Australia needs five final-day wickets to win opening women’s Ashes Test

Ash Gardner made more than $550,000 at the women’s IPL but Australia needs her to shine with a red ball at Trent Bridge.

The changes all-round star Ash Gardner made to her bowling has not only ensured she’s a mainstay of the Australian team but also the final day key for Ashes victory at Trent Bridge.

A stunning spell of 3-33 in her nine second innings overs of spin has put Australia within five wickets of a series-opening victory on what looms as a tense final day, with England needing 152 runs to record a historic win.

Reeling in the target of 268 would be the biggest run chase in women’s Test history, set after hometown tweaker Sophie Ecclestone picked up 5-63 to roll Australia for 257 in the second innings, collapsing from 1-149, after a steely half century from skipper Alyssa Healy.

Then after England got to 55 without losing a wickets in the run chase, Gardner removed double century-maker Tammy Beaumont with her first ball as the home team lost 4-11 to turn the match on its head.

Ashleigh Gardner appeals with success for the wicket of Heather Knight. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

With Australian leg-spinner Alana King unable to bowl a second innings over so far, after copping a knock to the elbow while batting, Gardner looms large on a wicket showing big turn.

Teammate Beth Mooney lauded Gardner’s bowling improvement.

Having picked up a massive $554,000 at the women’s premier league this year, there’s little doubt about Gardner’s talent and Mooney said she could now cash in with a red ball too.

“Ash, to her credit, has improved her off-spin bowling out of sight in the last couple of years,” Mooney said.

“We know that she can settle into one end in this format and bowl the ball in the right areas exactly where we want it. So it’s a lot of reward for a serious amount of hard work that she’s put in on and off the field, so I couldn’t be more pleased for Ash, I think she’s done a great job for us.

“Soph (Ecclestone) has set the benchmark across a number of years in white-ball cricket and now she‘s showing her class in Test cricket, but I think Ash isn’t too far behind her. She’s been outstanding in the last couple of years for us.

Gardner celebrates dismissing Nat Sciver-Brunt. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

“It was probably a time two or three years ago where (regular captain Meg [Lanning) tended to not throw the ball to Ash in T20 cricket and to her credit she changed what she did and changed her variations and things like that.

“Last WBBL was probably the turning point for Ash. She was player of the tournament, bowled the house down, batted well and now she‘s just a mainstay in our line-up with bat and ball, so I’m really pleased for her. Hopefully, there’s more improvement to come from her and she’s part of the furniture of Australian cricket as well.”

England will resume at 5-115 with the fitness of King to be assessed, although she is likely to bowl. Australia also has left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who only bowled five overs in the first innings.