Australia women's national cricket team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Australia

Nickname	Southern Stars
Association	Cricket Australia
Personnel
Captain	Sophie Molineux
Coach	Shelley Nitschke
History
Test status acquired	1934
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Full member (1909)
ICC region	East Asia-Pacific
ICC Rankings Current Best-ever ODI 1st 1st (1 October 2015) T20I 1st 1st (1 October 2015)
Tests
First Test	v  England at Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane; 28–31 December 1934
Last Test	v  India at WACA Ground, Perth; 6–8 March 2026
Tests Played Won/Lost Total 81 24/11 (46 draws) This year 1 1/0 (0 draws)
One Day Internationals
First ODI	v Young England at Dean Park Cricket Ground, Bournemouth; 23 June 1973
Last ODI	v  West Indies at Warner Park Sporting Complex, Basseterre; 2 April 2026
ODIs Played Won/Lost Total 394 316/69 (2 ties, 7 no results) This year 6 6/0 (0 ties, 0 no results)
World Cup appearances	12 (first in 1973)
Best result	Champions (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022)
T20 Internationals
First T20I	v  England at County Ground, Taunton; 2 September 2005
Last T20I	v  England at Lord's, London; 5 July 2026
T20Is Played Won/Lost Total 213 150/54 (4 ties, 5 no results) This year 13 11/2 (0 no results)
T20 World Cup appearances	10 (first in 2009)
Best result	Champions (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2026)
Test kit ODI kit T20I kit
As of 5 July 2026

The Australian women's national cricket team is a super successful group of athletes who play cricket for Australia. They used to be known as the Southern Stars. Currently, Sophie Molineux is their captain, and Shelley Nitschke is their coach. They are the top team in the world, holding the number one spot in all international rankings by the International Cricket Council.

Australia played their very first Test match way back in 1934–35 against England. These two teams now compete every two years for a special trophy called the Women's Ashes. They also have a long history of playing against New Zealand. More recently, they've developed strong rivalries with India and the West Indies, especially in shorter games called limited overs cricket.

In the 50-over format of cricket, Australia has won more World Cups than all other teams combined! They captured the titles in 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, and 2022. They've also had amazing success in Twenty20 cricket, winning the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2026.

In 2003, the groups that managed women's and men's cricket in Australia joined together. They formed one big organization called Cricket Australia (CA). CA wants cricket to be the most popular sport for women and girls in Australia. They believe the national team's success and visibility are key to making this happen. This success relies on strong local competitions like the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) and the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).

A survey in April 2020 showed that Australian sports fans feel the strongest connection to their national women's cricket team.

History of Australian Women's Cricket

Early Years and First Matches

Organized cricket for women in Australia began as early as 1874. The first recorded match took place in Bendigo. State-level competitions started in the early 1900s. A national group, the Australian Women's Cricket Council (AWCC), formed in 1931. This group helped manage and grow the sport across the country.

The SCG hosted the second Test match in women's cricket history.

The English team was the first international women's cricket team to visit Australia. This happened in the summer of 1934–35. They played a series against an Australian team led by Margaret Peden. These were the first-ever Test matches for women. They attracted a lot of public and media interest. After two losses, Australia managed a draw in the third Test.

In 1937, the Australian women's team made their first overseas trip to the United Kingdom. They played 16 matches, including three Tests. The third Test at The Oval drew over 6,000 people. However, the growth of women's cricket slowed down due to World War II.

The Wilson Era and New Milestones

International cricket started again in 1947–48. Australia visited New Zealand and won their only Test match. The next summer, England returned to Australia and lost a series for the first time. Betty Wilson became a star player. She once took nine wickets and scored a century in a single match against England.

Australia's 1951 tour of England included a very close Test match. Australia chased down 160 runs to win with just two wickets left. All-rounder Norma Whiteman played a key role in this victory.

In 1957–58, England toured Australia again. This series saw several important moments. For the first time, international cricket was shown on Australian television. Betty Wilson made history by taking ten wickets and scoring a century in the same Test match. Also, Faith Thomas debuted, becoming the first Indigenous person to play for Australia in any national sport.

