WBBL | Melodic Mooney ton brings heat to Brisbane as Scorchers register first season victory

Asked to bat first, Beth Mooney got Perth Scorchers off to a rolicking start with two gorgeous cover drives for boundary in the opening over. Lucy Hamilton almost got a riposte with her first ball of the innings when she had Katie Mack edge to slip, only for the catch to be spilled and Mooney capitalized with two more fours. Chinelle Henry was subjected to the same treatment in the final over of the mandatory powerplay as the Scorchers raced away to 36/0. However, a spread in field completely changed the complexion of the game, as the likes of Nicola Hancock, Charlie Knott, and Grace Harris showed brilliant discipline to restrict run scoring, giving away just 30 in the next six overs. With the score 66/0 at the halfway mark, Mooney decided it was time to break the shackles and smashed Jess Jonassen for six to bring up a 42-ball half-century. Mack tried to join the party with a four off Knott the next over but had her stumps pegged back by Jonassen the next over for a 29-ball 31, bringing Paige Scholfield to the crease. Mooney continued to switch gears at the other end as she struck a couple off fours against Nadine de Klerk, but it was all a trailer to her onslaught in the Power Surge. Mooney smashed three consecutive fours off Hancock in the 16th, the latest of which was a no-ball, and capitalized on the free hit with an incredulous pick-up over fine leg for six in a 21-run over. The skipper motored on to bring up a 70-ball ton in the penultimate over, her fourth in the WBBL, combining with Scholfield for 38 runs in the final three overs to push the score to 172/3 in their allotted quota of 20 overs.

In response, Grace Harris celebrated her return from injury with a couple of early fours but Nadine de Klerk could not last beyond the third over, their powerplay score thus a subpar 27/1. Subsequent batter Jemimah Rodrigues struggled for rhythm in the middle as she trundled along to 11 off 15 deliveries before ultimately holing out off Sophie Devine. With next batter in Knott faring no better than her predecessor, the onus fell on Harris to counterattack and she struck four more boundaries as a result before ultimately being bowled by Emily Hoskin for a 30-ball 46 in the 11th over. The Heat made it a double whammy by running out Jess Jonassen for a golden duck four balls later and after 12 overs, the Scorchers found themselves reeling at 185/4 with 88 required still. Just eight runs in the next two overs further pushed the momentum in the visitors favour, but three fours from Chinelle Henry in the 15th over signalled the match was not done yet. However, three wickets in as many overs, including Knott's for a 30-ball 32, at the cost of 24 runs meant the ask stood at 42 off the last two overs. Henry introduced some jeopardy to proceedings by smashing Chloe Ainsworth for back-to-back maximums off a no-ball and free hit but holed out very next ball to practically seal the result. The two remaining wickets fell off the next five balls, ensuring the Heat tumbled out for 149 to hand the Scorchers a 23-run triumph.

What a player!

Hahaha!

Greatest!

Pure class!

Take a bow!

yes she did it again!

Good game it was!

Waist no-ball!

Hahaha! LOL xD