Ashleigh Gardner puts cricket world into a spin over Ashes carnage
The Aussie spinner is proving why she is one of the best in the business.
Aussie spin sensation Ashleigh Gardner has turned the first Ashes test on its head after taking three wickets before stumps on a day that saw 15 wickets fall. Both Australia and England had produced mammoth first innings total, which had the test heading for a draw at the beginning of day 4.
However, there was carnage on day 4 as Sophie Ecclestone ripped through the Aussie batting line-up with her second five-wicket spell of the test match. She finished the match with superb figures of 10-192 and helped reduced England's target to 268.
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England then suffered a horror collapse of their own towards the end of play on day 4, which saw them lose 4-73 runs. Gardner took 3-33 having snared Tammy Beaumont before she could replicate her double-century from the first innings.
Nat Scriver-Brunt and Heather Knight were dismissed before stumps to leave England 5-116 and needing a further 152 runs for victory. After the match, captain Beth Mooney hailed Gardner as the 'game-changer' for Australia in a rollercoaster first test, which saw her draw comparisons to No.1 bowler in the world Ecclestone.
"I think Ash isn't too far behind her," Mooney said of Gardner. "She has been outstanding for us in the past couple of years.
"There was a time two or three years ago where Meg tended to not throw the ball to Ash in T20 cricket. To her credit she changed what she did and changed her variations and things like that."
Fans were quick to praise the spinner for her contribution in a showdown with Ecclestone.
Go girl. 💕
— Alister Jones 🇦🇺🐛🕷🇪🇺🇺🇦💉 (@alister_jones) June 25, 2023
Ashleigh Gardner has now taken almost double the number of wickets in the Nottingham Test than in her Test career previously
Before Nottingham: 4/171 in 5 innings
In Nottingham: 7/132 in 2 innings#Ashes #WomensAshes— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) June 25, 2023
Ashleigh Gardner has taken 7 wickets in the match so far. The last @AusWomenCricket spin bowler to take 7+ wickets in a Test match was South Australian Isabelle Tsakiris, who took 7-45 v England at North Sydney Oval in 1992 in her only Test#WAshes #engwvausw
— Richard V Isaacs (@RVICricketStats) June 25, 2023
Some effort from Ashleigh Gardner to dismiss England's three best batters - Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt & Heather Knight - in not just one, but both innings
Australia's biggest match winner across formats?#Ashes #WomensAshes— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) June 25, 2023
Ashleigh Gardner is so valuable in any format
— Gurjot Singh (@GurjotS85765670) June 25, 2023
Enjoying watching this #WomensAshes especially this Ashleigh Gardner 🤤
— Damon. (@AlwaysMcTominay) June 25, 2023
England women were on BazBall mode chasing 268 and then Ashleigh Gardner decided to spoil the fun...
From 59-0 to it becomes 66-3#Ashes #ENGvAUS— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) June 25, 2023
England facing record run chase in Ashes
With spin proving valuable on the final days of the Trent Bridge wicket, Australia are hopeful they will have leg-spinner Alana King at their disposal for the final day as she fights to recover from a blow to her elbow. King was hit on the elbow by England speedster Lauren Filer shortly before tea on day four, during a crucial 59-run eighth-wicket partnership with Alyssa Healy.
The 27-year-old batted on, but did not return to the field once England began batting and finished the day 5-116 in pursuit of 268. "She took a bit of a blow there for the team," teammate Beth Mooney said.
"We're just sitting her on the side icing her up. I am sure she will be back on tomorrow ready to bowl and get back into the contest."
England will need to secure a record run-chase for test matches if they are to win against Australia, which will also see a record for a fourth innings total.
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