World Cup hopefuls get chance to shine as WNCL confirmed

Australia hopefuls will have another chance to press their cases with national selectors in early 2021, with a full eight-round women’s 50-over domestic competition to be played from January to March.

Pushed back from its usual September start due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Women’s National Cricket League will begin on January 15, with four blocks of matches culminating in the final between the top two ranked teams on March 27.

Click here for the full WNCL fixture

A bumper first day of matches will see reigning champions Western Australia begin their campaign against ACT Meteors in a day-night game at the WACA Ground, Tasmania meet Victoria at Blundstone Arena, and South Australia host NSW at Karen Rolton Oval.

Queensland kick off their campaign on January 17 against Tasmania.

Matches will also be played at Melbourne’s Junction Oval and Harry Trott Oval, Canberra’s Phillip Oval, North Sydney Oval and Brisbane’s Allan Border Field throughout the season, with the team finishing on top of the table to host the final, which will be live-streamed on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

The chance to win the Ruth Preddy Cup – claimed by NSW a remarkable 20 times in 24 seasons – is not the only carrot on offer to the nation’s best talent.

With the 50-over World Cup postponed to early 2022, there is also a chance for players to press their case for inclusion in Australia’s one-day side.

Australia will also host England in an Ashes series ahead of the ICC tournament in New Zealand, kicking off a busy 15-month period that will also include the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa.

"The WNCL is another opportunity in the New Year for players to really (impress)," Australia coach Matthew Mott told cricket.com.au.

"The WBBL has got them in shop-front window for selection, and the WNCL is where we confirm those final three or four spots you always agonise over in any squad."

The announcement of the full WNCL schedule follows the successful staging of the Rebel WBBL through October and November, where all 59 matches were played inside a Sydney hub.

"It’s been really pleasing to have been able to deliver as much domestic cricket as we have so far this season and we’re equally committed to doing everything we can to complete all eight rounds of the WNCL," said Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager, High Performance, Drew Ginn.

The WNCL was first played in 1996-97. Prior to this, the Australian National Women’s Championship, which began in 1930-31, was played as an annual two-week tournament.

Australia’s next international engagement remains up in the air, with no confirmation that a planned three-game ODI series against India – scheduled as preparation for the now-delayed World Cup – will go ahead in January.

There has also been talk of Meg Lanning’s team joining England in New Zealand for a series of limited-overs matches in February and March, to fill the gap in the schedule left by the postponed tournament.