Ashleigh Gardner is one of Australia's most explosive hitters, yet she seems to be more suited to the longer formats of cricket. This may seem like a contradiction, but it could be one of the key factors in Australia retaining the Ashes. Gardner, the Belinda Clark Award winner as Australia's best player in 2023, has admitted that 2024 hasn't been her best year with the bat.
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02-07, 2025She only passed 20 twice in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) this summer, and prior to that, she had scores of 12, 6, 7 not out, and 6 at the T20 World Cup. However, in the past month, Gardner's batting form has improved, with half-centuries against both India and New Zealand. In the first Ashes match on Sunday, the 27-year-old again played a crucial role, helping her team steady their chase of 206 with an unbeaten 42 at North Sydney Oval.
Gardner stated, "T20 cricket is great fun, it's very fickle, you get out to a bad ball, and you have to score quickly. I find in the ODI format in this team, I have a little bit more time in the middle. That's something I try to remember when I'm out there – that I do have more time than I sometimes think. I also know that when I need to, I can catch up."
Sunday's victory gave Australia a 2-0 lead in the multi-format series, with two points up for grabs in each of the three ODIs and T20s, and four points available in the Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As the reigning Ashes holders, the three ODIs at the start of this series were crucial for Australia, as the 50-over format is their strength. Tuesday's win at Junction Oval means Australia need only win two more matches, or ensure victory in the Test match, to retain the trophy.
Gardner is Australia's tempo-setter in the middle overs. She hit the shot of the day at North Sydney, smashing spinner Sophie Ecclestone straight over her head for six, while also striking another five boundaries. Equally important was that Gardner scored off nearly half of the 44 balls she faced. She said, "Being able to score frequently is something I try to focus on. It was tricky out there, I never really felt like I got in. Once you get bogged down, it seems harder to get out of it. If there's a ball I can hit to the boundary, I'm going to be really positive to try to do that. My strength is that I'm good at that. I find when I do that, the innings flows. If I'm a sitting duck, I'm always chasing the game."
Gardner's runs also came after she took 3-19 from 6.1 overs, applying pressure with her off-spin and dismissing veterans Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
