England‘s Lauren Winfield-Hill is set to return to Australian domestic cricket after signing with Queensland for the upcoming Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) season. The 33-year-old batter previously played nine matches for Queensland last season, where she showcased her talent by scoring 194 runs at an impressive average of 32.33, including a crucial half-century that helped propel the team to the final.
The announcement of Winfield-Hill’s signing comes after a period of uncertainty surrounding the finalization of the female contract lists for the 2024-25 season. This delay was due to a disagreement between Cricket Australia and the states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria regarding the introduction of a new women’s domestic T20 competition, which was recently resolved.
Winfield-Hill, who is based in Brisbane during the Australian summer, has strong ties to Queensland cricket, being the wife of former Queensland and Brisbane Heat pace bowler and Heat assistant coach, Courtney Winfield-Hill. Her decision to join Queensland for another season follows the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to defer Yorkshire’s entry into Tier 1 of England’s new women’s domestic competition, a move that Winfield-Hill described as “unsettling” for her Northern Diamonds team.
While Winfield-Hill is set to return to Queensland, there have been notable changes in the contract lists of other teams. England’s Georgia Adams, who stayed in Australia after the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) to play for NSW last season, is not featured in the Blues’ contract list for the upcoming season. Additionally, Scotland international Saskia Horley has been released from the NSW squad as she has relocated permanently to the UK.
Winfield-Hill’s return to Queensland is a significant boost for the team, as her experience and skill will be invaluable in their quest for success in the upcoming WNCL season. Her ability to perform under pressure and contribute consistently with the bat makes her a valuable asset to any team, and Queensland will be hoping that she can replicate her form from last season and help lead them to further success in the upcoming campaign.
Queensland Women’s Contract List 2024-25:
- Lily Bassingthwaighte
- Bonnie Berry
- Lucinda Burke
- Sianna Ginger
- Lucy Hamilton
- Grace Harris (CA contract)
- Nicola Hancock
- Laura Harris
- Kira Holmes
- Jess Jonassen (CA contract)
- Charli Knott
- Grace Parsons
- Georgia Redmayne
- Courtney Sippel
- Georgia Voll
- Lauren Winfield-Hill (overseas)
- Mikayla Wrigley
NSW Women’s Contract List 2024-25:
- Jade Allen
- Maitlan Brown
- Erin Burns
- Stella Campbell
- Lauren Cheatle
- Sarah Coyte
- Hannah Darlington
- Sienna Eve
- Ashleigh Gardner (CA)
- Alyssa Healy (CA)
- Ebony Hoskin
- Elsa Hunter
- Sammy-Jo Johnson
- Lauren Kua
- Anika Learoyd
- Phoebe Litchfield (CA)
- Claire Moore
- Kate Pelle
- Tahlia Wilson
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