Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri through to the NDWCA decider following six-wicket preliminary final victory

Narrabri District Women’s Cricket Association will host a grand final rematch on Saturday night as Redfern Contracting and Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri get set to meet under lights at Collins Park.

Redfern Contracting enjoyed a weekend off following the final regular season round after the defending champions were crowned minor premiers in the 2025/26 campaign.

Second-placed team Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri and third-placed side Wilga Hotel met at Collins Park in the preliminary final on Saturday night, and it was the Wahgunyah ladies who got the job done as they prevailed by six wickets.

Wilga Hotel batted first after being sent in by Wahgunyah, and they made 7-72 after batting out their entire 20 overs.

The chasing side lost four wickets in the second innings and reached the required total with two overs to spare to set up a grand final showdown against the side that beat them in last year’s big dance.

Wahgunyah’s Molly Welsh dealt the first blow of the preliminary final when she bowled Wilga Hotel opener Xanthe Kirk in the first over to make the score 1-3, and Velvet Craigie then took the second wicket of the match in the eighth over when she bowled Shannon Rily to make it 2-18.

Taryn Kirk (28) and Alex Conroy (11) then produced a 36-run partnership before Brogan Morris (2-15 from four overs) and Meika Foley (3-6 from two overs) combined for five wickets inside the final five overs to limit Wilga Hotel to 7-72.

Wilga Hotel’s captain Jacki Ward opened the bowling in the second innings and struck early with the big wicket of Wahgunyah captain Angie Knox in the first over, who she trapped in front LBW for a duck to make the score 1-1.

She then made it 2-8 in the third over when she bowled Welsh as Wahgunyah’s other opening batter departed for five.

Mia Gould then added eight runs to the total before she was bowled by Conroy in the eighth over, which made the score 3-33, before a 39-run stand between Craigie (19) and Zara Foley (7*) got the chasing side on level terms at 3-72 after 16 overs.

Eliza Mallitt gave Wahgunyah a scare in the 17th over when she produced a wicket-maiden, which included the wicket of Craigie, but Meika Foley (1*) hit the winning run in the 18th over.

Saturday’s clash between Redfern Contracting and Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri will crown the 2025/26 season champion and is set to be an entertaining battle.

The two sides have met three times this year, with Redfern Contracting winning the super 10 games in round three and nine, and Wahgunyah winning their only T20 match against each other in round six.