The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced today that, for the first time, the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) finals series will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The three-match limited-overs series between Victoria Spirit and the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Blues begins this Friday (17 January), with the second game also being played at the MCG on Saturday (18 January).
The third game (if needed) is scheduled for Bill Lawry Oval in Northcote on Sunday (19 January).
Belinda Clark's Victoria Spirit won the right to host the finals series after finishing on top of the WNCL ladder with 40 points.
The fixture is a re-match of last season's WNCL final series, which the NSWIS Blues won 2-0. That win gave the NSWIS Blues their sixth consecutive WNCL title.
In the most recent encounters between the two states, the NSWIS Blues recorded a five-wicket victory at Hurstville Oval on 7 December 2002, before Victoria Spirit rebounded with a three-run win at the same ground the next day.
All matches commence at 1000 and entry is free.
The teams for the 2002-03 WNCL finals are:
Victoria Spirit | Player number | NSWIS Blues | Player number |
Belinda Clark (captain) | 1 | Julie Hayes (captain) | 1 |
Cathryn Fitzpatrick (vice-captain) | 4 | Lisa Keightley (vice-captain) | 11 |
Clea Smith (vice-captain) | 17 | Sarah Andrews | 16 |
Kelly Applebee | 3 | Alexandra Blackwell | 17 |
Louise Broadfoot | 9 | Kate Blackwell | 20 |
Jodie Dean | 15 | Bronwyn Calver | 3 |
Megan Foster | 18 | Leonie Coleman | 5 |
Jane Franklin | 5 | Shannon Cunneen | 2 |
Amelie Hunter | 10 | Michelle Goszko | 6 |
Melanie Jones | 2 | Sharon Millanta | 14 |
Brooke McFarlane | 12 | Leah Poulton | 19 |
Natalie Wood | 16 | Lisa Sthalekar | 7 |
Shannon Young | 13 | Emma Twining | 13 |
Ken Davis (coach) | Kerry Marshall (coach) |
Pam Allen (team manager) | Justine Russell (team manager) |
| Mechelle Hare (assistant coach) |
Victoria Spirit's path to the final (won 6, lost 2, bonus points 4, total points 40)
Round 1 v Western Fury at Abbett Park
23 November won by 94 runs
24 November won by eight wickets
Round 2 v NSWIS Blues at Hurstville Oval
7 December lost by five wickets
8 December won by three runs
Round 3 v Southern Scorpions at Punt Road
28 December won by 49 runs
29 December won by 38 runs
Round 4 v Queensland Fire at Geelong
11 January won by eight wickets
12 January won by six wickets
NSWIS Blues' path to the final: (won 6, lost 2, bonus points 0, total points 36)
Round 1 v Southern Scorpions at Adelaide Oval #2
9 November won by five wickets
10 November lost by 10 runs
Round 2 v Victoria Spirit at Hurstville Oval
7 December won by five wickets
8 December lost by three runs
Round 3 v Queensland Fire at Allan Border Field
21 December won by six wickets
22 December won by 21 runs
Round 4 v Western Fury at Sydney University
11 January won by 24 runs
12 January won by three runs