Beth Mooney once again showcased her prowess with the bat as Australia secured a series victory with a five-wicket triumph over the Proteas Women in the third and final T20 International (T20I) at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday, this win awarding Australia a two-point lead in the ongoing multi-format tour.
In the wake of Marizanne Kapp’s career-best 75 off 48 deliveries in her 100th T20I, which propelled South Africa to post 162/7, top-order batter Mooney played a pivotal role with a match-winning 55-ball 82, featuring 11 fours and one six, steering Australia to victory with four balls remaining.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Proteas faced an early setback as openers Tazmin Brits (0) and Laura Wolvaardt (15), along with number three batter Suné Luus (0), were dismissed within the powerplay, leaving the touring side reeling at 36/3 after six overs.
Facing a rebuilding task, the experienced Kapp marked her milestone match for the Proteas with a significant 80-run stand with Anneke Bosch (21) for the fourth wicket. Kapp reached her half-century off just 34 balls, propelling the visiting side to triple figures at the end of the 14th over.
The crucial partnership ended at the start of the 15th over when Annabel Sutherland (1/27) dismissed Bosch, who picked out Darcie Brown in the field. This was followed by the scalp of Kapp for the Aussies, with the all-rounder clean-bowled by Tahlia McGrath (1/17) with South Africa on 127/5.
Vital cameos from the versatile duo of Chloé Tryon (26) and Nadine de Klerk (21) helped the Proteas Women post a competitive 162/7 after their allotted 20 overs, with both batters dispatching six boundaries, including a maximum off the bat of Tryon. The wickets were shared amongst the Aussie bowlers, with Georgia Wareham (1/25), Megan Schutt (1/31), and Ashleigh Gardner (1/33) also contributing.
In their chase, Australia made another fast start with Mooney and skipper Alyssa Healy (10) reaching 32/0 in the fourth over before Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/27) made the initial breakthrough, dismissing Healy after she mistimed an advancing shot over cover, with Wolvaardt taking the catch.
Despite increased pressure from South Africa with two more wickets lost, Mooney remained calm and destructive at the other end. She raised her bat for a 22nd career fifty off 39 balls and combined with McGrath (16) for a hard-fought 38-run partnership, taking the hosts past the 100-run mark before de Klerk (1/33) delivered another counter-punch for South Africa.
Although Mooney witnessed four of her teammates departing, she found another able partner in Gardner (26*) to add a further 45 runs to the scoreboard under intense coercion from the South African bowlers.
With Australia still needing another 14 runs off 14 balls for victory, Ayabonga Khaka (1/30) finally dismissed the in-form Mooney, but Gardner and Grace Harris (8) sealed the win with four balls to spare.
Australia’s victory gives them four points, while South Africa has two in the multi-format tour following the three-match T20I series. The focus now shifts to the 50-over encounters, with the first One-Day International starting on Saturday, 03 February, at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide from 14:10 local time (05:30 SAST).
Women’s CommBank T20I Series v South Africa
Warm Up
24 Jan: Governor-General’s XI beat SA XI by 4 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
Australia win the T20I Series 2-1
27 Jan: Australia win first T20I 8 wickets (5 balls rem.) (Manuka Oval, Canberra)
28 Jan: South Africa win 2nd T20I by 6 wickets (6 balls rem.) (Manuka Oval, Canberra)
30 Jan: Australia win first T20I by5 wickets (4 balls rem.) (Blundstone Arena, Hobart)
ODI Series
3 Feb: Adelaide Oval, 2.10pm
7 Feb: North Sydney Oval, 2.40pm
10 Feb: North Sydney Oval, 2.40pm
Only Test
15-18 Feb: WACA Ground, Perth 11.00am
Proteas Women Squad (T20I & ODI) – Multi-format Tour to Australia
Laura Wolvaardt (c)
Anneke Bosch
Tazmin Brits
Nadine de Klerk
Mieke de Ridder
Ayanda Hlubi
Sinalo Jafta
Marizanne Kapp
Ayabonga Khaka
Masabata Klaas
Suné Luus
Eliz-Mari Marx
Nonkululeko Mlaba
Chloé Tryon
Delmi Tucker
Australia Squad for the T20I and ODI Series
Alyssa Healy (c)
Darcie Brown
Heather Graham
Ashleigh Gardner
Kim Garth
Grace Harris*
Jess Jonassen
Alana King**
Phoebe Litchfield
Tahlia McGrath
Beth Mooney
Ellyse Perry
Megan Schutt
Annabel Sutherland
Georgia Wareham
*T20s only | **ODIs only
Original Copy: Cricket South Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Beth Mooney showcased her prowess with the bat again as Australia secured a 2-1 series victory with their five-wicket triumph over the Proteas Women, in the third and final T20 International at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday, 30 January, 2024. Photo: Marizanne Kapp on Instagram
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