Mooney breaks records with classic Ashes ton

Beth Mooney has etched her name into the record books, becoming the first Australian woman to hit a century in all three international formats.

Mooney resumed on 98 on day three of the day-night Ashes Test at the MCG and was on strike to begin the first over of the day from England spinner Sophie Ecclestone.

She faced five dot balls – including a nervy attempt at a single before she was sent back by partner Tahlia McGrath – before the 31-year-old drove through the off-side and ran the two runs required to bring up her maiden Test hundred from 155 deliveries, pumping her fist in delight then removing her helmet and saluting the almost 6,000 people who had ensured they were inside the MCG for the first ball of the day.

Shortly after, she passed 405 runs for this multi-format series, breaking Natalie Sciver-Brunt’s Ashes record of 404 from the 2023 edition in the United Kingdom.

Mooney’s hundred sees her join an elite group of people who have a century in each format at international level.

Only three women have achieved the feat before her: England's Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont, and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt.

She is also the fourth Australian to achieve the milestone, following Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner.

Mooney also joins Annabel Sutherland as the only women on the MCG Test century honour board, after her 23-year-old teammate hit 163 on Friday.

The left-hander may have had a restless night thinking about her impending milestone, but stuck to her pre-game routines on Saturday afternoon, walking to the MCG from Australia's city-based hotel and, as is her custom, declining to hit any balls during the warm-up.

Mooney's first Test century is her sixth for Australia, adding to her three ODI and two T20I tons.

She hit her first ODI hundred against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017, and her maiden T20I century later the same year at Manuka Oval during the Ashes.

Her second T20I hundred came in 2019 against Sri Lanka, while her second and third one-day hundreds were struck against India in Mackay in 2023, and Pakistan at North Sydney Oval in 2023.

With the first run she scored in her MCG hundred, Mooney also went into outright fourth for international runs by Australian women, passing Karen Rolton (6,221) to sit behind only her contemporaries Meg Lanning (8,352), Ellyse Perry (7,224) and Alyssa Healy (6,741).

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 12-0

First ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs

Second T20I: Australia won by six runs (DLS Method)

Third T20I: Australia won by 72 runs

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia until Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub