Beth Mooney delivered a scintillating century, scoring 105 off 73 balls, to propel Perth Scorchers to a 23-run victory over Brisbane Heat and kick-start their WBBL campaign.
Perth Scorchers posted 172 for 3 (Mooney 105, Hamilton 2-28), while Brisbane Heat, who dropped several key catches in the field, were bowled out for 149 in 19.1 overs (Harris 46, Devine 2-32, Ainsworth 2-34).
Mooney, who was in imperious form from the outset, punished the Heat bowlers, especially on the leg side, where she struck several boundaries with ease. She reached her half-century in just 42 balls and accelerated further, hitting three sixes in her innings. A straight six off Jess Jonassen was a highlight, as was a ramp shot off Nadine de Klerk that went over the head of the wicketkeeper, Georgia Redmayne.
Mooney’s performance was also complemented by her brilliant fielding, as she capped off her innings with a direct hit to run out Nicola Hancock.
In the power surge, Mooney flicked a six off Nicola Hancock in an over that yielded 21 runs. Reflecting on her innings, Mooney said, “I probably just went through different phases. I was hitting it nicely early, then trying to hit it a bit harder through the middle, and then came good towards the end.”
Her opening partner, Katie Mack, contributed a steady 31, forming an 89-run partnership. However, both players were dropped during their innings—Mack on 19, and Mooney on 32.
In reply, Grace Harris, playing her first match of the season after recovering from a calf injury, blasted 46 off 30 balls before being bowled. Despite a fightback from Chinelle Henry (39 off 23 balls), the Heat fell short of the target, ending up at 149.
In the end, it was Mooney who dominated the match, a venue where she has often excelled.