Despite battling illness earlier in the day and uncertain if she would play, Beth Mooney delivered a resilient performance, scoring a classy 82 to guide Australia to a series-clinching victory in a tense T20I decider against South Africa. After a shocking loss in the previous T20I, Australia chased down the visitors’ 162 for 7 with five wickets in hand and four balls to spare in Hobart.
Beth Mooney’s 55-ball innings, which included 11 fours and one six, proved pivotal as she lost partners regularly. Falling in the 18th over with her side needing 14 runs from 14 balls, Mooney’s effort set the stage for Ashleigh Gardner to hold her nerve and seal the win with a boundary.
Earlier, South Africa posted their highest T20I score against Australia, led by Marizanne Kapp’s career-best 75 in her 100th T20I. The all-rounder’s contribution helped South Africa recover from a shaky start at 28 for 3, forming an 80-run partnership with Anneke Bosch. Kapp’s innings, which surpassed her previous best of 56, came after being dropped on 19 and concluded when Tahlia McGrath bowled a deceptive slower ball that hit the stumps.
Australia’s Grace Harris showcased early involvement, taking two catches and executing a direct-hit run-out of Sune Luus. Despite contributions from Chloe Tryon (26 from 16 balls) and Nadine de Klerk (unbeaten 20 from 11 balls), Australia’s bowlers, especially Georgia Wareham with 1 for 25 from four overs, played a crucial role.
The victory secured the series for Australia after South Africa had leveled the ledger at 1-1 with their first-ever victory over Australia in any format in the previous match. Mooney’s remarkable innings under challenging circumstances added to the significance of Australia’s triumph in the T20I series.
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