Victoria Women vs SA Scorpions Women Prediction, 2nd Match WNCL 2026-27

Victoria Women vs SA Scorpions Women prediction for the second match of the WNCL 2026-27 season focuses on two teams entering the new campaign from very different starting points. Victoria finished the previous WNCL season without a win, while South Australia won seven of their 12 matches and finished fourth, narrowly missing the final. South Australia also won both meetings between these sides in February 2026, including a 230/8 chase after Victoria made 226 and a 287/4 chase after Victoria scored 285/7.

The match is the opening game of a two-match WNCL series at Junction Oval, with the second fixture scheduled for October 1. Both games are day-night contests and form part of the opening round of the 2026-27 competition. Cricket Australia has confirmed that the WNCL begins on September 29, while Victoria will play all six of its home WNCL fixtures at Junction Oval under lights this season.

Victoria have made significant changes to their leadership structure and enter the season with a strong group of experienced Australian players. Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth are expected to be available for the opening round, although Nicole Faltum and several other players are unavailable because of Australia A duties in India. Rhys McKenna is expected to captain Victoria in Faltum’s absence.

South Australia have retained their squad and will have Tahlia McGrath and Megan Schutt available for the opening two matches. Courtney Webb and Darcie Brown are unavailable for this fixture because they are with Australia A. The combination of South Australia’s recent WNCL results, continuity and strong all-round options makes this an interesting opening contest despite Victoria’s home advantage.

Match Details

Victoria Women Last 5 ODI Matches

Victoria’s recent numbers show a major contrast. They were capable of posting 250-plus totals against Western Australia and South Australia, but their batting also collapsed for 104 against Queensland. Cricket Australia’s season review noted that Victoria managed to bat through all 50 overs only twice across the entire 2025-26 WNCL campaign.

The bowling group also struggled to consistently finish matches. Victoria created opportunities in the field but dropped chances, while their final five matches produced four losses by margins ranging from four runs to nine wickets.

South Australia Women Last 5 ODI Matches

South Australia enter the new season with a 3-1 record plus one no-result across their five most recent WNCL fixtures. Their only defeat in that sequence came against NSW in the final match of the 2025-26 regular season.

South Australia’s batting has generally shown greater stability. They chased 287 against Victoria and 260 against NSW, while also making 280/8 against ACT. Their bowling unit has also shown the ability to defend competitive totals, although the 128 all-out against NSW highlights the same vulnerability South Australia have identified themselves: losing clusters of wickets.

Victoria Women Preview

Victoria enter 2026-27 looking to completely change the trajectory of their WNCL campaign. They finished seventh last season with 0 wins from 12 matches and a points deduction for a slow over-rate, but Cricket Victoria has responded by retaining a young core and adding or returning several players with significant Australian experience.

The most important change is the availability of Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth for the opening round. Their presence potentially changes the balance of the side considerably, particularly because Victoria struggled to take 10 wickets and convert competitive positions into victories last season.

Victoria’s batting will probably revolve around Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Tess Flintoff where available, Rhys McKenna, Samara Dulvin and Hasrat Gill. The side has several players capable of contributing in multiple phases rather than relying on one specialist batter to carry the innings.

Sutherland is particularly important because she gives Victoria both top-order batting quality and a bowling option. Molineux similarly offers a combination of batting depth and left-arm spin, while Wareham provides another high-value all-round option.

The powerplay will be an important area. Victoria struggled to bat through 50 overs last season, so their opening partnership needs to avoid an early collapse and allow the middle order to enter with wickets in hand. At Junction Oval, the new-ball bowlers could receive assistance from the cool conditions and movement, making early wicket preservation important.

The middle overs could become Victoria’s strongest phase if Molineux and Wareham are both operating. Both provide spin options while also contributing with the bat. Hasrat Gill adds another all-round dimension and gives Victoria tactical flexibility if the surface begins to slow.

The death overs could determine whether Victoria reach a 250-plus total or fall short. Their 285/7 against South Australia in February demonstrated that they can bat deep when their top and middle order functions together. The problem has been consistency rather than a complete lack of scoring ability.

Bowling is equally important. Kim Garth gives Victoria experience with the new ball, while Sophie Day, Molineux and Wareham can provide different spin angles through the middle overs. Tayla Vlaeminck is back in the Victorian squad after her recovery, although the exact opening-round XI remains subject to selection.

Victoria’s fielding is another area highlighted by coach Andy Christie. The side created opportunities last season but did not consistently convert them, so taking catches and preventing second chances will be particularly important against South Australia’s experienced batting group.

For Victoria to win, they need three things: a stable top order, wickets during the middle overs and a substantial improvement in conversion of fielding chances. Their home conditions and stronger availability of Australian players give them a realistic route into the contest.

