Beth Mooney to play for Welsh Fire in The Hundred

Australia opener Beth Mooney, the player of the tournament in the recently-concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, will play for Welsh Fire in the inaugural edition of The Hundred, the league which is scheduled to be played in England. She will join her national team captain Meg Lanning there.

The England and Wales Cricket Board recently announced the name of the other players as well. Along with Mooney, Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner and Nicola Carey and South Africa all-rounders Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon, are the other international players have been named for the event.

Beth Mooney was a key player in Australia’s record fifth T20 title win who scored an unbeaten 78 the final against India in Melbourne on Sunday and took her side to a huge total of 184 on the board which India eventually failed to chase and bowled out for mere 99.

“I’m really excited to take part in the first season of The Hundred,” said Mooney, who placed at the women’s T20 international batting rankings.

“It looks likes it is developing into a high-quality, world-class competition.”

On the other hand, Ashleigh Gardner has become Birmingham Phoenix’s second overseas player after New Zealand captain and one of the most destructive players Sophie Devine. Pace bowler Carey, another member of the Australia squad, will join her teammate Alyssa Healy at Northern Superchargers in the event.

Meanwhile, Marizanne Kapp will join her wife and South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk at Oval Invincibles for The Hundred while another hard-hitter of the South Africa squad, Chloe Tryon will play for London Spirit. She was a part of the squad that reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals this year but lost to Australia by a whisker.

The head of the Hundred women’s competition, Beth Barrett-Wild shared: “It’s fantastic to see five more international stars signing up to play in The Hundred this summer. We’ve now confirmed the names of 18 overseas players who will compete in the women’s competition.”

The Hundred consists of eight city-based franchise sides which will replace England’s traditional county system. As per the rules, teams will bat for 100 balls each where every over will be played for 10 balls and bowlers can bowl five or 10 balls on a row. All eight franchises will have both men’s and women’s teams where both the two competitions will be played side by side.