The 27-year-old all-rounder from New South Wales, Ashleigh Gardner made her international debut on 17th February 2017 in a T20I against New Zealand in the first game of the series at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). She made her ODI debut on 2nd March 2017 in the 2nd ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, scoring 12 (11 balls) with the bat and returning with notable bowling figures of 10-0-49-0.

Gardner scored her maiden half-century (62* off 37 balls) on 22nd October 2018 in the 3rd ODI against Pakistan, at Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur. She was also awarded the Player of the Match for her brilliant all-round performance, scoring an unbeaten half-century and returning with impressive bowling figures of 10-1-44-3.
The Australian women’s team, led by skipper Alyssa Healy, is currently hosting England, led by skipper Heather Knight, in the ongoing 8th edition of the multi-format Women’s Ashes from 12th January 2025. The 27-year-old veteran all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner completed a couple of milestones on the bowling front, she picked up her 100th wicket in the ODI format, when she dismissed Lauren Bell in the 1st ODI of the series at the North Sydney Oval, Sydney on 12th January 2025.
She also picked up her 200th International wicket when she dismissed Nat Sciver-Brunt (19 off 28 balls) on the first ball of the 22nd over of the innings. Australia bagged the ODI series with a convincing 21-run victory in the 2nd ODI of the series. Ashleigh Gardner eventually notched up her maiden century in the format off just 100 balls on the 2nd ball of the 46th over of the innings, after the Australian skipper Alyssa Healy won the toss and opted to bat first in the 3rd ODI at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart, on 17th January 2025.
Her stay at the crease (102 off 102 balls) was eventually ended on the last ball of the 46th over bowled by Lauren Bell. Ashleigh Gardner also became the first batter to score a century batting at number 6 in Women’s ODIs and is the first Aboriginal woman to hit an international century. Her tally of runs included 8 boundaries and a maximum in her knock. Australia eventually ended up with a massive total of 308/8 in their quota of overs in the 3rd ODI at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Gardner walked to the middle when Australia were struggling at 4-59 in the 15th over. She played a pivotal role in Australia’s figthback, forming vital partnerships along the way, including an important 103-run stand with Tahlia McGrath.
Commenting on her maiden international century, coming after 177 internationals, she said, “It’s amazing to finally get over that line and score a hundred. But to be honest, I felt good in patches, but then other times I was caught in over hitting and when you over hit, you don’t time the ball as well… I was really trying to be proactive against them today and it came off for me in the end.”

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