This summer, Cricket NSW launched the Women’s Metropolitan Cup, not only as a significant step for our female participation pathway, but also as a testament to the growing popularity of both our social offerings and competitive cricket among our women players.
Burwood Briars Crowned Inaugural Women’s Metro Cup Champions
The six-week, action-packed, competition concluded on March 15, with Burwood Briars Cricket Club (Burwood) crowned the inaugural champions of the Women’s Metro Cup following a dominant Grand Final victory over West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club (WPHCCC).
Delivered exclusively by CNSW, the competition was designed for women aged 16+ seeking a local, social, yet competitive 30-over format. The first edition of the tournament featured five clubs competing for the title: Lindfield District CC (Lindfield), Castle Hill RSL CC (Castle Hill), and Cromer CC in addition to the finalists Burwood and WPHCCC. The interest it generated in the community is a great indicator that the competition is poised to be a strong addition to Sydney’s community cricketing landscape.
At the Grand Final, Burwood produced a composed all-round performance to secure the inaugural title, with Chelsea Bower anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 52, and Cathy Avery leading the bowling attack with 4/17 from 6 overs, dismantling WPHCC and sealing a 12-run win.
The third-place playoff teams also delivered a standout performance, with Castle Hill defeating Lindfield to make the podium. Nechal Dhillon of Castle Hill starred with the ball, claiming an exceptional 5/4 from 4.4 overs, one of the most dominant spells of the entire competition.
Competition Highlights
- Leading Run Scorer: Eloise Fisher (Lindfield) – 140 runs @ 70
- Second Mading Run Scorer: Alice Neilson (WPHCCC) – 134 runs @ 44.67
- Leading Wicket Takers: Nechal Dhillon (Castle Hill) & Nozomi Giorgini (Burwood) – 10 wickets each
The matches were also peppered with exceptional performances throughout the rounds. The highlights included Eloise Fisher scoring the competition’s first 50, followed by back-to-back half-centuries in Rounds 1 and 2. Among bowlers’ performances, Danielle Mace of Burwood took the first five-wicket haul (5/6), which included a four-wicket maiden.
Lindfield notched the highest score of the tournament in Round 2 with their 3/172 against Castle Hill RSL.
The competition was also a feather in CNSW’s cap, delivering strong operational outcomes such as 100 percent umpire coverage across all matches, and multiple games streamed live via Frogbox, including all Burwood home games and the Grand Final.
All in all, the first edition of the Women’s Metro Cup has been extremely well received, with strong positive feedback from players and clubs. Plans are already in place for next season, with the competition likely to expand into both Spring and Summer formats offering either a six- to eight-week block or a full-season option.
Martin Gleeson, Chief Community Cricket Officer, Cricket NSW, said:
“This initiative represents a significant step in completing the female participation pathway, ensuring more girls and women can access meaningful, competitive cricket. With strong early engagement, the platform is in place for this competition to grow next season.”
Clubs and players interested in participating can register their interest here.