England batter Lauren Winfield-Hill has been contracted by Queensland to play in Australia's WNCL competition next summer after appearing in nine matches in last season's competition.
Queensland released their female contract list for season 2024-25 on Monday, as did New South Wales, after Australia's domestic state teams had to delay finalising their female squads due to a stand-off between Cricket Australia and NSW and Victoria over the introduction of the new women's domestic T20 competition that was finally announced last week.
Queensland have added Winfield-Hill, 33, to their list following her performances last summer where she scored 194 runs at 32.33 including a half-century to help them reach the final.
Winfield-Hill is based in Brisbane during the Australian summer as she is the wife of former Queensland and Brisbane Heat pace bowler and Heat assistant coach Courtney Winfield-Hill. Her decision to take up a Queensland contract comes after she described the ECB's decision to defer Yorkshire's entry to Tier 1 of England's new women's domestic competition as "unsettling" for her Northern Diamonds team.
Winfield-Hill wasn't the only English player to play in the WNCL last year with Georgia Adams staying in Australia post the WBBL to play with NSW but Adams has not featured on the Blues' contract list. Adams is still likely to play a role next season despite not being contracted. They have also released Scotland international Saskia Horley who has moved permanently to the UK.
NSW have added four teenagers to their squad, Sienna Eve, Elsa Hunter, Lauren Kua and 18-year-old Kate Pelle who made her WBBL debut last year with Sydney Sixers.
Queensland women's contract list 2024-25: Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucinda Burke, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris (CA contract), Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Kira Holmes, Jess Jonassen (CA contract),Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll, Lauren Winfield-Hill (overseas), Mikayla Wrigley
NSW women's contract list 2024-25: Jade Allen, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Ashleigh Gardner (CA), Alyssa Healy (CA), Ebony Hoskin, Elsa Hunter, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Lauren Kua, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield (CA), Claire Moore, Kate Pelle, Tahlia Wilson