The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Meteors and Victoria head into the January 6 Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) clash both desperate to break their duck for the season, as they currently sit at the bottom of the table with zero points. Victoria has had a particularly rough run, losing all four of their opening matches and carrying a heavy net run rate of -1.595. The Meteors have only played twice so far but were unable to secure a win in either, leaving both squads hungry to finally get some momentum going in the 2025-26 campaign.
Victoria will be leaning heavily on captain Nicole Faltum, who has been a lone bright spot in their batting order with 154 runs, including a fighting century. She’ll need support from the likes of Ella Hayward, who has been their most disciplined bowler, taking 6 wickets at a steady economy of 4.60. For the Meteors, Grace Lyons has shown she can handle the pressure at the top after her brilliant 94 against the Scorpions, and they will need her to set a platform if they are to outpace the Victorian attack.
The bowling battle will likely feature Zoe Cooke, who has already made an impact for ACT with 4 wickets in her limited appearances, including the best of 3 for 47. Victoria’s bowlers have struggled to contain teams lately, so the onus will be on Hayward and the rest of the spin department to dry up the runs on what is expected to be a true batting surface. With both teams fighting to stay relevant in the mid-season standings, expect a gritty encounter where every run and wicket carries extra weight.
Squads:
Australian Capital Territory Women’s Cricket Team
Annie Wikman, Olivia Porter, Rachel Carroll, Shivani Mehta, Carly Leeson, Georgia Elwiss, Grace Dignam, Stella Wilde, Zoe Cooke, Grace Lyons, Paris Bowdler, Amy Hunter, Anesu Mushangwe, Angelina Genford, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Holly Ferling
Victoria Women’s Cricket Team
Indigo Noble, Meg Lanning, Mia Perrin, Olivia Henry, Samara Dulvin, Annabel Sutherland, Ella Hayward, Georgia Wareham, Hasrat Gill, Rhys McKenna, Tess Flintoff, Nicole Faltum, Sophie Reid, Georgia Prestwidge, Kim Garth, Milly Illingworth, Molly Strano, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Day, Sophie Molineux, Tayla Vlaeminck
Players to watch out:
Nicole Faltum
Nicole Faltum has been a picture of consistency for Victoria, providing stability in the middle order and sharp work behind the stumps. In her 4 matches this season, she has scored 154 runs with a top score of 102, averaging 38.50. Her strike rate of 71.62 reflects her role as a traditional anchor, though she has still managed to find the boundary 16 times while also clearing it once to keep the pressure on opposition bowlers.
Grace Lyons
The young ACT talent has shown glimpses of her potential in the one-day format, anchoring several key periods for the Meteors. In 2 matches, Grace Lyons has reached a total of 100 runs, averaging a solid 50.00 with the best of 94. While her strike rate of 89.28 shows she isn’t afraid to attack, her 12 boundaries so far suggest she is a player who prefers precise gap-finding over raw power.
Ella Hayward
Ella Hayward continues to develop into one of Victoria’s most reliable bowling options, consistently making life difficult for top-order batters. Over 4 innings, she has sent down 38 overs and claimed 6 wickets, with the best bowling performance of 2 for 28. Her economy rate remains tidy at 4.60, and her bowling average of 29.16 demonstrates her ability to provide breakthroughs just when the team needs them most.
Zoe Cooke
A vital cog in the ACT bowling machine, Zoe Cooke has been productive in the two games she has featured in this summer. She has taken 4 wickets in 16 overs, including a standout 3 for 47 that helped stall an opponent’s momentum. With an average of 24.00 and a strike rate of one wicket every four overs, she remains a constant threat with the new ball and during the death overs.
Pitch:
Phillip Oval in Canberra offers a balanced surface with true bounce that rewards well-timed shots, making it suitable for medium-scoring games in domestic cricket. Fast bowlers benefit from seam movement and bounce with the new ball, while longer square boundaries assist in containing batters.
Weather:
The forecast indicates mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching up to 21°C and lows around 10°C, following recent warm days. Light winds from the east at 15-20 km/h and low rain chance under 5% suggest ideal conditions for cricket.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland, Ella Hayward, Georgia Wareham, Nicole Faltum, Milly Illingworth, Georgia Elwiss, Grace Dignam, Stella Wilde, Zoe Cooke, Grace Lyons
Match Details:
Date – January 06, 2026
Time – 4:30 AM IST
Venue – Phillip Oval, Canberra, Australia
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the cricket.com.au app and website.
Loves all things female cricket