Growing the Game: IWCC and One Day Cricket

Australia helped create the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) in 1958. This group aimed to govern women's cricket worldwide. However, the 1960s were tough for the sport. It faced low public interest and a lack of money. The Australian team also struggled, going eleven Test matches without a win.

Important figures like Mary Allitt and Lorna Thomas worked hard to support women's cricket. They helped keep the sport alive during these challenging times.

The first Women's Cricket World Cup in 1973 brought new attention and sponsors. This tournament also introduced the One Day International (ODI) format. Australia finished as runners-up in that first World Cup. With better funding and training, the team became dominant by the 1980s.

Australia won their first World Cup in 1978, beating England in the final. Captain Margaret Jennings led the team to victory. They successfully defended their title in the 1982 World Cup and completed a "three-peat" (winning three times in a row) at the 1988 World Cup on home soil. Key players during this era included Jill Kennare and Lyn Fullston.

The Clark Era and Professional Growth

Australia faced a setback at the 1993 World Cup, finishing third. However, this period also saw new stars emerge, like Belinda Clark and Zoe Goss. The Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) started in 1996–97. This new competition helped develop players by offering more matches.

The Southern Stars, as they were formerly known, have been sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank since 1999.

Australia then formed one of its strongest teams ever. With players like fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick, they won the 1997 World Cup in India. Belinda Clark scored a record 229 runs not out in one match. The final, played at Eden Gardens, drew an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people. After this victory, the Commonwealth Bank became a major sponsor of the team in 1999. This partnership continues today.

In 1998, Test series between Australia and England were officially named "the Women's Ashes". This name came from the men's famous Ashes series. Players like Joanne Broadbent, Michelle Goszko, and Karen Rolton set new batting records. In 2003, the women's and men's cricket organizations merged to form Cricket Australia. This merger brought more financial support and attention to women's cricket.

Australia continued its success by winning the 2005 World Cup in South Africa. Karen Rolton scored 107 runs not out in the final. Belinda Clark retired after this win. She later played a huge role in making top-level women's cricket a professional sport.

The Twenty20 Era and New Champions

After the 2005 World Cup, the IWCC officially joined the International Cricket Council (ICC). This promised more media coverage for women's cricket. Later that year, Australia played their first-ever Twenty20 International (T20I) match.

Karen Rolton and Ellyse Perry at the 2009 World Cup

Karen Rolton became the new Australian captain in 2006. During her time, many experienced players retired. To fill these gaps, young talents like 16-year-old Ellyse Perry joined the team in 2007. Ellyse Perry also played for Australia's national women's soccer team.

Australia won their first T20 World Cup in 2010. This victory came after a thrilling final against New Zealand. Ellyse Perry made a famous save off her own bowling on the last ball to secure the win. Soon after, Meg Lanning joined the team. She became Australia's youngest player to score a century in an ODI at just 18 years old.

In 2012, Cathryn Fitzpatrick became Australia's new head coach. Under her leadership, the team had an incredibly successful period. They won the 2012 T20 World Cup, the 2013 50-over World Cup, and the 2014 T20 World Cup. Lisa Sthalekar finished her amazing career by becoming the first woman to take 100 ODI wickets and score 1,000 ODI runs.

The Women's Ashes series changed in 2013 to a points-based system. This meant matches included ODIs and T20Is alongside Tests. Meg Lanning became the captain of the national team in all three formats in 2014.

The Professional Era and Unprecedented Success

The first-ever women's day/night Test was played at North Sydney Oval in 2017.

Matthew Mott became the team's new coach in 2015. Australia won the 2015 Women's Ashes. Back home, the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) was created. This new league helped make women's T20 cricket more professional and popular.

Despite early success, the team faced challenges. They lost the final of the 2016 T20 World Cup and were knocked out of the 2017 50-over World Cup semi-finals.

