Having scored her maiden Test half-century, Ashleigh Gardner is in form and ready to switch to an attacking T20 mode for Australia.
Ashleigh Gardner has warned India she’s set to revert to her hard-hitting ways in attempting to capitalise on a rare chance to feature in the top four of Australia’s T20 batting order.
With Rachel Haynes unavailable for the three T20 internationals between Australia and India that conclude the seven-match, multi-format series between the teams, all-rounder Gardner is poised to elevated up the order.
And she can’t wait.
“I’m pretty clear on what my role is in T20 cricket and it does go back to that attacking brand that I like to play, and it’s a strength of mine,” Gardner said ahead of Thursday’s T20 battle at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast.
“(I won’t be) shying away from what my strengths are.
“When I first started playing for Australia and even in state cricket, I was known as the hitter, and the person who came out and took the game on.”
However, it was a more circumspect Gardner during the drawn Test match between the teams on the Gold Coast.
Batting at No.6, she made 51 off 86 balls, and featured in an 89-run partnership with Ellyse Perry (68 not out) in Australia declared first-innings total of 241.
“It was nice to spend some time out in the middle with ‘Pez’, and play a different role to what people have normally seen when I go out into the middle,” 24-year-old Gardner said.
“I guess that’s the beauty of Test cricket – I had so much more time than what I normally do.”
But she was angry to have progressed further after achieving her maiden Test half-century.
“I was pretty annoyed with when I got out and how I got out knowing that the second new ball was only two overs away,” Gardner said.
“I had a bit of a brain fade and just didn’t execute what I set out to do, (but) all in all, it was nice to spend some time out in the middle and score some runs.”
Gardner’s growing maturity and adaptability has ready to fill whatever role is required for the Australian team.
“That top order has been pretty flexible over the past 12-18 months, and we really like to utilise the left- and right-hand combos,” Gardner said.
“Wherever the team needs me, I’ll just slot in.”
Heading into Thursday’s clash, the Australians lead India six points to four in the series after establishing an early advantage by winning two of the three one-day internationals in Mackay.
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