Hobart [Australia], January 30 : Beth Mooney's magnificent 82 helped Australia Women's register a five-wicket victory over South Africa in the third and final T20I to seal the series 2-1 at Bellerive Oval on Tuesday.
In the thrilling run chase of 163 runs, Mooney starred with the bat to guide her team home and played a remarkable innings of 82 runs off 55 balls with the help of 11 fours and a six. The all-rounder Ashley Gardner played an unbeaten 26 runs from 17 balls with the help of two fours and one six in the innings.
Alyssa Healy and Mooney opened the 163-run chase and gathered 32 runs under four overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba took the first wicket for South Africa as she removed Healy for 10 runs. Mooney held one end and from the other, the side kept losing wickets.
For the Proteas, Ayabonga Khaka, Mlaba, Masabata Klaas, Chloe Tryon, and Nadine de Klerk snapped a wicket each in their respective spells.
Earlier in the match, Australia skipper Healy won the toss and elected to bowl first. The visitors while batting first scored 162 runs with the loss of seven wickets in the 20 overs.
While batting first, the visitors didn't have a great start as they lost the wicket of opener Tazmin Brits at the score of 1. Soon after South African side was under pressure as they lost two quick wickets of skipper Laura Wolvaardt (15) and Sune Luus (0) at the score of 28 runs.
The highest run-getter for the side was the right-hand batter Marizanne Kapp who scored 75 runs off 48 balls with 10 fours and a six. Other players such as Tryon, Anneke Bosch and Klerk played small knocks but it was crucial for the side.
For Australia, the pick of the bowlers was Gardner, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tahila McGrath, and Georgia Wareham as they took a wicket each in their respective spells.
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