In 2017, Cricket Australia made big changes. They stopped using the "Southern Stars" nickname. More importantly, they announced a huge increase in pay for female players. This deal was the biggest pay rise in Australian women's sports history. This change helped make women's cricket a fully professional sport.

After these changes, the team's performance soared. They won the 2018 T20 World Cup. Wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy was named Player of the Tournament. They also dominated the 2019 Women's Ashes. Meg Lanning set a new world record for the highest score in a Women's T20I innings.

Beth Mooney was named Player of the Tournament at the 2020 T20 World Cup.

Australia then focused on the 2020 T20 World Cup held at home. They reached the final and defeated India by 85 runs. A record crowd of 86,174 people watched the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Beth Mooney was named Player of the Tournament. This victory was called a "landmark night" for women's cricket. The team later won "The Don Award" for inspiring the nation.

After a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia returned to play. They set a world record of 26 consecutive ODI victories, which ended in 2021. The Test match of the 2021–22 Women's Ashes was a thrilling draw.

Australia continued their dominance by winning the 2022 World Cup undefeated. This was their seventh 50-over title. Alyssa Healy scored an amazing 170 runs in the final.

In May 2022, Shelley Nitschke became the new head coach. Australia won the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games T20 tournament. They then completed another hat-trick of world titles by winning the 2023 T20 World Cup. Beth Mooney was Player of the Final, and Ashleigh Gardner was Player of the Tournament. Australia also won the 2026 T20 World Cup, securing their seventh T20 title.

Team Uniforms

Patsy May in 1971 and Jess Jonassen in 2020 sporting the standard style of their day

Ellyse Perry wearing the women's baggy green, with red text on a gold background

For much of the 20th century, female cricketers wore skirts or culottes with long socks. This was different from men, who wore trousers. This changed in 1997, marking a shift from amateur to professional cricket.

Today, the Australian women's team uniform is very similar to the men's team. They wear classic cricket whites and a baggy green cap for Test matches. For ODIs, they wear the famous canary yellow outfit. For T20Is, they often wear a mostly black uniform. The main differences are small adjustments for a better fit and different sponsor logos. A small detail on the coat of arms, found on the baggy green cap, shows the "Australia" motto in gold and red for women, while it's red and gold for men.

In February 2020, the team wore a special Indigenous-themed uniform for the first time. This design featured artwork by Aboriginal artists.

Team Song

The team sings a special song after every victory. Unlike the men's team, the women have their own song. They sing it to the tune of the Notre Dame Victory March.

Cheer, Cheer the green and the gold,
We are courageous, mighty and bold,
We've got what it takes to win,
Nothing can make this team give in,
We are Australia and we are proud,
Sing it with passion, shout it out loud,
When you hear us, your will fear us,
We are the Southern Stars!

Players

Famous Former Players

Many talented players have represented Australia. Some well-known names include Meg Lanning, Belinda Clark, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, and Ellyse Perry. Belinda Clark and Cathryn Fitzpatrick are both in the ICC Hall of Fame. Meg Lanning and Belinda Clark have both captained Australia. Ellyse Perry is a Double international, meaning she has played for Australia in both cricket and soccer. For a list of all players in the ICC Hall of Fame, see ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

National Captains

The current national captain of Australia is Sophie Molineux. The current vice-captains are Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner. Many other great players have also led the team over the years.

Current Squad

Each year, at least 18 players are offered a contract with Cricket Australia. These players train throughout the year. They attend camps and have special training sessions in their home states.

Coaches work with each player to create individual training plans. Their progress is checked through tests, coach visits, and training diaries.

The table below lists the players who have a national contract as of April 8, 2026. It also includes any active player who has played for the team in the last 12 months. Players can earn a contract later by gaining enough points from playing Test, ODI, or T20I matches.

