Trent Rockets 132 for 2 (Mooney 57, Sciver-Brunt 37*) beat Welsh Fire 129 for 3 (Devine 38, Kemp 36*, Phillips 2-17)
After two single-figure scores to kick off her campaign, Mooney was due. The southpaw run machine, who was the central figure as Australia won last month’s T20 World Cup, brought up her half-century from just 27 balls, and it was a surprise when she picked out Georgia Voll at deep mid-wicket from Em Arlott to depart for 57.
Fire were unable to exert any sustained pressure with the ball and stuttered with the bat. They were sluggish through the powerplay, Voll and Ella McCaughan managing just 15 between them, and when they departed, it placed heavy emphasis on Freya Kemp and Sophie Devine to inject some urgency into the innings. Both players pushed hard, but neither found top rhythm, with Kemp batting through for an unbeaten 36 from 29 balls.
Meerkat Match Hero Beth Mooney said: “We knew that one big partnership was probably going to win that game. When you’re chasing a total like that it’s pretty good to break the back of the chase as early as you can and thankfully Dunks and I could do that. I got a little bit lucky but I got a few away as well.”
