The Australian Juggernaut Rolls On

There was an air of inevitability when Babette de Leede won the toss for the Netherlands and sent the Aussies in to bat first. What followed was the highest score in this tournament to date.

This was a historical match – the first time Australia and the Netherlands had me in a T20 International. However, these two teams go back all the way to 1937 when Australia first toured England. Before the Test series the Aussies travelled to the Netherlands and played two matches in Harlem. The teams have also met in the ODI World Cup from 1988 to 2000. Which such a history it is surprising that it has taken til 2026 for the teams to meet in a T20 International.

Cloudy conditions in front of a Rose Bowl crowd full of plenty of Orange and Yellow, support being good for both teams although the Netherlands’ supporters were in full voice. The Aussies got off to a brisk start before losing Georgia Voll (17) in the fifth over when the score had already reached 50. Ellyse Perry came and went before Ash Gardner (58) joined Beth Mooney (74) and the floodgates opened.

The Aussies scored at will against the Dutch bowlers and the only real glitch along the way to 219/6 was the early departure of Mooney who retired hurt due to back soreness and it meant she would be keeping wickets in the second half of the match. It meant that Georgia Voll would make her international wicket keeping debut.

Phebe Molkenboer went without scoring and Heather Siegers was out for 9, both to Kim Garth (2-20), but what followed was an entertaining and enterprising partnership between Babette de Leede (56*) and Sterre Kalis (44). The two stood tall against the Aussie machine and did their country proud. They enjoyed plenty of support from the orange jerseys in the crowd and respect from the yellow ones. The team fell 98 runs short but won plenty of admirers.

Beth Mooney was named Player of the Match and looks to be ok to play in Australia’s next match on the 23rd June against Pakistan.

Ladder wise in Pool A, Australia sits on 6 points and seems assured of a spot in the finals. It would take some serious bad voodoo for them to miss out. The netherlands on the other hand have now lost three straight matches and can no longer make the finals.

Scores

Australia 219/6 (Beth Mooney 74, Ash Gardner 58, Georgia Wareham 41, Iris Zwilling 3-52, Caroline de Lange 2-39) defeated
Netherlands 121/3 (Babette de Leede 56*, Sterre Kalis 44, Kim Garth 2-20) by 98 runs

POTM: Beth Mooney