Ash Gardner, who has taken over the captaincy for her franchises in the WPL and The Hundred, respectively, took to the same in the WBBL like fish to water for the Sydney Sixers, making a massive impact with the ball straightaway in her side's opening game against the Perth Scorchers at the WACA Ground in Perth on Sunday, November 9. Making her captaincy debut for Sixers, Gardner ended up registering the best figures for the club in the WBBL, taking 5/15, which were also the best bowling figures for a captain in tournament's history.
Gardner's 5/15 helped the Sixers bowl out a solid Scorchers line-up for a paltry score of 109. Gardner surpassed the figures of her predecessor, Ellyse Perry, who was the first and only captain to register a five-wicket haul in the WBBL, back in 2023, at the very same venue, against the Melbourne Renegades.
Best bowling figures by a captain in WBBL
5/15 - Ash Gardner (Sixers) vs Scorchers - WACA, Perth, 2025
5/22 - Ellyse Perry (Sixers) vs Renegades - WACA, Perth, 2023
4/13 - Tahlia McGrath (Strikers) vs Hurricanes - Adelaide, 2024
4/17 - Sophie Molineux (Renegades) vs Scorchers - Melbourne, 2024
4/20 - Megan Schutt (Strikers) vs Scorchers - Lilac Hill, Perth, 2022
Apart from Mikayla Hinkley, no other Scorchers batter offered much resistance as the side in Orange was folded three balls before their stipulated 20 overs. The Sixers then made a mockery of the chase, knocking off the target in just 12.5 overs, with the opening pair of Sophia Dunkley and former skipper Perry stitching an unbeaten opening stand of 112. Dunkley on Sixers debut stayed unbeaten on 61, while Perry also hit nine boundaries in her knock of 47*.
Sixers have had a poor last few seasons, having reached the finals just once in the last six years. With the change in leadership, a new captain and a new coach in Matthew Mott, the two-time champions would be keen to turn their fortunes around as they say, well begun is half the job done.