South Australia Women Preview

South Australia come into the new WNCL season with considerably more continuity. The squad is unchanged from the previous campaign, with Jemma Barsby continuing as captain and Mick Delaney remaining head coach. The side finished fourth last season with seven wins, four losses and one no-result.

Their late-season momentum was particularly encouraging. South Australia won six of their final eight matches and remained in contention for a final place until the closing round. The team has therefore retained a group that already understands the attacking style introduced under Delaney.

Tahlia McGrath and Megan Schutt are confirmed as available for the opening two matches against Victoria. That gives South Australia experience in both departments. Darcie Brown is with Australia A, while Courtney Webb is also unavailable because of Australia A duties.

The batting structure is likely to feature Bridget Patterson, Emma de Broughe, Tahlia McGrath, Maddie Penna, Hollie Armitage and Jemma Barsby. Amanda-Jade Wellington provides additional all-round value, while the lower order contains several players capable of extending an innings.

South Australia’s attacking philosophy is particularly relevant against Victoria. The coaching group has emphasised taking the game on while improving their ability to avoid clusters of wickets. That balance will matter because Victoria have several bowlers who can attack the stumps and create pressure through the middle overs.

South Australia’s powerplay batting should aim to establish a platform rather than chase an excessive early run rate. The absence of Courtney Webb removes one experienced batting option, but McGrath and Patterson can still provide stability before the middle-order all-rounders increase the tempo.

The middle overs could be South Australia’s major strength. Barsby, Wellington and McGrath offer multiple bowling options, while Schutt provides a high-quality pace option at the start and end of the innings. Wellington’s leg-spin could become particularly important if Victoria’s middle order attempts to accelerate through the 20–40 over period.

South Australia also place considerable emphasis on fielding. Assistant coach Nicole Bolton said the group had made gains in athleticism and creating opportunities, while the team wants its bowling group to build pressure and take wickets rather than simply contain scoring.

The tactical question is how South Australia handle Victoria’s Australian stars. Sutherland and Molineux can alter the balance of the game quickly, so South Australia’s bowlers will need to avoid allowing those players to settle into long partnerships.

Overall, South Australia possess the more established recent WNCL record. However, their advantage is not overwhelming because Victoria’s available international-quality players provide a significant change from the side that finished winless last season.

Also Read: Women’s National Cricket League 2026-27 Schedule, Teams, Squads, Dates, Venues and More

Team Squad & Team News

Victoria Women Squad

Victoria’s confirmed 2026-27 squad is:

Ira Aery, Sophie Day, Samara Dulvin, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Hasrat Gill, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Molineux, Indigo Noble, Mia Perrin, Georgia Prestwidge, Zoe Samuel, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, with Bronte Leishman on a rookie contract.

Nicole Faltum is unavailable for the opening two matches because of Australia A duties in India, with Rhys McKenna expected to captain the side. Tess Flintoff, Tayla Vlaeminck and Milly Illingworth are also unavailable because they are with Australia A.

Victoria are hopeful of having Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth available for the opening fixture.

South Australia Women Squad

South Australia’s 2026-27 WNCL squad is:

Hollie Armitage, Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Maggie Clark, Emma De Broughe, Emmerson Filsell, Ellie Johnston, Eleanor Larosa, Isabella Malgioglio, Tahlia McGrath, Courtney Neale, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Kate Peterson, Megan Schutt, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Ella Wilson and Beth Worthley.

Jemma Barsby is captain. Tahlia McGrath and Megan Schutt are available for the opening two matches, while Darcie Brown and Courtney Webb are unavailable because of Australia A duties.

Probable Playing XI

Probable XIs are subject to official team announcements and the toss.

Victoria Women vs SA Scorpions Women Fantasy / Dream11 Prediction

Captain Options

1. Annabel Sutherland — contributes with both bat and ball and is expected to play a major role for Victoria.
2. Tahlia McGrath — experienced international all-rounder with the ability to influence either innings.

Vice-Captain Options

1. Sophie Molineux — offers batting and left-arm spin.
2. Georgia Wareham — provides leg-spin and lower-middle-order batting.

Players to Avoid

1. Courtney Webb — unavailable for this match due to Australia A duties.
2. Darcie Brown — unavailable for the opening fixture because she is with Australia A.

Fantasy suggestions are for informational purposes only and are not guaranteed to produce points or returns.

Victoria Women vs SA Scorpions Women Head-to-Head

Last 5 Head-to-Head ODIs

The recent head-to-head trend clearly favours South Australia, who won the two latest meetings in February 2026. In the first, South Australia chased 230 after Victoria made 226; two days later they chased 286 after Victoria reached 285/7.

