One of these medallists was axed. The other just rocked England with a redefining masterclass

With the Allan Border Medal presentation looming, the fate of last year’s winners could hardly be more different. Watch every ball of The 2025 Women’s Ashes Series LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer > Reigning AB Medallist Mitchell Marsh looks finished as a Test cricketer.

He was unceremoniously dropped after four Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, averaging 10 from seven innings, against a sub-par career average of 28.53 from 46 Tests. With Beau Webster, Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly now in the mix, not to mention the likes of Aaron Hardie, it is hard to see the 33-year-old bouncing back.



Yet current Belinda Clark Award recipient Ash Gardner is at the peak of her formidable game, even changing perceptions about the limits of her abilities in this Ashes series. Her last outing for Australia (third ODI) reaped a maiden international century (102) and a phenomenal boundary rope catch, before an injury layoff for the T20 matches. Gardner hammered star England spinner Sophie Ecclestone – the world’s No.

1 ranked bowler for both white-ball formats – during her knock. READ MORE Aussie’s skipper’s return; England’s dire salvage bid: Women’s Ashes Test Ultimate Guide Cover stories, dodging ISIS..

. and escape that had ‘no chance’: True story behind Aussie cricket history ‘Jaffas and filth’: How flawed leg-spinner who batted No.8 became 10,000-run icon The innings made waves in England, where Australia’s dominance has caused increasing alarm; as has the ability of Gardner, 27, to take away a game.

The century redefined English views on the Aussie star’s batting abilities, showing they run far deeper that slugging. “I don’t actually think England bowled terribly. I think what she did so well is when she came to the crease and Australia were in quite a lot of trouble, she looked like she made a concerted effort to really put the pressure on the spinners,” England player Natasha Farrant, not touring in Australia, said on TNT Sports.

“We thought this pitch was going to be conducive to spin but she actually made the wicket look like a sort of batting paradise. I think that’s because she was brave, she was positive, she moved her feet really well, she played beautifully down the ground, really strong shots using her power. “I also think how she went about the innings, she’s probably seen more as a T20 batter, a bit of an impact batter as well, but the way that she sort of ebbed and flowed .

.. she came out really quickly and then she was able to soak up a bit of pressure and then she sort of went again when she headed towards that three figures.

A brilliant innings from Ash Gardner.” The breakthrough innings wasn’t just a cricketing triumph but one for Indigenous representation; the proud Muruwari woman became the first Aboriginal female to score an international ton. “I feel like I’m a role model for my people, and to be able to play for my country is something that I can always be really proud of and following the footsteps of those that came before me,” she said afterwards.

“To be the first ever Aboriginal woman to score a hundred is something that I can hang my hat on and be really proud of. “But whenever I step out onto the field, I’m playing for more than just myself. “I’m playing for my people, my family, my community .

.. to be able to represent them well on the biggest stage is something that I take with immense pride.

“Having my tribe name tattooed on my forearm ...

whenever I look down at (it) when I’m tapping my bat, it’s just that one of those moments that you can look back on. “Having the Aboriginal flag tattooed on my front arm as well, is just one of those reminders that there’s more to cricket than cricket, and you’re not only representing yourself, but so many other people. “It’s amazing to finally get over that line and score a hundred.

” Gardner’s ODI career now reads: 77 matches; 1270 runs at 28.86; 101 wickets at 21.18, BB 5/30.

Her T20I record: 95 matches; 1596 runs at 24.75, HS 93; 78 wickets at 20.46, BB 5/12.

Since the start of last year, she has surpassed her career figures for ODI cricket, though her T20I batting numbers are down. Her ODI numbers are: 15 matches, 415 runs at 37.72, HS 102; 24 wickets at 16.

45, BB 5/30. And T20I: 16 matches; 146 runs at 14.60, HS 33; 19 wickets at 20.

31, BB 4/21. Heading into the Ashes Test against England, with the series already won and a whitewash on offer in the MCG day/nighter, Gardner’s contribution might be anything. She enters as a proven performer in the lightly-used women’s format, yet with batting upside against an England team on the ropes.

Gardner’s Test record reads: six matches; 281 runs at 31.22, HS 65 (three half-centuries); 23 wickets at 21.00, BB 8/66 (BBM 12/165).

Her Test strike-rate is 59.03, against 107.17 in ODIs and 127.

69 in T20Is; it may well spike if she gets her eye in at the ’G. The gun all-rounder would like to see more Test cricket for women – including a proper series within the Ashes. “That’s a bit of a hot topic at the moment.

Everyone’s going to have their own individual point of view on that,” Gardner said earlier this month. “It would be quite tough just with how busy our summers are. But personally, I would love to see three, three, three (ODI, T20I, Test).

“It’s obviously going to make the tours a lot longer. I’m not sure where you’re going to fit it in, knowing that we obviously have to play overseas competitions as well. It would be interesting to see over the next four to five years where that gets to.

“I would love to play more Test cricket against England. Playing the one Test feels like a bit of a novelty sometimes. “The way that our two teams match up, it would be a really cool Test series to see who would come out on top for that.

But I don’t think that’s probably going to change anytime soon.”.