Key

• Forms – This shows the types of matches they played for Australia in the past year.
• S/N – Shirt number
• C – Contracted to Cricket Australia (Y = Yes, they have a contract)

S/N	Name	Age	Batting style	Bowling style	WNCL team	WBBL team	Forms	C	Captain	Last Test	Last ODI	Last T20I
Batters
18	Phoebe Litchfield	23	Left-handed	N/A	New South Wales	Sydney Thunder	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
13	Georgia Voll	22	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	Queensland	Sydney Thunder	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
All-rounders
63	Ashleigh Gardner	29	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	New South Wales	Sydney Sixers	Test, ODI, T20I	Y	Vice-captain	2026	2026	2026
34	Kim Garth	30	Right-handed	Right-arm medium-fast	Victoria	Melbourne Stars	ODI, T20I	Y		2025	2026	2026
11	Heather Graham	29	Right-handed	Right-arm medium	Tasmania	Hobart Hurricanes	N/A	Y		N/A	2019	2024
55	Lucy Hamilton	20	Left-handed	Left-arm fast	Queensland	Brisbane Heat	Test, ODI	Y		2026	2026	2026
48	Grace Harris	32	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	Queensland	Brisbane Heat	ODI, T20I	Y		N/A	2025	2026
27	Alana King	30	Right-handed	Right-arm leg break	Western Australia	Perth Scorchers	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
32	Tahlia McGrath	30	Right-handed	Right-arm medium	South Australia	Adelaide Strikers	Test, ODI, T20I	Y	Vice-captain	2026	2026	2026
23	Sophie Molineux	28	Left-handed	Left-arm orthodox spin	Victoria	Melbourne Renegades	ODI, T20I	Y	Captain	2024	2026	2026
8	Ellyse Perry	35	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	New South Wales	Sydney Sixers	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
14	Annabel Sutherland	24	Right-handed	Right-arm medium-fast	Victoria	Melbourne Stars	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
Wicket-keepers
6	Beth Mooney	32	Left-handed	N/A	Western Australia	Perth Scorchers	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
	Tahlia Wilson	26	Right-hamded	N/A	New South Wales	Sydney Thunder	ODI			N/A	2026	N/A
Spin Bowlers
35	Georgia Wareham	27	Right-handed	Right-arm leg break	Victoria	Melbourne Renegades	ODI, T20I	Y		2021	2026	2026
Pace Bowlers
	Chloe Ainsworth	20	Left-handed	Western Australia	Perth Scorchers	Brisbane Heat		Y		N/A	N/A	N/A
28	Darcie Brown	23	Right-handed	Right-arm fast	South Australia	Adelaide Strikers	Test, ODI, T20I	Y		2026	2026	2026
16	Nicola Carey	32	Left-handed	Right-arm medium	Tasmania	Hobart Hurricanes	ODI, T20I	Y		N/A	2026	2026
3	Megan Schutt	33	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	South Australia	Adelaide Strikers	ODI, T20I	Y		2019	2026	2026
Last updated: 8 April 2026

Coaching Staff

The current coaches for the Australian women's cricket team are:

• Shelley Nitschke – Head Coach
• Jude Coleman – Assistant Coach
• Dan Marsh – Assistant Coach
• Meg Lanning – Assistant Coach/Mentor
• Alex Kuntouris – Physio

Selection Panel

The people who choose the players for the Australian women's cricket team are:

• Shawn Flegler – Chairman
• Shelley Nitschke – Head Coach
• Julie Hayes
• Avril Fahey

Tournament History

Cricket World Cup Record

Cricket World Cup record

Year	Finish	Rank	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR
1973	Runners-up	2/7	6	4	1	0	1
1978	Champions	1/4	3	3	0	0	0
1982		1/5	13	12	0	1	0
1988			9	8	1	0	0
1993	Group stage	3/8	7	5	2	0	0
1997	Champions	1/11	7	7	0	0	0
2000	Runners-up	2/8	9	8	1	0	0
2005	Champions	1/8	8	7	0	0	1
2009	Super sixes	4/8	7	4	3	0	0
2013	Champions	1/8	7	6	1	0	0
2017	Semi-finalists	3/8	8	6	2	0	0
2022	Champions	1/8	9	9	0	0	0
2025	Semi-finalists	3/8	7	6	1	0	0
Total	13 appearances, 7 titles		100	85	12	1	2
Source:

