Sydney Sixers coach Matthew Mott has endorsed Ash Gardner’s credentials as Australia’s next cricket captain as the national team starts planning for a period of transition.
Gardner was unveiled as the Sixers’ new skipper ahead of this season’s Women’s Big Bash League, replacing club veteran Ellyse Perry in the role. The 28-year-old’s captaincy tenure got off to a dream start last weekend, taking 5-15 in a crushing ten-wicket victory over the Scorchers in Perth.
Mott, who replaced England legend Charlotte Edwards as Sixers mentor this season, confessed he played no role in Gardner’s appointment, but predicted she would “become one of the better leaders that has ever been produced in Australian cricket”.
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“Ash is developing into an outstanding leader for Australian cricket,” Mott told reporters on Wednesday.
“Her cricket IQ is as high as anyone in the world at the moment, and she’s learned off some of the great leaders in Australian cricket, so it’s just cherry ripe now for her to take this team.
“She’s got some handy people around her in Ellyse and Alyssa, so she’ll leverage off them.
“The comms with the support staff has been exceptional, and long may that continue.”
Australia could be searching for a new captain in the near future as skipper Alyssa Healy approaches the twilight of her international career, revealing the most recent edition of the World Cup would be her last. Tahlia McGrath has served as Healy’s deputy since the retirement of Meg Lanning in 2023, while young all-rounder Annabel Sutherland also looms as candidates.
Earlier this week, former Australian captain Meg Lanning talked up Phoebe Litchfield’s leadership qualities, throwing her name into the mix.
“I look at our group, and we’ve got so many natural leaders, I just learn off them,” Litchfield said in response to Lanning’s comments.
“And if the day came, I’d definitely grab it with both hands.
“But I can assure you that, the likes of Ash Gardner, Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, we’ve got just an amazing group of beautiful leaders, and I just look up to them.
“So if I end up getting it (one day), it’s because of them.”
However, Mott claimed that he recognised Gardner’s leadership credentials during his tenure as Australian coach, which came to an end following the 2022 World Cup campaign in New Zealand.
“Her leadership was always there,” he continued.
“Even as a young player, I saw her in some camps up at the National Cricket Centre, and people gravitated towards Ash at a very, very early age. She had that natural leadership.
“First and foremost, she’s just a really authentic leader, there’s no fuss about it. She’s a very straight talker, very calm presence, and is a very popular member.
“I think Ash is going to turn into probably one of the better leaders that has ever been produced in Australian cricket.
“You don’t have to be Einstein to work out that she’s a potential leader down the track, as are a number of the players in that squad.”
Australia was eliminated during the knockouts of the recent World Cup campaign in the subcontinent, losing to India in the semi-finals. Having also suffered a shock semi-finals defeat to South Africa during last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, the powerhouse nation has lost possession of both major ICC trophies.
However, Mott argued there was no need to panic for the Australians, adamant that Healy’s star-studded team was still the best in the world.
“Having watched from a distance, I think the team’s as strong as it’s ever been,” Mott said.
“It’s an amazing thing in World Cups that sometimes the best team doesn’t win, and I’m not taking anything away from India, but Australia had a slightly off day (in the semi-final).
“I still think Australia’s the best team in the world, and I’m not on my own there.
“We’ve all been waiting for India to come through and break through, so from a world cricket point of view, particularly in the women’s game, it’s a huge shot in the arm. Disappointing as it is (for Australia), I think that the game itself will be better for it.
“In terms of the Australian team, I think they’re not far off what they need to be. It’s going to hurt, but as we found in 2017, sometimes those things happen for a reason and can motivate you and kick you to even higher levels, so hopefully that’s the case.
“I’m sure Shelley Nitschke, who’s an outstanding coach, will get them back on track. They’ve got a little bit of a break now, but it’s exciting to see where that team can go because it’s chock full of amazing players.”
The Sixers will next face the Thunder in a Sydney derby at Drummoyne Oval on Saturday, with the first ball scheduled for 7.10pm AEDT.
