The State League is the premier domestic women's one-day cricket competition in New Zealand. The competition was first competed in the 2001–02 season, when it replaced the State Insurance Cup, which had run since 1998–99. It is contested with a ten-match group stage, in which each of the six teams plays each twice; once home and once away. The two teams that finish at the top of the table then compete in a final to determine the champions.
The five teams which competed in the inaugural season of the State Insurance Cup; Auckland Hearts, Canterbury Magicians, Central Districts Hinds, Otago Sparks and the Wellington Blaze were joined in the following 1999–2000 season by a sixth team; Northern Districts Spirit.
The inaugural State Insurance Cup was won by Canterbury, beating Auckland by 167 runs. The same two sides contested the next four finals, with Auckland winning on each occasion. The first final not to involve one of the two sides was in 2003–04, when rain prevented any play, resulting in a shared title between Canterbury and Wellington. Canterbury went on to claim four of the next six titles, with Central Districts winning both the remaining competitions, in 2005–06 and 2009–10.
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