Mooney Shines In Aussie Victory Over Proteas Women Despite Kapp Heroics In 100th T20I

HOBART: 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 gave Australia a two-point guide in the ongoing multi-format tour.

In the wake of Marizanne Kapp’s career-best 75 off 48 deliveries (10 fours, 1 six) 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 finish 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 quick 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 unruffled and destructive at the other pause. 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 trace 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).

Proteas Women Squad (T20I & ODI) – Multi-format Tour to Australia

Laura Wolvaardt (Fidelity Titans, Captain), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Mieke de Ridder (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Ayanda Hlubi (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions), Delmi Tucker (Western Province)

Results:

T20 Warm-Up

Governor-General XI beat South Africa by 4 wickets

South Africa: 149/7 after 20 overs; N. de Klerk 48* (24), C. Tryon 39 (29); C. Sippel 2/20, C. Ainsworth 2/31

Governor-General XI: 150/6 after 19.2 overs; S. Molineux 59 (41), T. Flintoff 42 (27); M. Klaas 3/16, A. Khaka 2/29

T20I Series vs Australia

1st T20I 

Australia beat South Africa by 8 wickets 

South Africa: 147/6 after 20 overs; T. Brits 59* (54), S. Luus 19 (17); E. Perry 2/13, D. Brown 2/20

Australia: 149/2 after 19.1 overs; B. Mooney 72* (57), A. Healy 46 (28); M. Kapp 1/25, N. de Klerk 1/25

2nd T20I

South Africa beat Australia by 6 wickets 

Australia: 142/6 after 20 overs; G. Harris 31* (18), A. Healy 29 (24); M. Klaas 2/16, N. Mlaba 1/18

South Africa: 144/6 after 19 overs; L. Wolvaardt 58* (53), T. Brits 41 (28); A. Gardner 2/26, T. McGrath 1/16

3rd T20I

Australia beat South Africa by 5 wickets

South Africa: 162/7 after 20 overs; M. Kapp 75 (48), C. Tryon 26 (16); T. McGrath 1/17, G. Wareham 1/25

Australia: 163/5 after 19.2 overs; B. Mooney 82 (55), A. Gardener 26 (17); M. Klaas 1/13, C. Tryon 1/23

Fixtures – Proteas Women Multi-format Tour to Australia

ODI Series vs Australia:

Saturday, 03 February @ 14h10  – 1st ODI – Australia vs South Africa (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)

Wednesday, 07 February @ 14h40  – 2nd ODI – Australia vs South Africa (North Sydney Oval, Sydney)

Saturday, 10 February – @14h40 3rd ODI – Australia vs South Africa (North Sydney Oval, Sydney)

Test Match vs Australia:

15 – 18 February @ 11h00  – Only Test – Australia vs South Africa (WACA Ground, Perth)

Every match times are local times in Australia

Source: cricket.co.za

Morné Morkel: South African-Australian cricketer Morné Morkel is one of the best fast bowlers of his time. He is the younger brother of cricketer Albie Morkel, and in 2008, he and Albie became the first brother duo to be named the South African Cricket Annual Cricketers of the Year in 56 years.