Women’s T20 World Cup, Group 1, Southampton

Australia 219-6 (20 overs): Mooney 74 (42), Gardner 58 (32); Zwilling 3-52

Netherlands 121-3 (20 overs): De Leede 56* (57); Garth 2-20

Australia won by 98 runs

Scorecard; Tables

Beth Mooney smashed a half-century but retired hurt as Australia completed a comfortable 98-run victory over the Netherlands to maintain their unbeaten start to the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Mooney top-scored with 74 (42) while Ash Gardner struck 58 (32) and Georgia Wareham crashed an 18-ball 41 as Australia piled on 219-6 to equal the highest total at a Women’s T20 World Cup – set by England against Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament.

However, she pulled up after running two at the end of the 14th over and immediately left the field.

She did not return to keep wicket due to back stiffness and with emergency wicketkeeper Phoebe Litchfield also absent due to a quad injury, Georgia Voll took the gloves.

The 22-year-old was quickly involved, moving sharply across first slip to remove Phebe Molkenboer in the second over as Kim Garth struck twice in the powerplay to restrict the Netherlands to 27-2 after six overs.

Although Netherlands captain Babette de Leede (56 off 57) scored an unbeaten half-century in her 100th T20I and shared a determined 96-run partnership with Sterre Kalis (44 off 43), Australia’s total was always out of reach.

Earlier, Mooney and Voll flew out of the blocks to bring up Australia’s 50 inside five overs before Iris Zwilling and Heather Siegers struck in quick succession to remove Voll and Ellyse Perry before the end of the powerplay.

Mooney combined with Gardner, returning from a sprained ankle which kept her out against Bangladesh, for a 101-run third-wicket stand off 55 balls.

Gardner departed two balls after Mooney, holing out to Kalis in the deep, but although wickets fell regularly in the final five overs, Wareham’s 41-run cameo, which included eight fours, powered Australia beyond 200.