Bates’ Five-For Powers Breakers Past Fire in WNCL 2026

Key Points

• New South Wales Breakers beat Queensland Fire by six wickets in Match 1 of the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) 2026-27 season.
• Queensland Fire were all out for 167 runs in 38 overs at Cricket Central, Sydney Olympic Park.
• New South Wales chased 168 runs in 25 overs to be 4/168.
• Phoebe Litchfield hit 68 runs off 56 balls, while Emma Manix-Geeves contributed 51 runs.
• The two players formed a 124-run opening stand.
• Sam Bates picked up five wickets and bagged the player of the match.
• Georgia Voll led Queensland’s scorecard with 83 runs.
• Aya Kato-Stafford, who made her Queensland debut, got four wickets.
• The match was a re-match of the final played last season, which was won by Queensland.
• The match gave New South Wales two points and 3.380 net run rate after the first round of the competition.

Wales (Wales Times) October 01, 2026 – New South Wales Breakers began their 2026-27 Women’s National Cricket League campaign with a commanding six-wicket, bonus-point victory over defending champions Queensland Fire at Cricket Central, Sydney Olympic Park.

As reported by Josh Schonafinger of cricket.com.au, New South Wales chased down Queensland’s total of 167 with exactly 25 overs to spare, reaching 4/168 in 25 overs. The ABC News Cricket Score Centre recorded the final result as New South Wales Breakers 4/168 from 25 overs against Queensland Fire 167 from 38 overs.

The match was the opening fixture of the WNCL season and brought together the two teams from last season’s final. Cricket Australia described it as a rematch of that decider, with Queensland entering as the reigning champions and New South Wales beginning a campaign aimed at returning to the title.

Queensland stand-in captain Annie O’Neil won the toss and chose to bat first. Georgia Voll and Jess Jonassen gave the Fire a strong platform, taking the side to 1/97 after 19 overs.

Why Did Queensland Fire Collapse After a Strong Start?

Queensland’s innings changed sharply after its productive opening phase. According to cricket.com.au, Lauren Cheatle’s captaincy, loose shots and hurried running contributed to a collapse in which Queensland lost three wickets for one run in eight balls.

The Fire then lost their final nine wickets for 70 runs and were dismissed with 12 overs remaining. Voll was the only Queensland batter to pass 21, scoring 83 before she was caught attempting to clear Ellyse Perry at long on.

Sam Bates was the leading wicket-taker, claiming five wickets. Cricket Australia reported that it was the veteran left-arm spinner’s second five-wicket haul in the WNCL and that she was named player of the match.

Lauren Cheatle finished with figures of 1/10. The ABC listed the match as part of the Australian Women’s Domestic One-Day Competition and confirmed that New South Wales won by six wickets.

How Did Phoebe Litchfield and Emma Manix-Geeves Set Up the Chase?

New South Wales’ pursuit was built around a 124-run opening partnership between Phoebe Litchfield and Emma Manix-Geeves. Cricket Australia reported that Litchfield struck 13 boundaries in making 68 from 56 deliveries, while Manix-Geeves scored 51 after joining the Breakers from Tasmania during the off-season.

Litchfield was dropped on eight by Grace Collins and subsequently dominated the Queensland attack. Cricket Australia noted that her aggression against Jess Jonassen included three consecutive fours in the spinner’s first over.

The opening stand put New South Wales firmly in control before Queensland’s teenage leg-spinner Aya Kato-Stafford slowed the chase. Cricket Australia reported that Kato-Stafford prevented a 10-wicket defeat by taking four wickets in her first WNCL spell.

Kato-Stafford, a 16-year-old who has previously represented Japan in international cricket, dismissed Litchfield caught at mid-off in her first over and Ellyse Perry for a duck in her second. She then removed Manix-Geeves and Burns in consecutive deliveries.

Despite that late resistance, New South Wales reached the required total in half the allocated overs. The result delivered a bonus point, with Cricket Australia describing the performance as a dominant start to the season.

What Was the Final Scorecard?

Team	Score	Overs	Result
Queensland Fire	167 all out	38	Lost by six wickets
New South Wales Breakers	4/168	25	Won with 25 overs to spare

CricTracker’s scorecard also listed the fixture as WNCL Match 1, played on 28 September 2026 according to its listing, with New South Wales winning by six wickets. FanCode likewise recorded Queensland at 167/10 and New South Wales at 168/4, confirming the six-wicket result.

Where Can Fans Watch NSW Breakers vs Queensland Fire?

The fixture was covered through live-score platforms including ABC News, CricTracker, FanCode, India TV News, LiveScore and Jagran. Jagran’s live page promoted real-time match coverage, live scores and instant video replays for the WNCL 2026-27 fixture.

Cricket Australia also published match footage and highlights on its report page, including clips of Bates’ bowling spell, Litchfield’s batting and Kato-Stafford’s four-wicket debut.

What Happened in the Next Match Between the Teams?

The two sides met again in Match 4 of the WNCL on 30 September 2026. FanCode recorded Queensland Fire making 285/4 from 50 overs before dismissing New South Wales Breakers for 174 in 38.5 overs, giving Queensland a 111-run win.

CricTracker’s standings page also listed that second result, showing Queensland’s 285/4 and New South Wales’ 174 all out. The first match therefore gave New South Wales an opening-round victory, while the reverse fixture restored parity between the teams in their early-season head-to-head record.

Background of the Development

The Women’s National Cricket League is Australia’s domestic one-day competition for women. The 2026-27 season began with this fixture at Cricket Central, Sydney Olympic Park, and was listed by the ABC as part of the Australian Women’s Domestic One-Day Competition.

New South Wales and Queensland were the previous season’s WNCL finalists. Cricket Australia characterised the opening match as a rematch of that final, with Queensland entering as the defending champions and New South Wales seeking redemption after that result.

Queensland’s early position of 1/97 after 19 overs reflected a controlled start by Georgia Voll and Jess Jonassen. The subsequent loss of nine wickets for 70 runs proved decisive, as New South Wales’ batters chased the modest target rapidly.

Prediction: How Can This Result Affect Fans and Teams?

For New South Wales supporters, the opening win provides an early positive indicator that the Breakers can challenge Queensland after losing the previous season’s final. The performances of Litchfield, Manix-Geeves and Bates give the side proven contributors with both bat and ball, while the bonus point strengthens their early position in the standings.

For Queensland supporters, the defeat highlights the importance of converting strong starts into competitive totals. Voll’s 83 gave the Fire a foundation, but the collapse from 1/97 to 167 all out left the bowling attack defending a total that New South Wales overhauled in 25 overs.

For fans following the WNCL, the two-match sequence suggests that the rivalry between these teams is likely to remain central to the season. New South Wales’ rapid chase demonstrated its batting depth, while Queensland’s 111-run win in the following fixture showed that it can respond strongly, meaning later meetings could have a significant bearing on Finals qualification.