Gardner showcases batting evolution with flamboyant ton as she sets about proving herself as more than a finisher.
This Australian team has a certain air of inevitability and invincibility, particularly in ODIs. Additionally, they are the favourites to win this World Cup. The majority of the time, they will be difficult to match. that they will use the bat to come out firing. And because of their batting lineup’s excellent depth, if they are in trouble, someone will step up to save the day.
In their debut World Cup match against New Zealand, Ashleigh Gardner’s counterattacking century was the last of those to shine the brightest.
The manner it was played was a stunning confirmation of Gardner’s and the team’s belief in the opening match of a major competition, even if it was fairly foreseeable that an Australian would fight back for her team.
There was also a feeling of déjà vu when Gardner scored an ODI century at number six to save Australia’s ship from a rocky 128 for 5 against one of their fiercest rivals. Similar circumstances had led to her first ODI century earlier this year against England in the Ashes, when Australia was 59 for 4 in the third ODI in Hobart. Similar to Indore, Australia chose to bat before stuttering early.
Gardner lets rip instantly
When Australia lost their fifth wicket in the 22nd over on a flat pitch against New Zealand on Wednesday, Gardner was still in the middle and didn’t appear to be in a position to score a significant amount. All five of those Australians ended up giving out catches in the 30-yard circle after losing three of their attempts to counterattack or fetch boundaries. The ability to recover from an early wobble before it’s time to take off again in the last overs is one of the one-day format’s greatest advantages.
Gardner, who had no interest in consolidating, demonstrated Australia’s strategy. With all-rounder Kim Garth at No. 9, she knew she had the security of depth in Australia’s lineup. She also knew that anything under 300 wouldn’t be enough on a level deck, so she never let up.
Initially taking little chance, Gardner hit a boundary off each of Lea Tahuhu and Amelia Kerr in the first eight balls she faced. After the game, she explained that her plan was to keep the scoreboard moving and that, despite the field’s dispersed layout, she only needed to use the speedy outfield to find the gaps and get to the short boundaries.
The inevitable late acceleration
However, what was a par score for the season’s opening game on a brand-new field where no women’s internationals had ever been played? Gardner believed they had to continue as both teams had practiced the day before and knew it would be a belter.
“I always knew that we probably needed around the 320,” Gardner said. “I think when people got in trouble, it was a little bit two-paced at times and they probably were just second-guessing themselves rather than just having that clarity and I guess the shot decisions that they wanted to make. For me, it was obviously being able to do that and just being really clear in my mind because when I’m clear and I’m not thinking too much, I think that’s when I play my best innings.”
The highlight of her innings was in the end, when she found the boundaries more frequently and raced from 50 to 100 in only 34 balls. She also achieved a stunning 77-ball century with the first of two consecutive fours off the now-weary New Zealand bowlers.
However, the Gardner of early 2022 and late 2025 differed in that she was mostly a finisher at the time, having just once faced more than 50 deliveries in an ODI. Over the past 18 months, she has been required to bat over lengthier periods of time and under more difficult circumstances, particularly in Hobart earlier this year when she scored 102 off 117 balls. Gardner has shown she is not just a finisher, but a more mature batter who can build an innings and then give it a finisher’s garnish.