Amy Jones: Ash Gardner Makes History with Maiden ODI Century in Women’s Ashes

Amy Jones: Hobart, Australia – January 17, 2025 – Australian all-rounder Ash Gardner etched her name into cricket history with a stunning century in the third ODI of the Women’s Ashes against England at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. Gardner’s heroic innings not only rescued Australia from a batting collapse but also secured her place as only the second woman ever to achieve this feat batting at No. 6 or lower in WODIs.

Coming in at a precarious 59/4, with England’s bowlers dominating, Gardner displayed remarkable composure and skill. She forged crucial partnerships, first a 95-run stand with Beth Mooney and then a further 103 runs with Tahlia McGrath, steering Australia to a competitive total.

Gardner reached her maiden international century off just 101 balls, marking a significant milestone in her career. This century is especially noteworthy due to the batting position. Traditionally batting lower down the order, Gardner’s opportunities for big scores in ODIs have been limited.

A Rare Feat in Women’s ODI Cricket

Gardner joins an exclusive club, becoming only the second player in the history of Women’s One Day Internationals to score a century batting at No. 6 or lower. She follows in the footsteps of West Indies’ Shemaine Campbelle, who scored 105 batting at No. 7 against Sri Lanka in 2013.

Highest Scores in WODIs Batting at No. 6 or Lower:

• Shemaine Campbelle: 105 vs SL Women (2013)
• Ash Gardner: 102 vs ENG Women (2025)
• Amy Jones: 92* vs NZ Women (2024)
• Chloe Tryon: 92 vs IRE Women (2016)
• Fatima Sana: 90* vs NZ Women (2023)

Gardner Joins Elite Company with Century-Wicket Double

Adding to her remarkable achievement, Gardner also secured a prestigious double in ODIs. She joins Australian legends Ellyse Perry and Lisa Sthalekar as only the third Australian woman to score a century and take 100 or more wickets in ODIs. Gardner currently boasts 102 ODI wickets.

• Ellyse Perry: 3 Centuries, 166 Wickets
• Lisa Sthalekar: 2 Centuries, 146 Wickets
• Ash Gardner: 1 Century, 102 Wickets

Key Takeaways:

• Ash Gardner scores her maiden ODI century in the Women’s Ashes.
• She becomes only the second woman to score a WODI century batting at No. 6 or lower.
• Gardner joins an elite group of Australian all-rounders with a century and 100+ wickets in ODIs.

Amy Jones

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E-paper:  Divya Sandesh