Gardner named captain as Sixers transition into new era

Sydney Sixers are set to enter a new era in the Weber WBBL as the club hands over its reins to Ashleigh Gardner ahead of WBBL|11.

It's the biggest shift the Sixers' women's side has gone through as club legend Ellyse Perry passes on the baton to her Australian teammate after a decade in charge, during which she delivered two titles for the team.

However, the side has failed to qualify for the finals last two seasons and is looking for a reset under new head coach Matthew Mott.

With Perry turning 35 earlier this week, the decision to hand Gardner the captaincy now would be a timely one, ensuring the team can have a smooth transition of leadership while the all-round great is still an integral part of the group.

Gardner, 28, had earlier locked in a long-term stay at the Sixers by signing a two-year contract extension that will keep her in magenta until at least the end of WBBL|13. Perry is also signed on for the next three years.

A foundational member of the club, Gardner has played 135 matches for the Sixers, scoring 2,607 runs and claiming 102 wickets. She is the side's all-time leading wicket-taker in the WBBL and third on the list of their most productive run-scorers – only behind Perry and Alyssa Healy.

"I'm honoured to be appointed captain of the Sydney Sixers, a club I've proudly represented for my whole career," Gardner said.

"Over the past decade I've learned from some amazing leaders, including Pez (Perry) and Midge (Healy) at the Sixers, and I can't wait to lead the team in WBBL|11.

"Our fans are the best in the league and their support over the past decade has been incredible. I know the whole squad is hungry to bring them a third WBBL trophy this year."

Considered to be the first major unearthing of the WBBL for the Australian team, Gardner's cricketing career has blossomed parallel to the tournament.

Her power with the bat caught the eye in the early days of the competition, earning her the WBBL|02 Young Gun title in 2016-17. She was called up to make her international debut later that summer.

Gardner has since developed a reputation as a genuine allrounder and her contributions with both bat and ball won her the player of the tournament honours for WBBL|08.

The proud Muruwari woman has also been an integral member of the Australian team for a few years now, winning four World Cups with the side and bestowed the Belinda Clark Award twice.

Gardner has been building her leadership repertoire in the Australian setup and in T20 leagues around the World. The Sixers are the third T20 team to hand her the captaincy this year, following the Gujarat Giants in India's Women's Premier League – who retained her services for the next season on Thursday – and the Trent Rockets in The Hundred in the UK.

In the WPL, Gardner led the Giants to their first-ever playoffs finish, while the Rockets finished fourth with four wins out of eight under her charge.

She has also led the Governor-General's XI in a 50-over game against Pakistan in 2023. Earlier this year, she served as the vice-captain on Australia's T20I tour of New Zealand, where Tahlia McGrath captained the side in absence of Healy.

Before she leads the Sixers out against the Perth Scorchers at the WACA on Sunday for her first game as the full-time captain, Gardner has skippered the side on one previous occasion – in their opening game in 2023, when Perry served a ban for slow over rate carried over from the previous season. In a pleasing reminder for the side's fans, her game took well to the additional responsibility as she scored 72 and took two wickets, albeit in a losing cause.

"Ash has grown immensely as a leader; she's a phenomenal player and will be instrumental in the future success of the club," Sixers General Manager Rachael Haynes expressed her happiness at seeing her former state and national junior step into the new role.

"It's a great opportunity for Ash (Gardner) to take on the role while Pez (Perry) is still in our environment can continue to support her as senior leader within the group.

"I am confident that Ash will take to the role with her own style and make the captaincy her own."

Gardner will relish having a familiar face in Mott, the former Australian head coach, to work with as she strives to bring back the trophy that has eluded the club for six seasons.

Under Perry, the star-studded side made it to the title clash in each of the first four seasons but qualified for the finals only once in the six years after that. Along with the captaincy, she will hand over that legacy of early dominance and the responsibility of restoring the lost glory to Gardner.

"It's been an immense pleasure to have the opportunity to lead the Sixers over the last ten years," Perry said.

"The role has given me so much joy and fulfilment, more so than I ever would have imagined and I have benefited so much from all the experiences and learning opportunities it has given me over that time.

"We have always had a strong group of leaders at the club, and whilst I have been fortunate to have the title of captain, the contributions to the group from everyone involved has always been monumental.

"Ash has offered so much to The Sixers on and off the field and her strong interest in giving her best as a leader will be an exciting starting point for our team this season."

Talking to the media on Friday, Gardner revealed that she wanted to have Perry around when she took over and it was her who brought up the conversation around the transition.

"I had an inkling, across the years, that I was the next person that they were considering," she said.

"Thankfully, I'm good friends with her, and it was one of those conversations that I could have really open(ly) and honestly, to ask her thoughts about it all, knowing that I didn't want to step on toes. If it was something that she felt really strongly about that she wanted to do, I could understand that.

"But she was there to support me, and she will be for the rest of the season. So, to have someone like her in my corner is amazing."