Gujarat Giant all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner admitted that she has not been consistent with her performances in the Women’s Premier League so far but was elated after her all-round show against Delhi Capitals. The star Australian all-rounder was named Player of the Match for scoring a fine half-century and picking two crucial wickets.
Gardner scored a sublime 51* off 33 balls as Gujarat posted a challenging 147/4 after being asked to bat. She shared an all-important 81-run partnership with Laura Wolvaardt to set up the platform for Gujarat for their second win of the season.
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The talented all-rounder said it was the right game she was in search of after a dull start to the season.
“It’s the game I was searching for. I felt I’d been inconsistent so far in the tournament. To put my team in a winning position with the bat, Laura and I set the platform for our team to leverage. Then we knew we had to bowl well," said Ashleigh on getting the Player of the Match award.
Gardner was also impressed with her team’s bowling performance as it was the first time when Gujarat managed to bundle out the opposition in WPL.
“We did that, it’s the first time we bowled out a team. So it was a clinical performance which is pleasing. We spoke as a team and felt that we were losing too many wickets in clumps. To take our time and remember that 20 overs is a long time, you tend to forget that as it seems to go so fast."
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“So we gave ourselves a couple of balls to have a look, given you can catch up in India where the outfields are fast and wickets are good and cash in at the end. I think as the tournament has gone on, there’s been more spin and has played a greater part. There was none earlier in the tournament, so now we can hit our lengths and find results."
Pace all-rounder Kim Garth was brilliant upfront for Gujarat, taking 2/18 in her four overs, including the crucial scalp of Arundhati Reddy in the 17th over.
“We have played well but have been unlucky, happy with the win today. We have been working hard on being calm. People from different countries operating can be challenging at times. We showed tonight that we can put up a fight and stay in contention," she said to broadcasters after the match ended.
The win also means Gujarat managed to keep their chances for a top-three finish alive.
“Our top-order assessed conditions nicely. 200 was par (score) early on but now we, the bowlers, are delighted. The pitches are probably getting tired. I was contemplating the whole tournament going at tens and that we’ll go for runs even if the bowling is good. Happy that’s not the case. With all the teams in contention, it’s great," she concluded.
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