4:40 PM IST, 9:10 PM local time: Riding on Beth Mooney's stellar performance, Perth Scorchers notched up a 23-run win and opened their account in WBBL 2025.
Coming out to open the innings, like she often does, the southpaw radiated solidity and impregnability right from the offset. The first phase of her innings — in the powerplay — was marked by some drool-worthy cover drives. The second phase by her vigilance and a familiar bustling energy in running between the wickets. Then, towards the end, she unleashed some cracking big shots on the way to her highest WBBL score of 105, helping her team notch up 172/3.
But that was not enough. On an evening where we saw a bazillion catches go down, Mooney was like a live wire on the park. Her wicket-keeping was excellent and she even played her part in 4 run outs.
Brisbane Heat looked a little clueless with the ball. They tried every option they had, but could not get the better of the left-hander. Spilling catches did not help. Then, in the run chase too, they hardly ever got ahead of the rate. That was despite the fact that Grace Harris played a solid hand up top, Scorchers returned the favour by putting down several chances and Alana King copped up two painful blows to her bowling hand. Alas, nobody in that middle order could get going.
Charli Knott did score 32 runs, but not at a strike rate that she would have desired. It was only when Chinelle Henry hit a couple of big sixes in the penultimate over that the Heat fans would have sensed a glimmer of hope. Alas, that did not last long. Among the bowlers, Chloe Ainsworth and Amy Edgar from the Scorchers impressed the most, while left-arm seamer Lucy Hamilton was the pick of the hosts.