Beth Mooney has scripted history, becoming the first Australian woman to notch a century in all three international formats. The left-handed batter showcased her class during the ongoing day-night Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), reaching the milestone in emphatic fashion.
Mooney resumed her innings on 98 on the third day of the Test and took strike in the opening over against England spinner Sophie Ecclestone. After carefully negotiating the first five deliveries, Mooney finally seized the moment.
Driving through the offside, she sprinted for the two runs needed to bring up her maiden Test hundred off 155 balls. The 31-year-old punched the air in celebration before removing her helmet to acknowledge the 6,000-strong crowd that had gathered early to witness the special moment. She scored 106 off 173 balls before being bowled by Lauren Filer.
The century not only marked a personal milestone but also saw Mooney surpass 405 runs in this multi-format Ashes series, breaking the previous record of 404 runs set by England’s Natalie Sciver-Brunt in the 2023 Ashes in England.
Her name now joins an exclusive list of cricketers with a hundred in all three international formats—a feat only achieved by three women before her: England’s Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt. Among Australians, she becomes just the fourth player across men’s and women’s cricket to achieve the rare distinction, following in the footsteps of Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, and David Warner.
Mooney’s name is now immortalized on the MCG Test century honor board, alongside her teammate Annabel Sutherland, who had smashed a brilliant 163 earlier in the match. The achievement is the latest addition to Mooney’s impressive international record, which already boasts three ODI centuries and two T20I hundreds.
She made her mark in ODIs with a maiden century against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017, followed by her first T20I ton later that year at Manuka Oval during the Ashes. Her second T20I century came in 2019 against Sri Lanka, while her subsequent ODI centuries were recorded against India in Mackay in 2023 and Pakistan at North Sydney Oval in the same year.
Her latest accomplishment also saw her climb the ranks in Australia’s all-time run-scorers list. With the first run of her MCG hundred, Mooney surpassed Karen Rolton (6,221) to become the fourth-highest run-getter for Australia in international cricket, now trailing only Meg Lanning (8,352), Ellyse Perry (7,224), and Alyssa Healy (6,741).
In the ongoing Ashes Test, England’s first innings ended at a modest 170, with Nat Sciver-Brunt leading the charge with 51 runs. Alana King starred with the ball for Australia, claiming four wickets. In response, Australia piled on 440 runs, courtesy of magnificent centuries from Annabel Sutherland (163) and Beth Mooney (106). England’s Sophie Ecclestone toiled hard, finishing with figures of 5/143. With a significant first innings lead of 270 runs; Australia has firmly taken control of the contest.
For Mooney, the journey to this historic moment remained as unique as her game-day rituals. She maintained her usual routine by walking from the team’s hotel to the MCG and, as always, chose not to hit any balls during the warm-up. Despite the possibility of a restless night with just two runs away from the milestone, Mooney’s composure at the crease reflected the class of a player who thrives on the big stage.
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