Photo Credit: Cricket Australia
Queensland has won its first Women’s National Cricket League title, defeating Victoria by 112 runs in today’s 2020-21 season Final at the CitiPower Centre.
After falling short in all five WNCL deciders it had contested to date, the Fire turned the tables to record a historic win over the ladder-leading Victorians and take home the Ruth Preddey Cup.
Queensland captain Georgia Redmayne earned Player of the Final honours after carrying her bat to an unbeaten 134, laying the platform for her side’s mammoth 8-317 after being sent in to bat first.
Redmayne’s 146-ball stay at the crease included 15 boundaries and took her season tally to a career-best 531 runs at 132.75 apiece.
Strong support from Mikayla Hinkley (53), Georgia Voll (34) and Megan Dixon (23) propelled Queensland past 300, setting up a tough chase for the inexperienced Victorians missing their six Australian representatives.
That task was made more difficult after the loss of skipper Elyse Villani for 18 to the off-spin of second-gamer Lilly Mills (3-36), leaving her 18 runs shy of Zoe Goss’ 25-year record for most runs in a WNCL season.
Despite falling short of that milestone, Villani was named Player of the Tournament after a prolific campaign in which she scored 611 runs at an average of 87.28, including three centuries.
Returning Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, who played as a batter only while recovering from a leg injury, compiled a fluent 42 before being sharply caught and bowled by Grace Harris (4-35), leaving Victoria with a mountain to climb.
Kim Garth (48) and Nicole Faltum (25) made valuable late order contributions but their rearguard was in vain as Victoria was bowled out for 205.
Cricket Australia (CA), formerly the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), is the governing body for cricket in Australia. Established in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket, CA manages all national teams, including Men’s, Women’s, and Youth sides, as well as other national teams. It oversees the organization of Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is, and coordinates home international fixtures.
