Accolade follows Gardner's mixed week

Sydney Sixers powerhouse allrounder Ashleigh Gardner has picked up where she left off last season, claiming the Round 1 Rebel Young Gun award after a rollercoaster first week of Rebel WBBL.

The 20-year-old took out the overall award last summer after a breakout WBBL|02 season that yielded 414 runs at 27.60 – including finals – with an impressive strike rate of 114.68. She was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the league, with an incredible 13 sixes and 38 fours among her swathe of runs. She also took 10 wickets with an economy rate of 6.76.

Gardner wasted no time getting started on WBBL Opening Weekend, scoring her first Twenty20 century in the Sixers’ opening game of the season to earn player-of-the-match honours. She belted 10 sixes to notch up the fastest ton in WBBL history, coming off just 47 balls.

From the three games in the opening week, Gardner has scored 168 runs at a strike rate of 169.

However, her third appearance came at a cost after copping a ball to the grill of her helmet. She batted on, but was out soon after, gone for seven off 12 deliveries. She did not take the field for the Sixers' bowling innings and was ruled out of Sunday's game against Hobart Hurricanes with mild concussion.

But Gardner was thrilled to score the third century in WBBL history when she lit up the arena at North Sydney Oval on December 9.

“It’s just so special, and obviously I’d love to do it again. It’s only the first game, so hopefully I can put on another good performance throughout the year,” she said after the game.

“You can never know when you’re going to score runs, to be honest. When I got out there, I just felt so positive and obviously batting with Pez (captain Ellyse Perry) was a massive help as well, but I never knew I was going to do that.”

Gardner has relished her position at first-drop for the Sixers, but said she still has a way to go before she is able to command a similar position in the Australian line-up, having been used lower down the order – predominantly from six to eight – during the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes.

The Rebel Young Gun weekly award winners and overall winners are determined by a panel of Cricket Australia judges.

To be eligible for the award, cricketers must be under 21 at the start of the season. The winners will be elected based on on-field performance and on- and off-field attitude, with demonstration of skill, tenacity and good sportsmanship.

Each weekly winner receives a $500 Rebel gift card, with the overall winner gaining access to a tailored mentor program and prize pack valued at over $6000.

In all, 27 WBBL-listed players are eligible for the award, including Ashes players Gardner and Strikers leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington. Sixers recruit Lauren Cheatle would be eligible, but will miss the season with a back injury.

Eligible players: Hannah Darlington, Rachel Trenaman, Annabel Sutherland, Nicole Faltum, Sarah Bryce, Annie O’Neil, Hannah Trethewy, Hayleigh Brennan, Georgia Wareham, Ellie Falconer, Chloe Rafferty, Lauren Cheatle (injured), Mikayla Hinkley, Clara Iemma, Sophie Molineux, Rhiann O’Donnell, Tabatha Saville, Carly Leeson, Belinda Vakarewa, Erin Fazackerley, Georgia Prestwidge, Tayla Vlaeminck, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Ashleigh Gardner, Jodie Hicks, Maitlan Brown, Makinley Blows.