Ash Gardner has taken career-best ODI figures after earlier delivering a match-defining performance with the bat in the third white ball game of the summer on Wednesday.
Australia claimed a series sweep with an 83-run victory over India in 40 degree heat at the WACA Ground, Gardner helping decide the result with a maiden five-wicket haul after hitting 50 in the first innings.
The Muruwari star jumped back to form ahead of an away series against New Zealand came after modest returns - eight runs and a duck, and one wicket in each of the opening two games, to start the series.
The tourists looked poised to get a consolation win when Arundhati Reddy went on an early tear sending Australia's top four back to the pavilion by the start of the 17th over, before Gardner (50 off 64) and Annabel Sutherland (110 of 95) combined for the 90 run-plus partnership to steady the home side's innings.
Gardner entered the crease with her side at 4/78, and almost departed twice with single digits, after being dropped then successfully overturning an LBW dismissal early in her knock.
The allrounder was patient to five off her opening 24 balls before getting moving towards her first ODI half-century since July, 2023.
Gardner was dropped again on 24, five metres in from the ropes at deep mid-wicket before settling a second time.
She brought up her sixth ODI half century, second on home soil, in the 34th over before finding the fielder at backward point after drinks.
Australia's total was further bolstered by an unbeaten 56 from Tahlia McGrath to post a 299-run chase.
After Megan Schutt got the early wicket of opener Richa Ghosh, India moved by 130 before Harleen Deol (39) was removed by Alana King, caught and bowled, as Smriti Mandhana built her contribution towards three figures.
Gardner had the breakthrough in her sixth over (having gone for 24 runs) when she slid one on collecting Mandhana's middle stump after the opener worked to 105 at close to a run a ball, India at 4/189 when she was removed.
Australia successfully reviewed to show Deepti Sharma feathered one into her pads, caught by keeper Beth Mooney on the crease, for Gardner's second three balls later.
Gardner continued into the tail, her third coming when Minnu Man mistimed to Phoebe Litchfield at mid-wicket, then removing Saima Thakor when she found Kim Garth at short fine leg without addition, to secure a double-wicket maiden with her eight over.
The home side were circling her win when Gardner claimed her first five wicket haul in ODI cricket with Reddy out LBW.
Alana King sealed the result with her second wicket in the 46th over.
Gardner ended her night with figures of 5/30 from her 10 with the ball.
Speaking post-match Australian captain Tahlia McGrath credited Gardner and Sutherland for their "unbelieveable" partnership after a tricky start to 'swing the momentum' back in their direction.
It's a tight turn around before the first of three one-dayers with New Zealand in Aotearoa next Thursday, before returning home for an Ashes Series with England, starting January 12.
"The Ashes is obviously almost the pinnacle of world cricket for us Australian players, and something that we love being involved in. And we know what England are like. They're going to be fierce, and there's certainly going to be some fantastic battles out there on the field," Gardner told National Indigenous Times in November.
"Hopefully we can start a really successful summer and play the crew that we want to play".
