A big summer of women’s cricket kicks off this weekend with two WT20 matches launching the women’s season this Friday and the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) starting a day later.
Each team will play six WNCL round matches plus a bye round and 12 WT20 round matches across the summer. The home-and-away matches finish one week prior to the start of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series.
The domestic fixture will provide invaluable preparation for the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars’ Women’s Ashes campaign. The women’s domestic final matches have been scheduled following the completion of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series to allow the finalists to field their strongest teams.
The WT20 final will be played as a double-header with the KFC T20 BBL Big Final on Friday, 7 February and will be broadcast live on Channel 10. The WNCL final will follow on 16 February.
Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager, Team Performance Pat Howard said: “We’re looking forward to the women’s domestic season starting this weekend. Our elite women’s players have a big season ahead with their domestic commitments and the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series.
“The WNCL and WT20 matches played across Australia are a great opportunity for fans to see the game’s best players up close.”
The leading all-time WNCL and WT20 wicket-taker and former Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar will be providing expert analysis throughout the WNCL and WT20 seasons on cricket.com.au.
“I expect that the Lend Lease Breakers will again be the team to beat. With the new Cricket Australia contracting system, it has meant that additional younger players will have had the opportunity to be a part of the Breakers and we may see some strong cameos from the younger group,” Sthalekar said.
Read her full preview here: http://www.cricket.com.au/blogs/lisa-sthalekar/2013/10/10/womens-season-heats-up
NSW side the Lend Lease Breakers are the WNCL and WT20 defending champions after becoming the first side to win both format titles in the same season in 2012-13.
All WNCL and WT20 matches will be live scored at www.cricket.com.au<http://www.cricket.com.au>
