Finals specialist Coyte eyes 10/10 perfect WNCL record

Sarah Coyte has made a habit of winning Women’s National Cricket League titles throughout her 15-year domestic career.

She has helped lift the Ruth Preddy Cup on so many occasions, in fact, that she had to think twice when asked just how many she had won.

Turns out, Coyte has a perfect record of nine wins from nine finals, across three states.

After a career that started in her native NSW, then took Coyte to SA and Tasmania, the 33-year-old is back with her state of origin.

NSW last won the WNCL in 2018-19, and she is determined to help them end that drought on Sunday, when they meet Queensland in this summer’s decider.

"It's a nice record to have, and I'd like to keep it that way," Coyte said of her WNCL finals history when speaking to cricket.com.au this week.

"I think it's why we play ... (winning another) would mean everything.

"I started my career here, and to be able to come back and be so welcomed back home, this would just top it off.

"Back when I played early on in my career, we definitely dominated ... with Lisa Sthalekar, Alex Blackwell, Leah Poulton, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, all those big names.

"To do it with a pretty new squad in terms of how young it is ... the majority of them haven't played in a WNCL final, it would mean a lot, not just to me, but to everyone who's put time and energy into this, into the whole Breakers squad."

Coyte played a significant part of the Breakers’ WNCL dynasty that stretched from the competition’s inauguration in 1996-97 through to 2019-20, a period that saw them make the final every single season and win 20 titles along the way.

Her first six WNCL wins came in the sky blue, between her debut in 2009-10 and 2014-15.

When she made the move to South Australia in 2015-16, Coyte took her knack of winning the big games with her, helping SA win their first title in her first season with the state.

Following a break from state cricket, Coyte’s services were called upon by Tasmania in 2021-22 when they found themselves in need of a pace-bowling allrounder – and shortly after, she added an eighth WNCL title to her resume.

If there was ever an over that exemplified Coyte’s knack for a big moment, it was the final six balls of that 2022-23 WNCL decider between Tasmania and South Australia.

When she took the ball, she needed to defend just four runs off the final over of the rain-affected showpiece, against a South Australian side just five wickets down.

What followed was nothing short of remarkable, as Coyte took three wickets and engineered a deflected run-out at the non-striker’s end to seal a one-run win and back-to-back titles for the Tigers.

Coyte’s love of a final has carried over to the WBBL, too, where she has won two titles with two different clubs: Sydney Sixers in WBBL|03 and Melbourne Renegades last December.

Returning home to NSW on a full-time state contract in 2023-24, Coyte’s experience has been an invaluable addition to their young pace attack.

After four seasons outside the top two, the Breakers are back in this year’s decider, and a seventh title in sky blue would be particularly sweet for Coyte.

"I like to rise to the occasion and play under pressure, and hopefully I can help the girls do the same on Sunday," Coyte said.

"Playing in a lot of these finals, I feel like I play better under the pressure.

"It keeps me calmer, it keeps me rational, and it helps me keep others calm as well.

"Playing round games and stuff is fine, there are pressure games … but not as much as a final can shift someone's mentality or preparation.

"I think over the years, I've learned a lot about my own individual prep and how I approach a final.

"Hopefully I can bring some experience to the to the girls if they feel like they're struggling a little bit to wrap their head around it."

WNCL 2024-25  

Final: Queensland v New South Wales | Allan Border Field | Sunday, March 2 at 2.35pm AEDT (1.35pm AED)

Stream live and free via the CA Live app and cricket.com.au or watch via Kayo Sports