You would be doing well to name a better female batter in the world right now than Australia’s Beth Mooney.
Mooney set up Australia’s third and final one-day international victory against Pakistan on Saturday with a brilliant 133.
Beth Mooney blasts a boundary at North Sydney Oval.Credit:Getty
If Sydney cricket fans were pumped to see Steve Smith and David Warner do battle in the Big Bash League on Saturday night, they would not have been disappointed had they rolled up to North Sydney Oval earlier in the day to see Mooney’s pyrotechnics with the bat.
The fact the Australian women’s team was scheduled to play on the same day as the Big Bash’s Sydney Smash beggars belief.
What cannot be disputed is the talents of Mooney who delivered again for her country.
The 29-year-old left-hander whacked 133 runs from 105 balls to set up the emphatic 101-run victory and seal a series clean sweep.
Ash Gardner picked up 3-30 as Australia used eight bowlers in all.
Good luck trying to stop Mooney when the T20 series kicks off at the same historic ground on Tuesday. Or trying to stop the 29-year-old when she gets to South Africa next month for the T20 World Cup – and is rejoined by the only other player to challenge her for the title of world’s best batter, Alyssa Healy, who has been sidelined with a calf strain.
Brad Hodge was commentating on the game for Seven and later said how Mooney reminded him of a “Female Mr Cricket”.
“She’s a bit like Mike Hussey where she can go to the top of the order and open, play that middle-order role, she’s just an unbelievable player – and she’s striking the ball beautifully,” Hodge said. “Statistically she probably is [the best].
Beth Mooney salutes the crowd.Credit:Getty
“If you look at her WBBL numbers, she’s consistently at the top of the runs, playing for Australia, you’d have to say ‘yes’. She’s made big runs at the top of the order in T20 cricket, so it comes as no surprise she can do it in this format as well.
“She’s an amazing player, she’s rescued Australia plenty of times many times when we’ve been in trouble.
Fresh from her unbeaten 57 in Brisbane during the week, Mooney belted 14 boundaries and four sixes, including three successive bombs off spinner Tuba Hassan.
Teen sensation Phoebe Litchfield had generated plenty of buzz among fans after a couple of half-centuries in her first two 50-over outings for Australia, but was bowled a beauty by Fatima Sana for just nine.
Mooney and skipper Meg Lanning did well to absorb some early pressure from the Pakistan attack before gradually finding the gaps.
Lanning’s own 50 was brought up with a six straight down the ground, which nearly shattered the glass in front of the press box.
The experienced pair piled on 160 runs before Lanning departed (72 off 70 balls), but the win was as good as secured.
It was Australia’s fourth-highest one-day total, and easily their most dominant attacking display of the series. It was Mooney’s third one-day century.
Tahlia McGrath scored a run-a-ball 30, but just when Australia looked set to post a total north of 350, Pakistan did well to pump the brakes on the bottom order, and at one stage picked up three wickets for one run.
The visitors displayed some grit with the bat but were never seriously in the hunt and finished on 7-235.