T20 World Cup Record

T20 World Cup record

Year	Finish	Rank	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR
2009	Semi-finalists	3/8	4	2	2	0	0
2010	Champions	1/8	5	5	0	0	0
2012			5	4	1	0	0
2014		1/10	6	5	1	0	0
2016	Runners-up	2/10	6	4	2	0	0
2018	Champions	1/10	6	5	1	0	0
2020			6	5	1	0	0
2023			6	6	0	0	0
2024	Semi-finalists	3/10	5	4	1	0	0
2026	Champions	1/12	7	7	0	0	0
Total	10 appearances, 7 titles		56	47	9	0	0
Source:

Commonwealth Games Record

Commonwealth Games record

Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
2022	Gold medal	1/8	5	5	0	0	0
Total	1 title	-	5	5	0	0	0

Honours and Achievements

ICC World Titles

• Women's World Cup:
  • Champions (7): 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022
  • Runners-up (2): 1973, 2000
• Women's T20 World Cup:
  • Champions (7): 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2026
  • Runners-up (1): 2016

Other Major Wins

• Commonwealth Games
  • Gold medal (1): 2022

Records and Statistics

Overall Match Record

Test Match Records

• Highest team total: 9/575 dec. vs South Africa on 15 February 2024 at the WACA
• Highest individual score in an innings: 213* – Ellyse Perry vs England on 9 November 2017 at North Sydney Oval
• Best bowling figures in an innings: 8/66 – Ashleigh Gardner vs England on 22 June 2023 at Trent Bridge

Highest Individual Score in an Innings Player Score Opponent Venue Date Ellyse Perry 213*  England Sydney 9 November 2017 Annabel Sutherland 210  South Africa Perth 15 February 2024 Karen Rolton 209*  England Leeds 6 July 2001 Michelle Goszko 204  England Shenley 24 June 2001 Joanne Broadbent 200  England Guildford 6 August 1998 Last updated: 19 February 2024

Best Bowling Figures in an Innings Player BBI Opponent Venue Date Ashleigh Gardner 8/66  England Nottingham 22 June 2023 Betty Wilson 7/7  England Melbourne 21 February 1958 Anne Palmer 7/18  England Brisbane 28 December 1934 Lesley Johnston 7/24  New Zealand Melbourne 5 February 1972 Betty Wilson 6/23  England Adelaide 15 January 1949 Last updated: 19 February 2024

Results Versus Other Nations (Tests)

Opponent	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	First match	First win
England	52	13	9	0	30	28 December 1934	15 June 1937
India	11	4	1	0	6	15 January 1977	15 January 1977
New Zealand	13	4	1	0	8	20 March 1948	20 March 1948
South Africa	1	1	0	0	0	15 February 2024	15 February 2024
West Indies	2	0	0	0	2	7 May 1976
Last updated: 19 February 2024

One Day International Records

• Highest team total: 3/412 vs Denmark on 16 December 1997 at Middle Income Group Club Ground
• Highest individual score in an innings: 229* – Belinda Clark vs Denmark on 16 December 1997 at Middle Income Group Club Ground
• Best bowling figures in an innings: 7/18 – Alana King vs South Africa on 25 October 2025 at Holkar Stadium, Indore

Highest Individual Score in an Innings Player Score Opponent Venue Date Belinda Clark 229*  Denmark Mumbai 16 December 1997 Alyssa Healy 170  New Zealand Hagley Oval 3 April 2022 Lisa Keightley 156*  Pakistan Melbourne 7 February 1997 Karen Rolton 154*  Sri Lanka Christchurch 1 December 2000 Meg Lanning 152*  Sri Lanka Bristol 29 June 2017 Last updated: 30 December 2023

