 12 | Runs: 471 | Ave: 47.10 | SR: 83.18 | 100s/50s: 1/3 | HS: 104
Has formed a formidable opening partnership with Maddy Darke at the top of the Western Australia line-up, backing up her 513-run 2022-23 season with another strong campaign. Piaparo scored her first century since November 2016 when she hit 104 against South Australia in October.
3. Katie Mack (ACT)
Matches: 12 | Runs: 471 | Ave: 47.10 | SR: 81.91 | 100s/50s: 1/3 | HS: 140no
Another huge campaign for the ACT skipper who made it three out of the past four seasons with 350-plus runs. Her unbeaten 140 against Victoria last month was also a career-best score, but it was one of few highlights for her side this season as they finished bottom of the standings with a solitary win.
4. Meg Lanning (Victoria)
Matches: 10 | Runs: 492 | Ave: 82.00 | SR: 112.58 | 50s: 6 | HS: 82no
Retirement from international cricket failed to slow the champion batter as she continued to peel off runs with ease almost every time she batted, helping the Vics to third position, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the final. In her first full WNCL season in some time, Lanning produced her second most productive campaign ever behind her 509-run 2012-13 season, with her strike rate of 112.58 the highest of any batter with more than 150 runs this summer.
5. Nicola Carey (Tasmania)
Matches: 12 | Runs: 585 | SR: 83.45 | 100s/50s: 1/4 | HS: 113 | Wickets: 13 | Econ: 4.25 | BBI: 3-47
The competition's leading run-scorer this season capped an outstanding campaign with 92 and 75no in the Tigers final two games of the regular season. Carey is the only Tasmanian to make the XI with the state gunning for their third straight WNCL title on Saturday, signifying how they've had even contributions from all players during a dominant season.
6. Georgia Voll (Queensland)
Matches: 12 | Runs: 426 | Ave: 42.6 | SR: 74.73 | 100s/50s: 2/2 | HS: 117 | Wickets: 4 | Econ: 4.94
The only batter with multiple WNCL centuries this season, Voll formed one half of a formidable Fire opening pair alongside skipper Redmayne. But with many of the top run-scorers this season openers, the 20-year-old will have to slot in at No.6, having batted in the middle- to lower-order for the Brisbane Heat this summer.
7. Sophie Molineux (Victoria)
Matches: 6 | Runs: 167 | SR: 89.78 | 50s: 1 | HS: 62 | Wickets: 17 | Econ: 4.34 | BBI: 6-45
One of the feel-good stories of the summer, as the Victorian captain returned to the field after a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury, which followed another long-term lay off due to a stress fracture in her foot. She collected the season's best figures with 6-45 against NSW in December and after adding 59 and a wicket for the Governor-General's XI against South Africa, earned a recall to the Aussie side for the first time since 2021 for the Test match in Perth.
8. Amanda-Jade Wellington (South Australia)
Matches: 12 | Wickets: 19 | Econ: 4.62 | BBI: 4-50 | Runs: 304 | Strike rate: 103.05 | 50s: 3 | HS: 73
A superb all-round campaign for the South Australian leggie who finished the regular season as the competition's second leading wicket-taker behind fellow leg-spinner Grace Parsons. Already capped 23 times for Australia, the 26-year-old continues to hammer on the door for a national recall with her second most prolific WNCL season behind last summer's 22 wickets at 24.22.
9. Courtney Sippel (Queensland)
Matches: 9 | Wickets: 17 | Econ: 5.23 | Ave: 14.82 | BBI: 4-15
Another strong campaign for the 22-year-old right-armer who finished the regular season as the WNCL's leading fast bowler of 2023-24. With 55 wickets at 22.14 in her first four seasons, as well as 40 WBBL scalps in the past three season, Sippel is a star on the rise and has earned selection in the ‘Green v Gold’ match at Karen Rolton Oval next month as Australia's strongest domestic talent goes head-to-head in a three-day red-ball game.
10. Lauren Cheatle (NSW)
Matches: 5 | Wickets: 11 | Econ: 4.11 | Ave: 15.45 | BBI: 3-18
In a season dominated by spinners the NSW left-armer was the standout quick despite playing just five games for her state in the New Year. She dominated those five games, however, with 11 wickets at 15.45, which followed a 21-wicket Weber WBBL season to earn a recall to the Australian setup for the first time since 2019 to make her Test debut against India in late December. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old's summer was cut short by a medical procedure on January 31 to remove a skin cancer from her neck.
11. Grace Parsons (Queensland)
Matches: 12 | Wickets: 20 | Econ: 4.46 | Ave: 17.6 | BBI: 3-36
A sensational campaign for the 20-year-old, ending the regular season as the competition's leading wicket-taker. With 41 wickets at a superb economy rate of 4.08 in her first 28 matches for Queensland, the young leg-spinner is certainly putting her hand up for higher honours in the future and will also feature in next month's ‘Green v Gold’ match.
Unlucky omissions
Maddy Darke (WA)
Matches: 12 | Runs: 458 | Ave: 50.88 | SR: 76.46 | 50s: 5 | HS: 76no
A line-ball call given the success of WNCL openers this summer, the West Australian keeper was edged out by teammate Piparo due to her superior strike rate and Voll who made two centuries. Redmayne also takes the gloves having been named captain after leading Queensland into the final. But after a second straight season with more than 450 runs, the 22-year-old is certainly one to keep an eye on.
Lilly Mills (WA)
Matches: 10 | Wickets: 18 | Econ: 4.19 | Ave: 20.72 | BBI: 4-28
With spinners taking up nine of the top 11 wicket-taking spot this WNCL season, only an abundance of options has kept the 23-year-old off-spinner out of the XI. A star on the rise with 38 wickets across the past two seasons, Mills is also one to watch in next month's ‘Green v Gold’ match.
WNCL 2023-24 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | Bat | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
TAS
|
12 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.98 | 0 | 5 | 43 |
|
2
QLD
|
12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1.224 | 0 | 7 | 41 |
|
3
VIC
|
12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.013 | 0 | 4 | 32 |
|
4
WA
|
12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.113 | 0 | 4 | 28 |
|
5
NSW
|
12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.105 | 0 | 2 | 26 |
|
6
SA
|
12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | -0.063 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
|
7
ACT
|
12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | -2.006 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
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