Pitch Report — Junction Oval

Junction Oval has generally offered a surface where seamers can obtain useful movement and bounce, particularly when conditions are cool or overcast. Previous women’s cricket reports have described the venue as capable of giving pace bowlers assistance while still offering batters reasonable stroke-making conditions once they settle.

The recent WNCL scores demonstrate that the surface can also support substantial totals. Tasmania’s 383/2 against Victoria in October 2025 is an extreme example, while NSW successfully chased 182 in the opening round of the same season.

The most important tactical period should be the opening 10 overs. The weather forecast includes strong northerly winds, and a new-ball attack using disciplined lines could make stroke-making difficult early.

As the innings develops, batters who rotate the strike rather than relying solely on boundary hitting should benefit. Spin is likely to become more important through the middle overs, particularly if the surface loses some pace.

Because the fixture is scheduled as a day-night game, the pitch should not be treated like a traditional early-morning Melbourne surface. The later stages under lights could help seamers if there is enough atmospheric assistance, although current weather forecasts do not indicate significant rain.

Weather Report — Melbourne

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast for Melbourne on Tuesday, September 29 calls for partly cloudy conditions, a maximum around 23–24°C and only a small chance of rain. Winds are expected to become northerly and potentially reach 30–45 km/h in some Melbourne-area forecasts.

The main weather issue is therefore wind rather than rain. A 5% rain chance does not indicate a major interruption threat, so the match should have a low DLS risk under the current forecast. The wind could, however, influence lofted shots and bowling plans, particularly at one end.

DLS/Interruption Risk: Low

There is currently no meaningful weather-based reason to add a No Result probability to the match prediction.

Broadcast Details

Cricket Australia has confirmed that every WNCL match is streamed live across cricket.com.au, the Cricket Australia Live app and Kayo Sports. The official competition listing also identifies Kayo and cricket.com.au as viewing options for Victoria vs South Australia.

Victoria Women vs SA Scorpions Women Toss Prediction & Strategy

If Victoria Women win the toss

Victoria could consider bowling first. Their bowling attack contains enough experience to exploit any early movement, while chasing would give their batting group a clearly defined target.

The biggest benefit would be allowing Molineux, Wareham and Sutherland to understand the required rate before committing to the middle-overs acceleration.

If South Australia Women win the toss

South Australia could also choose to bowl first, particularly because their probable XI contains several bowling options and they have already successfully chased large totals against Victoria.

However, South Australia’s attacking batting philosophy means batting first is also viable if they believe the surface will remain consistent.

Toss Prediction

Predicted toss winner: South Australia Women

The toss itself is inherently uncertain, but South Australia have a slight analytical preference for fielding first because their recent head-to-head record includes two successful chases against Victoria.

ODI Score Prediction

Projected Competitive Score

A competitive first-innings total should be around 260–275.

The venue has produced both low and very high scores, so the projection is deliberately wider than a false-precision single number. Victoria’s strongest route is to preserve wickets through the first 20 overs before using their all-rounders to accelerate.

South Australia have recently shown the ability to chase 230 and 286 against Victoria, but those matches were played at Karen Rolton Oval rather than Junction Oval.

If Chasing

A target around 250 should remain manageable for a stable batting lineup. A target of 275-plus would put substantially more pressure on the chasing side, particularly if the new-ball bowlers create early wickets.

Winning Chances

Why the Win Percentage?

The three most important factors behind the projection are recent WNCL results, South Australia’s greater continuity and the availability of McGrath and Schutt.

Victoria’s strongest counterargument is their much-improved personnel. Having Sutherland, Molineux, Wareham and Garth potentially available makes this a substantially different team from the one that lost all 12 matches last season.

The other major variable is venue. Junction Oval is Victoria’s home ground, and this season’s day-night fixtures give them an opportunity to use familiar conditions to offset South Australia’s stronger recent record.

Key ODI Player Matchups

The first matchup is particularly significant if Victoria bat first. Sutherland’s value increases substantially if she can survive the opening spell and take the game into the middle overs.

For South Australia, McGrath’s role is broader than simply scoring runs. Her ability to contribute with the ball gives the team another tactical option if Victoria’s top order establishes a partnership.

Key Batting & Bowling Targets

Expected Top Batter

Annabel Sutherland — her ability to contribute in both batting and bowling makes her one of the most influential players in Victoria’s probable XI.

Expected Top Bowler

Megan Schutt — her experience with the new ball and ability to operate at the back end of an innings give South Australia a high-value wicket-taking option.

Potential X-Factor

Sophie Molineux — her left-arm spin, batting ability and experience could allow her to influence the game during several phases.

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