Best Bowling Figures in an Innings Player BBI Opponent Venue Date Alana King 7/18  South Africa Indore 25 October 2025 Ellyse Perry 7/22  England Canterbury 7 July 2019 Shelley Nitschke 7/24  England Kidderminster 19 August 2005 Charmaine Mason 5/9  England Newcastle 3 February 2000 Joanne Broadbent 5/10  New Zealand Lismore 13 January 1993 Last updated: 30 December 2023

Results Versus Other Nations (ODIs)

Opponent	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	First match	First win
ICC Full members
Bangladesh	1	1	0	0	0	25 March 2022	25 March 2022
England	83	55	24	1	3	28 July 1973	1 August 1976
India	52	42	10	0	0	8 January 1978	8 January 1978
Ireland	17	17	0	0	0	28 June 1987	28 June 1987
New Zealand	133	100	31	0	2	7 July 1973	7 July 1973
Pakistan	16	16	0	0	0	14 December 1997	14 December 1997
South Africa	18	16	1	1	0	12 December 1997	12 December 1997
Sri Lanka	11	11	0	0	0	1 December 2000	1 December 2000
West Indies	18	16	1	0	1	24 July 1993	24 July 1993
ICC Associate members
Denmark	2	2	0	0	0	28 July 1993	28 July 1993
International XI	4	3	0	0	1	21 July 1973	20 June 1982
Jamaica	1	1	0	0	0	11 July 1973	11 July 1973
Netherlands	5	5	0	0	0	29 November 1988	29 November 1988
Trinidad and Tobago	1	1	0	0	0	30 June 1973	30 June 1973
Young England	1	1	0	0	0	23 June 1973	23 June 1973
Last updated: 30 December 2023

Twenty20 International Records

• Highest team total:
  • 3/226 vs England, 26 July 2019 at Essex County Ground
  • 2/226 vs Sri Lanka, 2 October 2019 at North Sydney Oval
• Highest individual score in an innings: 148* – Alyssa Healy vs Sri Lanka, 2 October 2019 at North Sydney Oval
• Best bowling figures in an innings: 5/10 – Molly Strano vs New Zealand, 19 February 2017 at Kardinia Park

Highest Individual Score in an Innings Player Score Opponent Venue Date Alyssa Healy 148*  Sri Lanka Sydney 2 October 2019 Meg Lanning 133*  England Chelmsford 26 July 2019 Meg Lanning 126  Ireland Sylhet 27 March 2014 Beth Mooney 117*  England Canberra 21 November 2017 Beth Mooney 113  Sri Lanka Sydney 29 September 2019 Last updated: 30 December 2023

Best Bowling Figures in an Innings Player BBI Opponent Venue Date Molly Strano 5/10  New Zealand Geelong 19 February 2017 Jess Jonassen 5/12  India Melbourne 12 February 2020 Ashleigh Gardner 5/12  New Zealand Paarl 11 February 2023 Megan Schutt 5/15  Pakistan Sydney 24 January 2023 Julie Hunter 5/22  West Indies Colombo 5 October 2012 Last updated: 30 December 2023

Results Versus Other Nations (T20Is)

Opponent	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	First match	First win
ICC Full members
Bangladesh	5	5	0	0	0	27 February 2020	27 February 2020
Barbados	1	1	0	0	0	31 July 2022	31 July 2022
England	45	23	21	0	1	2 September 2005	2 September 2005
India	35	26	8	0	1	28 October 2008	28 October 2008
Ireland	8	8	0	0	0	27 March 2014	27 March 2014
New Zealand	55	33	21	0	1	18 October 2006	19 July 2007
Pakistan	16	14	0	0	2	29 September 2012	29 September 2012
South Africa	11	9	2	0	0	7 May 2010	7 May 2010
Sri Lanka	8	8	0	0	0	27 September 2016	27 September 2016
West Indies	19	17	2	0	0	14 June 2009	14 June 2009
Last updated: 23 March 2026

See Also

• Australia men's national cricket team
• Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
• Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup
• Belinda Clark Award
• Women's Big Bash League
• Women's cricket in Australia
• Women's National Cricket League