Ash Gardner shows form slump is over as Australia seals New Zealand ODI series

An Australian star has come into superb batting touch at just the right time as the champion side played its final game before the Ashes.

After enduring a horror start to the season with the bat, Australian star Ash Gardner will enter the Ashes in top form after blasting a career-high ODI score to lead her side to victory over New Zealand.

Australia sealed a 2-0 series win in the third match in Wellington on Monday as Gardner crashed 74 from 62 balls in the tourists’ total of 290 before the Kiwis were bowled out for 215.

New Zealand completed a rare feat by bowling out the world champions in the first innings – the first side to do so in an ODI since February 2019 – but Alana King (3-34) and Annabel Sutherland (3-39) triggered a major collapse from 1-106 to crush any hope of a successful chase.

Ash Gardner celebrates her second half-century in three innings after a lean start to the summer with the bat. Picture: Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images

Gardner, who had been under the pump after just 103 runs at 12.87 in the WBBL before scores of 8 and 0 in her first two games against India, scored her second half-century in three innings in an ominous performance three weeks from the multi-format Ashes campaign.

She came to the crease at 4-127 after Phoebe Litchfield (50) and Beth Mooney (2) departed in quick succession, but steadied the ship with Sutherland (42 off 43) and batted until the 45th over to set an imposing target.

The Kiwis looked capable of pulling off an upset with Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr at the crease at 1-106 in the 20th over, but the former threw away her wicket with a skied pull shot to deep mid-wicket, where Ellyse Perry slid forward for an excellent catch off Sutherland’s bowling.

Phoebe Litchfield (right) celebrates with Beth Mooney after the pair combined for the crucial run-out of Amelia Kerr. Picture: Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images

Five balls later, captain Sophie Devine burnt Kerr with an ambitious attempted single into the off-side, with keeper Beth Mooney cleanly taking a half-volley from Litchfield to complete an important run-out.

King continued her excellent form in the 50-over format, troubling the NZ batters with her flight and curve to claim three wickets before also running out No. 10 Molly Penfold at the striker’s end with a clever piece of fielding off her own bowling.

The victory kept Australia clear of England at the top of the ICC Women’s ODI Championship table, with the two sides to face off in three ODIs, three T20s and a Test match beginning with a 50-over game at North Sydney Oval on January 12.