1996–97 Women's National Cricket League season
| Dates | 16 November 1996 – 5 January 1997 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Cricket Australia |
| Cricket format | Limited overs cricket (50 overs) |
| Tournament format(s) | Group stage and finals series |
| Champions | New South Wales (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Victoria |
| Participants | 5 |
| Matches | 23 |
| Player of the series | Zoe Goss |
| Most runs | Zoe Goss (629) |
| Most wickets | Jo Garey (15) |
| Official website | cricket.com.au |
The 1996–97 Women's National Cricket League season was the first season of the Women's National Cricket League, the women's domestic limited overs cricket competition in Australia. The tournament started on 16 November 1996 and finished on 5 January 1997. Five teams took part with New South Wales Breakers taking the trophy after defeating ladder-toppers Victorian Spirit by three games to zero in the finals series.