Mooney, Gardner power Australia to dominant win over Netherlands

After winning the tournament for the third time in a row, Australia moved to the top of Group A. Half-centuries from Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner, followed by a blistering cameo from Georgia Wareham, powered them to 219/6 before they completed a commanding 98-run victory over the Netherlands.

When asked to bat, Australia got off to a brisk start. In the first over, 11 runs, both of the openers hit the boundary off Iris Zwilling. In the second over, Heather Siegers kept things tight, but Australia quickly switched gears and hit six boundaries in the next two overs. The Netherlands held their nerve and made a breakthrough when Georgia Voll fell in the fifth over, despite the run rate exceeding 10 an over. Siegers then picked up the wicket of Ellyse Perry in the sixth.

The momentum, however, remained firmly with Australia. Gardner announced herself with successive boundaries before launching the first six of the innings at the start of the ninth over. Mooney, on the other end, scored her fifty in the 10th with consecutive fours. The Dutch missed two opportunities to remove Gardner - a straightforward chance went down at point in the ninth over before skipper Babette de Leede lost sight of a top-edge in the 11th.

Australia scored 21 runs from Gardner's 50th over, which included the 14th over. The Netherlands did receive some respite when Mooney retired hurt with a back spasm at the end of the over and Gardner holed out immediately afterwards. But Australia's scoring rate barely dipped. Wareham smashed 41 off just 18 deliveries and, despite losing wickets, Australia continued to score freely. The 200 came up in the 19th over as they eventually posted a mammoth 219/6.

The Netherlands never found the start required to challenge such a daunting target. Phebe Molkenboer fell for a duck in the second over, edging behind to Georgia Voll, who took over wicketkeeping duties in Mooney's absence. Siegers struggled for fluency before falling in the fourth over, having earlier survived a review on umpire's call. The Netherlands managed only two boundaries in the Powerplay and crawled to 28/2.

Although they scored more freely thereafter, the asking rate had already climbed beyond 13 an over. De Leede and Sterre Kalis put together a 96-run partnership, but it came off 91 deliveries and never seriously threatened Australia's position. Apart from a difficult chance that went down in the 11th over, Australia did not create any opportunities until Kalis was bowled in the final over. As the Netherlands reached 121/3, De Leede remained unbeaten with 56 runs off 57 balls, handing Australia a comprehensive 98-run victory.

The defeat leaves the Netherlands in a difficult position, having lost all three of their matches in the tournament.