Allrounder’s Transformative Rise: How Women’s Cricket is Redefining the Game
It was a life-changing FaceTime call that marked a new era for Ashleigh Gardner. After a training session during the T20 World Cup in Gqeberha, the Australian all-rounder watched in disbelief as the bids for her in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction hit a staggering INR 3.2 crore (A$558,000) – the joint second-highest contract at the WPL.
“It was totally bizarre,” she tells ESPNcricinfo. “It was certainly something that I never thought would happen to me throughout my career.”
The pressure that came with the price tag, however, has been a challenge for Gardner. While her performances have been solid, with two half-centuries and a strike rate of 128.57 across 16 batting innings, plus 17 wickets with her offbreaks, her Gujarat Giants franchise have finished bottom in both WPL seasons so far.
“The ridiculous price tag that it came with certainly brought an expectation that I had to live up to,” Gardner admits. “It was like, OK, there’s this expectation – but it’s probably a perceived pressure thing that I’m putting on myself, which I have no control over.”
Gardner is now plying her trade in the Hundred, where her contract with Trent Rockets is worth £50,000 – around one-sixth of her WPL salary, but still a significant increase from previous years. The tournament aligns well with her T20 World Cup preparations, as Australia have not played a game in the four months since their tour of Bangladesh.
The Hundred’s ability to attract strong crowds – with the total attendance at the women’s competition reaching one million last weekend – is something Gardner envies, and she believes the Australian domestic WBBL could learn from.
“What we’ve seen over the last few seasons is how successful it’s been. I know in Australia we’re pretty jealous of the crowds that they get.”
As Gardner gears up for the T20 World Cup, she is determined to let her performances on the field do the talking.
“Hopefully, that leads to success on the field.” And with the women’s game continuing its rapid transformation, the future looks bright for this trailblazing allrounder.
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