Wahgunyah wins grand final rematch in dominant fashion

Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri declared that they mean business once again as they produced a 30-run victory against Redfern Contracting in the sixth round of the 2025/26 Narrabri District Women’s Cricket Association season at Hogan Oval on Saturday night.

In the only match of the round after Friday night’s contest between GFS Engineering and Wilga Hotel was washed out, Wahgunyah batted first and utilised their entire 20 overs to register 3-101.

The match then went the distance as Redfern Contracting also batted out the 20 overs, but they fell 31 runs short of victory as they ended up on 6-71.

The high-scoring clash was a fitting way for the two sides that faced off in last season’s grand final to meet in their first T20 game of the season.

While they had already gone head-to-head this season back in round three last month, that fixture was a T10 contest, making Saturday night’s game their first 20-over match against one another since Redfern Contracting won the 2024/25 decider earlier this year.

The 30-run win was inspired by Wahgunyah’s skipper Angie Knox, who produced yet another superb batting performance.

The competition’s leading run-scorer opened the batting and smashed an unbeaten 42 runs as she spent the entire 20 overs at the crease to deliver a patient knock that included just one four.

That innings saw her become the first player in the 2025/26 campaign to reach triple digits as she ended the night having scored 120 runs across four innings, and she averages 120 as well, having only been dismissed once so far.

Knox and fellow opener Paula Trindall (16) put on a 30-run partnership that was broken in the eighth over when Tanya McDonald bowled Trindall.

McDonald also bowled Molly Welsh during that over to claim a double-wicket maiden.

Redfern Contracting only managed to secure one more wicket when Kristie Toomey knocked over Fiona Redfern in the ninth over as Knox and Velvet Craigie (16*) remained at the crease for the final 11 overs together to guide the side to 3-101.

Wahgunyah then reiterated one of the famous cricket sayings, that catches win matches, in the second innings as they held onto four of them, which contributed to a dominant victory.

Knox caught the first one as Craigie removed Candice Stang (7), and her fellow opener Jade Williams (8) retired hurt.

Tori-Ann Geraghty was her side’s only player to reach double digits. The Redfern Contracting skipper scored 10 runs as Wahgunyah’s bowlers proved to be too good on the night.

Openers Taylah Fogarty (1-12 from four overs) and Knox (1-8 from four overs) were both superb, and Welsh (1-14 from four overs), Craigie (1-2 from one over) and Zara Foley (1-5 from one over) also claimed a wicket each. The other Wahgunyah wicket came via a Fiona Redfern runout.

Wahgunyah’s win ended Redfern Contracting’s undefeated start to the campaign and saw them finish the night just one win behind them.

The Redfern Contracting ladies head into the Christmas and New Year break in first place with 30 points following three wins, a loss and two washed-out draws so far, and Wahgunyah are now on 24 points following two wins, two losses and two washed-out draws.

Sandwiched in between them in second place are Wilga Hotel, who have now won twice, lost once, and had three washed-out draws to total 27 points, and in last place are GFS Engineering with 15 points following three washed-out draws and three losses.

The NDWCA competition will resume next year with another highly-anticipated super 10s double header on Saturday, January 17.

Round seven will see GFS Engineering take on Redfern Contracting at Hogan Oval while Wilga Hotel and Wahgunyah meet at Leitch Oval, and round eight will see Redfern Contracting face off with Wilga Hotel at Hogan Oval as Wahgunyah and GFS Engineering go head-to-head at Leitch Oval.

The following weekend will be the Australia Day bye, and the final round of the campaign will then see two T20 games played across Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31, before the two-week finals series involving the top-three sides is held in February.