Beth Mooney scored 72* off 57 balls as Australia beat South Africa by eight wickets in the first women’s T20I in Canberra on Saturday.

Player of the Match Mooney struck 11 fours and one six as the hosts chased down the Proteas Women’s 147-6, which featured Tazmin Brits’ 59* off 54 balls (six fours, two sixes).

South Africa were put into bat by Australia at the Manuka Oval and made a steady start before captain Laura Wolvaardt (16) found the fielder at point off the bowling of Darcie Brown.

Marizanne Kapp (one) then also fell to Brown (2-20) to leave the Proteas on 33-2 after six overs.

Brits and Suné Luus (19) took them to 73-2, before Georgia Wareham (1-33) made the breakthrough as she found the slightest brush off Luus’ gloves with Healy completing the catch behind the stumps.

All-rounder Anneke Bosch (14) and Brits hit boundaries with relative ease before the former was caught in the deep off Ellyse Perry (2-13).

Brits and Chloé Tryon (12) then added a further 27 runs. Brits reached her ninth T20I fifty, before Tryon mistimed one of Perry’s varied pace deliveries to fielder Ashleigh Gardner in the deep.

Despite disciplined death bowling from the Aussies, Brits and Nadine de Klerk (10) edged South Africa’s score closer to the 150-run mark before De Klerk was run out.

Needing 148 runs for victory, Australia’s opening pair of Alyssa Healy and Mooney raced to 49-0 at the end of the powerplay.

De Klerk (1-25) dismissed Healy for 46 off 28 balls (six fours, two sixes) with Luus taking a smart catch on the boundary.

Mooney teamed up with Tahlia McGrath (24) for a 65-run partnership for the second wicket and while South Africa picked up the late wicket of McGrath and took the match into the final over, the Aussies comfortably got over the line with five balls remaining

The second T20I takes place at the same venue on Sunday from 01:45 (SA time).