Gardner set to captain Sixers in Big Bash first

Callan Morse Published October 18, 2023 at 1.00pm (AWST)

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Gardner will join Hannah Darlington as the only Indigenous WBBL captains in the competition's nine year history. (Image: Matt King/Getty Images)

Ash Gardner is set to become the first Indigenous captain of the Sydney Sixers.

It comes as the Muruwari allrounder was cleared of a thumb injury ahead of the Sixers' opening match of their WBBL campaign against the Melbourne Stars on Thursday.

Gardner will captain the Sixers in the WBBL|09 season opener in the absence of mainstay captain, Ellyse Perry, who is serving a ban for slow over-rates after recording a third strike carried over from last year's WBBL|08 final.

26-year-old Gardner, who was appointed Sixers' vice-captain last season before captaining the Governor-General's XI in January, said she wasn't fussed about having the added layer of responsibility, albeit for a single match.

"Being vice-captain is very different to being captain so I just have to wrap my head around that," Gardner said.

"I don't think it's a huge thing. It's for one game.

"It's certainly going to be nerve-wracking, but I'm just going to back myself and go with my gut when I don't really know what to do."

Gardner joins current Sydney Thunder captain and proud Kamilaroi woman, Hannah Darlington as the only Indigenous players to have lead a Big Bash League or Women's Big Bash League side.

Gardner lead the Governor-General's XI against Pakistan in January. (Image: Albert Perez/Getty Images)

"It's probably something that when I was younger I always wanted to be the captain because you're leading the team," Gardner told AAP.

"But anyone can lead and I guess that's part of my game that's probably grown over the last few years.

"Especially in the spin space, I've really tried to lead and drive those standards."

Gardner said captaincy was certainly not something she aspires to do, however would "grab it with both hands" if a permanent leadership opportunity came her way.

"I think it's just one of those things that it'll probably happen naturally," Gardner said.

"If they want me in that position great, but it's certainly not something that's driving me to be a really good player."

Gardner is touted as a potential future captain of the Australian women's team.

She was appointed deputy to stand-in skipper Tahliah McGrath in Ireland earlier this year when interim captain, 33-year-old Alyssa Healy was missing from the side due to injury.

Neither of Australia's international sides have been lead by an Indigenous captain in any format.

- with AAP