As one of the most dynamic players on Australia’s national team, Ashleigh Gardner has taken women’s cricket by storm. With her explosive batting and formidable skills on the field, she has quickly become a rising star in the sport. But what sets her apart from other players? In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at why Ashleigh Gardner is primed to be the future of women’s cricket – and how she’s blazing a trail for female athletes around the world. So, buckle up – it’s time to see why this talented Aussie cricketer is causing such a stir!
Introduction to Ashleigh Gardner
Ashleigh Gardner is an Australian cricketer who plays for the New South Wales Breakers in the Women’s National Cricket League and the Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League. She made her international debut for Australia in November 2016, against Pakistan.
Born and raised in Sydney, Gardner began playing cricket at the age of six. She played junior cricket for St George District Cricket Club before making her senior debut for the club at the age of 15. In 2015-16, she was awarded a rookie contract with NSW and made her WNCL debut for the Breakers. The following season, she made her WBBL debut for the Sixers.
Gardner marked her international debut with a half-century against Pakistan in Dubai in November 2016. She has since represented Australia in both Test and One Day International matches. In October 2018, she was named in Australia’s squad for the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name |
Ashleigh Katherine Gardner
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Born | 15 April 1997 Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia |
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Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm off spin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | All-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side |
Australia (2017–present) |
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Test debut (cap 174) | 18 July 2019 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 27 January 2022 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 134) | 2 March 2017 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 21 January 2023 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI shirt no. | 63 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
T20I debut (cap 44) | 17 February 2017 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last T20I | 26 February 2023 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
T20I shirt no. | 63 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015–2017, 2018–present | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015–present | Sydney Sixers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015–16 | Northern Districts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017–18 | South Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023–present | Gujarat Giants | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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How She Broke into the International Cricket Scene
Ashleigh Gardner made her international cricket debut in February 2018, when she was just 20 years old. She had already made a name for herself in the domestic game, having been named the Women’s National Cricket League Player of the Year in 2017.
Gardner’s potential was first recognized when she was just 15 years old, and she was selected for the Australian Under-19 team. From there, she progressed quickly through the ranks, making her senior debut for New South Wales in 2016.
In her first season of international cricket, Gardner made an immediate impact. She scored a half-century on debut against England and followed that up with a match-winning performance against India in the ODI series.
Gardner is a powerful all-rounder who can both score runs and take wickets. She is also a brilliant fielder, often saving runs with her athleticism.
With her mix of talent and youthful exuberance, Ashleigh Gardner is fast becoming one of the most exciting players in women’s cricket. She has all the skills to be a successful international player for many years to come.
Her Performance on the Field
Ashleigh Gardner is an outstanding cricketer who, at just 21 years of age, is already making a huge impact on the game. She made her international debut for Australia in early 2018 and has quickly established herself as one of the most exciting players in the world.
Gardner is a gifted all-rounder who bats in the middle-order and bowls right-arm off Spin. She is a destructive batsman, capable of hitting the ball long and hard, while her leg spin bowling is also proving to be very effective at the highest level.
In just over a year since making her debut, Gardner has already played 14 Tests, 31 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 19 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for Australia. She has scored 975 runs in Test cricket at an average of 37.50, including two centuries, and has taken 44 wickets with her leg spin bowling.
In ODIs, she has scored 743 runs at an average of 34.14 and taken 28 wickets, while in T20Is she has scored 442 runs at an impressive strike-rate of 145.44 and taken 17 wickets. Her performances have helped Australia to win both the 2017/18 Ashes series against England and the 2018 World Cup on home soil.
There is no doubt that Ashleigh Gardner is one of the brightest talents in world cricket and she looks set to enjoy a long and successful career at the highest level.
Achievements and Awards
Ashleigh Gardner has already accomplished a lot in her young career. In 2019, she was named the ICC Women’s T20I Player of the Year, becoming the first Australian woman to win the award. She was also named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year – an incredible achievement for someone who is still in the early stages of her career.
Gardner has also been awarded the Belinda Clark Award, which is given to Australia’s best female cricketer, and she was recently inducted into Cricket Australia’s Hall of Fame. There is no doubt that she is a very talented cricketer and has a bright future ahead of her.
Exploring Her Fight for Gender Equality in Cricket
When Ashleigh Gardner made her international debut for Australia in 2016, she became the first Indigenous Australian woman to play cricket for her country. Since then, she has been an outspoken advocate for gender equality in the sport.
In 2019, Gardner was one of several women’s cricketers to sign a historic pay deal which saw them earn the same pay as their male counterparts for the first time. This was a significant step forward for gender equality in cricket, and Gardner played a key role in negotiation the deal.
Gardner has also spoken out about the need for more dedicated resources for women’s cricket and has campaigned for better facilities and support staff for the women’s game. She is a strong voice within the sport advocating for change and is widely regarded as a role model for young female cricketers.
As someone who has experienced firsthand the challenges faced by women in cricket, Ashleigh Gardner is perfectly placed to lead the charge for change. She is an impressive young player with a powerful message, and there is no doubt that she is the future of women’s cricket.
Effect of the Coronavirus on Her Career
It’s no secret that the Coronavirus has had a devastating effect on many industries and businesses around the globe. The sporting world has been hit particularly hard, with events being cancelled or postponed left, right and center. For athletes like Ashleigh Gardner, this has meant having to readjust her goals and targets for the year ahead.
The biggest changes for Gardner have been in regard to her international career. Due to the postponement of the 2020 Women’s World Twenty20 tournament, she has had to put her plans for representing Australia on hold. This will no doubt be a huge disappointment for Gardner, who was set to make her mark on the global stage.
While she may not be able to achieve everything she wanted to this year, Gardner is still remaining positive and is focused on using this time to improve her game. She is confident that she will come out of this period stronger than ever and be ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead.
The Future of Women’s Cricket and Ashleigh Gardner
In the past decade, women’s cricket has experienced a huge growth in popularity and Ashleigh Gardner is leading the charge. As one of the most promising young players in the game, Gardner is quickly making a name for herself as a force to be reckoned with.
With an impressive array of skills and an aggressive playing style, Gardner is quickly becoming one of the most exciting players in women’s cricket. She made her debut for Australia in 2017 and has already played a key role in several successes for her country.
Gardner is part of a new generation of players who are helping to take women’s cricket to new heights. She is an important part of the future of the sport and is sure to have a huge impact on the game over the coming years.
Conclusion
Ashleigh Gardner is undeniably one of the most promising and talented players in women’s cricket. With her powerful bowling, brilliant batting skills and unwavering passion for the game, she has become an inspiration to countless budding cricketers as well as a role model for young girls everywhere. We can only hope that with time more young women will be inspired by Ashleigh’s story and use it to forge their own path in one of Australia’s greatest sports.