Australia surged within striking distance of retaining the Ashes after a masterful all-around performance from Ashleigh Gardner, highlighted by one of the most extraordinary boundary catches the game has ever seen. Australia bundled out England for 222 and sealed an emphatic 86-run victory leaving them just two points shy of Ashes retention. Scroll down to watch the video of Gardner’s stunning catch.

In the 41st over of England’s chase, Sophie Ecclestone saw a full delivery off Alana King and she fancied dispatching into the stands. Positioned at deep midwicket, Gardner leapt high to snatch the ball with one hand. As her momentum carried her beyond the rope, she kept her composure, tossing the ball back into play mid-air. What followed was pure magic – with her feet now over the boundary line, she re-entered the field, launched herself forward, and completed the catch inches from the turf. The entire sequence, breathtaking in its execution, unfolded in less than a second and had commentators and spectators alike in disbelief.
This wasn’t the first time Gardner had stolen the spotlight in the match. Earlier in the day, Australia found themselves teetering at 59 for 4, their innings in disarray. But Gardner, in partnership with Beth Mooney (50 off 64) and Tahlia McGrath (55 off 45), turned the tide. Gardner’s record 102 off 102 balls was a gritty masterpiece, holding the innings together before unleashing in the latter stages. Georgia Wareham, recalled to the side, added the finishing flourish with a whirlwind 38 off just 12 balls, propelling Australia to an imposing 308 for 8.
England’s chase had its moments of promise, anchored by half-centuries from Tammy Beaumont (54 off 77) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (61 off 68). But Wareham’s dream return continued as she dismissed both set batters to derail the pursuit. Brief resistance came from Danni Wyatt-Hodge (35 off 32) and Amy Jones (30 off 26), but it was Phoebe Litchfield’s stunning diving catch at cover to dismiss Wyatt-Hodge that snuffed out England’s hopes.
From there, England unraveled spectacularly, losing their last six wickets for just 22 runs. Alana King ran riot with the ball, claiming a career-best 5 for 46, making it nine wickets in two matches. Yet, even King’s heroics were overshadowed by Gardner’s boundary brilliance – a moment destined to be replayed in highlight reels for years to come.
Here are a few fan reactions to Ash Gardner’s breathtaking boundary catch:

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